The Oregon Trail by Francis Parkman (1849) Illus. Maynard Dixon

Outstanding book, great real-life encounters with basically untouched American Indians of the plains.

The only complaint is the 1/3 of the book devoted to the easy slaughter of Buffalo. The Buffalo are indeed stupid unwitting creatures and as such were easy and tempting game for those that lived in that short period of time; roughly from 1845 to 1870, the 25 years of this historic migration.

 

I have a nice copy New York: The Heritage Press, 1943.

Scattered throughout are the monochromatic renderings

Several one page full color images and one expansive two pager!

I have never read a more direct unfiltered view of the plight of the American Indian. Yes of course Parkman brought his prejudices to it. This particular book has an introduction by Mason Wade. Wade pull no punches in characterizing Parkman as an Elite snob; this is refreshing to get an honest look at the man and his era.

It seems as though (just like the Scotts) the Indians were indeed their own worst enemies; incapable of coming together they were ultimately easy to divide and concur.

(by the way I have taken to reading the Introduction to my books after finishing the book since they always assume a knowledge of the book in there writing)

The best line in the book comes from Shakespeare: To "Daff the World Aside and bid it Pass" 

A lesson we are learning all to well in these times!

Wanderer of the Wasteland by Zane Grey (1923)

Fantastic! I loved this telling of love, life, death, hatred, family, friends, and foes.

Grey ruminates thru the character of Adam upon what it means too be a man,  to be a woman, and how some might have little of each in them. (horror of horror)

The book takes on its title at the scene of the cover where upon Adam is induced by his own impulsive actions to take refuge in the desert.

I had recently finished Lin McLean; can't find anything good to say about that. So I needed a good Grey Fix

Not sure why I picked the Wanderer for my next read but am glad I did, this story sinks deep into the the mind of man and woman. Zane was know for his fondness for women, and this flavors all his great stories.

A story of an impulsive young man and his redemption thru honest and selfless deeds.

The insatiable allure of each sex for the other pervades Grey's world and this story, it is comforting to know that the flirting and allure of the "other" is universal.

I also love learning horsemanship and other survival techniques from years gone by.
Don't forget the sweeping descriptions of the Old Southwest he is great with setting the stage.

Never having thought much about Death Valley and what it meant to the explorer generations this book opens a window onto that hellacious place.

The movie came out the next year.

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte (1847)

Finally got to Jane Eyre, it was not the greatness I had hoped for.

The 1st half is slow, the second half moves better but the plot twists are annoying.

It is a segmented book as it covers Jane's early life I never felt close to any of the characters. 

She as the perennial Care Giver is supported at every step concluding with the love of her life becoming totally dependent on her.

Her time with her cousins seems most real and her zealot cousin was interesting.

Marmion by Sir Walter scott (1808)

I read this a decade ago and found this old copy at John King Books.

I need to be in a better space for this type of reading but I do love his works.

Thia old copy has sat around since I picked it up several years ago and I decided to read it again on the 200th anniversary of its printing.

They loved small printing and books back then; you really need your close up reading glasses for this one.

I was especially prompted by the numerous references to it in Jane Eyre.

Lin McLean Owen Wister (1897)

Summer reading means Westerns!
Lin McLean by Wister was a huge disappointment.

Hard to follow the screwed up language, dialog, story line and disjointed nature.
Killing off the 1st wife was nonsense as her corrector was far to self absorbed to have ever have done that on her own.The cynical insights in to the west of old seem real and insightful though.

The Virginian IS fantastic and is proof of his abilities.

I have soured on Wister as I have come to understand a little of the time and place he occupied.
He seems to have played a major role in the Elites of his day in trying to shape the American ideal.
America as an Eastern European derivative.
As an Italian by descent I am keenly aware of the biases placed on minorities (although I don't feel the effects of them) but he made it clear in this book what was thought of the Italian Immigrants among others.
Lin's brother who lived back East was most likely more like Owen than Lin.

So back to Zane!

Doctor Zhivago by Pasternak (1958)

Found this 1st ed 17th printing; it must have been a pretty big deal.
I found it to be typical of mid century writing in so many ways that mostly annoy. Forget the movie, its not the book.

Too real, too obscure, having said that the love story is OK but I could not relate to the characters, I'm sure it was mostly my state of mind at the time of reading (dealing with my mother's rapid decline and death) but we could also blame Pasternak; it always seems like he is rattling off a bunch of ideas too quickly.
There are a lot of conversations regarding religion, death, and existence.
All very good stuff but always felt hurried.

The theme of the book is distruction and those seeking, wielding, and attaining power, and the havoc that spues on the rest of us.  
It reminds one of how the Anarchists love to blow things up and then remake them in another completely different but similarly crap-ass manner.
The result is ALWAYS the powerless, disinterested, and the Lovers get caught up in the shit-storm of change that produces only more of the "same but different"

In this story we have a man who is not great, not bad, and gets in his own way of taking advantage of the best opportunities that come his way. He is self destructive like most of us, he cannot get away from his principles to find security. He continues to make difficulties.

We have a women wronged by an older man, attempts revenge and gets away with it due to the chaotic circumstances of the times. After escaping justice for her actions she is capable of living life for the betterment of those around her.

We have two married peoples that have found their true loves outside of their marriages.
A pretty old trope for stories, and maybe a dream for many.

So we get to follow along the HARSH world of early 20th century Russia. Each country is it's history make-up and these people have had a tough history. A really tough history. Brutalization upon, Brutalization, upon Brutalization.

No wonder they call us Naive.

The 1st owner left a couple of leafs from The Saturday Review in the book. Classic idealism of the last century.

The Giacometti used on this page is from 1948; very modern stuff!