Oh my gosh--what a gem. I rationed myself to just one of these vignettes a day to make it last, but it still didn't last long enough. In a time filled with strife and fractious relationships, this will restore your faith in the general goodness of people of all kinds.
The first thing I learned from this non-fiction book is that I don't want to be in the Iditarod, be a spectator at the Iditarod, or most importantly, volunteer as a vet at the Iditarod, as the author has, multiple times. But from my comfy poolside chair, I sure did learn a lot about that grueling race and what it takes to keep the dogs healthy. I found it fascinating. But I still don't wanna go.
Author David Litt, like so many others, felt adrift during the pandemic, so decided to do something drastic. Like learn to surf. In his 30s. Alongside his personal crisis, he was trying to make some kind of connection with his brother-in-law, a fellow surfer, who happened to subscribe to many of the things which repelled David. This book is so well written, and braids together the challenges of tackling something new and difficult, trying to find common ground in a loving way, and the effect the Covid era had on most of us. I laughed a lot, and yet it made me really think.
