“How Do You Read So Many Books?”

That’s a question I get all the time, but the reality is I don’t think I read all that much. Even when he was president, Theodore Roosevelt read a book a day. Author Ryan Holiday plows through more books in one month than I do in four. So if I can read 40 books in a year, I consider that a relatively good effort.

There’s no secret “hack,” and no, I don’t speed read. But if I can force myself to follow the guidelines below, I’m able to enjoy a respectable number of books each year.

1. Stash Books Everywhere – Wherever I am, I keep books within reach. One in my truck, one in my work bag, a pile on my bedside table, several around the house. That way, if I have a free moment, there’s no excuse for not reading a few pages here and there. Over time, those few pages add up to several books per year.
2. Shun the Phone – This is the crux. No matter how interesting my stack of need-to-read books is, the distraction machine in my pocket is much more enticing to my monkey mind. Deleting social media apps, switching the phone on grayscale, installing apps such as Forest or Moment, or just turning the damn thing off helps. Truthfully, using my phone responsibly without falling prey to electronic attention theft is one of my biggest challenges, both for reading and life in general.
3. No Brain Numbing – I avoid booze and Colorado’s finest flora, which theoretically allows me to be alert right up until I fall asleep and not abnormally groggy in the morning. Both are opportune times of day to read in uninterrupted stretches.
4. Zen for Non-Hippies – Since 2012 I’ve tried my best to meditate daily for a minimum of 20 minutes. As I’ve racked up hundreds of hours “on the cushion” (or in my case, in a plain-old chair), my capacity to concentrate has significantly increased. Even more telling, when I fall off the meditation wagon for more than a few days, I notice my ability and desire to read suffer greatly.
5. Kill the Idiot Box – My wife and I cut the cable cord years ago and just recently built bookshelves in our living room, which relegated the TV to a dark corner of the basement. Similar to the iPhone, most of the time I find TV a distraction that adds little long-term value to my life. When we want to watch a movie or game, we do so on our laptop via Hulu, Amazon, or Netflix. (I recently binged on a full season of Stranger Things when I was sick. So good.)
6. Hair-Trigger Eject Button – If I find myself getting bogged down or not enjoying a book, I immediately quit reading it and move on to the next one. I did enough plodding through boring bullshit in college, so I’d rather not do that in my free time as an adult. But just because I eject a book doesn’t mean I’m done with it for good—some of my favorite books are ones that I once found boring, then rediscovered with great interest years later.
7. Envision Mañana – Whether it’s reading, exercise, or cold showers, my first instinct is usually “Nah, I’ll do that later. I need to check my email.” But if I can momentarily pause and ask myself “Tomorrow, what will I wish I had done right now?,” the answer is almost always run/crank the water to cold/pick up the book. It’s simple, but far from easy. The more I focus on guideline #4, the easier this seems to be.

I obviously love reading, and my life has improved significantly thanks to the knowledge gained from books. But checking books off a list is not my end goal. The ultimate goals are to use my time wisely, set a good example for my family, and be content with myself—the ability to concentrate and read is simply a result of making progress toward those larger goals.

When reading consistently, I’m being proactive and not wasting time. When my reading trails off, it’s usually a sign that there is a larger problem at hand (e.g. too much time playing on the stupid iPhone.) To use a worn-out cliche, reading is the ol’ canary in the coal mine.

With the exception of #1 and #6, these guidelines apply to a whole host of other high-priority life activities—work, running, getting up early, or things that really matter like spending quality, non-distracted time with my family.

Speaking of books, here are a few that have shaped my thinking on shunning distraction, the importance of focus, setting priorities, and the resulting ability to read a lot.

This article originally appeared on Palmer Land Trust’s blog as part of their #CelebrateLand campaign.

Ed’s Story: Words of Wisdom for Anyone Who Loves the West

Toward the end of each of my podcast episodes, I ask guests if they’d like to make a request of the listeners, impart words of wisdom, or offer advice. Because the podcast revolves around the landscapes and people of the American West, almost every guest provides sage guidance that, if followed, would surely make the West an even better place– conservation, open-mindedness, curiosity, and a general respect for the land and our neighbors are common themes. Since I’m the host, I rarely interject my opinions, but I have thought long and hard about how I would answer this question.

My request to anyone who loves the West is simple: Go outside and have an adventure.

I grew up far from the Rocky Mountains, on the flat, sandy coastal plain of eastern North Carolina. Much of my childhood was spent knee-deep in a creek that bisected my neighborhood, catching frogs, building dams, and constructing forts from downed trees. Those foundational backyard hijinks evolved into more substantial adventures in my teens, including rafting the Grand Canyon with my dad and trudging up Mt. Yale during a high school leadership retreat in Colorado. The adventures intensified through my 20s and 30s, and much to my delight, they have now reached a point of ridiculousness beyond what any reasonable person would consider “fun.”

While I’ve always been keenly focused on ticking outdoor goals off my list, I have recently come to understand the much-more-valuable impact of decades spent in the outdoors. Without my realizing it, the outdoors– specifically the wide-open landscapes of the American West– had become the central thread that connected almost every meaningful aspect of my life.

Experiences in wild places had shaped my value system, affected my career choices, helped me forge deep friendships, and allowed me to expand my physical and mental limits. My personal goals, political views, hobbies, and even reading habits were all heavily influenced by open space. Without this love of land, I would not have met my wife, and our daughter would not have been born. Other than the invaluable relationships with my parents and sister, every important element of my life is a product of time spent in wild places.

That realization a few years ago changed my perspective on the importance of protecting public and private landscapes. I no longer viewed land as a vehicle through which I could generate income, but rather a precious, non-renewable resource that should be stewarded with the utmost respect. My definition of progress was flipped on its head. The “legacy of conquest” that has defined the West for so long became unappealing (to say the least), and I began to align myself with people and organizations committed to a legacy of sustainability. Given this newfound awareness, I had no choice but to focus more of my time and energy toward protecting and stewarding the land.

History shows that without a counterbalance, unfettered economic interests will exhaust natural resources. The land will not protect itself, which is exactly why the work of Palmer Land Trust and other conservation organizations is so vital. I encourage you to find a group working to protect a place you love, then help them out however you can.

At the very least, go outside. Have an adventure, whether that’s catching a frog or running 100 miles through the mountains. It will change your life for the better.

To learn more about Palmer Land Trust and the important work it is doing to conserve Colorado’s open spaces, check out this video or visit the PLT website.

March-April Book Club Selection: “All the Wild That Remains” by David Gessner

When I’ve asked podcast guests to named their favorite books, time and again they reference titles by Wallace Stegner and Edward Abbey. No matter your political persuasion, occupation, or personal background, if you love the West, you’ve likely been influenced by at least one of these men’s work. Love them or hate them, these two men have defined much of the modern-day narrative surrounding the American West.

On the surface, the two men couldn’t have been more different. Abbey was by most accounts a hard-drinking, womanizing, take-no-prisoners environmental warrior who would consider any means, no matter how nefarious, to achieve his desired ends. Stegner was just the opposite—a proper, dignified Stanford college professor who expressed his love for western landscapes in a much more measured, within-social-norms approach. Fascinating men who were as personally complicated as they were influential.  

We need to learn more about them! So the March-April book club selection is:

All The Wild That Remains: Edward Abbey, Wallace Stegner, and the American West by David Gessner

All the Wild That Remains is a double biography of the two men, written by the ultra-talented (and ultra-hilarious) David Gessner. Gessner not only provides the basic, expected biographical narrative, but also thoroughly analyzes the contradictions and complexities of the two men. I read the book two years ago* and absolutely loved it. It opened my eyes to just how thoroughly Stegner and Abbey have infiltrated all aspects of thought regarding the modern-day West. It also reminded me that no person is as simple as their manicured public image. (*My wife and I are expecting our second child in the next three weeks, so I picked a book I could revisit rather than try to read for the first time while in a sleep deprived stupor!)

It’s worth nothing that Gessner is a proud environmentalist, so some of his ideas on the development of the West and its resources may come across to some as a bit biased. But we’re all biased in one way or another, so I’d recommend approaching the book with an open mind, just as you did with American Wolf.

For further reference, here’s an informative book review from the Wall Street Journal. It gives a solid overview of what you can expect. I’m very excited to discuss with all of you and hear your reactions to Gessner, Stegner, Abbey, and their roles in the West!

If you’d like to participate:

• Grab a copy of All the Wild that Remains—purchase it from Amazon or your local bookseller, or check it out from your local library. Start reading.
• Head over to our Goodreads Group. Create an account, then join in the conversation in the online discussion forum. As you read, give your feedback on the book, pose questions to the group, and share your first-hand experience reading Stegner and Abbey. The only way this works is with lot of participation from lots of people, so the more the better.
• Keep your eyes peeled for an announcement on Goodreads regarding a live online discussion of the book via Google Hangouts. The number of video participants will be limited to 25, but any number of people can interact with the discussion by typing. This event will likely happen at the end of April, and I will set the exact date and time early that month.

Mountain & Prairie Book Club – Goodreads Group

Not interested in Stegner, Abbey, or All the Wild That Remains? Then get started on the May-June Book Club selection: The Big Burn: Teddy Roosevelt and the Fire That Saved America by Timothy Egan.  This book will be read in conjunction with the Diablo Trust Book Club, a well-established book club facilitated by Diablo Trust, an Arizona land conservation organization. More details will be announced in early May.

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January-February Book Club Selection: “American Wolf” by Nate Blakeslee

During my podcast interview with renowned historian and author Dan Flores, I asked him to name his favorite books about the American West. He mentioned several classics, and then went on to describe in glowing terms a not-yet-released book about wolves in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Dan, the author of two of my all-time favorites—Coyote America and American Serengeti—described the book as “The Game of Thrones story of modern western wolves, [unfolding] in just as riveting a fashion. It is an absolutely mesmerizing read.”

The book has since been released, and if it’s is good enough for Dan, it’s good enough for us! So the January-February 2018 selection for the Mountain & Prairie Book Club is:

American Wolf: A True Story of Survival and Obsession in the West by Nate Blakeslee

Wolves are a delicate subject here in the West, and most discussions of the legendary canine are sure to evoke strong reactions from anyone connected to the region. The animal and its influence touch almost every aspect of life in the West, including agriculture, hunting, conservation, ecology, government, sociology, tourism, and environmentalism, just to name a few. It’s difficult to understand the modern-day West without understanding wolves, so this should be an interesting and informative read.

Given the lightening-rod status of wolves in the West, this book selection and the ensuing discussion will serve as a revealing test case to determine if this book club will be a civil and productive endeavor. As you know, the Mountain & Prairie Book Club only has one rule: Be Nice. Please keep that front of mind as you read and discuss with the group. We all love the West and are here to learn from each other, so please Be Nice.

If you’d like to participate:

• Grab a copy of American Wolf — purchase it from Amazon or your local bookseller, or check it out from your local library. Start reading it.
• Head over to our Goodreads Group. Create an account, then join in the conversation in the online discussion forum. As you read, give your feedback on the book, pose questions to the group, and share your first-hand experience with wolves in the West. The only way this works is with lot of participation from lots of people, so the more the better.
• Keep your eyes peeled for an announcement on Goodreads regarding a live online discussion of the book via Google Hangouts. The number of video participants will be limited to 25, but any number of people can interact with the discussion by typing. This event will likely happen the second full week of March, and I will set the exact date and time in late-February.
• We’ll usually have two full months to read the selected book, but since we’re starting in late January, we’ll be on a modified schedule for American Wolf.  From now until the group discussion in mid-March, you’ll have 6+/- weeks to read the book. In the future, count on 8+/- weeks per book. (We’re expecting our second child to arrive in late March, so I want to have one full reading-discussion cycle complete prior to her birth and resulting crazy schedule. Thanks for understanding.)

Mountain & Prairie Book Club – Goodreads Group

Not interested in wolves or American Wolf?  Then get started on the March-April Book Club selection: All the Wild That Remains: Edward Abbey, Wallace Stegner, and the American West by David Gessner.  The official announcement will be in early March.

Last night’s sunset in South Park, Colorado

South Park, Colorado. A 1,000-square mile high-altitude basin. Expansive grasslands surrounded by towering snow-capped peaks, located just 70 miles west of the booming Denver metro area. In early summer, South Park is one of the most stunning landscapes in all the West—lush emerald meadows, herds of grazing deer, elk, and pronghorn, and cascading snowmelt that forms the headwaters of the South Platte River. In winter, it’s not for the faint of heart—sub-zero temperatures for days on end, gales that regularly knock 18 wheelers on their side, and blowing snow that reduces visibility to nothing.

Like most resource-rich areas of the West, South Park’s human history has been, and continues to be, one of conflict and conquest. The Utes and the Arapahos fought to control the basin’s rich hunting grounds. Then came the French and Spanish trappers whose insatiable appetite for beaver pelts all but eliminated the species from the basin. They were followed by miners, who were followed by ranchers, who were followed by developers, who were followed by present-day water speculators, all competing to squeeze a profit out of a delicate ecosystem with limited resources.

So who’s right and who’s wrong? Who deserves to capitalize on South Park’s resources and who doesn’t? Your answer likely depends on your upbringing, who pays your salary, your political leanings, what you do for fun, and an unknowable number of variables that make you a unique human. I have my opinions, but if I fed my family by working in the mining industry, would I feel differently? Probably so.

There are no simple, Twitter-length solutions to South Park’s challenges, or to the challenges of the American West. It’s a complicated and messy place—has been and always will be. But personal experience has shown me that most of us who love the West share more commonalities than differences, no matter our backgrounds or politics. Keep reading deeply, being curious, seeking out opinions different from your own. We’re all in this together, so we best start focusing on the common ground.

Book recommendation for further reading: Bayou Salado: The Story of South Park by Virginia McConnell Simmons

Photo and text republished from the Mountain & Prairie Instagram account.

My 10 Favorite Books of 2017

2017 was a solid year of reading that played out even better than expected—I discovered some older titles that I should’ve read long ago, enjoyed some new releases that I’d been anxiously awaiting, and had the opportunity to meet and chat with several of my favorite authors. As usual, the books’ subjects varied widely, and I hard-headedly stuck to 100% non-fiction.

It was difficult (silly? pointless?) to try and pick the absolute best books I read last year, but below, in no particular order, is my feeble attempt at My 10 Favorite Books of 2017:

Cattle Kingdom: The Hidden History of the Cowboy West by Christopher Knowlton – The most entertaining and comprehensive history of cattle ranching in the American West that I’ve ever read… and I’ve read a lot on this subject. (November/December list)

Bad Land: An American Romance by Jonathan Raban – Interesting and new (to me) insights into the settlement of Montana’s eastern Great Plains, with an eye-opening emphasis on the role that corporations and the government played in convincing (i.e. tricking) would-be settlers to head West. (September/October list)

American Serengeti: The Last Big Animals of the Great Plains by Dan Flores – A “biography” of North American megafauna, including pronghorn, coyotes, horses, grizzlies, bison, and wolves. A must read for anyone who loves the American West. (July/August list)

Coyote America: A Natural and Supernatural History by Dan Flores – Coyotes are the most scorned large mammal in North America, yet they’re surprisingly the most human-like in their behavior. A wonderful overview of this fascinating animal and its complicated relationship with us humans. (May/June list)

On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century by Timothy Snyder – A short and to-the-point historical examination of how well-meaning countries fell prey to fascist rulers and tyrannical governments. Timely reading in this day and age. (July/August list)

All Waves are Water: Stumbling Toward Enlightenment and the Perfect Ride by Jaimal Yogis – Part memoir, part meditation manifesto, and part surf travelogue, Yogis nails it again with his follow-up to one of my all-time favorites, Saltwater Buddha. (July/August list)

Free Will by Sam Harris – Harris argues that free will is an illusion and that no one is truly in control of themselves or their actions. I don’t want to believe this, but, despite my best efforts, it’s tough for me to poke holes in his rationale. (September/October list)

What Doesn’t Kill Us: How Freezing Water, Extreme Altitude and Environmental Conditioning Will Renew Our Lost Evolutionary Strength by Scott Carney – Since reading this book, I’ve taken a freezing-cold shower every day. And even after pushing the breathing exercises a little too far, passing out, and “bumping” my face on the floor, I’m still a huge fan! (March/April list)

Hellhound on his Trail: An Electrifying Account of the Largest Manhunt in American History by Hampton Sides – The true story of the nutjob loner who assassinated Martin Luther King Jr. and the ensuing international manhunt that followed. Hampton Sides never disappoints. (January/February list)

Boyd: The Fighter Pilot Who Changed the Art of War by Robert Coram – A deep dive into the mind of an obsessed, unconventional, take-no-shit-from-anybody soldier, whose commitment to his craft changed the course of US military history. (March/April list)