MADreads

What’s a cord?

February 23rd, 2007 Robin - Pinney

As the daughter of a purportedly non-reading dad, I read everything he recommends.  He fancies himself a do-er, despite the fact that once or twice a week he’ll plop down in his easy chair, ignore the TV and his wife, and plough through a book in an evening. “It’ll give us something to talk about,” I always think, besides how many “hunnerts” of rain various farmers got (or, more likely, didn’t get) overnight.  Once, Dad handed me Indian Creek Chronicles.

In a fit of not knowing what else to do, author Pete Fromm takes a job guarding salmon eggs in a frozen river.  As this task takes approximately 5 minutes a day, Fromm is left with a great deal of free time in a very remote and wild area of Idaho.

Fromm dreamt of being “mountain man,” but first must learn what a cord of wood is.  And how many pounds of beans should he pack?  Will he require more than two books for his winter of solitude?  Those of us who’ve ever been in over our heads can sympathize.  Those of you who haven’t can laugh smugly.

And if you’re still not sold, consider this:  Amazon.com listed “meat pole” as Indian Creek Chronicles’ first key phrase.

Entry Filed under: Memoir & Biography, Nonfiction