Another Solved Longmire Mystery: Books I Read in 2024, Vol. XXIV

THE HIGHWAYMAN: A Longmire Story
Craig Johnson

When Wyoming highway patrol officer Rosey Wayman is transferred to the beautiful and imposing landscape of the Wind River Canyon, an area the troopers refer to as no-man's-land because of the lack of radio communication, she starts receiving "officer needs assistance" calls. The problem? They're coming from Bobby Womack, a legendary Arapaho patrolman who met a fiery death in the canyon almost a half-century ago. With an investigation that spans this world and the next, Sheriff Walt Longmire and Henry Standing Bear take on a case that pits them against a legend: The Highwayman.

I was a little excited when I read this novella's description because I have visited the canyon Johnson writes about and gone through the tunnels on the winding road Longmire drives on. I've been to Thermopolis and Worland and Shoshoni and know the barren loneliness inherent in the landscape. This is a good, compact tale with a true sense of place...you know, just like all the Longmire books. It's not as spooky as the description would lead you to believe and I think that's a good thing. It keeps Longmire realistic and believable, but still exciting.

First Line: There is a canyon in the heart of Wyoming carved by a river called Wind and a narrow, opposing, two-lane highway that follows its every curve like a lover.

Page 56 / Line 5: "Do you think you have to be crazy or Indian to willfully do that sort of thing?"

A Good Line from Somewhere in the Middle: I didn't have to wonder long, however, as I plunged into the Wind River and it seemed as though the 640 muscles in my body contracted to the point of breaking all 206 bones.

Last Line: At least that's our story, the owl and me.

What If You Feel You Were "Born in the Wrong Body"?: Books I Read in 2024, Vol. XXIII

 

EMBODIED: Transgender Identities, the Church & What the Bible Has to Say
Preston Sprinkle

In [this book], New York Times-bestselling author Dr. Preston Sprinkle helps us understand and engage in the conversation about transgender identities. Drawing on scripture, real-life stories, and careful research, he explores:

• Why more and more teens are questioning their gender
• What it means to be transgender, non-binary, or gender-queer
• Moral questions surrounding medical interventions such as sex reassignment surgery
• Why most stereotypes about men and women come from culture, not the Bible
• How being created in God's image as male and female relates to transgender experiences

I started reading this book as an assignment for a long-form discussion the Valley Christian Church elders have been having about sexuality and gender identity. I finished reading it because of its humble and empathetic tone and its well-thought-out use of science and Scripture in coming to conclusions. I recommend this book if you want to increase your understanding of people who experience gender dysphoria and/or consider themselves trans or non-binary. It is also a wonderful example of being Christian without being judgy and self-righteous.

First Line: The idea for this book was sparked in 2014 on a chilly October evening in East Chicago.

Page 56 / Line 5: If a teenager has OCD and is on the autism spectrum, for instance, and if this teen has an ongoing obsession with the idea of becoming the other sex, is this obsession rooted in a trans* identity?

A Good Line from Somewhere in the Middle: Jesus is building an upside-down kingdom where outcasts have their feet washed, the marginalized are welcomed, and dehumanized people feel humanized once again.

Last Line: Will you?

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever: Accidentally Seen and Positively Enjoyed

 

THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER
Director: Dallas Jenkins (of The Chosen fame)

Nobody is ready for the mayhem and surprises that ensue when six of the worst youngsters disrupt the town's yearly Christmas performance.

*  *  *

Beloved and I saw this yesterday and are both giving two enthusiastic thumbs up.

I have to admit that it started off feeling a little like a made-for-television, Hallmark blah-blah-blah because of the heavy dose of narration (provided by Gilmore Girls' Lauren Graham). But then the humor started kicking in and it became more fun and engaging.

Little did I know that by the time it ended, we would both be wiping tears from our faces. And I don't want to say anything more about it except that y'all should go see it.

Behind-the-Scenes Footage: We had gone to the theater with tickets in hand for the Tom Hanks/Robin Wright film, Here, but there was a technical issue with the projector and it couldn't be shown. The managerial apology not only included passes for a movie of our choosing in the future and free popcorn and a soda, but we were allowed to trot on over to another movie in the multiplex...which is how we ended up seeing this gem yesterday instead. Great deal!

Previously Untold Stories and Positively Unpronounceable Names: Books I Read in 2024, Vol. XXII

 

STAR WARS FROM A CERTAIN POINT OF VIEW: The Empire Strikes Back
Various Authors

In honor of the fortieth anniversary of the release of The Empire Strikes Back, forty storytellers recreate an iconic scene through the eyes of its supporting characters, from heroes and villains to droids and creatures. [This book] features contributions by bestselling authors and trendsetting artists: Austin Walker explores the unlikely partnership of bounty hunters Dengar and IG-88 as they pursue Han Solo. Hank Green chronicles the life of a naturalist caring for tauntauns on the frozen world of Hoth. Tracy Deonn delves into the dark heart of the Dagobah cave where Luke confronts a terrifying vision. Martha Wells reveals the world of the Ugnaught clans who dwell in the depths of Cloud City. Mark Oshiro recounts the wampa's tragic tale of loss and survival. Seth Dickinson interrogates the cost of serving a ruthless empire aboard the bridge of a doomed Imperial starship. Plus more hilarious, heartbreaking, and astonishing tales.

I was hooked from the first story. (The tale of one of the humanoids sifting through the visual data from the thousands of viper droids the Empire sent throughout the galaxy in search of rebels. You know...those floating probe thingies that found Han and Luke on the ice planet Hoth?) Some were better at incorporating dialog and scenes from the film into their own protagonist's POV than others, but each one offered insight into previously unexplored feelings, motivations, and connections. And yes, I have placed the other short story collections based on A New Hope and Return of the Jedi on my "to be read" list! Point of interest: in one of the stories, a bounty hunter identifies Chewbacca as the pilot of the Millenium Falcon and Han Solo as "his smart-mouthed sidekick." Point of frustration: The standard Star Wars practice of spelling names in ways that make it impossible to know how to pronounce them is rampant and earuhteighting (e.g., Seitaron, Tian Karmiya, Kashyyyk, etc.).

First Line: Pick any of the last ten transmissions you've looked at.

Page 56 / Line 5: She's been captured, corralled, tamed.

A Good Line from Somewhere in the Middle: In any given situation, he knew, there were men who believed they were in charge, and there were men who truly were.

Last Line: The evil lord Darth Vader, obsessed with finding young Skywalker, has dispatched thousands of remote probes into the far reaches of space....