Ben Hogan's Five Lessons: The Modern Fundamentals for Golf

This is actually the second time reading Ben Hogan's Five Lessons: The Modern Fundamentals of Golf, having read it once before after receiving it as a gift from my father. As an avid golfer, he thought it might provide some tips to improve my game, which is mostly miserable.

I picked the book up again due to a golf outting I have coming up at the end of this week.Typically, this is not the sort of thing for which I would actively or readily volunteer. However, it is part of a wedding weekend and I chose to focus on my golf game so as not to be an embarrassment. The book actually proved to be rather useful. My performance at the driving range has increased significantly in the past week I have been reading the book. The tips are practical, useful, and well-illustrated. It goes to show you can read your way to a better golf game.

Ben Hogan's Five Lessons: The Modern Fundamentals of Golf

No Depression: An Introduction to Alternative Country Music. Whatever That Is.

No Depression: An Introduction to Alternative Country Music. Whatever That Is., is a book edited by Grant Alden and Peter Blackstock, two of the founding members of the No Depression magazine. For those who are unaware, the magazine (now only available on the web) has been part of the alternative country scene since the mid 90's. It takes its name from a song by the Carter Family and Uncle Tupelo, in effect, tracing the history of this hard-to-pin-down sub genre.

The book is comprised of select articles that have appeared in the magazine (though mostly in the 90s as the book was published in 1998). The article read as part biographies and part press kits/releases. They shed some insight into the various artists that make up this genre and serve to introduce the readers to bands/artists of which they might be previously unaware.

Articles feature such bands as: Waylon Jennings, Billy Joe Shaver, Wilco, Son Volt, the Old 97's, the Bottle Rockets, the Jayhawks, Whiskeytown, Golden Smog, and more. It is definitely an interesting collection.

No Depression: An introduction to alternative country music. Whatever that is.

The Sherlockian

I just finished The Sherlockian by Graham Moore. While I did not know what to expect, it turned out to be a really great book. As someone who has been a fan of the Sherlock Holmes canon for several years, I thought this was a well-written mystery.

The is not a novel about Sherlock Holmes per say. It is instead about two stories, both that are closely related to the great detective. One of the stories centers on Arthur Conan Doyle, the celebrated author of Sherlock Holmes, as he works to solve a case of murders in London with his friend, Bram Stoker. The other story centers on Harold White, a member of the Baker Street Irregulars, a group that is obsessed with Sherlock Holmes and contributes scholarly articles to its members. Harold is working on another mystery in an attempt to solve the mystery of who killed Alex Cale, another member of the Irregulars, who was long in pursuit of Conan Doyle's missing diary.

The book proved to be very good and both stories were intriguing with well-developed compelling characters.

The Sherlockian

Again to Carthage

Again to Carthage is the sequel to Once A Runner, the classic running novel by writer John L. Parker, Jr. I thoroughly enjoyed this book as much as the first one.

This book also focuses on Quenton Cassidy, the protagonist of Once A Runner. In this book, Quenton has returned from the Olympics and is an established lawyer in Florida. He still engages in running, but spends a fair amount of time practicing law, playing in various recreational leagues, and boating down to the Bahamas where he dives and fishes. After the death of his friend and some of his kin in North Carolina, Quenton decides to try running competitively again. This time, however, he has his eye on the marathon. So, he enlists the help of his trusted friend and coach, Bruce Denton.

This book beautifully captures the thoughts of an aging male coming to terms with his mortality. Plus, it brilliantly portrays the trials and tribulations of training for a race.

Again to Carthage

Once A Runner

As a amateur runner (some might even say a wannanbe runner), I have been aware of the nover Once A Runner by John L. Parker, Jr. for a few years. I have tried to track it down for a number of years, but it was a rare release and copies could run upwards of $100. So, I was happy to see that the book was rereleased. I know that many of my running friends who have read it have raved about it and Runner's World practically worships the book. So, I was excited to read it.

I will say, the book did not disappoint.

The story centers around Quenton Cassidy, a collegiate miler at a Florida institution. He is a fan of running the 1600 during track season and essentially despises cross country season. The book is full of witty banter between runners as they log training miles. The story really captures the playful spirit of undergraduate athletes living, training, sweating, studying, and playing together. The story features the trials and tribulations of being an undergraduate and is full of lovable characters.

However, it is definitely also a story about running. I found the book to be so inspirational. It's given me new energy in my own runs. It's an entertaining and inspirational book.

Once A Runner

Raiders from the North: Empire of the Moghul

This book was an interesting piece of historical fiction. While not entirely fast-paced, it was nonetheless enjoyable.

The book centers around a central character, Babur, who at the beginning of the books becomes King after his father was killed in an earthquake. The rest of the book follows Babur's life as he progresses into adulthood, taking wives, winning and losing kingdoms. Babur is an easily likeable character, trusting friends and striving to make a name for himself as he acquires an empire.

Raiders from the North: Empire of the Moghul

Hickory Wind: The life and times of Gram Parsons

Just finished Hickory Wind: The life and times of Gram Parsons by Ben Fong-Torres. I have long been a fan of Gram Parsons (former member of the Byrds, Flying Burrito Brothers, and International Submarine Band), so I greatly enjoyed reading this book. I got turned on to Gram a few years ago and have enjoyed his brand of country-rock music, which he called "cosmic American music." However, I only really knew the rough sketches of his life: he liked Nudie suits, sang on Sweetheart of the Rodeo by the Byrds (one of my favorite albums ever), and died young.

This book provided some more details into the somewhat scattered life of Gram Parsons. While not necessarily a true biography, it was a helpful read. Fong-Torres spent time interviewing key figures in Gram's life and includes snippets from these interviews throughout the book. This is definitely a good read for those who are familiar with Gram and would be good for those who are unfamiliar but are curious to learn about his somewhat influential role in modern American music.

Hickory Wind: The Life and Times of Gram Parsons