Texas - Mississippi - Montana, Rick Bass

I heard about Rick Bass while reading a review of his book in the paper a few weeks ago. I got an older book from the library, Winter (notes from Montana). I finished it this morning. I thought that a book about winter would be perfect in my 100 degree plus summer.

While reading his memoir/essay style book, I was drawn to his Houston roots, Mississippi time (and girlfriend), and his love of nature and wildness. It was amazing. His writing was simple and the lessons he learned where just "there" without all the extras. I get so tired of writers who shove it down my throat. I usually get it!! Bass believes that about his reader - we understand. We are kin.

Rick and Elizabeth move to a town without electricity. Winter for months and months of plain wildness, and the LOVE it. Cutting wood and keeping warm transcend all other needs.

Here is more about Rick:
http://www.bookbrowse.com/biographies/index.cfm?author_number=1389

I thought his lessons of winter could apply to my August heat and summer. He tries so hard not to wish the cold away - just live in the moment!

Some favorites:

"It's still winter. I need to stay loyal to it. But I dream of grass. I want to eat grass, want to walk in it barefoot, roll on my back, shirtless, in it. I want to rip it up and roll it into loose wads and throw it, have grass fights with Elizabeth, the way five months ago, we had our first snowball fight."

These musings on his father rang true to me:
"... all men, it seems - one day become themselves, but also their fathers. Just like with legends, men build the base of them selves with parts of their fathers, with the basic truths - and then go from there, of necessity, to alter other things, grow in new places, and become fathers themselves ... " (page 146, the whole quote is so beautiful!).

Hmmmm. Every summer I must read about winter.