Matthew Chisholm > Recent Status Updates

“Writing is drawing the essence of what we know out of the shadows. That is what writing is about. Not what happens there, not what actions are played out there, but the THERE itself. There, that is writing’s location and aim. But how to get there?”

Getting a little
Bogged down in adolescence.

Literally exactly how I feel about being a Dad...wow...

If man’s imagination were not so weak, so easily tired, if his capacity for wonder not so limited, he would abandon such fantasies of the supernal. He would learn to perceive in water, leaves and silence more than sufficient of the absolute and marvelous, more than enough to console him for the loss of the ancient dreams.

This book is legitimate pure genius in every sense of the word. If only we were brave enough to follow it.

All one to me-sandstorm or sunshine I am content, so long as I have something to eat, good health, the earth to stand on, and light behind the eyes to see by.

Stegner is starting to lose me. I hope this book ends somewhat dramatically. Still fantastic writing.

What rhyming dictionary am I hastily putting back on my shelf?

Getting into the rhythm of shotgun history. Don’t really like it.

Civil War section a little underwhelming. Too many battles and not enough personal story.

Been a while since updating this. Wish I had a couple friend group as amazing as Charity and Sid. Really awesome writing by Stegner.

Really great job of European settlement. Drake has a great ability to show how global developments are affecting Appalachia. Great job setting the tone that App is not just an isolated bubble.

The process through which Trump makes foreign policy decisions is dizzying. So many minds, so many egos. Makes me trust the generals more and more.

Much more accessible than John Alexander Williams. Flows fast and logically.

Much more accessible than John Alexander Williams. Flows fast and logically.

Trump is s baby.

I feel like I'm on the insides...as a result, I feel dirty...

Really good background to what was happening militarily before French and Indian War in the colonies...

Pretty thin on the colonial era and pretty predictable content. Multiple choice questions are VERY HARD and the answers quite debatable depending on evidence and reasoning pathway. Very surprising there is no detail on Roanoke or Tobacco so far, but we do get a sizable paragraph about how Connecticut fused together. Weird.

Great cola chapter. Once again, a little dense on the railroad and company facts, but got a great sense of the profit making ability of King Coal in the 1920s in S. Appalachia.

Really good halter on timber use in the mountains. Some small holes in resistance by Appalachians to “predatory” industries and migration patterns based on these industries.

Awesome intro to life in Southern Appalachia in general. The railroad bits are getting a bit long.

Moonshiner story is a gem.

Finally a mention of Asheville. Also this, “there was no factor more effective in committing the Appalachian elite to the defense of plantation slavery than the mountain resorts.”

Writing engaging and filled with great background information. Equal parts history of the West and the Pony Express so far. Would have preferred less background info. Not getting a great sense of the personalities of the Pony.

Bar tram and Asbury in this section. Also, a brief rendering of how Qualla formed. Still reading little a very disjointed textbook that at times lacks human qualities.

“Currinist Remedy” and the rest of “The Iron Woman”. Starting to see themes of progress vs. tradition cropping up all over the place. The old reluctantly giving up on their set ways.

Man and his dog on a bear hunt, thrashed and victorious together. "Birdeye the Bloodthirsty"