Blood Touching Blood by Derrick Jeter. One of my favorite corners of American history to read about is the Indian Wars after the Civil War, particularly the conflict between the US Army and the Comanches and Apaches. Derrick Jeter is a writer and historian who specializes in Texas history, and in his debut novel, he drops readers into a regiment of Buffalo Soldiers stationed in West Texas, led by a violent, haunted colonel named Ethan Pendleton who eats lemons like apples, rind and all. The regiment is on the tail of an elusive Apache named Victorio, and Jeter captures the brutality of the conflict in the American Southwest in gory, unflinching detail. It’s kind of a combination of Lonesome Dove, Empire of the Summer Moon, and the works of Cormac McCarthy. I enjoyed the read.
BAMF Style. This is one of the OG men’s style blogs; it’s been publishing regularly since 2012 and is still going strong. The site breaks down iconic outfits from television and film, gives you the history and background of the clothing, then offers suggestions on how to replicate the look yourself. Whenever I spot a cool jacket or shirt in an old movie or TV show, I go to BAMF Style and they almost always have something on it. I respect the consistency of this author. Great resource for style inspiration.
Mountain & Sackett Ties. I wear a tie to church every Sunday. It had been a while since I bought some new ones, and mine were looking pretty ratty. I wanted to freshen up my Sunday best, so I picked up a few ties from Mountain & Sackett, which has been making ties in New York since 1957. I love supporting a Made in America business. Old-time AoM readers might remember Mountain & Sackett; they used to do giveaways with us back in the early days of the site. The quality is excellent, and their designs are sharp without being flashy. If you’re in the market for a new necktie, check them out.
Harvey. I’d seen the play version of Harvey back in high school but had never watched the 1950 film starring Jimmy Stewart. What finally got me to sit down and watch it was a local connection: the library branch near me in Tulsa (The Peggy Helmerich Library) is named after the actress who played Nurse Kelly. Back then she was Peggy Dow. She married a Tulsa oil baron, retired from acting, and moved here to raise five kids, devoting the rest of her life to philanthropy in the city, particularly for health and reading. The film itself is charming: Jimmy Stewart plays a genial, unflappable man whose best friend is an invisible six-foot rabbit named Harvey. Hijinks ensue. Stewart’s aw-shucks-ness is a little much in the film, but overall it’s a pleasant flick to watch on a low-key evening.
On our Dying Breed newsletter, we published Sunday Firesides: Don’t Lose the Thread and Does the Character of the People You Listen to Matter?
Quote of the Week
I do not believe that anybody in any circumstances can be happy until he expresses that which God has made to dominate in his life; until he has given vent to that grand passion which speaks loudest in his nature; until he has made the best use of that gift which was intended to take precedence of all his other powers.
—Orison Swett Marden
