I had time over Thanksgiving weekend to read Little Britches: Father and I Were Ranchers
and I loved it! It is the simple story of a boy when his family of seven moves from New England to Colorado for the father’s health. We see what he learns about life, what his father is able to teach him, and how his mistakes and successes build him. Sitting here today, I am floored by the freedom and responsibility that a child under 11 had at that time and in that place. I am very impressed by his parents at their perseverance and wisdom and faith. i want my nephew to read it. Even though the boy is younger than Connor, I think it would interest him. However, the way it ends hits a little too close to home right now so I may wait a few months before I bring it back out for Connor to read. It is the first in a series so I will be ready more by Ralph Moody.
I finally finished The Place to Be: Washington, CBS, and the Glory Days of Television News
and I enjoyed it. I had to break it up with other things so it took me a few weeks to finish. Roger Mudd covers so much about a very busy and interesting time in our nation’s history. His tone is just right. He doesn’t dish dirt or set out to hurt people, but you don’t walk away with the mistaken belief that he and Dan Rather were best buddies either. My biggest complaint would be that he didn’t go into enough detail about some things, he covers so many people and events. But it is really a very small complaint because if I really think about it I can’t think of too many of the people or events I would want him to spend much more time on.
I learned a lot about broadcast news (especially pre-video and pre-cell phone) as well as how the Washington bureau saw itself in relation to the New York headquarters of CBS. I enjoyed the chapter about presidents and correspondents wearing makeup for tv. Here is one quote from a cameraman.
“Hell, you don’t know what guts [are] until you have to stand in front of a screaming race mob and put on your pancake makeup.”
I picked the book up at the library because I thought it would be interesting to learn about the industry and about the time period. That is exactly what it has given me.
Reading your review of Little Brithces has inspired me to re-read it. And to get the rest of the books in the series, which I have read, but do not own. If you haven’t read Moody’s other books, I would recommend them.