Staff Reviews: Books, Films, Music, and More

Gold Mine Managing Director, Craig Barry, recommends Tripping to Dickeyland by Michael Hanson. Tripping to Dickeyland is a wonderful mixture of a writer’s friendships, aspirations, admirations, and fears—the stuff that fuels much of our lives, and the brushes with which all artists use to leave their marks. Hanson's memoir explores the major influences in his life — such as James Dickey, his work and character; his deep friendship with his childhood friend, Chris Fuhrman, who would … [Read more...] about Book Review: Tripping to Dickeyland

Community Library Assistant and English Language Instructor Karen Little recommends Owls of the Eastern Ice: A Quest to Find and Save the World’s Largest Owl, by Jonathan C. Slaght. An owl that feeds mostly on fish? Particularly salmon? How odd. Not strange at all for the Blakiston’s fish owl, world’s largest and one of the rarest owls. Jonathan Slaght, author, scientist, and conservationist, describes this fish-eating owl, “Bigger than any owl he knew, it looked … [Read more...] about Book Review: Owls of the Eastern Ice

Director of Philanthropy Carter Hedberg recommends the film Strangers on a Train, directed by Alfred Hitchcock, based on the book by Patricia Highsmith. Can you imagine being a writer and having your first published novel made into a major motion picture, much less a film directed by Alfred Hitchcock! That’s the case with one of my favorite authors, Patricia Highsmith. Her first novel, Strangers on a Train, was adapted for the big screen and released in 1951. I recently … [Read more...] about Book Review: Strangers on a Train

Community Library Assistant and English Language Instructor Janet Ross-Heiner recommends Powder Days, by Heather Hansman, and other related reads. Covid and the good life have attributed to the floodgates of rapid growth in our mountain villages. We are all facing new realities. I remember Ketchum during the 1960s before the condo-centric wave came and the population was 750. Today we stand at 4,000 plus, depending on the season. During the growth of the 60s my father often … [Read more...] about Book Review: “Powder Days” by Heather Hansman, and More

Information Systems Manager William Duke recommends The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt by Edmund Morris. “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” George Santayana, 1905 If George is right, we should be working hard to make history interesting so our children will learn it. Instead, history books are about the best sleep aids on the shelf. The present moment is compelling, exciting even, until it becomes history. Then it’s as dull as dirt. Does anyone really want … [Read more...] about Book Review: “The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt”

Communications Manager Kyla Merwin recommends How to Love by Thich Nhất Hạnh. If love makes the world go 'round, and all you need is love...then why is that wonderful, beautiful, four-letter word completely blind, deaf, and dumb? Beyond romantic love, our capacity to love our friends, family, colleagues, strangers, and enemies, we are told, is endless. . .and challenged on a regular basis. One of my favorite, go-to volumes on this crazy, mindless subject comes from Thich Nhất Hạnh, … [Read more...] about Book Review: “How to Love” by Thich Nhất Hạnh