Day 2,309, Quasi-Quarantine: "Red Sky In Morning" Details Cross-Globe Manhunt As Loss And Vengeance Compete

 

“Night sky was black and then there was blood, morning crack of light on the edge of the earth. The crimson spill sent the bright stars to fade, hills stepping out of shadow and clouds finding flash. First rain of day from a soundless sky and music it made of the land. The trees let slip the mantle of darkness, stretched themselves, fingers of leaves shivering in the breeze, red then goldening rays of light catching. The rain stopped and he heard the birds wake. They blinked and shook their heads and scattered song upon the sky. The land, old and tremulous, turned slowly towards the rising sun.”

Starting in the remote reaches of Ireland and ending up in early 19th-century America, "Red Sky in Morning" follows the journey of Coll Coyle as he navigates the balance between escaping and returning.

Coyle committed a rash, rage-spurred act of violence, triggering a manhunt and a headlong game of hide-and-seek with an almost supernaturally gifted tracker, James Faller. As the two tangle, Coyle finds support and resistance in the unlikeliest of places, all while never letting go of a desire to return to his homeland and his growing family.

“In the boy he recognized the face of his own child, saw the hands of his daughter testing the shapes of stones, heard the small bundle of her voice, and he turned towards the great void of the sea, his breath held in his chest and he looked out into the distance where time and movement seemed to hold still, where nothing seemed to happen at all, a void bereft of love and pain, a great wash of unmemory held in its ceaseless eternity.”

I've been mesmerized by some of Lynch's other works, with "Prophet Song" having won the Scooties in 2024 and "Beyond the Sea" being an early standout this year. 

In his debut, Lynch displays an affinity for Cormac McCarthy, both in his prose and his antagonist, Faller, who evokes the legendary Judge Holden from McCarthy's "Blood Meridian." Faller is prone to existential soliloquies that seemed designed to justify or obfuscate his pure evil.

“To be the last thing a man sees before he dies, Faller said. Nothing will make you feel more alive.

“It’s quite a moment, said Faller. To be the sole judge of that person on earth. You meet his eyes and there’s an understanding quite like no other.”

"Red Sky in Morning" shies away from nothing, exploring themes like incest, torture, cholera, and racism, with Lynch's rhythmic prose lending an aesthetic that clashes with and complements the material. Coyle's morbid stint in America as part of a dig in Pennsylvania is based on a true story, lending a deeper horror to the tale.

If there was a quibble, it would be that Lynch's decision to occasionally shift perspectives between characters can lead to some minor confusion. However, the overall work is sublime, with a clever effort by the author to have the opening and closing language mirror one another.

Lynch has gone on to become one of our most accomplished novelists, but it's refreshing to see the raw talent apparent in his origin story.

“Oh the small place left behind unfolding into a universe. His ear cocked to the absence of it.”

Day 2,287, Quasi-Quarantine: Understated Prose Dominates Elegant Short Stories Of "The News From Dublin"

“It struck her afterwards that what he did in those few years when he was a fighter pilot was merely an exaggerated version of what we all do as we live: we swagger, we are full of pretense there is no real danger coming towards us, we talk as though the enemy is in flight, or under control. As time moves, however, it drags us with it until the time for pretending ends and the body lies spent.”

~“The Journey to Galway”

The settings and chronologies vary in this collection of short stories from Colm Toibin, but the themes of isolation and identity are consistent. "The News from Dublin" is marked by the author's trademark sparse prose and quiet restraint, permeating these tales with hints of melancholy and desperation.

The standouts were the title story, a shattering look at the effects of tuberculosis; "The Journey to Galway," a stark and powerful commentary on loss and war; "Free Man," a compelling view of sexual abuse and identity; and "Five Bridges," a moving and contemporary exploration of immigration status in the age of ICE.

"Sleep," "A Sum of Money," and "Barton Springs" were promising, but felt incomplete, while "The Catalan Girls" was incredibly long in relation to the other stories. With the emotional abuse and neglect at its core, it was rather difficult to read.

Toibin captures the fraught nature of family dynamics, the role of perception in finding one's place in the world, and how nature and nurture can alter the path of any individual. "The News from Dublin" lays it all bare for the reader's consideration and enjoyment.

“ … He would not grow old or live to regret anything at all or be forgiven. Action had given him a strange freedom, as it must have done for others, an avoidance of having to deal with his own complexity. Death, on the other hand, would give him nothing at all. From now on, it would be all absence.”

~“The Journey to Galway”

Day 2,282, Quasi-Quarantine: A Teen Navigates Grief, Neglect, And Family Dissolution In South Jersey's "Ghost Town"

 

“Maybe all that stuff catches up to you in the end, the demons you think you’ve outrun, the bad memories you locked away in a metal box, and then you hid the box in a dark corner of the basement under a heap of dirty blankets, and then you moved far away and did your best to pretend you were someone else. But that box is always right there, right where you left it.”

When a mid-tier author is asked to speak at the dedication of a building in his father's name in the hometown he's estranged from, memories of grief and identity flood in. "Ghost Town" captures the wistful, melancholy nature of bittersweet recollection almost perfectly, interspersed with the summery vibes that permeate many coming-of-age stories.

“ … His mind empty, his body glowing with that peaceful, washed-out feeling you get after a really good day at the beach.”

This book was purchased during an anniversary-celebration trip to beautiful Duck, NC, and it jumped out based on my previous experience with "The Leftovers," which was based on another Tom Perrotta novel. The Jersey Shore -- another old haunt of mine -- was the ideal setting for this quick, relatable read.

The prose is incredibly wry, leaving you to wonder where and whether Perrotta meant to joke or examine at times. His exploration of big teenage feelings is subtle, resulting in the book feeling like a potential coming-out tale in places.

“I used to tell people that I had two writing careers, one for love and one for money, but I don't believe that anymore. The truth is, it’s all been one thing, just a bunch of variations on the only themes that have ever mattered to me.

“Ghosts and Orphans.

“Orphans and Ghosts.

“The ways we’re abandoned and never left alone.”

Much like the overall theme, "Ghost Town" was short and fleeting -- like an adolescent summer that you wished there was more of.

“It was beautiful but a little unreal, almost like he was pedaling through a good memory, a summer that had already come and gone.”

Day 2,280, Quasi-Quarantine: "Strong Ground" Is Peppered With Useful Leadership Terms and Exercises, But Falls Short On Originality

 

“A leader is anyone, regardless of title and position, who holds themself accountable for finding potential in people and ideas, and who has the courage to develop that potential.”

"Strong Ground" features a number of unique terms and exercises for how to balance work systems and claims for attention, with Brene Brown citing a number of real-world examples. The included charts were also extremely useful for visual learners, and one could argue that the work could have benefited from more of them to break up the text.

“Fear is a terrible motivator. It has a short shelf life, and to maintain enough fear to drive behavior, you have to get comfortable with cruelty and create chaotic systems that might feed a hungry investor quarter but will eventually destroy you and your organization.”

The book can get a bit grandiose and feel derivative of other works, with lengthy abstracts -- on the off chance that the subtitle of "The Lessons of Daring Leadership, the Tenacity of Paradox, and the Wisdom of the Human Spirit" didn't warn you. Beyond the preachiness, there was the technical issue of the page numbers being too small in the hardcover version, making it needlessly difficult to orient yourself within the text.

“One hundred percent of the organizations that we’ve researched or partnered with have a list of values. Approximately 10 percent have operationalized their values into observable behaviors that are grounded in their mission and integrated across their systems.”

"Strong Ground" can give the impression of being a collection of thoughts on the broad topic of leadership, without a unifying throughline or overall coherence. Format aside, however, the guidance shared can only benefit anyone who's embarking on -- or continuing -- a leadership journey.

“While companies eagerly invest in AI, they often overlook crucial investments in change management and employee support. This oversight could lead middle managers to view AI as a threat rather than a tool, fostering resistance that may dramatically slow implementation and adoption.”

~Amy Webb

Day 2,273, Quasi-Quarantine: "Son Of Nobody" Deftly Balances A Classics Discovery With Family Estrangement And Tragedy

“History, however true, needs interpreting, and fiction, however invented, arises from life and reflects it.”

“What is one to do with the sadness of mortals?”

A decade since his last novel, Yann Martel delivers again with "Son of Nobody," another novel featuring a unique format and resonant emotional tones.

In the midst of a failing marriage, scholar Harlow Donne journeys to Oxford for research and ends up discovering a lost retelling of the Trojan War from the perspective of Psoas, a common soldier and "son of nobody." Parts of the tale mirror Donne's estrangement from his wife, Gail, and his separation from his daughter, Helen.

“ … To show that the past is never done with, that always there are parallels and returns and repetitions, always the song continues.”

I've long been a fan of Martel's, following up the sublime "Life of Pi" with the underrated "Beatrice and Virgil," which finished third in The Scooties in 2010. I was also a fan of "The High Mountains of Portugal" -- the winner of The Scooties in 2017.

“These footnotes have their share of things to say. Don’t neglect them. We all live lives that are footnotes to a greater story.”

This reader found himself looking for a few more insights into the dissolution of the marriage, and especially more about Gail and her perspective. But I can also see how that angle would have been difficult to incorporate into the format Martel chose.

“I loved Gail like a scribe loves a bard, like a candle loves a flame, like history loves the past, like a tongue loves speech, like a baby loves a honey-dipped finger.”

Martel interlaces the ancient poem with footnotes that document his own struggles to find a connection with his family from abroad and the growing tragedy that lurks. "Son of Nobody" is moving and clever, using its eccentric approach to overcome a narrative that can occasionally feel rushed and incomplete.

“And so the conclusion: life is a walk, and while our bodies are solid, our joints are strong, and our vision is clear, yet we walk on feet of dreams.”

Day 2,267, Quasi-Quarantine: Sectarian Violence, Toxic Masculinity Propel Shattering "Young Mungo"

 

“Mungo’s capacity for love frustrated her. His loving wasn’t selflessness; he simply couldn’t help it. Mo-Maw needed so little and he produced too much, so that it all seemed a horrible waste. It was a harvest no one had seeded, and it blossomed from a vine no one had tended. It should have withered years ago, like hers had, like Hamish’s had. Yet Mungo had all this love to give and it lay about him like ripened fruit and nobody bothered to gather it up.”

This novel of desperation is run through with an inescapable sense of dread and impending violence, as Douglas Stuart explores the underbelly of Glasgow.

“The sun was not yet fully overhead in the sky, and everything beautiful was all already ruined.”

Mungo Hamilton is a neglected 15-year-old struggling with a warped existence that makes love and violence two sides of the same coin. An alcoholic mother, an aspirational sister, and a gang-leader brother use him for their own needs, ignoring his own questions about sexuality and how to cope with the toxic masculinity that surrounds him.

“The men had looked at him as though they knew what lay inside his soul, things he still had not even admitted to himself. They knew the inescapable shame of it, how isolated it made him feel, and they had used that to separate him from his home and do as they pleased.”

Subjected to unspeakable violence, Mungo manages to carve out a friendship with James, whose religion, family challenges, and identity questions make him the worst possible fit in Mungo's environment. The pair wages battle against upbringings that have rendered love almost impossible. Almost.

“It seemed like this boy could not have spent a day on the same streets that Mungo knew, never needed any of its callous posturing, the self-protective swagger, the dirty promise of hitting first. There was nothing guarded or fearful about him. Mungo couldn’t help but smile back up at him. ‘I’m Mungo.’”

I discovered a copy of Stuart's debut novel, "Shuggie Bain," in a bookstore in Edinburgh and I forking loved it, ranking it No. 5 in the Scooties top five books of the year 2023. Stuart's work evokes Dickens, so it was useful to escape the overwhelming neglect and poverty by finishing this one at the Sanderling in cathartic Duck, NC.

“It was only a matter of time before James would be hurt, and for what? For liking Mungo Hamilton, the ruiner of all good things.”

If I had to identify some quibbles, I think Douglas offers up a rather one-dimensional depiction of an entire region. He also gives short shrift to Mungo's mother, Maureen, and I for one would have preferred a little more of a glimpse into her internal life.

“She had asked for violence out of a gentle soul and it made her feel like she had trampled a patch of fresh snow.”

“Jodie thought about how Mungo had moulded himself so entirely around Mo-Maw, how she had formed him into the exact component piece that she had been missing, and now that she didn’t need him anymore, he was stuck in this weird specific shape.”

When Mungo's sister Jodie turns traitor, it feels like the final knife in the back. But despite "Young Mungo" being a devastating read, filling readers with every emotion, it finds its way to an ending riddled with hope and tinges of redemption.

“He was watching, and he was waiting, and he was leaving all at the same time.”

Day 2,261, Quasi-Quarantine: Reaches And Questionable Positional Value Slow Some Momentum On Day Two Of Dolphins Draft

After landing a pair of promising first-rounders on the first day of the draft, the 'Fins came into day two of the NFL Draft with four picks -- one in the second round and three in the third round. With their initial pick, Miami landed Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez (6-1, 231 pounds) at No. 43, then they followed up with Rodriguez's teammate, receiver Caleb Douglas (6-3, 206, No. 75); Ohio State tight end Will Kacmarek (6-5, 261, No. 87); and Louisville wideout Chris Bell (6-1, 222, No. 94). 

The pluses: Rodriguez was analyst Dane Brugler's No. 40 overall player and second-ranked linebacker in the draft, so the Dolphins got strong value with the selection. Miami was desperate for receivers after losing Jaylen Waddle, Tyreek Hill, and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine in the offseason, so bringing in young talent with size and speed was crucial. Kacmarek is seen as a road-grader of a blocker on the edges, a core need in getting tailback De'Von Achane out in space.

Rodriguez won the Chuck Bednarik, Lombardi, and Butkus awards, added the Bronko Nagurski Trophy for good measure, and finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy race. He's a turnover machine (19 career forced turnovers) with tremendous instincts who should be an immediate starter in coach Jeff Hafley's new defense.

Douglas measures 6-3, ran the 40-yard dash in 4.39 seconds, and led the Red Raiders in receiving yards (846) and touchdowns (seven) as a senior. He's credited with a large catch radius, smooth transitions, sharp cuts, and solid special-teams coverage ability. 

Kacmarek was Brugler's No. 7 overall tight end and he's accustomed to playing both inline and in multiple-tight end sets -- the direction the NFL is going. He demonstrates a lot of physicality in the run game and has produced when called upon in the passing game, catching 23 of 27 targets without a drop. Kacmarek is seen as a leader with impeccable technique, strong hands, and impressive agility for his size.

Using one of the picks acquired in the Waddle trade to Denver, Bell was perhaps the team's best value pick despite the injury, an ACL tear suffered in November of his senior year. As a three-year starter with eye-catching strength and explosion, he was considered the No. 47 overall player and No. 8 wide receiver by Brugler. Analysts like Bell's body control, acceleration, ability to run after the catch, willingness to go over the middle, steady improvement, and competitive fire.

The minuses: With the No. 11 pick of the second round, another off-ball linebacker felt like a bit of a luxury at this stage of the rebuild. Rodriguez will also be 24 when the season starts, is somewhat undersized, and has marginal special teams experience.

Simply put, Douglas represented terrible value where he was chosen. Considered the No. 241 overall player and the No. 31 wideout in the draft by Brugler, he went at a prime spot at No. 75. Douglas dropped 10 passes in his last two years, possesses average play strength, and struggles with focus, contested catches, and disguising routes -- a combination that led to him being ranked so low by so many analysts.

Similar to Rodriguez, Kacmarek represented questionable positional value, with a blocking tight end feeling pretty rich for the No. 87 overall selection (acquired from the Eagles for edge Jaelen Phillips). In addition, he was tabbed as the No. 111 overall player by Brugler, primarily due to his unrefined receiving (just two touchdowns in two seasons for the Buckeyes), route-running, and separation skills.

In addition to needing to get healthy, Bell must develop his route tree, curb his pushing-off habits, and manage his emotions. He was whistled for 16 penalties in three seasons, including six flags in 11 games as a senior. He's an unpolished, straight-line athlete with marginal lateral agility and questionable availability for training camp.

The best-case scenario: Using his impressive instincts, Rodriguez pairs nicely with Jordyn Brooks from the jump, bringing much-needed play-making ability to the front seven. Douglas adapts to the pro game much more quickly than anticipated, giving quarterback Malik Willis a desperately needed, sizeable threat in the passing game. Kacmarek unlocks Miami's physical and perimeter running games while surprising as an auxiliary target through the air, while Bell's rehab goes without a hitch and he establishes himself as a size/speed handful relatively early in the campaign.

The worst-case scenario: Due to struggles in navigating traffic and getting off blocks, Rodriguez ends up being a sub-package 'backer with little experience to fall back on in impacting the third phase. Douglas is overwhelmed by learning a new playbook while correcting all the holes in his game; Kacmarek's one-dimensionality limits his play packages; and Bell is slow to return to full health, essentially taking a redshirt year.

The bottom line: It's hard to escape the feeling that the 'Fins did a little with a lot on the second day of the draft. The cynical view is that Miami came out of the second day of the draft without a contributor who will play the majority of the snaps on either side of the ball, an almost-unforgiveable mismanagement of draft resources. 

The Dolphins took two receivers who feel like long shots to impact the team in the first half of the season, a pure blocking tight end, and a player who plays the same position as the squad's lone first-team All-Pro (Brooks).

Of course, as the best-case scenario demonstrates, there is upside here, and a lot of it. In the long term, the Bell selection could end up being a coup for the 'Fins, but past draft disasters -- albeit under a different regime -- have put an early, pessimistic tint on the second-day efforts.