Reginald Spittle's Blog: See my book blog, page 5

Compelling Characters Make These Great YA Books

Whether you call it young adult, adolescent, or coming-of-age, count me as one of many grownups who are avid readers of the genre aimed at 12-to-18 year olds. I am drawn by the powerful characterization in the best of these books. Like you, I was a kid once, and I find good YA fiction relatable, … Continue reading Compelling Characters Make These Great YA Books →

She Walked the AT: What Was She Thinking?

Kelly Floro was 23 when she quit a life many dream about to spend six months on the Appalachian Trail. “Good thing I was such an idiot,” she writes in a post on The Trek website. (There are ads on the post.)

Jerry West: A Tormented Life

I sat in the bleachers, next to the basket, at Loyola Marymount University’s gym. It was 1970 and Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor, Pat Riley and the rest of the Los Angeles Lakers gathered for preseason practice at the coastal California campus. Chamberlain took a breather near the baseline, just a few feet from me. He … Continue reading Jerry West: A Tormented Life →

Media Powers Come to Life

What if the Los Angeles Times had not tailored its coverage to promote Richard Nixon? Would Red-baiter Joseph McCarthy have been exposed without the work of Ed Murrow of CBS? And what if the Washington Post had not pursued the truth behind the Watergate break-in? In The Powers That Be, David Halberstam weaves stories of … Continue reading Media Powers Come to Life →

Trail Snakes Along Easternmost Coastline

Newfoundland’s East Coast Trail is North America’s easternmost coastline path. While camping near St. John’s, Sue and I sampled three varied sections. Measuring 168 miles, 25 paths are connected by 41 miles of community walks. On the La Manche Trail, we walked over a swaying suspension bridge that spans a wild waterway flowing into the … Continue reading Trail Snakes Along Easternmost Coastline →

Of Newfoundland’s Trails and Canada’s Loonies

Good weather, spectacular scenery, and dramatic trails guided us across Newfoundland, Canada to Terra Nova National Park. Sue and I drove to the end of one of many northern land fingers to the 17th-century village of Salvage, where a path took us uphill, through forest, and over bridges to views of the Atlantic Ocean and … Continue reading Of Newfoundland’s Trails and Canada’s Loonies →

Two Spittles Conquer Half Dome

Our sons Brad (left) and Andrew summitted Half Dome (8,839’) in Yosemite National Park to watch the sun rise today. They grew up nearby and it was not their first time up the cables, but this time it came a day after they had climbed Cloud’s Rest (9,931’). Cheers, boys!

Newfoundland: Does It Meet the Hype?

Newfoundland, alas. We had heard so much. Canada’s most rugged, beautiful, and remote province. Friendliest people. Newbies must be Screeched. In Gros Morne National Park, we walked to Bakers Brook Falls, a place so wild I felt like I was in the Yukon. The boardwalks over marshes made it feel somewhat civilized, though. But the … Continue reading Newfoundland: Does It Meet the Hype? →

PEI Footpaths Float and Climb

Our RV “camping” journey continued on Canada’s Prince Edward Island, where we walked on a floating boardwalk that led to the beach dunes at Greenwich National Park. It bobbed like a pedestrian suspension bridge and may be too much for people prone to seasickness. About the size of Rhode Island, PEI is relatively flat, but … Continue reading PEI Footpaths Float and Climb →

You May Not Believe This, But It’s a Fact

I stand at low tide at the home of the world’s highest tide, at Fundy Bay, New Brunswick, Canada. I can see the shores of Nova Scotia. A question for you: How much water flows into the 94-mile-long funnel-shaped channel to reach high tide, a rise of up to 48 feet? The stacks are referred … Continue reading You May Not Believe This, But It’s a Fact →