The Hustler. The Hustler was my most recent Zone 2 cardio watch. Paul Newman plays “Fast Eddie” Felson, a pool shark gunning for the legendary Minnesota Fats (played by Jackie Gleason). The black-and-white cinematography is beautiful, but it’s the story that keeps you hooked. The movie’s a meditation on ambition and how it can drive you to greatness or destroy everything you touch. Eddie’s got all the talent and ambition in the world, but he keeps sabotaging himself because he doesn’t know how to harness it. The pool match sequences are top-notch. Made me want to go and play pool.
The Hebrew Bible: A Translation with Commentary by Robert Alter. I’m re-reading the Old Testament this year and using Alter’s translation for my reading. Alter, a literary scholar, spent decades working on this translation, and his focus on capturing the Hebrew’s poetic power makes these ancient texts feel immediate and alive. The footnotes are what make this edition invaluable. They’re not overly theological, but instead offer clear explanations of historical context, wordplay, and literary techniques that you’d otherwise miss. It’s broken up into three hefty volumes and the set is pricey, but the investment in shelf space and price tag has been worth it for me.
The Backcountry Rescue Squad at America’s Busiest National Park. The most recent New Yorker features a great piece by Paige Williams about search and rescue operations in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It’s the busiest national park in America, and the terrain can be wild and brutal. As a result, many visitors end up needing to be rescued. To carry out these missions, the Park Service relies on both paid professionals and volunteer organizations like BUSAR (Backcountry Unit Search and Rescue), which operates in the Smokies. BUSAR is made up of elite outdoor athletes who drop everything to save strangers in the worst conditions imaginable. They take no pay and show up in their own vehicles, buying their own gas and gear. They train relentlessly for the gnarliest scenarios, with exercises that include building fires after being submerged in frigid creeks, practicing technical rope rescues on steep slopes, and attending strenuous weekly workouts. Be sure to check out our article on why you might consider volunteering for a search and rescue team yourself.
Stormy Kromer Mackinaw Coat. I bought this coat over a decade ago, and it’s become my go-to when the temperature gets frigid. The 26-ounce virgin wool is thick and warm without being bulky, and the unlined design makes it easy to layer. I often wear it over my suit when it’s cold on the way to Sunday morning church. Six pockets give you plenty of room for gloves, a wallet, and your smartphone. It’s not cheap, but the construction justifies the price; this thing is built to last. I’ll probably pass it down to my grandkids. Plus, it looks incredibly handsome.
On our Dying Breed newsletter, we published Ex Libris: Man’s Search for Meaning.
Quote of the Week
Don’t be a cynic and disconsolate preacher. Don’t bewail and bemoan. Omit the negative propositions. Nerve us with incessant affirmatives. Don’t waste yourself in rejection, nor bark against the bad, but chant the beauty of the good.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson
