A personal connection to a book makes it even more interesting to read. A place you have been or a person you have knowledge of may engage you more deeply into the story.
A few years ago, I took a rough four-wheel-drive trip up to Cerro Gordo, after contacting the previous owner to arrange a visit. It was a fascinating private tour to another time and place. “Ghost Town Living: Mining for Purpose and Chasing Dreams at the Edge of Death Valley,” is a captivating read, even if you haven’t been there. Author Brent Underwood (and some investors) purchased the desolate and abandoned silver mining town of Cerro Gordo in 2018 and he moved there in 2020. The location is remote, has no running water, and sits at 8,000 feet in the Inyo Mountains above Death Valley on one side and Owens Lake on the other. He interweaves the history of the area with his struggles and determination to bring the town back to life. Extreme weather, being trapped on the mountain for several days, and a fire that destroyed the beautiful historic hotel were just some of the challenges he has already dealt with. Follow him and his latest adventures on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok.
Another book I really enjoyed, having visited Alaska and musher Jeff King’s Husky Homestead, is “Four Thousand Paws: Caring for the Dogs of the Iditarod.” Veterinarian Lee Morgan takes the reader to the very cold locale of Alaska in March to share his experiences as a race volunteer. Since 2012, Morgan has been sharing his expertise, compassion, and perseverance ensuring the health and safety of the elite canine competitors out on the wilderness trails of the Iditarod race. He has some fascinating stories to tell about the dogs, mushers (including Jeff King), joys, and mishaps of being out on remote checkpoints with other veterinarians on the 1,049-mile trail.
Vague memories of a childhood visit to the Mississippi River made reading “The Great River: The Making and Unmaking of the Mississippi,” more interesting. Author Boyce Upholt thoroughly explores the history, culture, environment, ecology, and politics of the river and its extensive watershed. His coverage of almost every aspect of the river, its past and present impacts, and future is almost as expansive as the area and people that are connected to it.
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