The theme of this blog is “behind the curve.” There’s “ahead of the curve” and “on the curve.” We here at particleman.org pride ourselves on being firmly planted “behind the curve.” That way, we can keep an eye on everyone and see what’s worth accomplishing well after when everyone else has. We feel this is more efficient, less time-consuming, and better-fitting to our lifestyle. For “on the curve” web content, please visit websites run by people who run websites that are more “on the curve,” better written, more funnier, and less redundant.

I just finished Harry Potter. No, not the new book. Not even the fifth book. Not even the fourth book. Please lower your expectations. Yes, it was the first book. Impressive, no? Yes. I borrowed it from a friend last week and finally sat down and read it. I’m thoroughly impressed – it was a great read. The plan is as follows: buy every Potter book and read them all before school starts on August 15th. Whether or not I welch on this promise and in fact fall behind my own self-set already “behind the curve” curve is beyond me. But remember, keep your expectations low and you won’t be disappointed.

I also finished two other books recently, both of which were excellent. Crossing California and Into The Wild were similar in that both deal with youth passing though the classic and well-worn paths of growing-up that we all go through. Except that some did worse than we did, some better, and some were completely off the charts.

Crossing California finds us in the late 70s and early 80s following the paths of (mostly) Jewish pre-teens and teens grappling with life in an America riddled with hostage crises, lingering prejudices, and poorly rolled joints. Their parents, perhaps more jaded than the typically jaded 17-year-olds, struggle to keep their marriages and psyches together amidst unfulfilling jobs and lost loved ones. Bands are started and extinguished. Virginities are lost. Chess pieces are stolen. The writing is fluid and the stories captivating. Give it a try.

Into The Wild reminded me of myself. It follows the journeys of an Emory graduate searching for answers, or just experiences. I didn’t go to Emory and I didn’t take off and hitchhike my way to Alaska. I did, however, entertain a properly timed fascination with Russian authors. The true story of Chris McCandless was terrifying and illuminating. He took the writings of Tolstoy and Gogol to heart. He buried himself in Thoreau and London. In college, I read Tolstoy, Dostoyevsky, Nabokov, Kafka, and Conrad. These books meant a lot to me – and in a way, they still do. But Chris McCandless shunned our civilization and sought an existence that he thought would bring him more satisfaction. Unfortunately, it lead to his premature death at 24. I think all of us will see a little of ourselves in Chris. Into the Wild’s author, Jon Krakauer, does a fine job of writing a book that will help most any reader identify with its tragic hero.

And now I get to pack my apartment for a move this Friday. I’m moving to a safer part of town and getting a roommate – one of my old high school buddies. No posts for a while.