Digested

I'll be glad when the extreme heat of summer is over.

The local used book store has proven to be a useful destination every month or so. I usually come out with one or two books that keep me occupied and challenged. Shipping News was a very enjoyable read, describing a man with his family returning to the family home in Newfoundland to put his life back together. Makes me want to visit. My daughter suggested I watch the Bourne Identity and Bourne Supremacy movies. I read the first book and just picked up the second. My goodness. It has been a while since I read a book that I had to put down every so often to settle down. I was pacing back and forth, my hands shaking. I had to go for a walk to calm myself. So I look forward to the second of the series. It's rare that books produce physical reactions. A number of years ago I read Solzenitzen's A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovitch. It was in June, and the weather was warm. The book describes working in the subzero temperatures of Siberia, and I felt physically cold.

A couple of enjoyable musical experiences. I went through my teens listening to the Eagles, and like many know the songs by heart. It has become elevator music, part of the background noise everywhere. I picked up Eagles Farewell Tour 1, a video recording of a concert in Melbourne. Very enjoyable. Nothing new or groundbreaking, in fact they play the songs almost as they were recorded. The musical and sound quality is outstanding. Not a stretch in any way, but very entertaining. Today I purchased Talking Heads Stop Making Sense. It is surprisingly difficult to find any of their recordings. Don't know why. I almost drove off the road listening to Burning Down the House. Good rocking, bad driving music. I'll educate my 18 year old coworker on good rock and roll.