What book are you reading?

[B1Toad]

I just finished this relatively new book on the Edmund Fitzgerald. It covers a lot more than just the wreck of the Fitz, it goes back in history about shipping and storms on the great lakes, how the iron & steel industry worked over the years and also gives bios on each crew member and their families.

I never knew that although those freighters were originally designed for XXX amount of tonnage, in 1969-1972 the industry pushed for relaxation on the rules for more profits and as a result they were changed, the Plimsoll lines were re-painted allowing them to carry a lot more than they were originally designed for. The Fitz lost over 36" of freeboard in the change and as a result carried 4,000 tons more ore than the original designers intended.

I also never knew that automakers like Ford had iron ore delivered right to their own docks at their plants and spit cars out at the other end of the plant. How amazing is that?

 

[speeding_infraction]

I'm reading "never finished" by David goggins. Pretty inspiring.

 

[BlueC]

before that it was Confronting Evil by Bill O Reilly.

I'm still burning through O'Reillys Killing series when I have a few quiet minutes. I think I have 2 books left. Is Confronting Evil similar to the Killing series?

 

[RangerTJ]

I just finished this relatively new book on the Edmund Fitzgerald. It covers a lot more than just the wreck of the Fitz, it goes back in history about shipping and storms on the great lakes, how the iron & steel industry worked over the years and also gives bios on each crew member and their families.

I never knew that although those freighters were originally designed for XXX amount of tonnage, in 1969-1972 the industry pushed for relaxation on the rules for more profits and as a result they were changed, the Plimsoll lines were re-painted allowing them to carry a lot more than they were originally designed for. The Fitz lost over 36" of freeboard in the change and as a result carried 4,000 tons more ore than the original designers intended.

I also never knew that automakers like Ford had iron ore delivered right to their own docks at their plants and spit cars out at the other end of the plant.

View attachment 652941

Is the book as long as the song?

 

[chili_pepper]

the song

...drips with sorrow.

 

[lBasket]

I'm reading "never finished" by David goggins. Pretty inspiring.
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I've wanted to read this

 

[Zorba]

I just finished this relatively new book on the Edmund Fitzgerald. It covers a lot more than just the wreck of the Fitz, it goes back in history about shipping and storms on the great lakes, how the iron & steel industry worked over the years and also gives bios on each crew member and their families.

I never knew that although those freighters were originally designed for XXX amount of tonnage, in 1969-1972 the industry pushed for relaxation on the rules for more profits and as a result they were changed, the Plimsoll lines were re-painted allowing them to carry a lot more than they were originally designed for. The Fitz lost over 36" of freeboard in the change and as a result carried 4,000 tons more ore than the original designers intended.

I also never knew that automakers like Ford had iron ore delivered right to their own docks at their plants and spit cars out at the other end of the plant.

View attachment 652941

It was also my understanding that the Fitz was lengthened mid-life also.

 

[B1Toad]

It was also my understanding that the Fitz was lengthened mid-life also.

No. it was scheduled to be lengthened in the Winter of 1975 but it went down Nov 10th.

 

[B1Toad]

At the time she was built the Soo locks could only accommodate a ship up to 730 feet so the Fitz was purposely built to 729 feet. She was the largest freighter on Superior for many years.

 

[speeding_infraction]

I've wanted to read this

It's very interesting. One of the things I made a note of is even if your circumstances aren't your fault, you still have to take responsibility for them. Rarely will others have pity on you, as they have their own problems to deal with.

 

[Rubiconned]

 

[red02tj]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0063489791?tag=wranglerorg-20

 

[B1Toad]

Just finished this one, it was great, could not put it down.

 

[DirtyDesertRat]

I was a lifelong reader; grew up in a house crammed full of books, newspapers, magazines. I learned to read before I started grade school. My Mom used to go to Goodwill stores and bring me armfuls of books.

I burned out a few years back and had to reset.

Right now, I bought up a collection of Ed Abbey's books. Comfort for me, reading about his ramblings throughout our high-desert country. It helps fill in the short winter days; in anticipation of getting out and poking around on the trails in the spring.

I have a wish-list to order after the holidays. "Blood Meridian" by Cormac McCarthy, best known for "No Country for Old Men". Blood Meridian is an absolutely factually-based and thoroughly-researched brutal account of the Indian wars in Northern Mexico. No mercy, no redemption. Trails of bones.

Others to come - "Angle of Repose" by Wallace Stegner, family failure, tragedy and finally stasis. "Hole in the Sky", William Kittredge's autobiography about his Grandfather's destruction of an entire ecosystem and his own family in the process. "This House of Sky", Ivan Doig's great story of his family's precarious life as itinerant sheepherders. "One Man's West", David Lavender's entertaining account of the people who mined gold and ran cattle throughout the Four Corners in the early days.

Paper only for me; I tried Kindle and tired of it. Thriftbooks is my source.

 

[B1Toad]

I was a lifelong reader; grew up in a house crammed full of books, newspapers, magazines. I learned to read before I started grade school. My Mom used to go to Goodwill stores and bring me armfuls of books.

I burned out a few years back and had to reset.

Right now, I bought up a collection of Ed Abbey's books. Comfort for me, reading about his ramblings throughout our high-desert country. It helps fill in the short winter days; in anticipation of getting out and poking around on the trails in the spring.

I have a wish-list to order after the holidays. "Blood Meridian" by Cormac McCarthy, best known for "No Country for Old Men". Blood Meridian is an absolutely factually-based and thoroughly-researched brutal account of the Indian wars in Northern Mexico. No mercy, no redemption. Trails of bones.

Others to come - "Angle of Repose" by Wallace Stegner, family failure, tragedy and finally stasis. "Hole in the Sky", William Kittredge's autobiography about his Grandfather's destruction of an entire ecosystem and his own family in the process. "This House of Sky", Ivan Doig's great story of his family's precarious life as itinerant sheepherders. "One Man's West", David Lavender's entertaining account of the people who mined gold and ran cattle throughout the Four Corners in the early days.

Paper only for me; I tried Kindle and tired of it. Thriftbooks is my source.

I'll be checking some of those titles out. My wife's grandfather used to run cattle from the Mexico border up into Colorado, real cattle drives. Are you from the Four Corners area?

 

[StG58]

No Second Place Winner by Bill Jordan.

"Be first or be dead ... there is no second place winner in a gun fight! The subject of this book is the ways and means to stay alive when using guns in mortal combat."

Old school, first hand, practical information on handling a pistol when your life depends on it.

 

[Zorba]

No Second Place Winner by Bill Jordan.

"Be first or be dead ... there is no second place winner in a gun fight! The subject of this book is the ways and means to stay alive when using guns in mortal combat."

Old school, first hand, practical information on handling a pistol when your life depends on it.

Rule #1 in gun fighting: Have a gun.

 

[chili_pepper]

Operation Paperclip. I suspect some (possibly younger) members here may have never heard of it, others likely have but don't know all the details. I fell in the latter category, well aware it was a thing but lacking the gory details.

Currently about 25% of the way through "Operation Paperclip: The Secret Intelligence Program that Brought Nazi Scientists to America" by Annie Jacobsen. Very interesting read, and one I'd recommend to every American, minimum.


Before this I finished up "Fighter Pilot: The Memoirs of Legendary Ace Robin Olds", another I'd recommend.

 

[StG58]

Rule #1 in gun fighting: Have a gun.

Preferably, two guns. The caliber of which start with 4. Bring all of your friends with guns...

 

[speeding_infraction]

Preferably, two guns. The caliber of which start with 4. Bring all of your friends with guns...

Calibers that start with 5 also work