May Worthwhile Stuff

 

📚 Books
The Dry, Jane Harper: This is an atmospheric mystery set in a fictional Australian town. As mysteries go, it's quite well-written and the main character is extremely well-developed. I did manage to figure out the twist before the protagonist did, but the book still had some secrets up its sleeve. The Dry is a solid book with a strong sense of place that's enjoyable to read – and I can say the same about Harper's follow-up, Force of Nature, which is extra creepy and twisty.

Brat: An '80s Story, Andrew McCarthy: From this memoir, I learned that despite amazing work in beloved films like Mannequin and Weekend at Bernie's, Andrew McCarthy was a reluctant celebrity with an affinity for New York City who never really felt like he fit into the Hollywood scene in the 80s. In the time he's been away from Hollywood, he has grown into a very good, introspective writer. I greatly enjoyed McCarthy's candor and straightforward writing style. It's hard to put my finger on it, but there is something about the tone and cadence in which this book is written that I found highly appealing.

Friday Night Lights, H. G. Bissinger: I recommend this book to anyone who has lived in Texas, anyone who loves football, anyone who has a passing interest in football (possibly due to having lived in Texas), and/or anyone who would like to understand Texas a little bit. Even though this book was published in 1990 and the action takes place in 1988, the authenticity of the experiences and the quality of the writing prevent the material from feeling dated in any way. Rather, Bissinger tells a timeless Texas story – one that encompasses so much more than football – and sweeps the reader along for an emotionally fraught season and a look inside the complicated dynamics of a typical Texas town.

My Losing Season, Pat Conroy: As much as I love Conroy’s novels, his memoirs simply floor me. I am in awe of him as both a writer and a person because he faced so much adversity, physical abuse, and mental abuse, and was able to come out the other side and come to terms with it all. On the basketball side of things Conroy brings each and every game vividly to life, along with the rigors of a military college. And to wrap everything up, he beautifully conflates his middle-aged self with his 21 year-old self and one of his fictional stand-ins as he grapples with the limitations of memory. A tour de force of a memoir.


🎶 Music
Kenny Loggins: Obviously I have been aware of and somewhat familiar with Kenny Loggins for a long time, since he features prominently on the soundtracks of some of my favorite movies (Top Gun, Footloose, and Caddyshack), and he's a Yacht Rock staple, but having purchased a 2-CD greatest hits album, I can't help but feel I have been sleeping on Kenny my whole life. He is just as lyrically and vocally gifted as Daryl Hall, and he can craft an enduring, earnest, feel-good pop song like no other. Current favorites include: "This Is It", "Nobody's Fool", "Leap of Faith", "Keep the Fire", "Heart to Heart", "I Believe In Love" and "Don't Fight It" (a mind-blowing duet with Steve Perry). I may be late to the game here, but it's going to be a very Kenny Loggins summer for me.

What If I'm Right, Adam Sanders: I first saw Adam Sander open for Cole Swindell at the Best Buy / Nokia / Playstation Theatre in 2015, and I have been waiting for a full-length album ever since. Sanders has put out plenty of great singles over the past six years, but this album proves that good things come to those who wait. Overall, Sanders' style hearkens back to the lyrics-driven style of 90s and 2000s Country (i.e. the days before Bro-Country took over the airwaves). While I personally can't connect so well with the few overtly Christian-themed tracks, every song on this album is extremely well crafted, both lyrically (Sanders co-wrote every track on the album) and musically. Highlights include: the title track, "All About That", "Burn the Stars", "So Good At That", "I Got Roots", and "Make Em Wanna Change" (which I wrote about last year, when it was released as a single). Sanders is a great talent who hasn't gotten the mainstream recognition he deserves; I hope this album changes that.