Fire Season

When my husband and I go to the library I usually head straight for the YA section while he heads to either the 900's or the "New Books" within the non-fiction.  He is a boy and like many boys he prefers non-fiction.  He found Fire Season by Philip Connors book right around the time we were having several fires here in Arizona.  I think the local fire news sparked his interest.  Let's be honest, several of us pick up a book b/c of current events.

My husband really liked Fire Season.  He thought it was witty, well written, and all around intriguing.  He then gave it to me to read.  He doesn't give me every non-fiction book to read, and it is because he doesn't give me every non-fiction book that I agreed to read this one.  Since I was reading his non-fiction book he read a fiction book, Divergent by Roth, and he enjoyed it.

I would have to agree with my husband on the writing.  Philip Connors used to be an editor for the Wall Street Journal.  He is a great writer, and it clearly shows in this book.  Connors is an interesting man.  He decided he didn't want to be an editor in NYC and he now spends five months a year in a lookout tower in New Mexico.  He truly changed his world completely.  The basis of this book is his ramblings while up in the tower.  He talks about the history of fires, fire jumpers, and even his own history.  Connors also talks about the people he meets while in the tower.

I think one of the most fascinating things while reading this book was his insight into the difficulties and the joy to living in solitude.  I would have to say that many many people would have a difficult time living with no technology and completely alone.  Connors wrote, "Being here alone I may not be my best self, in the social sense of the phrase, but I am perhaps my truest self; lazy, goofy, happiest when taking a nap or staring at the shapes of mountains."  I agree with this statement completely.  It is often when we are alone, with no one watching, we are our true selves.

Even though I am not a non-fiction reader by choice I still thoroughly enjoyed this book.  I wasn't necessarily grabbing this book to read at every opportunity, but I enjoyed it.  Connors kept the writing topic versatile but still cohesive, and it was well written throughout the book.  If you are a non-fiction reader, or if you are looking for an interesting non-fiction book, then pick this one up at your local library.

Please let me know of any of your must read non-fiction books.  I am not opposed to non-fiction books; I just gravitate towards juvenile and YA fiction books.  It's good for me to go out of my comfort zone every now and again.