by Steven Hyden

Steven Hyden is younger than me, and from Wisconsin rather than New York; but his experience growing up with classic rock radio was the same as mine. This book is a wonderful celebration of that noble genre that will never die! Long live rock!

Seriously, the book starts really strong; and I can’t resist any writing with such deep cuts about the Stones and Dylan. Hyden is obviously an essay writer; each chapter is an essay on a theme. Some are better than others, depending how much you care about the topic (e.g. Springsteen? meh).

It’s very hard to imagine there was once a time when classic rock didn’t exist yet, and terrifying to think there will come a day when it doesn’t exist anymore. I’ve thought about that a lot myself… will anyone care about the Beatles decades, centuries from now? Will all this be lost, that which feels so timeless to us now?

Long live rock, be it dead or alive!

by Danzy Senna

I don’t know why I picked this up. The sample obviously misled me.

The main character, Jane, is – guess what! A writer! Of fiction! Who teaches at a southern California university – just like our author! Authors of the world, please, please, do a modicum of research… write about a protagonist who is engaged in one of the many OTHER fine occupations out there? There’s, oh, I don’t know… mechanical engineer… night nurse… ad exec… barista… web content manager… software developer… insurance salesman… the list really goes on and on.

The plot revolves around lies that Jane tells and gets caught up in. It’s one of those stories where you can’t really understand why the person started with all the lying in the first place. Her life really wasn’t that bad.

by Keivn Fedarko

When it was good, it was very good. But it had a lot of sidetracks, and not just their hike.

Pete & Kevin embark on a cross-Canyon hike with no preparation. At first I was afraid we were in for another Bill Bryson schtick, where we were expected to laugh at stupidity – like not even TRYING ON your loaded pack before the trip begins. That gets me every time. They put on their packs and are like, “Wow, this is heavy.” I want to knock them upside the head.

It wasn’t like that; although Mistakes Were Made, they were not funny. Spoiler, Pete & Kevin survive – because they know when to quit.

The sidetracks into other people’s stories were a little dull to me. I wanted to stay with one story, Pete, Kevin, & the Grand Canyon. I have not yet been to Grand Canyon. This book inspired in me what to do & what not to do.

by Johanna Spyri

(re-re-read)

So it’s a little over the top. If Johanna Spyri could have dialed it back just a little, it could have been the kind of classic suited for adults as well as children. What am I saying? This IS a classic and I’m trying to improve it.

Heidi is a little wood sprite. The world is enchanted to her; everything is alive, every tree and mountain and goat is an individual.

“[S]he made personal acquaintance with [the goats] all in turn, for they were like separate individuals to her, each single goat having a particular way of behavior of its own.” I can certainly vouch for the fact that every goat is an individual.

According to grandfather, the big bird of prey who lives on top of the mountain and croaks and screams is saying, “If you would separate and each go your own way and come up here and live on a height as I do, it would be better for you!” How I dream of living alone high in an Alpine hut, spending my time smoking my pipe and looking down over the valley.