!Books I'm reading
---
agk's phlog
1 July 2021 @ 1253
---
written on X61 under ceiling fan
while rain pounds down outside
---
I work through books in parallel, not serially. I
learn from some in little nibbles, relax with some
when I can, and read some aloud. This is an
unordered list of books I'm actively reading.
1. Steve Solomon (2005). Gardening when it counts.
On pg 60. Reading aloud with Evy. Favorite
gardening book of Anne, the most accomplished
produce farmer I know. The author is anti-
intensive, pro-extensive gardening. By page 60,
he covers basic soil science, amendments,
preparing rows and hills, and tool selection
and sharpening. The book inarguably makes Evy
and I better gardeners. It also corrects mental
models we use to troubleshoot garden problems.
2. Penny Simkin (2013). The birth partner: a
complete guide to childbirth for dads, doulas,
and all other labor companions, 4th ed.
On pg 74. Standard text for birth partners.
I'm reading the section on stages of labor. It
helps me stay focused and ready for Evy's labor
and our daughter's birth.
3. Eric S. Raymond (2004). The art of UNIX program-
ming.
On pg 128. I love the calmness of this book,
how Raymond makes elegant sense out of the
data and application patterns that give UNIX
systems beauty. I'm on internet applications:
SMTP, POP3, and IMAP. HTTP is up next.
4. W. H. Timbie (1931). Essentials of electricity:
an introductory textbook for school and shop--
direct currents, 2nd ed.
On pg. 17. This was one of Pa's textbooks. I'm
reviewing exposition and problem sets with his
little practice slide rule (Dietzgen Redirule
No.1771) to remember to think electrically when
I get into the 45 year-old wiring on my motor-
cycle next week. Chapter one was intro to test
equipment and Ohm's law. Next is basic circuits.
5. Pat Califia (1988). Macho sluts.
On pg 159. I'm most of the way through The
Calyx of Isis, Cassie's fav story in the book.
It's wonderful lesbian SM fic. I never read the
story before. Haven't read any stories from
Macho Sluts in at least a decade. Used to read
it at my friend Lee's house. I think my fav
story used to be The Hustler.
6. John Williams (1965). Stoner.
On pg 45. Cassie and I are reading aloud this
sweet, sharp novel about an utterly unremarkable
man's life in higher education in Missouri in the
first half of the 20th century. I bought it in
West Virginia by recommendation of a bookseller
who said it's perfect. So far, he's not wrong.
7. Stephanie S. Covington (1994). A woman's way
through the twelve steps.
On pg 14. Tuesday nights I ride the twisty one-
lane through the mountains to my sponsor's house
at the far end of Estill County. With sponsee
sisters we have a women's AA meeting on the porch.
We just started over on the first step. It's not
GSO-approved lit, but draws our stories deeper
into lit that is, and provokes good meetings.
Just finished: Andy Weir (2021), Project Hail Mary.
By recommendation of sauron@sdf (via bboard, our
bulletin board). It's as good a fast-paced hard-
science space novel as The Martian. Fun discover-
ing the nature of the book's major conflict. Good
applied science--energy storage, propulsion, and
especially lab biology. I don't read much scifi.
Stayed up late reading this one.
