[at-l] who, where and why

[agaudet at TheWorld.com (Arthur Gaudet)]

Wow! Thanks everyone for the great responses to this thread. I hope to read
more. For my part I'll add the reading I've done since Jan 1. Not as much as
I hoped but I have tried to be a regular reader. Sometimes a book will take
a long time to get through. I try to do a mix of fiction & non-fiction,
heavy emphasis on travel writing. --RD

"American Pastoral" by Roth, Philip (1997)
By the author of Goodbye Columbus and Portnoy's Complaint, a well-written
but boring book.
"Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds" by MacKay,
Charles (1852)
Explains the story of the Tulip mania, The Mississippi Scheme, The South Dea
and the best description of the Crusades that I've come across. Also
explained the Witch Mania which (pun) had a greater impact in Europe than in
the US. At least 6000 witches were exexcuted in only 2 cities, compared with
in the US only 19 were killed, among 2000 accused.
 "Last Climb: The Legendary Everest Expeditions of George Mallory" by
Breashears, David & Salkeld, Audrey
Almost day-by-day details of all three expeditions - 1921, 1922 and 1924,
the achievements and personalities that attended and some detail so of
Mallory's personal life, inc. his love for getting naked.
"My Side of the Mountain" by Jean Craighead George (1959)
Written by the sister of the Craighead naturalist brothers, she's written 80
books for children. The story of Sam Gribley, who runs away from NYC to live
in the Catskills on his own.
"Stiffed: The Betrayal of the American Man" by Faludi, Susan (1999)
As a feminist Faludi realizes that the male oppression that women felt has
the same roots in culture that men feel as de-masculinizing. "West With the
Night " by Markham, Beryl (1942)
Highly praised by Ernest Hemingway I absorbed this one too quickly. Her life
in Africa leading up to her solo flight from England to Nova Scotia. Worth
rereading sometime when I know more about East Africa and the pre-war
period.
"The Ascent of Rum Doodle" by Bowman, W. E. (1956)
Forward by Bill Bryson (he's funny I can't deny it) this is a spoof of the
1937 Tilman expedition to climb Nandi Devi. A cult classic among
mountaineers, there's now a restaurant named Rum Doodle in Kathmandu, Nepal

on my shelf waiting next in line:
"Cape Breton Road" by D R MacDonald
"Good Morning Midnight" by Chip Brown. The story of life/death of Guy
Waterman.(read it Sly?)
"A Meeting by the River" by Christopher Isherwood
"Wind, Sand and Stars" by Antoine de Saint-Exupery