I was in high school with two Larry Browns. Both were good guys. Larry, son of Marion and Caroline, and brother of George and Jan, died, recently. I was saddened. The other Larry Brown is still alive, and as far as I know is well, living in Carnesville, Georgia. About a year ago, I ran into him at a convenience store in Bishop, Georgia. We had a good conversation which I ended with “I enjoyed talking with you, Mr. Brown” to which he retorted, “Mr. Brown, nothing, I am Larry Brown from Perry that was in high school with you”. I was embarrassed, but, in my defense, I hadn’t seen this Larry Brown in many, many years - maybe 30 or more.
What got me into writing about Larry Browns? It’s a book I got for my birthday by Oxford born, Mississippi author, Larry Brown, titled A Miracle of Catfish (455 pages). This Larry Brown, now deceased, was a fireman before he wrote his first book, Facing The Music, at age 53. I have two of his books “coming” as a birthday present: Fay and Big Bad Love. He died in 2004. Like the catfish, I am now hooked on Larry Brown.
This is not the only thing I’m reading. Bill Venema, brother of Diane Wilson, recommended several books to me, including William Manchester’s The Last Lion (889 pages). It’s about one of my favorites, Winston Churchill. I realized I had this book (inside the cover, I had written that I got it in March, 1989), but I had never read any of it. Bill is right. It’s fascinating - hard to put down, except there are five more that I’m presently reading, in addition to Larry Brown’s ‘Catfish,’ that I have trouble “putting down”. There’s the book Jim and Meg Mehserle gave me, Fields of Honor (436 pages), about major Civil War battles. I’m still reading it and “Catfish” and the book about Churchill and others. Let me tell you about the others.
While on the Civil War subject, there’s this very interesting book about the formation of the Confederate government at Montgomery in 1861. William C. Davis’ book, A Government Of Our Own (471 pages), was given to me by Senator George Hooks. George said I would like it, and he was right. This is a great book for a Civil War buff and someone who likes politics - that’s me! Thanks, George.
I’m also struggling through, Pillars Of The Earth, by Ken Follet. This tome is 973 pages long, and I’m at page 685. I’m determined to get through this book, but I can’t decide whether to finish it before I get well into Larry Brown’s book(s) or after. I guess it depends on the mood I’m in.
I’ve got two books that were sent to me, unsolicited. One is from my good friend, Jim Minter. The name of it is Presidential Courage (386 pages), by Michael Beschloss. Jim recommended it, so I know it will be good. I can’t decide whether to start it now or wait until I finish some of the others. I think I’ll wait, especially since I’m already into a book, given to me by David McCranie of Ocilla. David sent me this book, Take Us The Foxes (373 pages) by Murphey Rogers, and I have started it. I need to finish it because Martha Ann Rhodes, formerly Martha Ann Mathis, also originally of Ocilla and a cousin of Mr. Rogers, wants to read it. Should I put it before ‘Catfish’ and the others, or should I finish it so Martha Ann and her mother, Colleen Mathis, can have it. I could go ahead and loan it to them, but I prefer to finish a book before it is lent. Oft times, lending evolves into ownership (in the person to whom the book is lent), although I know this will not be the case with Martha Ann and Mrs. Mathis.
Then there is another birthday gift, Hell at the Breech (344 pages), which takes place in rural Alabama in 1897. USA Today says that this book by Tom Franklin “. . . does what Harper Lee did in To Kill A Mockingbird; it lets the quirky characters run the story while it focuses on the repercussions of the character’s curiosity and age”. Sounds like something I’ll love!
So, there you have it - what I’m reading or what I’m reading ‘at’. I’ve got to get through with some of these excellent books. That’s 4,327 pages that I’ve read or I’ve got to read. My eyes hurt. I’d like to say “I’ve been reading too much”; but, I don’t guess I’ve been reading enough. And just to think, I’ve got two more of Larry Brown’s coming - the Mississippi Larry Brown that is.
