Here are a few books I've read recently that I recommend.
* The Gold Rush Widows of Little Falls, by Linda Peavey and Ursula Smith. This non-fiction work tells the tale of a small Minnesota city (Little Falls) that lost a major portion of the male population to the lure of gold mining in the West. The men left their wives and families with no cash, no means of support, and for many, no thought of ever seeing them again. Letters to and from the families and men have survived to this day, and were used to recreate the time-line of events and conversations. I found it a very good read, interesting and yet still informative, and it stuck to the truth more often than not. I dis-like non-fiction books that start making up conversations or waxing poetic about how a person felt (or even, in one horrific case, what philosophical questions a horse was asking itself!), but I only recall one extrapolated scenario in the book, and it felt allowable. If you like finding out why people moved where they did, and what drove some folks to pick up and leave all to chase a dream of gold, this is a good book for you! Also family histories, great details on how one moved across the country in those days, and plenty of examples of how NOT to run your life financially quite applicable to this day and age!
* Lady in Boomtown by Mrs Hugh Brown. A recounting of a young woman's life in the very early 1900s in a silver boomtown in Nevada. Great personal stories, descriptions of people and social outings, happenings and countryside. Not a lot of detail about the daily minutiae (other than the dust!), but a fascinating read nonetheless. Lots of good mining info written in easily understandable terms. The author has a lovely self-deprecating sense of humor, a charming lack of ego when it comes to recounting her missteps, and the ability to see good in those around her. A lovely read, one I looked forward to reading every evening before falling asleep. I could have wished for twice as long a book!
*
Open
by Andre Agassi
My mother and I watched a lot of tennis in the 80s and 90s, following some hometown folks as they rose and fell in the rankings, and enjoying all the young talents emerging. Andre always had interesting, engaging matches - never boring! I had quite a picture built up mentally about what he was like, based solely on how he played tennis. This book changed all that completely. A very deep, intense, flayed-open to the world retelling of his childhood and his tennis career. Astounding what this man went through, that the public never saw, and that he came through it all and made it out not just alive, but open and caring about children. There is definite tennis statistics talk, tennis match details, but if the exact strokes and pattern of wins starts to make your eyes glaze over, you can skip them and not miss anything personal. I could not put this book down - this was one that led to a 2am bedtime as I just had to read One. More. Chapter.
* This Time Together: Laughter and Reflection by Carol Burnett
A very fast read, just a lovely light conversation with Carol. I grew up with her specials on TV, laughed myself silly at the curtain dress, and loved the Momma's Family sketches. And of course, I knew what I would ask her if I was ever an audience member (very unlikely, as I was a child of the Midwest!). This book brought that all back, and I enjoyed filling in the holes in my memory, and learning how it all came about. I think I finished this in two bedtime reads (tho again, 2am came upon me without warning...)
* I'm Chevy Chase and You're Not by Rena Fruchter
I've been on a Saturday Night Live kick lately, or rather ... early SNL. These days SNL takes every joke, especially the bad ones, to excruciating lengths with one-trick characters. But I digress. :) Chevy Chase opens up about his childhood, his struggles, etc. A very interesting read, another childhood I just can't imagine living through, and a wonderful man that came out of it all. It's not a tell-all, it's more a musing on his own life and how it shaped where he ended up - and how it still to this day affects him.
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