Tapping the Source (1984) by Kem Nunn

 This is supposedly the novel that the movie, Point Break (surfing bankrobbers), was based on. The genre is surf noir.  I see the similarities but there are quite a differences.  Really they don't have much in common besides the genre and the feel.

This one is set in a grimy version of Huntington Beach and involves a murder by two washed up Vietnam vet surfers who get involved a satanic cult.  

He's a good writer and really does get the mood right, but it's a little hollow.  The one thing I took away from it was the strange similarity between the inland empire and this urban beach.

America: the Farewell Tour by Chris Hedges (2018)

 So far as I can tell, Chris Hedges is a well informed, well read journalist/ presebyterian minister. So he is about facts and the gospel. I like the blend.  The book is an interesting take on where America stood in 2018.

Imperfect Union: How Jessie Fremont and John Fremont Mapped the West, Invented Celebrity, and Helped Cause the Civil War (2020) by Steve Inskeep

 A book about nineteenth century power couple, Jessie Fremont and John Fremont, by NPR reporter Steve Inskeep.  The writer is crisp and clear, unlike some academic history texts.  John Fremont comes off as unlikeable and kind of overblown but his wife is a heavy hitter. 

The Road to Guilford Courthouse by John Buchanan (1997)

This is about the Revolutionary War fought in the Carolinas.  It was people v. people, much more than in the North where it was Brits v. Americans. This book provides the background to the Mel Gibson movie, the Patriot, which is consistent with the history.

Camino Island by John Grisham 2017

This is a recent thriller by John Grisham, involving a literary heist at Princeton University.  Most of the book is set in a rare bookshop Camino Island, which is an island off the Florida coast. It's an enjoyable summer read but not much more.

1776 by David McCullough (2005)

This is a book about the Revolutionary Wra in 1776 by historican David McCullough.  This is a warm up the massive reseach project I'm at the very beginning of.  The subject is still blurry but does appear to be coming into focus.

batting mat

We had a problem in the cage.  We have a dirt batters box.  The balls are always kicking up dust.  Summer is worse than winter but it's a problem in the winter too.  If the balls get dirty and go in the machine, it could damage the motor. Also, there are deep holes where he stands.

So we ordered a batting mat online.  We paid about $525.00 for it. It came a few days ago and we installed it yesterday.  We haven't tried it yet but it sure looks a lot better.

It also fixed another problem.  There is the bottom of a low concrete wall sticking out in the back toward the fence.  The concern is a low pitch will hit it and bounce back and hit the batter. We're always having to adjust the backstop to prevent.  Now, the batting mat covers the concrete, so we don't have that issue.