As you read this post your first reaction may be that some of it is a little more personal than it needs to be.
But my blog followers include many family members and personal friends who should be kept in the loop regarding tomorrow’s back surgery. And I’ve learned from experience that even blog followers I’ve never met (many of us have become quite close friends over the years) don’t particularly appreciate being kept in the dark, so today’s post is my attempt to cover those bases, in one… swell foop.
I report to St. Mark’s Hospital at 5:45 AM tomorrow for a five-level lumbar spinal fusion which will put me out of commission for a good long while. Following are some of the preparations I’ve made in anticipation of a long and difficult recovery. I’ll also include a more specific request of my readers for suggested reading materials to help me pass the time.
I think I’m about as prepared as I can be, physically if not emotionally. This is some of the medical equipment I already have.
- My handy-dandy ice machine that pumps ice water through a pad that I’ll periodically keep in place on my back to keep swelling at bay. Yes, I know to keep a layer of material (a shirt in my case) between my skin and the pad to prevent skin damage.
- A cane that I ‘inherited’ from Diane Olson, my ex-wife and still very good friend, after one of her surgeries when we were still married. The cane will likely only be used after I’ve “graduated’ from a walker that I don’t yet have.
- What I call my “picker-upper”, which comes in very handy for picking things up for someone who shouldn’t be bending much at the waist.
- A back brace that I absolutely hate because it’s so uncomfortable. For my previous back surgeries I mostly didn’t use it, choosing instead to be extra careful about “BLT’s” (bending, lifting and twisting). But for this surgery I’ll have no choice but to use it whenever I’m on my feet
One of my biggest concerns is getting out of bed. Following my previous surgeries, getting out of bed was absolute hell so I’ve rigged up a contraption that I believe is going to make it easier and much less painful.
I call it my rope-a-dope. It’s a rope attached to the wall at the end of my bed that I can use to pull myself to a sitting position as I’m swinging my legs over the bed’s edge. I’ve tried it and it seems to work surprisingly well. Don’t worry, the rope won’t pull out of the wall – it’s secured to a 2×4 wall stud with a sturdy metal hook. It isn’t pretty but at this point that’s the least of my worries.
In a previous post I asked blog followers for reading suggestions during my recovery (I’ll be using my new Kindle Paperwhite). But in reviewing the responses I realized that I need to be more specific about the kind of reading I prefer in a situation like this.
Generally I’m not a fiction kind of guy, I much prefer nonfiction. And for this recovery my plan is to mostly avoid reading about birds and nature. I do a lot of online reading about those subjects while I’m researching my blog posts, so my hope is to stick to other subjects as a change of pace.
Thirty years ago I built floor to ceiling bookshelves for either side of my living room fireplace that include a total of 14 shelves, mostly filled with books. Five of those shelves have the types of books on them that I’m hoping to be reading during my recovery. So I thought photos of those five shelves, with brief descriptions of the type of books they contain, would be the most effective way of communicating to my readers what kinds of recommendations I’m hoping to get.
- Shelf #1. A mix of some nonfiction adventures and a few novels I’ve actually enjoyed. I believe the last fiction I’ve read was Jean M. Auel’s The Clan of the Cave Bear series, if that tells you anything about my reading preferences.
- Shelf #2. Mostly historical biographies.
- Shelf #3. I call this shelf “Ed Abbey and friends”. It includes works from Abbey, Terry Tempest Williams, Doug Peacock and once again, Diane Olson, my ex-wife. Diane is also an Abbey fan and her book is called A Nature Lover’s Almanac. The four books on the left are medical references, with one exception.
- Shelf #4. Western history in general, including Utah History.
- Shelf #5. English Tudor history and Dudley family history (including early Puritan history) on the right and Mormon history (not Mormon dogma) on the left. I’m very interested in my family history which traces through early Mormon pioneers, the Puritans of Massachusetts Bay Colony and the English Tudors.
So there you have it – my surgery preps and a more specific request for reading suggestions than I’ve made in the past. Thanks in advance for any you might provide.
See you on the other side.
Ron
PS – I hope there isn’t an epidemic of neck strain amongst my readers from trying to read these book titles!
I recommend The Age of Wonder, by Richard Holmes. It’s about scientific exploration and discoveries in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Some of the chapters are sequential, but many are largely independent, and you could dive in anywhere and start reading.
Nothing but best wishes, Ron. The only tool that I found helpful that I didn’t see in your arsenal is the device to help you put your socks on since you won’t be able to bend over. Vocational therapy will probably give you one, but I think I still have mine and if you’re interested, I’ll look for it. As much as I hated the brace, please wear yours as it will take some strain off of your back muscles allowing you to walk more. Lastly, I’m offering you my copy of Willie Nelson’s biography. My thoughts will be with you.
Wishing you well for a successful surgery and a speedy recovery. As I am primarily a fiction reader, I will put out this title to you. It is fiction, but might be up your alley for a bit of the unusual, “The Ugly Little Boy,” by Isaac Asimov. Thank you for the blog. You bring delight every day.
Hope the surgery goes well. Here are some more suggestions for books that you might enjoy. I scanned the suggestions and didn’t see this author mentioned.
Deep South: Four Seasons on Back Roads
by Paul Theroux, Steve McCurry
Riding the Iron Rooster: By Train Through China
by Paul Theroux
The Last Train to Zona Verde: My Ultimate African Safari
by Paul Theroux
The Great Railway Bazaar: By Train Through Asia
by Paul Theroux
Dark Star Safari: Overland from Cairo to Capetown
by Paul Theroux
Ron, looks like you’re well prepared – that “bed lift” is great idea! – , so now relax, trust the surgeon, and be ready to get going with your recovery. Best wishes, will be thinking of you.
May I also add John McPhee’s “The Founding Fish” (the role of Shad in the American Revolution) and “Basin and Range” to these ambitious lists? Also, if you enjoy an older style of writing, the short stories of Eugene Manlove Rhodes, written in the early 1900’s about life in the developing southwest US are some of the best descriptions of the times. He wrote them for the Saturday Evening Post for quite a while. I loved “Consider the Lizard”, “Brave Men and True”, “Paso por Aqui”, and any stories about his character Aforesaid Bates. Tales of railroads, cattle rustlers, cowboys, etc. He was a writer full of compassion for the humble man and dislike of the pompous and greedy. Many of the stories revolve around the theme of an old-timer getting the best of a shyster or city slicker. Check out the University of Oklahoma Press or the interlibrary loan service, as most of the books may be out of print. Oh, and do go back to the early Tony Hillerman books too. Cheers.
I am having surgery tomorrow too…. Blessings of clarity, wisdom, judgment, steady hands, and calm and happy demeanor for all our providers and staff, and blessings of health and healing to you (and me) as well….
I’ve been praying for you! I had another spinal fusion last January. Please try the log roll method of getting out of bed- I’m sure they will school you on that. I also have several helping hands- the picker uppers, placed in several different rooms & still using them now. It’s better than trying to hunt them down when you need one. Take advantage of all help that’s offered- I’m sure you have many wonderful friends who will love to help you. Looking forward to your updates when you can. You have so many people sending you good wishes. Xoxo
Big day tomorrow! Know that you will get through this and feel better than ever.
Only read business books … however a walk down the Mark Twain trail is always fun! Bring back that inner kid 🙂
Hi Ron,
All the best with your surgery & recovery, having had major foot surgery this past January I highly recommend the handrails on the toilet, the motorized lift chair and I had a bag that I used on my walker to tote things around as well. Also a yeti glass with cool water within reach is helpful.
I do enjoy your blog and look forward to you getting back in the swing of things.
Anything by Eric Larsen is good and I too love the Kewis & Clark book by Stephen Ambrose. Anything by Pat Conroy (fiction) but good!
All the best from NC.
Theresa
Thanks for your suggestions, Theresa – both medical and reading material.
Well…you look as prepared as you can be. Love the ice machines, always nice to have ice packs available for that quick relief.
You’ll be in thoughts tomorrow Ron
You got this😊
❤️
As one with 22 large screws in the back and walking around with no pain, I’m sure you will do better than you expect. When you have pain meds, take them before the pain starts. That “Reacher” is the best implement in the tool box. Everyone should have one.
Penny, your first sentence makes me feel more optimistic. Thanks for that!
From my non-fiction shelves, that you might enjoy:
1. Into Thin Air – Jon Krakauer – ascent of Everest
2. Hungry Ghosts: Mao’s Secret Famine – Jasper Becker – 1950’s and 1960’s famine in China, result Mao’s Great Leap Forward
3. A River in Darkness: One Man’s Escape from North Korea – Masaji Ishikawa – insight into a country that claims to be modern and civilized
4. The Discoverers – Daniel J Boorstin – beginnings of scientific knowledge
5. The Immense Journey – Loren Eisley – incredibly wise observations of our natural world, from an eminent naturalist – my first and always favorite book
6. Coming of Age in the Milky Way – Timothy Ferris – how our understanding of our solar system and galaxy have grown – one of my favorite science writers
7. Dragonfly – Bryan Burrough – description of challenges faced on the International Space Station and Mir
8. Ship of Gold in the Deep Blue Sea – Gary Kinder – story of the hunt for and recovery of a sunken treasure ship
9. Guns, Germs and Steel – Jared Diamond – Pulitzer winner, discusses key factors shaping civilization; long and heavy, but revealing
10. Liftoff: Elon Musk and the Desperate Early Days That Launched SpaceX – Eric Berger – can-do attitude and some insight into what drives Musk
11. The Path Between the Seas: The Creation of the Panama Canal, 1870-1914 – David McCullough – a project doomed a hundred ways that actually succeeded
12. Island of the Lost: An Extraordinary Story of Survival at the Edge of the World – Joan Druett – An 1864 shipwrecked crew survives 2 years on Aukland Island
13. Astoria: John Jacob Astor and Thomas Jefferson’s Lost Pacific Empire: A Story of Wealth, Ambition, and Survival – Peter Stark
14. Devil in the White City – already recommended by a prior reader, but the title has a typo – excellent true crime from the first World’s Fair
Best of luck in surgery and in recovery!
That’s quite a list. Thank you, Sam.
Wishing you the best of luck with surgery and rapid healing. Ann Werner
❤️
Sending my best for a successful surgery, Ron.
In looking at your photos, I see some of the authors that I read. Here are some ideas for similar reading:
David McCullough’s THE GREATER JOURNEY; Americans in Paris.
RISING FROM THE PLAINS by John McPhee.
MAUVE; How one man invented a Color that Changed the World, by Simon Garfield.
KRAKATOA; The Day the World Exploded August 27, 1883 by Simon Winchester.
THE MAN WHO MISTOOK HIS WIFE FOR A HAT by Oliver Sacks.
THE GOOD GOOD PIG; The extraordinary Life of Christopher Hogwood by Sy Montgomery (“a charming memoir”).
A DISTANT MIRROR; The calamitous 14th Century by Barbara W. Tuchman.
THE ACCIDENTAL PRESIDENT; Harry S. Truman and the Four Months that Changed the World by A.J. Baime.
AMERICAN ULYSSES; A Life of Ulysses S. Grant by Ronald C. White.
THE FAMINE SHIPS; The Irish Exodus to America by Edward Laxton.
WALKING WITH THE WIND; A Memoir of the Movement by John Lewis with Michael D’Orso.
Heal quickly and well. All best wishes.
Several of your recommendations look interesting to me, Nina. Thank you.
Late to the party, Ron, but I highly recommend THE IMMORTAL LIFE OF HENRIETTA LACKS by Rebecca Skloot (one of the most compelling books I’ve ever read), THE SHEPHERDS LIFE by James Rebanks, THE ART OF MAKING MONEY: THE STORY OF A MASTER COUNTERFEITER by Jason Kersten, and any book by Erik Larson or David McCullough. Seems like a lot of us here on FP have similar tastes!
Make sure you have a “sippy cup” or reusable water bottle. It’s easy to spill stuff when you’re on pain meds, and nothing’s worse than having to sit upright to get a drink when you have back pain. Best thoughts for a great recovery, my friend!
Thanks, Diane. I’ve always enjoyed David McCullough and I have a couple of his biographies. I felt badly when he died fairly recently. Thanks.
My comment seems to have gone missing.
Oceans of caring and positive thoughts are flowing your way.
And huge thanks to your commentators for feeding my bookaholic ways.
EC, on my computer your previous comment is still there but I enjoy getting two from you today!
Sometimes I have to “refresh” the page for my comments to show up a little later…….
LIke everyone, I wish you all the best, and will keep you in my prayers. As for books, each of these is one I’ve not simply read, but have re-read multiple times:
“Rising Tide: The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 and How It Changed America” ~ John M. Barry
Anything by John McPhee, but especially “The Control of Nature,” “Oranges,” and “The Pine Barrens”
“The Humboldt Current: Nineteenth-Century Exploration and the Roots of American Environmentalism” ~ Aaron Sachs
“The Happy Isles of Oceania: Paddling the Pacific” ~ Paul Theroux (or any of his other books). Who wouldn’t want to kayak their way from New Zealand to Vanuatu to the Solomons to Hawaii? Well, not me, but it’s a terrific read!
Ha, not me either Shoreacres, but I sure appreciate your recommendations. Thanks.
Hi Ron. The book I highly recommend is “Endurance” written by Alfred Lansing. It is one of the greatest survival stories of all time, Ernest Shackleton will take you on a journey of survival, leadership, and what it means to never give up until the job is done. Lansing will have you turning every page, feeling as if you are literally right there in the grips of the Antarctic winter trying to survive, escape and rescue the crew left on Elephant Island while six men in a lifeboat sail 800 miles to S. Georgia Island, unmapped, then crossing it on foot, to get help.
Wishing you all the best in your recovery, let it be speedy!! See you on the other side.
Ann, Endurance seems to be a favorite of a lot of folks. I’ve heard about the book and read other accounts of Shackleton’s efforts but I haven’t actually read Lansing’s book. It’s now on my list.
Lansings book is the best. One of our lecturers teaching in our program at Stanford recommended it to me highly. He had gone down to Antarctica (by plane, not a boat!!) with a senator to see how the scientists were using their NSF grant money. They did a “side trip” to the South Pole. Fast forward, his two young kids are in school, here in the S.F. Bay Area, and one of their teachers has the last name of Shackleton…what are the odds, you ask? Yup, she is a relative of his!
So glad you initiated this post on recommendations. I am saving it for myself and a friend who reads a whole lot more than I do. I feel inspired to get back to reading! Take care.
Ron first I wish you the best, easiest and speediest recovery possible. As to your suggestion about reading materials, in the past, I have been a Nora Roberts, Debbie Macomber, Agatha Christie ( not exactly guy fare) and Stephen King fan. But the past few years I have discovered historical fiction and James Rollins and Steve Berry! I consider a book a complete success when it grabs me in the first chapter! Trust me, these two take different historical situations and mysteries, and weave a current story around it, so good. Just a suggestion! Good luck!
Thanks for your suggestions, Connie.
Life got in the way this morning so I’m coming to this very late. I must send you my best wishes for the best possible outcome and a quick recovery. We will all be thinking of you. The Kindle has been a life-saver for me. I use the Kindle app on my iPad. My eyes were so heavily damaged from the chemo I had that books in print are mostly unreadable to me now. But fortunately, electronic versions of almost all literature are now available so I can download them and enlarge the text on my iPad. That includes the science journals I like to access. The world is still open to me.
I know you were looking for something other than birds and nature but that’s the bulk of my non-fiction reading and one I have to recommend, now or for the future. If you have not yet read Improbable Destinies by Jonathon Losos I strongly encourage it. It has many interesting example of evolution and some challenges to some traditional ways of looking at evolution. For other non-fiction I sometimes turn to history. Undaunted Courage by Stephen Ambrose is a good read about the Lewis and Clark expedition.
Do well, my friend. We will look foward to your return.
Dan, if you look carefully I hope you can see that Undaunted Courage is already in my collection – 5th book from the left on shelf #4. It’s one of my favorite books ever, I’ve read it at least three times.
I am sending immense amounts of caring wishes and hopes across the ocean. I echo some of the reading recommendations and will send more as and when I think of them.
Hooray for picker uppers.
❤️
Ron, My very best wishes for you to have a successful and uneventful surgery, followed by a remarkable fast return to full strength and health. I will miss your daily posts but that will give me time to re-read my favorites and go back to those in the years before I found you.
I don’t have nothing to add to the book suggestions because I don’t read much non-fiction apart from marine biology and birds, but my husband loves anything about Shackleton ( especially “Endurance” by Alfred Lansing). Personally, I read “Wolf Hall’ and while the concept was interesting, I kept checking to see if I was almost finished …
If I had your email address I’d send you an Amazon gift card to use on Kindle books as a Thank You for everything I have learned from you.
Very thoughtful of you about the gift card Nancy. I don’t expect Kindle books to be particularly expensive so I don’t think my choice of books will be self-limited by cost.
Kindle books through Amazon tend to run $15-20, unless you, like me, shop their daily sales and get them for $1.99. But it’s not about wanting to spare you the cost, it’s about wanting to say ‘thanks and get well soon’.
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Ron, no books to recommend since I don’t read many of those mentioned. I do like to watch tv with some interesting programs. Of course I like the movie “Dances with Wolves”. Maybe read the book or watch tv. I might suggest you get a high rise bathroom chair with hand rails. Helps you stand up easier. When I had knee replacements, I even had a “potty chair” in the bed room for easier use in the middle of the night. You can also rent a Hospital bed with the over head rails, if you don’t need the rehab stay in a Nursing Home. I also find listening to music helps make you feel more relaxed. Best wishes again on this surgery. Send us a blog once in a while and keep us updated on your recovery. Don’t even need to post a wildlife picture with it. Take care, and lots of rest while your back heals.
Thanks for your various suggestions, Trudy. I’ll know more about what I really need when they’re ready to release me from the hospital.
As one who has just started having “back issues”, I can understand your trepidation on your next surgery. I echo the best wishes for a speedy recovery. I see recommendations for some books about Shackleton and the Endeavor. I would like to recommend “The Lighthouse Stevensons, by Bella Bathurst. It is the story of the building of the Scottish lighthouses by the Robert Louis Stevenson family.
Good luck with your back issues, Marian. And thanks.
I am sending you lots of healing energy and strength. I know your surgery will be successful and you will emerge better than ever. My reading taste is pretty eclectic so, for non-fiction I recommend Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow, The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson and for British history I really loved Elizabeth and Mary: Cousins, Rivals, Queens by Jane Dunn. If you enjoyed the Jean Auel series (and stretching things a bit) you might enjoy J K Rowling’s Harry Potter series. Light and engaging, they might help you through any days that are gloomy. The Chamber of Secrets is not complicated reading but the further you get into the series you can see Rowling’s writing skills truly blossom and the books are compelling. If my Dad were here he would recommend all of the Louis L’Amour novels which he devoured. I am sure you will receive plenty of suggestions that are better than mine. I will be thinking of you tomorrow morning and praying that all goes well.
Melanie, thanks for your suggestions and I appreciate your good wishes.
The Uncrowned Kings of England: The Black Legend of the Dudleys by Derek Wilson
Or
The House of Dudley: A New History of the Tudor Era
By Joanne Paul
Both On Amazon kindle
Jonelle, I already have The Uncrowned Kings of England…, Wilson’s book about the Dudleys in Tudor England. It’s the book on the far right on shelf #5. It’s one of my treasured books.
My nonfiction stuff is more biologically oriented but here goes:
Pat Shipman, 2015. The Invaders: How Humans and their Dogs Drove Neanderthals to Extinction
Timothy Winegard, 2019. The Mosquito: A Human History of Our Deadliest Predator.
Michael Benton, 2021. Dinosaurs: New Visions of a Lost World.
Kenneth Catania, 2020. Great Adaptations: Star-Nosed Miles, Electric Eels and Other Tales of Evolution’s Mysteries Solved.
Some of these may be available from your local library.
Good luck with your recovery.
Thanks for your suggestions, Pam.
May I suggest tying some knots in your ‘Rope a Dope’. That may help when you raise up in bed.
Found your blog a number of years ago when I started volunteering for an eagle count for the BLM. Been following it ever since. Take care..
Amy, I thought about tying some knots, and I still might, but when I tried it out I didn’t seem to need them. If the “real deal” changes that, I will tie them.
Ron,
Sending you healing light and energy!
Books: just about anything by TIMOTHY EGAN
SHORT NIGHTS OF THE SHADOW CATCHER, (Carnegie Award for best nonfiction. — about photographer Edward Curtis)
THE WORST HARD TIME, ( 2006 National Book Award) — about the Dust Bowl.
THE BIG BURN: Teddy Roosevelt & the Fire that Saved America (about 1910 fire in Idaho, MT & WA & founding of Forest Service)
THE IMMORTAL IRISHMAN: The Irish Revolutionary Who Became an American Hero —— about Thomas Francis Meagher, first Territorial Governor of MT.
THE GOOD RAIN: Across Time and Terrain in the Pacific NW (essays. Great read — lots of rain and greenery)
your back surgery is the beginning of a new life without back pain.
Kathryn
Kathryn, you’ve hit at least two of my points of interest. I just recently finished watching a documentary about the Dust Bowl on PBS and I’ve always read (and watched) everything I can find about The Big Burn, in part because of my Montana roots.
Ron,
Oh good! I think Egan worked a bit w Ken Burns on Dust Bowl documentary. Big burn is great — Roosevelt & Gifford Pinchot develop Foresters and National Forests. If you know the Big Burn, you know how the Pulaski tool was named.
If you’re familiar with Edward S Curtis & his extensive, huge collection of photos called the North American Indian, you will appreciate Egan’s “Shadow Catcher” book. Curtis was photographing beginning around 1895 and I think he finally finished the 20th volume of photos for this collection in 1930.
Speaking of Montana books: have you read any Ivan Doig? He was from White Sulphur Springs and wrote wonderful fiction about early MT sheep and cattle ranchers. His 1977 memoir is called THIS HOUSE OF SKY: Landscapes of a Western Mind.
All the best,
Kathryn
“have you read any Ivan Doig? ”
Yes. I have Doig’s Bucking the Sun and Dancing at the Rascal Fair. Both books are on shelf #4 in my photos.
Hah! Now I see.
For an Indian perspective on Custer’s last stand, see “ Killing Custer: The Battle of Little Bighorn and the Fate of the Plains Indians (1994)” by James Welch. He was from Browning.
Hi Ron, my very sincerely wishes for a good recovery. Sorry you are dealing with all this. I’ve enjoyed the book list. Kathryn above suggested some great books. Timothy Egan. I’m in the middle of one now and the Big Burn…oh my! Interesting are Ivan Doig books as they are placed in our home of Glacier County. Again, my best to you.
Hey, Nancy! I have a couple of Doig’s books and was first interested in his work for the reason you mention. I hope you’re doing well.
You might be interested in Delia Owens “Cry of the Kalahari”. There’s been some controversy about the Owens’ and the reliability of their report, but it’s fascinating to read the close-up observations of the lions and hyenas.
Sounds interesting. Thanks, Sylvia.
Good Lord This reading list above could keep you going for years. I’m not much of a reader, I’ll just say that I have a copy of Moby Dick in my camper that I an struggling through.
I wish you a good surgery and a speedy recovery to get back in the saddle (viewfinder) !! If I were closer I would offer my help, but Rhode Island is not a “Hop, Skip, and a Jump” and you have those offer from closer friends. May God Speed your recovery !! Gary
” I’ll just say that I have a copy of Moby Dick in my camper that I am struggling through”
That may be my last laugh for a good long while, Gary. Thanks for that and for your good wishes.
Best wishes for a successful surgery and quick recovery, Ron. I will be sending you kind and caring thoughts. And will miss your blog so much!
Cathryn
❤️
Had a good wind and rainstorm and power outage lasting a few days so there’s lots to catch up on so I’ll keep this short but still wanted to send best wishes for the surgery tomorrow and a speedy and full recovery. We’ll think of you often in the coming weeks.
❤️
reading suggestions, some with authors,
The Miracle of Dunkirk
The Longest Day, C Ryan
The Last Battle, C Ryan
I fought with Geronimo
Robert E Lee,The Man Who Would Not Be Washington
Thanks, Jeremy.
If you have trouble sleeping, I can send you some of my reprints.
Thanks for the laugh, David. I’ve got a feeling I could use an infinite number of those reprints.
What a great idea, to ask for reading recommendations. “The Bounty” and “The Endurance” both by Caroline Alexander; books about the Lewis and Clark journey are a few that come to mind. I appreciate hearing others’ suggestions, many of which I’ve not read but will explore. You will be in our thoughts as you go through this surgery and recovery. Don’t forget about Audible which I find a useful way to “read”.
Buff, I never thought about these reading suggestions being useful to others but you’re right, I should have.
I’ve tried audiobooks but personally I’m not a fan – too easy for me to get distracted.
I guiltily admit that I too am enjoying the recommendations of all of your fantastic readers….
Good!
I guiltily admit that I too am enjoying the recommendations of all of your fantastic readers….
Also – I think that many of us are sending in suggestions as a small token of our large appreciation for what you have provided us for so long
❤️
Hey Ron, have you read much David Quammen? He’s a fantastic science writer. A lot of it is somewhat nature-adjacent if not outright nature-y, but I think he’s someone you’d enjoy. The Tangled Tree is the most recent one that I’ve read, and I read it twice (which I rarely do) to make sure I caught it all. Spillover was a prescient book about zoonotic diseases long before Covid came along. https://www.davidquammen.com/
Seems like you could use a little more Stegner on those shelves too?
Hope that everything goes well for you.
Brian, I’ve read some Quammen but not a lot.
Somewhere I have a copy of Stegner’s Angle of Repose but I haven’t been able to find it. And if I remember correctly I read his Joe Hill years ago but I’ve read other books about Joe Hill and I have trouble keeping them separate in my mind.
Sending you all good thoughts, Ron.
❤️
The Professor and the Madman-Simon Winchester
Longitude-Dava Sobel
The Sixth Extinction-Elizabeth Kolbert
Finding The Mother Tree-Suzanne Simard
Any of the Calvin and Hobbs collections-Bill Watterson
A Prairie Home Companion Pretty Good Joke Book
101 Ways to Cook Tofu-Max Glycine
Yea, just kidding.
I’ve got the 1982 edition of the PDR. One instance of an older edition being worth less.
Podcast—The Thomas Jefferson Hour-Clay Jenkinson. Something to listen to while making dinner. Not so much about Jefferson anymore, but good conversations about history and relevance to today’s madness.
5:45AM. Seems you and surgeons keep the same crazy hours.
Lyle, my PDR is from 1990 but I still like having it around. It’s old, just like me.
I’m glad my surgery is early. Beats the hell out of waiting around for endless hours without being able to eat or drink anything.
Ron, I wish nothing but the best for you always and listen to the Surgeon and the Nurses, remember to “log roll” when you reposition in bed. Your rope assistance is used often in health care, smart man you are. Take care of yourself and as for reading I can’t recommend anything as I only read technical material when I need to learn something as in Biology. You will be fine, I believe you have a lot of grit and determination stored up.
Shirley, I’m afraid I won’t have much choice but to “listen” to the nurses.. 🙂 From past experience I know that they’re incredibly noisy at the nurse’s station in the middle of the night so I have little hope of getting much sleep while I’m in the hospital.
Ron,
My daughter, who lives in SLC with you, and I thoroughly enjoy your photography and hope you will be back at it soon. My wife had a ‘simple’ vertebra fusion about a year ago. It took her a good while to get over it but she is now pain free and able to do things she hadn’t done painlessly in years. I hope your procedure is as successful as hers has been.
Book wise, I would recommend the Wolf Hall series by Hilary Mantel, who unfortunately passed away in the last week or so. There are three books – Wolf Hall, Bring up the Bodies, and The Mirror and the Light. They tell the story of Henry VIII’s reign from Thomas Cromwell’s point of view. He is generally considered the bad guy in that era but these books make the case for his rise to power because he is generally the smartest person in the room. Very well told. There is also a very good six part PBS series that covers the first two books.
Another historical fiction favorite of mine is The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara. It tells the story of the Battle of Gettysburg, concentrating on several of the key figures from both sides. It won the Pulitzer for fiction in ’75.
Best of luck with your recovery. Hope to see you back soon.
That’s at least 3 votes for Wolf Hall. I watched most of it on PBS but I suspect the books would be even more fulfilling. Thanks, Mike.
And here is my fourth vote
I had difficulty at the beginning but once I “got” her I just whizzed along in complete joy.
Sorry to hear of her death.
Hi Ron,
I am writing late but in case you are looking for more ideas…
People have many good rec,ommendations that I won’t repeat. Here’s three different ones:
“The Plainsmen of the Yellowstone. – a history of the Yellowstone Basin.” Written in 1965, it relies on letters, newspapaper articles, and memories of people who lived it. Even though I was born in Montana and grew. up in Colorado and worked in the Basin, I learned alot about the area. Also interestng to see the perspective of someone 60 years ago.
“ . The story of Earth: the first 4.5 billion years, from Stardust to living planet”. New York” by Robert Hazen. A fascinating exam of our planet and life on it. I learned a lot of new facts that my graduate geology and biology classes never mentioned.
The Dawn of Everything: A New History of Humanity. Superb book with radical but brilliant new takes on humanity.
I hopr your surgery went well and your recovery is kind. Kent
My husband has been enjoying “The Years of Lyndon Johnson”, a four-volume biography by Robert Caro. He has just about recovered from his latest slipped disc. I showed him your rope-a-dope solution. He thought it was brilliant.
Good luck with your surgery and recovery Ron.
I have high hopes for rope-a-dope. Thanks, Robin.
After my hip replacements I found a canvas bag with a long enough handle to wear cross shoulder to be helpful. I used it to carry stuff back to my bed or away from my bed. That left my hands free for the cane and picker upper. Actually I was using crutches.
Interesting suggestion about the canvas bag, Lleni. Thanks.
First of all, best wishes for successful surgery and smooth recovery. I’ll be sending good thoughts tomorrow and beyond.
Someone beat me to it, but Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall trilogy might be your cup of tea since you like Tudor history. I only read the first volume as all the violence was too much for me, but it was fascinating stuff.
Linda, agreed that there’s an incredible amount of violence in Tudor History, thanks in large part to good ol’ Henry VIII. He actually had two of my direct Dudley ancestors, father and son, beheaded at the Tower of London.
Best of luck, Ron.
For books, Hilary Mantel’s Thomas Cromwell series is classic. Wolf Hall is the first. Bring up the Bodies is second. She’s great. Was. She died just the other day.
The Gabriel Du Pre series by Peter Bowen. I love them. But they may be not to everyone’s taste.
Yes, I saw that she died, Sallie. Thanks for the suggestions.
Hope all goes well with surgery & recovery & that all this will solve your back problems.
❤️
Best of luck tomorrow, Ron. Some of these may be too close to nature books, but I enjoyed all of them: Young Men and Fire (Norman Maclean), The Fiery Trial: Abraham Lincoln and American Slavery (Eric Foner), Shackleton’s Forgotten Men: The Untold Tragedy of the Endurance Epic (Lennard Bickel), In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex (Nathaniel Philbrick), and Charles Addams: A Cartoonist’s Life (Linda Davis).
Thanks for the suggestions, Cathy.
I wish all the best. I have quite a few health issues and use the picker upper thingy a lot! Have two of them! I wouldn’t think the hospital will let you go home without live in help for awhile. Don’t they send you to rehab first? Who will prepare food for you? I’m so sorry you have to go through this. And move everything you can closer to where you can get to it without bending, lifting or twisting!! (good one..your BLT) At least you’re breathing well. That’s my biggest issue. If I exert myself I can’t breath. Believe me, if you can’t breath everything else is irrelevant. Best of luck. We will all be thinking about you.
Yes, a rehab facility is a possibility, Ellen – depending on how I do after 3 days in the hospital.
Ron, try out these two books: https://www.amazon.com/Cold-Adventures-Worlds-Frozen-Places/dp/0316042927
Bill Steever’s first book is about cold and his second is about heat.
I always prefer the cherry jello in the hospital, not the green 😁
jake
Jake, I lost any taste for Jello when some of us teachers in the faculty lunchroom got so tired of trying to eat their ‘old’ cafeteria Jello several of us threw it against the wall to see if it would stick. It did. True story.
I can confirm that is a true story.
The good old days at South High, huh Sue?
Yeah. Fun times.
Wishing you a very successful surgery and as smooth and quick a recovery as possible. On the book front, I’ll suggest a quick read I enjoyed quite a bit:
“Across the Savage Sea: The Epic Journey of the First Woman to Row Across the North Atlantic.” (from west to east, alone in a tiny boat, using a pair of oars as her only means of propulsion)
As you rest, recover and take care of yourself, I’ll be taking a trip in the way-back machine to enjoy some of your early posts. It looks like I can get back to August 18, 2010 on your blog.
Best of luck Ron, will be thinking of you.
I hope you enjoy the way-back machine, Mark.
Yes, I published my first blog post on 8/18/10. Some of the early ones are pretty rough around the edges…
Good luck, friend. You have my number and email address. I am happy to bring you over any supplies or assist with anything you need. Food delivery, p/t assistance, whatever. Things will be better after this trial and tribulation.
A couple of recommends:
Killer Angels, by Michael Sahara – about the Battle of Gettysburg which won a Pulitzer Prize
A Crack in Creation: Gene Editing and the Unthinkable Power to Control Evolution – by Jennifer Doudna one of the co-inventors of the new and amazing but dangerous technology called CRISPR
Thanks very much for your kind offer, Art. And for your suggestions.
Ditto on Ken Follett and the hiking poles. You might end up wanting to rent one of those lift chairs too — a friend of mine did that after their big back surgery.
fI was going to suggest Ben Franklin’s autobiography and the John Adams bio, but they’re already on your shelves. Will and Ariel Durant’s The Story of Civilization series will keep you busy and they’re interesting books — all 11 of them.
If you get tired of reading and want to switch over to documentaries, I think you’d like the original UK Time Team series of archaeological digs. Phil Harding is a hoot — actually, the entire core team feel like old friends! They can be found on YouTube and are fascinating! I also enjoy anything presented by Dr. Lucy Worsley, the curator of historical palaces in the UK.
Sending much love and all sorts of healing vibes your way, Ron!❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
“You might end up wanting to rent one of those lift chairs too”
That’s another possibility I hadn’t thought of, Marty. I hope it doesn’t come to that, but it might.
I’m also intrigued by your Time Team suggestion. I love stuff like that.
I think I’ve already watched everything available from Lucy, at least on PBS.
I was going to recommend “1491” but I see you already have it. What a remarkable book. On a similar vein, consider Prescott’s “The History of the Conquest of Mexico”. This is really mostly a biography of Hernan Cortes. If you like it, I would go on and read Prescott’s “The Conquest of Peru”.
You could also try Ward Roylance’s “The Enchanted Wilderness, a Red Rock Odyssey”, although not on your Kindle unfortunately.
“What a remarkable book”
I agree, Brad.
I remember reading quite a bit of stuff from Ward Roylance (your relative if I remember correctly) years ago.
I first got hooked on some kinds of Mexican history when I took a class on the Aztecs from Prof. Charles Dibble at the U of U years ago, so I’ll look into your suggestions.
Hi Ron
I notice a lot of my favorites on your bookshelves
Some suggestions:
Anything by Bill Bryson
Anything by Andrea Wulf
Descent from Glory by Paul Nagel – more about the Adams family for those of us who cannot get enough
Miracle at Philadelphia by Catherine Drinker Owen – written for kids but I enjoyed it and learned a lot
Country Drving by Peter Hessler – an American in China when their economy is beginning to take off. A wonderful book
David McCullough-RIP – his book about the Brooklyn Bridge
Hope the surgery and recovery go well
I would be interested in your comments about your reading – but only if course If you are up to it ….
(You did not mention this and of course you don’t have to but I hope that your bathroom will be back-surgery-recovery-friendly)
Thanks for the suggestions, Frances. One bathroom is very close to my bed but other than that it’s pretty standard.
At least on most of my bathroom visits I don’t have to sit… 🙂
Ron, you know this household will have you and your surgeon in our prayers and thoughts tomorrow!
Glad to see your ice machine on the ready, too; Using one saved my mental well-being following my 2 knee surgeries! We used to teach Nordic Walking, in Europe I think called pole walking, so I did use Nordic Walking poles (differ some from trekking poles), pushing myself forward using the poles as I walked, to recover my gait following the surgeries. Helped with balance, allowed me to walk slowly, consciously after surgery.
Your successful, less-painful-than-expected surgery will be in our thoughts in the morning! And for a good while!
Much appreciated, Barbara. I used my ice machine a lot after my previous surgeries and I think they were very helpful at reducing inflamation.
My wife and I send our prayers and wishing for a safe recovery!
I have a ton of non-fiction books in my library that I could sent the titles of, but think that might be over doing it. Instead I will give you a few I have read and like. Leadership in Turbulent Times by Doris Kearns Goodwin; How the South Won The Civil War, by Heather Cox Richardson; Curbside Geology of Washingotn, by Marli B. Miller and Darrel s. Cowan; Also, Roadside Geology of Montana, by Donald W Hyndman and Robert C. Thomas.
Dick Harlow
Thanks, Dick. Doris Kearns Goodwin is another of my favorite authors. I have several of her biographies.
Eric Larson, writes great histories. For fiction Tony Hillerman and James Lee Burke.
Thanks for the suggestions, Jo.
I agree about Erik Larson: Isaac’s Storm, The Devil in the White City, In the Garden of Beasts—–he’s great at weaving together seemingly disparate people of a particular time.
I was about to put in my recommend for trekking poles, and see that Terri
and Judy already did– they’re adjustable as to height, and if you have good upper-body strength, they can help take the load off the middle and lower back.
I’d recommend “Nothing Like It In the World “( Stephen Ambrose, about the
building of the transcontinental railway ), too many Erik Larson works to
name, one by one (he’s easily the most compelling history writer around ),
Andrea Wulf’s “The Brother Gardeners” about the English and Colonial
Americans’ cross-Atlantic live botanical trading system ( you’d be surprised how chatty and gossipy it is ! ) Andrea Wulf also offers a thrilling biography of Alexander von Humboldt– title escapes me at the moment. Whoever you know with a functioning library card can really be of help now– no need to invest
a lot of money– just have them check out a large stack of “goodies”, then flip
through them at your leisure to see which ones float your boat…. I LOVE LIBRARIES ! I wish you really good and lasting improvement from tomorrow’s work……..
I love reading books by Stephen Ambrose! His Undaunted Courage is one of my favorite books of all time. I’ve read it at least three times. Thanks, Kris.
I was going to suggest ski poles but hiking poles are a better suggestion.
I am a fiction reader for the most part. I really liked Tony Hillerman his daughter Anne Hillerman took over his characters after his death and Craig Johnson’s Walt Longmeir series.
I wish you well and Take Care,
Kaye
Thanks, Kaye. I read a few Hillerman books years ago and liked several of them.
I have a number of recommendations. Many are historical fiction.
1. Devil and the White City by Erik Larson
2. currently reading The Overstory by Richard Powers, a Pulitzer Prize winner. I am barely 100 pages into it, but the stories stay with me.
3. Grandma Gatewood’s Walk: The Inspiring Story of the Woman Who Saved the Appalachian Trail by Ben Montgomery
4. a light read, but true- West with Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge
5. good plot twist- The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
6. The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See
7. one that is in the process of becoming a movie- The Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the birth of the FBI by David Grann
8. The Last Ballad by Wiley Cash- a story of the mill workers in SC
9. All the Gabriel Allon stories by Daniel Silva- good series
10. Harlan Coben writes good mysteries
That’s all I will share now- some it lighter reading than others, but they are well written. You can find other books I have read on Goodreads.com under my name. Some are fluff, avoid those.
Speedy recovery.
Sounds like you’re an inveterate reader, Janet. Much appreciated.
Well, you are heading out for a real time adventure there Ron. Will have you on my prayer list and will be waiting for good news post operation. I have read many of those non fiction books shown and later will give you some recommendations. Wishing you a very successful surgery. Love the rope-a-dope. Great idea.
❤️
Everett, I love the rope-a-door invention too! Brilliant! I would add a soft-on-the-hand leash end!
Try Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer. She read the Audiobook version and her writing is lovely and evocative.
Thanks for the suggestion, Jayne.
The Elephant Whisperer by Lawrence Anthony and Winterdance by Gary Paulsen are two of my favorites. Both nonfiction.
Wishing you a full and rapid recovery. And the rope-a-dope is genius!!!
“And the rope-a-dope is genius”
Time will tell but at this point I’m pretty confident it will work well. Thanks, Mary.
“Undelivered: The Never Heard Speeches That Should Have Changed the World” R..Nussbaum
I liked the audio book because it contained some actual recordings of speeches (clips) as they were actually given. The author gives amazing contextual background to the speech, the speaker and the times in which it was composed. It’s available on the Google Play app and Barnes and Noble. I haven’t checked Libby, the library app, yet. I am just getting ready to ice L 4,5. W all care. Thanks and good healing.
“I am just getting ready to ice L 4,5”
We’re kindred spirits, Suzanne. Thanks.
I don’t see any Ken Follett on those shelves. The Kingsbridge series (starts with The Pillars of the Earth) is very good—–earlier English history than the Tudors, but so interesting. Also A Place Called Freedom, perhaps. He’s such a good writer and though long, his books read pretty easily. And you’ll have lots of time. Yes, his books are fiction, but very well researched.
You might also try Edward Rutherford’s historical fictions: The Rebels of Ireland and The Princes of Ireland.
Thanks for the suggestions, Sue.
Good luck with everything. We’re right next door if you need anything. Anything at all! Wishing you a successful and speedy recovery Ron.
❤️
I’ve never replied before but follow your blog regularly. A book I’ve recently read that I think you might find interesting is “Saving Us” by Katherine Hayhoe.
Thanks for the suggestion, Mike.
Good luck Ron and i hope all goes well.
❤️
I for one appreciate “knowing” – what my mind does with unknowns is NOT pretty….. 😉 Appears you are about as prepared as you can be….
Are you going to have some “home help” for a bit or, at minimum, someone near by who can respond rapidly?
You’ll be in my thought, Ron. Hoping all goes well.
Judy, I’ll have some help available early on and Shannon will fly up and stay with me if that becomes necessary.
I’m sending good thoughts and prayers, Ron!
❤️
Voyage of Mercy: The USS Jamestown, the Irish Famine, and the Remarkable Story of America’s First Humanitarian Mission is a fantastic well-written book by Stephen Puleo — it’s a book you won’t be able to put down. All the characters are admireable and astonishing! And, don’t forget your hiking poles (one for each hand) if you have them. I’ve been using my hiking poles instead of a walker and cane following my hip replacement, and those poles offer more balance, more poise while walking, and easy momentum.
Hmmm, I hadn’t thought of hiking poles. Thanks, Terri.
Hiking poles DOES sound like a GREAT idea – offer a bit more maneuverability than a walker at times methinks……