on roads

when you're reading more than one book simultaneously, connections appear between them, and that relationship heightens our gain from the text three and four fold. Its amazing how much affect currency has on our perceptions, both on literature and reality, (the two i would argue are intrinsically connected). the permutations of text * text (* text) and their shared derived meaning is incredibly fascinating. for instance, im reading larry mcmurtry's 'roads,' which is a collection of refections by mcmurtry on american interstate highways. absent are the discussions of a lost america, the america of the us 1's and route 66's. mcmurtry says that that perception is inaccurate- a particularized, regionalized america still very much exists even with the swollen arteries of eisenhower's system. the people are still the same, just their way of going has changed. i'll have more to say when i finish the book, id hate to be too premature.

another book im reading is 'the war that made america', about the french and indian war. now, here is where the multiplier effect comes in. in reading this, im not interested in the structure of the treaties, the leaders, the events. im really only interested in the rivers. to focus on this feature is not surprising, given the various similarities between today's interstates and the rivers then. the navigable rivers of the north were the only effective means to move goods before plank roads, railroads, canals. forts were on rivers, because of their strategic importance. it all goes without saying, facts arent what im writing about.

rather, i have no doubt in my mind that if i were reading this book in conjunction with say, jefferson's letters or a much less substantive forsyth novel, id be more concerned with the political content of the book, but im not now. maccarthy and mcmurtry, and all i'd be able to focus on would be light and dark. conrad and the french-indian book, and id be drawn in by the incredible mystery of the conflict, and of course the rivers would continue to stand out, but differently. i could think of endless combinations, each with a predictable result. you know.

sometimes its alright to be human.