After finishing The Push on October 12, I had a few days with Chernow's Hamilton again (still not nearly done yet) and started The Last American Vampire by Seth Grahame-Smith on October 18 finishing on October 27.
This is follows Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter from 2011. While I loved the book, the movie wasn't so hot - total bummer. The Last American Vampire picks up with Henry Sturges, the vampire who was friends with Lincoln, and tells the tale of his (Henry's) history throughout history - he's over 300 years old, after all.
This book was satisfyingly entertaining and funny and thought-provoking in a purely fictional way. It was absurd, yet I couldn't put it down. So many historical figures come into the book: Teddy Roosevelt, Virginia Dare, Howard Hughes, J.P. Morgan, Mark Twain, Nikola Tesla, Bram Stoker, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and more.
I really liked how these historical people and happenings were re-imagined to include vampires. There are photos through the book also re-imagined to include vampires in them.
Clearly, Seth Grahame-Smith has an active and vivid imagination and can tell a great story. If you like history and you like vampire stories - pick this up - it's so good! The Husband just finished it and loved it too.
After finishing A Wanted Man on September 16, I had a few days to get back to Chernow's Hamilton. Then when it was our turn for The Push by Tommy Caldwell from the library, I gladly put Hamilton down again and started this on September 28 finishing on October 12. The Husband read it immediately after me.
I'll preface this with this fact: I love reading books about mountain climbing. I don't particularly like climbing mountains. I'm not certain what it is that I find so utterly alluring about mountain climbing books, but they are fascinating to me.
The Husband and I saw a movie called "The Dawn Wall" on September 19th. This is the documentary of Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson's first ascent of the Dawn Wall on El Capitan in Yosemite. In addition to books about climbing mountains, I also really enjoy movies about climbing mountains. I personally don't like to climb mountains. I've spent a few hours (total) in indoor climbing gyms, and it is fun. But I really don't have a desire to go out and climb an actual mountain. I like seeing mountains and appreciate their sheer beauty, but I don't have the desire to climb one. If you haven't seen it or even heard about it - watch the trailer. I guarantee you'll want to see the movie.
At the end of the movie, after the credits roll, Tommy came onscreen and talked about his book, The Push. Of course, The Husband and I really wanted to read it. It duplicates a lot of what is in the movie but in much more detail. As with other climbing books I've read, climbers all seem to have this fire and drive within themselves, an obsession, to be on the mountain constantly pushing themselves for more. As Tommy said, "We are capable of so much more than we can imagine."
It's true. I think that is part of what I enjoy about reading these books - I get to meet (through their words) people who accomplish such amazing feats - more amazing than even they (sometimes) can imagine. It's about challenge and living up to and through the challenge. It inspires me to live up to the challenges in my life. They may not actually be mountains made of rock and dirt, but they are mountains (or hills) nonetheless. I love tales about overcoming obstacles. The Push certainly illustrates that Tommy Caldwell has overcome more than his fair share of obstacles, and he's not nearly done yet.
See the movie and read this book. They are amazing and inspiring.
