My god! It’s a blog!

YES, I ADMIT I AM A JUNKIE!

I am addicted to books, magazines, newspapers.

I must, if at all possible, get the Charleston (or local wherever I am) paper, the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal.

I haven’t blogged in about a year, but that does not mean my mind has been at rest or indolent.

My mind is very restless.

And I have been very busy with business matters and some real estate. I think we can begin a new chapter of effort involving dirt.

Starting to get rolling on 4th book-5 pages of legal pad notes and jottings, creating a plot structure. Title will be: ‘OK, I’ve Seen Enough,’

Heading up to Pennsylvania in a few days to visit with the model for my star protagonist and will enjoy more mining of her brain. Her name is Cake.

So, in addition to what all has been going on, Here is a listing of what I have read in the last year +/-:

-MERCURY by Amy Joe Burns-Chick Lit, it was OK but let’s not get carried away. Cue Diane Lane.

-DEACON KING KONG by James McBride-McBride has the gift of imagination and is a true wordsmith.

-THE CIVIL WAR, Shelby Foote’s magnificent, prodigious trilogy.

-THE QUIET AMERCAN by Graham Green-A piercing story of what was, no matter what the place was called, Viet Nam.

-THE WOMAN WHO KNEW EVERYONE by Mary Gordon-Pearl Mesta, The Hostess With The Mostest-fun and Informative too.

-THE GUNS AT LAST LIGHT by Rick Atkinson-3rd Volume of his wonderful WW2 trilogy…he’s one of the absolute best.

-THE BLAZING WORLD by Jonathan Healey-England’s transformative 17th Century.

-EMBERS OF WAR by Fredrik Logevalle-How the French failed in Viet Nam-One of my favorites-have read 3 times.

-THE FIRST RUMPOLE OMNIBUS by John Mortimer-My all-time favorite barrister-Always untangling a fine mess.

-COLONIALISM-A MORAL RECKONING by Nigel Bigger-explodes the pervasive myth of premeditated White Man Privilege.

-LAST CALL-THE RISE AND FALL OF PROHIBITION by Daniel Okrent-A great book-the rise of the Mafia and so much more.

-THIS FIERCE PEOPLE, THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR IN THE SOUTH  by Alan P. Crawford. Folks, this is where we won it.

-STILLWELL AND THE AMERICAN EXPERIENCE by Barbara Tuchman-He should have been president, great soldier, big mind.

-A PEACE TO END ALL PEACE by David Fromkin-The fall of the Ottoman Empire and the grab-bag creation of today’s Middle East.

-THE VIETNAM WAR by Geoffrey Wawro-An incisive, analytical, uncomfortably readable look as to why we screwed the pooch.

-THE EDUCATION OF A COACH-David Halberstam-Chapel Bill’s Belichek

-THE WHITE WAR by Mark Thompson-Italy’s WW1 bloodbath on the Adriatic…the Generals should have been drawn and quartered.

-NAPLES, 1944 by Keith Lowe-‘Liberation’ is always messy, sloppy, often tragic soup.

-FRANCE ON TRIAL-THE CASE OF MARSHALL PETAIN-J. Jackson-from idol to traitor? Vichy’s boss man examined in post WW2 trial.

-THE POWER BROKER, ROBERT MOSES AND NYC by Robert Caro-Prodigious, Enormous, perplexing, massive in scope, readable.

20 Books, 10,805 pages.

It gets worse or better, depending on your point of view

I am currently reading, all at one time, here and there and everywhere…

-EQUINE LAW AND HORSE SENSE by Julie Fershtman, Esq.-I have an interest in some fine dressage horses-I need to learn.

-A FAREWELL TO ARMS by E. Hemingway-He tightly captured human hope and despair and pain and normalcy. Genius.

-HOW TO MAKE MONEY by Pliny The Elder/Second Century BC…The Thinking Is Still So Simple and So Sound.

-DARK STATE by Jack Slater-A random airport pick-up, tough guys defeat the bad forces. Just finished. Don’t bother.

-JAMES by Percival Everett-Brilliant! The flip side of Jim and Huck Finn.

-DOG LAND by Tommy Tomlinson-Fun and interesting-a good diversion from heavier tomes.

-BASIC JUDAISM by Milton Steinberg-want to learn more-I’m very tired and too, angry about people vilifying these people.

And throw in-

YOUR INCOME TAXES, 2024 by J.K. Lasser-Money Walks, must pay attention. 

Currently, in my little house, on the side of the steps going up, there are 19 books that I have bought over the last many months  and will read in no particular order. If I like a title or subject or find or get a good recommendation, the hook is probably already set in my brain.

I often tell people, I have no time to die-I have books to read.

And here is Exhibit A as to my ‘malady’.

A dear friend gave me for Christmas a nice, fat gift certificate to the wonderful Buxton Books here in Charleston.

I put it where it would be readily seen on my front hall table.

It was surely going to get used but I had to pick my shot-going downtown is often a pain in the ass with parking and people walking off the sidewalks into the street and such.

But last week, I had serious errands to run downtown so I added the Buxton card to my ‘To Do’ list.

Like a kid in a candy store, I got in there and did a Disco Inferno (Thank You Trammps!) and gobbled up 5 more to bring home.

And then I got hold of the NYTimes Book Review and ordered two more.

My steps are beginning to groan. So it goes.

And the pleasure and brain twisting I get from all of it is wonderful and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

I have an agitating brain. Always stirred up.

When I’m reading a book, I am not agitated, calm at least for an appreciable while.
Therapy.

So, yes, I am a book and word junkie. I unburden myself and admit it before all.

But, it isn’t crack or meth.

It’s information and knowledge and thinking and analysis.

(And a vodka or two with it all ain’t too bad either…)

It’s Brain Therapy and a Helpful Emollient.