Citizen Reader

I used to enjoy living in Wisconsin. But it's not been the most peaceful of places just now.

I don't have any answers or any ideas and I'm actually kind of tired of listening to people who think they do. So, it's back to avoidance of life through reading, and friends, I EXCEL at that sport.

So what I have been reading?

First up: the Agatha Raisin cozy mystery series by M.C. Beaton. I was never really into Beaton before now, but then I watched the fantastic series Agatha Raisin, starring the always-underappreciated Ashley Jensen.

The mysteries are terrible, beyond simplistic, but I LOVE Ashley Jensen as Agatha Raisin, and it turns out in the books that I just love Agatha Raisin for all her middle-aged prickliness (which hides a soft gooey center of kindness and insecurity). I'm in the early part of the series still, before Beaton started to phone them in (I've read a few later entries and yes, they get a little more slapdash), so that's good stuff.

I also polished off a few illustrated biographies/histories by an author named Ted Rall, who I really enjoy. Previously I have read his biography of Edward Snowden*, titled simply Snowden, but this month I tackled Francis: The People's Pope and Political Suicide: The Fight for the Soul of the Democratic Party, which was a fantastic American history book no matter what your politics.** I would highly recommend Ted Rall, and, as a special treat for these troubled, disjointed times, they are very quick reads.

Last but not least, for most of the summer I dipped into and out of Paula vW. Dáil's superlative Hard Living in America's Heartland: Rural Poverty in the 21st Century Midwest, which, no kidding, is a meaty buy for your library or for you at $29.95. If you are at all confused about what it's like living in rural America today, this book will lay it out for you with research, personal interviews, and economic numbers that will make a lot of things very, very clear. I'm from the rural Midwest, and I loved this book for the many ways it was right on, and for the many ways it pointed out how rural people who know things are continually screwed in our country, and also the pros and cons of their rural communities (and how they live within them). It's not easy to find a scholarly book that isn't condescending, but this one isn't, and I was endlessly grateful for that. I won't lie--it can get dry--but wow, I sure kept reading it. I would highly recommend it.

So. What have YOU been reading?

*The only piece of news I've seen for months that really made me happy was this one: Edward Snowden has been given permanent residency in Russia. I'm sad because this means I'll probably never be able to vote for him for president, but I can also stop worrying every three years (that was how often they had been renewing his visa or whatever he had for staying there) that he'll be returned to this country and executed just for being a decent, thinking human being.

**Okay, Republicans probably won't like it, but I'm a Nothing (politically, socially, professionally) and I enjoyed it.

My most fervent desire for Elon Musk is that he eventually shoots himself into space and we never have to hear about him ever again.

Seriously, I hate him. And all his kind.

So when I saw there was an entire parody book titled Welcome to the Future: Which Is Mine, by "Not Elon Musk," well, you know I had to look into that.

And yes, it's funny. I can't read a whole lot of satire, or parodies, but when I flipped through this one there was lots to enjoy. Most notably the Foreword, by (Not) Mark Zuckerberg:

"To get the most out of reading this book, you will need to give me your personal information: A foreword by Mark Zuckerberg.

Hello!

Elon Musk, my close personal acquaintance/colleague, asked me to write this foreword...Before you start the exciting process of opening this book and looking at the thrilling words and fun images on its pages, I need you to take a brief moment of your time and give me all of your personal information.

This is a very important step in the partaking of this book, and it cannot be skipped. If you attempt to skip it, you will receive an error message and you will not be granted access.

Specifically, what I am asking you to do, before you flip to the next page or browse this book in any way, is to provide me with your email address, your work history, a street address where you can be reached at any hour of the day or night, and access to the camera on your phone.

This information will never be shared with advertisers or third-party app developers. You have the Mark Zuckerberg promise on that!" (p. 1.)

And it goes on that way for quite some time, getting steadily more hilarious and ridiculous. There's chapters headed with titles like "I Enjoy Normal Human Activities The Same As You" (he doesn't) and, my favorite, "Is It Weird That I Get a Little Jealous When Another Car Maker's Autonomous Vehicle Kills Someone?"

I enjoyed it, and it's nice to laugh at anything these days. Even though I don't think Elon Musk is any laughing matter. Seriously. The guy has made $20 million dollars EACH AND EVERY HOUR since January 1. That isn't right.

I also got a new essay published at Medium, and it's an ode to Mr. CR: "Famous Romantic Lines, If They'd Been Said By My Accountant Husband."He's a romantic fool, our Mr. CR.

Now: Happy weekend to all of you. Don't buy a Tesla.