Recently, I have been reading more than normal. Normal for me may be a lot to some, but regardless, I have been chewing through books left and right. The list I am about to put down is over the last two months or so, but you get the picture.
On a recent trip to the the great NW, my manager was telling me about a book he was currently reading. It was a biography on Pat Tillman, the former NFL linebacker turned Army Ranger, written by Jon Krakauer. I had never read any of Jon's books before, but based on the glowing (albeit only half read) review, I decided to pick up the book titled Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman. Having not read Jon Krakauer books before, I was unfamiliar with his style, so it took awhile to get into his formatting. However, the book was the type that I didn't want to put down. Basically, it chronicled the life of Pat from a child through his decision to join the Army after Sept. 11th and onto Afghanistan where he ultimately was killed in action. Great book, but I will say that it left me somewhat disillusioned with the Rangers, the US Army and our government. 
Starting with the last book, my manager also gave me the Krakauer library to read. From this, I dove into Into Thin Air, the story of Jon's climb up Mt. Everest in 1996 and the disaster that happened behind him on his descent from the summit. Very good, but short, read on what it takes to summit Mt. Everest. After reading this, I view others that feel compelled to climb Mt. Everest as somewhat crazy. 
Additionally I read Into the Wild, the story of Christopher McCandless and his long, solitary trip from his well to do family in Virginia to starving to death in an old bus in Denali National Park, Alaska.
I also read Under the Banner of Heaven which scrutinizes the Mormons and their may offshoots. Specifically, Jon brings to light some of the subjects that the Latter Day Saints would like to forget, like polygamy. Again, a well written book, covering the religion from the early days of Joseph Smith to more recent subjects of Elizabeth Smart. I also found myself catching a few episodes of Sister Wives that happened to be airing while reading this book. The show was timely, as sister wives is a term for a polygamist families and the multiple wives. I found this lifestyle to be very difficult to understand, as trying to take care of one family can be tough, but 4 wives and a few dozen kids would be overwhelming. 
The last book that I have finished was Blood Brothers: Among the Soldiers of Ward 57 by Michael Weisskopf. While on assignment in Iraq to write the story for Time magazines Person of the Year- The American Soldier (2003), Michael found himself in the unlikely position of hero. While riding in the back of a Humvee on a night patrol, he heard a thud and looked down to see a grenade laying two feet away. On pure instinct, he reached down, picked it up and attempted to throw the grenade out of the truck. He stopped writing the story and became the story. Due to the heroic nature of his actions, he was admitted to Ward 57 of Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Ward 57 is the amputee ward. Michael had lost his right hand to the grenade. The book chronicles his wound, his medical care and the phychological state of amputees. He covers the stories of many young men that lost arms and legs in Iraq and Afghanistan and their trials, tribulations and sucess. At times this book was deeply painful to read. Surguries, pain, abandonment, questioning, all things that our finest went through after losing an appendage. Great behind the scenes look at the care our men and women are getting. There are more, but I will stop for now. Hope you enjoyed seeing my recent reads.
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