Yvan Chouinard is mentioned quite a bit in the early parts of the book that I’ve almost finished; Everest Inc. It’s about the businesses that formed to get people to the top of Everest and it’s pretty up to date. It also tells about the tragedies. It seems like you can’t write about Everest without writing about the deaths. They say that the deaths bring the clients, not that they want to die, but that they want to face death and survive. I’ve read several books about Everest and I think this one is very good.
I’m going to put the Chouinard book in my list.
Listening; I recently went to see Toby Walker. He’s one of the top acoustic blues players in the country and a great entertainer. If you ever get the chance to see him, don’t pass it up.
Currently halfway through “Welcome to Paradise, Now Go To Hell” by Chas Smith.
An irreverant and brutally honest look at the grittier, often violent side of life on Oahu’s North Shore. Kind of surprised Smith is even allowed to show his face there any more with some of the laundry he airs.
Next up are “It’s Only Drowning” and Bob Mortimer’s “Hotel Avocado”.
Yes, enjoying it so far. Smith sometimes seems like he’s trying a little too hard to push limits and buttons but his honesty regarding some of surfing’s sacred cows is refreshing.
My wife and granddaughter are Swifties, so probably listened to this 8-10 times this weekend. She’s salty and dirty! The production is great - lots of stuff going on … a little Jackson 5, so James Jamerson bass lines, Olivia Newton John. It’s not really my kind of music and I’m not exactly the demo audience, but I definietely don’t hate it. I like the storytelling in Life of a Showgirl and The Fate of Ophelia.
We watched the movie Saturday evening. The granddaughter and I danced in the aisle. I liked the movie a lot more than I anticipated I would … it was cool to hear the commentary behind the songs and the making of the Ophelia video was fun. I wish videos with high production value were still a thing … far too uncommon.