Department of Book Reports: The Big Burn

The Big Burn Teddy Roosevelt and The Fire That Saved America by Timothy Egan (Houghton Mifflin, $27) For those of you who enjoyed Ken Burn's National Parks, I suggest this excellent history of how our National Forests came into being. We saw terrible fires in California this past summer, 100,000 acres burned and many houses were lost. This is small in comparison to the fire that swept through the Northwest in 1910, burning 3 million acres in just two days. The town of Wallace, Idaho was completely destroyed. 85 (or perhaps 87) lives were lost. This fire raced across the landscape, pushed by Chinook winds and updrafts the flames created, blasting up to 85 mph. That speed cannot be out run. Trains were unable to carry people to safety as bridges and tracks were destroyed.

Theodore Roosevelt had set aside the National Parks during his presidency, and put Gifford Pinchot in charge of managing these forests. Pinchot, newly graduated from Yale with new theories of Forestry, had amassed his staff of Forest Rangers, or "little G.P.s" as they were known. John Muir had traveled west and sent back reports of Yellowstone and the glorious Sierras. Their conservation ideals were often ridiculed by the hard scrabble homesteaders and Railroad and Lumber Barons of the region. By 1910, Roosevelt was out of office, replaced by his own pick of Taft, whose ineffectiveness was blatant in this disaster.

photo: historylink.org

Egan gives a good narrative of how this time period produced the break from Republicans as the Progressive party of Lincoln and Roosevelt to what we know today. The scope of the burn also allowed him to push his Conservation goals and add to the Parks with the National Forest lands. Much of the eastern parks owe their existence to this tragedy.

Timothy Egan has written some of the best Western histories including The Good Rain, about this part of western Washington we call home and The Worst Hard Time, about the dust bowl years and the western migration it produced. His research brings out the personal narrative in these histories. In The Big Burn we learn of how after Gifford Pinchot's young wife died after just 2 years of marriage he spent the next 20 years haunted by her presence. His diary notes "days of light" when he believed he had been in her presence, or "dark days" when she did not appear. He sought out seers and seances to call her forth. He was often seen carrying on conversations with her as he dined alone in Washington DC's finest restaurants.
Taft and Roosevelt's lives and presidencies are detailed with personal details and the political aspects of the day. The firefighters are given good tribute here. Drawn from the logging and mining operations and joined by the Buffalo Soldiers, these are the lives that were lost that weekend. The 1,200 firefighters hired by the Forest Service often weren't paid for their time, or medical bills. Ed Pulaski, who herded his men into a cave and pulled his handgun to keep them from running into the inferno, was left destitute after the fire. Denied a patent number, he is remembered today for the axe/blade tool that bears his name and is invaluable to firefighters everywhere.

The Big Burn is available at Jackson Street Books and do check with your local independent booksellers to see if Timothy Egan will be reading. Listen to the audio from a recent radio interview on KUOW's The Conversation (begins at 40 minutes in).
Cross-posted at Jesus' General

Yet another episode of Small Town, Small Minds

Our first example surprised me. This is a living room on a main street in downtown Aberdeen. Market Street, in case you're wondering. I was so shocked, I had to go around the block and come back for a picture. Dan warned me "be careful" as I jumped out of the car and snapped the picture from the sidewalk. I only took the one, I was actually kinda nervous myself. Anyone who would post this sort of ugliness in their front window wasn't anyone I wanted to talk to. I didn't think it'd help if I said I wanted it for my blog.

Then we have the Market Place Health Food store that I was so delighted to find right next to Jay's Fruit Stand and Michael's Meats. I always thought it a little odd those two would talk about how their proximity would bring customers to each other, and make no mention of the Health Food store. Maybe now we see why.

If you are not in WA state, I-71 is an initiative to repeal the modicum gay rights given last year, our "Everything BUT Mariage" act. You actually want to vote "Yes" to keep these rights for our citizens. We both sport APPROVE buttons, via our dear Fran's generosity and activism.

Here's a local um.. brilliant mind.. proffering her two bits on how to vote on I-71:

Preserve marriage as one man, one woman

Under our Bill of Rights, all American citizens have equal rights. Gay people can already choose civil unions. They can arrange legal matters such as insurance and wills.

Senate Bill 5688 is about granting special rights to homosexuals and unmarried seniors.

If we allow SB 5688 to pass, society is one huge step closer to redefining marriage into oblivion as anything and everything.

Legal arguments are already being made that if gay people can marry, why not multiple partners, why not men and young boys, why not polygamy. People supporting 5688 say this is not what they want, but activists have claimed that passing 5688 is just one of the incremental steps ( to approve gay marriage in the U.S. and redefine marriage as a whole).

Traditional marriage, as imperfect as it is, still exists to protect women and children and to perpetuate our society. Please resist arguments to dilute it further. Please stand against Washington Senate Bill 5688.

Please help preserve marriage as between only one man and one woman. Protect our children by protecting marriage. Please vote NO on SB 5688.

Jill Lagergren

Elma

You just keep telling it like it is, Jill. Stay on point there, dear. And, don't bother mentioning what folks can actually vote on.

Department of Book Reports: Marx's General: The Revolutionary Life of Friedrich Engels

Tristram Hunt's Marx's General: The Revolutionary Life of Friedrich Engels (Metropolitan Books $32.00) is a tour de force of biography. Filled with critical appraisal, keen insight, it is also a remarkable history of the 19th Century.

Hunt takes us on Engels journey as son of a good German burgher, to his youth, filled with the thoughts of Young Hegelianism, his conversion to "Communism", his first shaky meeting with the Moor, Karl Marx, onto his participation in the 1848 European revolutions, and on to his own life as Manchester bourgeois, and his retirement to London. And it is a remarkable journey.

At the center, of course, is the central relationship with Marx. Engels supported Marx and his family most of his adult life. And generously. When you read or hear of accounts of the squalor of Marx's domestic life, always without money, it was not that Engels was not supportive enough; Marx was horrible at managing money. And Marx's family, his wife and daughters, loved Engels, regarding him as a family member. The one serious rift came upon the death of Engel's long-time lover and companion, Mary Burns, and one which was repaired by an apologetic Marx, who never really apologized to anyone for anything.

It is also interesting to see the contrast of their years in England. Engels was occupied with running his father's firm in Manchester, while Marx spent his hours in the British Museum, struggling, and often distracted from writing Capital. And oddly, for a staunch Communist, Engels indulged himself in the life of the ruling class in Manchester, often riding in fox hunts. And at night, Engels was also not just a sexual libertine, he could be an outright Lothario, seducing his "friends" wives.

Which is not to say that Engels didn't have his own intellectual accomplishments. His "Condition of the Working Class in England" was a seminal work of social and political analysis. His nickname, The General, (bestowed upon him by Marx's daughters) came from his fervid interest in military campaigning. He was often published pseudoanonymously for his coverage of the Crimean War, the Prussian-Austrian war, and finally the Prussian victory over the French in Sedan in 1870. Engels knew that he would always play second fiddle to Marx in thought, acknowledging his genius.

Read this book. It is a treat for the mind. And please do not confuse Marx's General with Jesus' General. They are not related.

Marx's General is available at Jackson Street Books and other fine independent booksellers.

democommie was unavailable for comment on this book report.Cross posted at Jesus' General.

Department of Book Reports: Marijuana is SAFER

Alcohol causes 35,000 deaths in America each year. No-one has ever died from effects of marijuana. Domestic abuse and violence often has it's origins in alcohol consumption. Marijuana has not had this effect. So, why are we driving people to drink?

Marijuana is SAFER, by Steve Fox (MPP), Paul Armento (NORML), and Mason Tvert (SAFER) (Chelsea Green Publishing $14.95) Part history lesson and part activism handbook, this volume provides a full range of facts to counter the empty "just say No" prohibition arguments that have been given too much credence to date.
Broken down into 3 parts, the authors first cover The Choice: Marijuana vs. Alcohol, looking at the differences to both person and society from the effects of usage. Available studies and anecdotal stories of Frat Row and drunken brawls after sporting events have led to the realization that the continual promotion of alcohol to celebrate has had much more damage than promoting marijuana would have. Here is a great recap from their website.
Former Seattle Chief of Police, Norm Stamper has written the intro and (sadly after) his retirement has become a leading voice in the Legalization movement. Here is a short video from him.

Choice Interrupted examines covers the history of Reefer Madness and the consequences of following the zero tolerance policies. Last year SAFER published a "WANTED" poster that pointed out the fact that Cindy McCain's money came from alcohol and the hypocrisy of a major manufacturer of alcohol funding her husband's presidential run to further advocate for marijuana prohibition.
Freedom of Choice breaks down traditional arguments and shows that marijuana use could be an alternative and not an additional vice. This section gives you a good basis for advocating locally and enlarging the discussion.

Recently our local paper ran a story of a 15 year old boy who died of alcohol poisoning. I'm certainly not for encouraging children that young to partake of anything, but it can't be denied that our society's continued glamorization of alcohol contributed to the young man's death. And if you think 15 year olds can't get their hands on either substance, well, dream on.

On Monday night at 6pm, I'll be joined by Mason Tvert to discuss Marijuana is SAFER in Second Life. We have a new reading hall just down the street from the bookstore. Join us at Lacamas Hall for an eye-opening evening.

SAFER is on twitter

The Financial Lives of the Poets

The Financial Lives of The Poets, by Jess Walter (HarperCollins $25.99 ) I've been reading Jess' books for a few years now, and I can safely agree with his wife: "No, dear, you aren't funny." So, in spite of that assessment, Jess set out to write a comedy novel. He has succeeded, if you like your comedy dark and on the bleak side.

Turns out, this is a brilliant novel that captures the free-falling zeitgeist of our current society.


Matt Prior left his newspaper job to begin his start-up blog: poetfolio.com During the boom economy, it seems to be a sure fire hit; financial news in verse. Now at the end of his savings, about to be evicted from the house they bought and have loved, a fateful trip to the 7/11 changes everything. He needs milk. For the boys. For their cereal. In the morning.

That shit's like, $9 a gallon!

Here is a beautifully played out drama, a family you can love. Coming utterly undone. About to lose his house, with no job or prospect, his wife is certainly having an on-line affair with her high school boy friend... Matt's encounter at the 7/11 sets off a new venture: sell pot to the aging boomers who still fancy themselves "happening". A tap on the shoulder a couple days later dashes that American Dream. By the end of the book, there is redemption, resolution, and resignation. And re-connection with family.

The poetry sprinkled throughout is perfect, I recommend A Brief Political Manifesto on page 39.
Luke Baumgarten has written the review I only wish I could. Go read it, and stay tuned for Jess Walter in Second Life, sometime in October.

On a somewhat related note: I will be interviewing Mason Tvert for his book, Marijuana is SAFER on Oct 5th, 6pm (Pacific) at our new place: Lacamas Reading Hall. We'll discuss marijuana myths, propaganda, and how to become active for pro-cannabis legislation.

Department of Book Reports: PNBA Tradeshow re-cap

I had hoped to live blog this last week, but the Hotel from Hell had the worst wi-fi I've ever seen. If you have to go to Portland OR, and you must stay near the airport, stay at any hotel but this one. Just sayin.
The show floor! Table after table of glorious books! Yes we were in heaven. I used the weekend to ask authors, publicists and publisher reps for authors to read in Second Life. I have 16 yeses, and more contacts for the future.
Running into old friends is the best part of the show.
And speaking of Garth, Larkworthy made a lovely machima of the reading for us:

You know Booksellers are cool, cause we read graphic novels!
Seattle Author Jennie Shortridge has her new novel When She Flew which will be along in November. Garth says "Smart, Funny... and Wise."
Rebecca O'Connor's Lift is her life journey as a falconer. I must tell Siobahn about this one! (twitter!)

I was so excited to meet the folks behind Boilerplate! Their encyclopedial Boilerplate: History's Mechanical Marvel is a joy to read. They've agreed to a reading so get your SL Steampunk gear ready!
Vampire coffee. I'm really tempted to snicker here, but the Twilight Frenzy is everywhere. The local rag had a breathless front page speculation earlier this week, that some scenes in the next movie might be shot here in town because an auto parts store in Hoquiam is briefly mentioned in the second book. Even though the entire first movie was filmed on Oregon's coast. And Vashon Coffee really is quite good.
The Buzz Book Award is voted on by booksellers at the show, for most impressive book of show. This year, the winner is Hands at Work, a book written by Iris Granville and photographed by Summer Moon Scriver.
More Bookstore friends! Clyde & Bill from Cover to Cover Books.
Redsides Publisher Services is repped by George Carroll. Dee from Village Books looks over this seasons offerings. (twitter!)
After a long day on the tradeshow floor, it's time to hit the bar. Chuck from Village Books (twitter!) tells us of his plans to buy an Espresso Book Machine and their plans to help other NW bookstores republish their local favorite book for sales through their store. I'll be trying to track down They Tried to Cut It All, a history of logging on the coast.
The author dinner is a real treat, as 5 different authors come to your table to tell you of their book. I picked Randy Sue's table, so we could have some time with this sparkly lady.
Doug Scott is the policy director of the Campaign for America's Wilderness. Our Wilderness: America's Common Ground is a lovely photobook that should be a hit across the country, with stunning photos and history of our national parks.
Gregg Olsen is another old friend, his true crime is well respected in the Northwest. A Twisted Faith tells the story of a Bainbridge Island minister who carried on 5 affairs with parishioners while plotting the death of his wife. This one doesn't get published till next April, rest assured there will be a bookreport! (twitter!)
Cathy Lamb has Henry's Sisters, which has been praised as "positively irresistable" by Publisher's Weekly and is a September 09 IndieFirst Pick.
Kevin Michael Connolly, who, without a doubt is the most inspirational person we met last week. And if you're thinking it's a might presumptious of a 23 year old to write a memoir, let me re-assure you: not this 23yo! Born in Helena MT, with no legs and scant medical assistance, his parent decided to raise him to be a problem solver. When his wheel chair became too awkward and cumbersome, he decided to take up skateboarding. As someone who has been looked at all his life, he decided to start photographing people as they viewed him. He has traveled around the world on a longboard, and writes of how we look at people who are different. Far from bitter, he offers insightful essays on how people's reactions vary by locale and age. This is one young man I'll be keeping an eye on. Read this first chapter at HarperCollin's website, and look around at the photography. (twitter!)
Back at the bar, and here's Jess Walter and Timothy Egan. I eagerly read Jess' The Financial Lives of Poets the minute we got home. Jess was determined to write a comedy this time, and he has, although it's a very dark comedy. It's set amid today's financial collapse and centers on one man's mis-steps and over-stretched accounts. This will be next week's book report, so you'll have to wait till then for more. Timothy Egan follows up The Worst Hard Time with The Big Burn, which chronicles the August 1910 fire that blazed across Washington, Idaho and Montana. In the space of two days 3 million acres of forest and small towns were destroyed in its wake and America mobilized the largest ever firefighting team to try and fight the blaze. The aftermath of this fire allowed Teddy Roosevelt and Gifford Pinchot to make their dream of a national forest a reality. The Big Burn publishes in October.
Home again, and time to put the books on a shelf and admire them. The face outs in the pictures below show authors who will be reading at Jackson Street Books in Second Life. First up: Marijuana is SAFER, Oct 5th 6pm(Pacific) Mason Tvert, director of SAFER will discuss his recent book on marijuana facts and legislation. (twitter!)


Most of these books aren't published yet, but send us an email at info@jacksonst-books.com to pre-order. We'll be happy to get you a copy.

Garth Stein reads at Jackson Street Books

Second Life:

Real Life:



Jackson Street Books is proud to welcome Garth Stein to discuss his latest award winning novel, The Art of Racing in the Rain. Monday September 7, 6pm PDT.

Heartbreaking and achingly perfect this book is really impossible to describe.Narrated by the big hearted Enzo, this story reminds us of the grace of everyday, the preciousness of each moment. Enzo is a dog who can explain what it is to be human. You can see my earlier reports here.

We have copies available (or pre-order signed copies for 9/14 shipment)

I always regretted not being able to have a signing while we were still in Seattle, but now we'll be able to have an event in Second Life!

UPDATE! Larkworthy's machima is on youtubes now. Thanks Lark!

Here's the podcast of tonight's reading