Day 2,325, Quasi-Quarantine: Confusing Confluence Of Characters And Plots Mark Pynchon's "Shadow Ticket"

 

“The city had a long history of suicide, attracting pilgrims from all over the world seeking a Lourdes not of hope but of despair, assuming that suicide in Budapest, like love in Paris or greed in New York, would be somehow more authentic.”

A dizzying cast of characters and plots marks this late-career offering from Thomas Pynchon. "Shadow Ticket" is a hard-boiled noir detective novel that follows Hicks McTaggart as he spans the 1930s globe.

Much of the work feels tongue in cheek, as McTaggart tackles Fascist goons, the mob, and cheese syndicates amid the Depression and the looming specter of war. Pynchon nails the dialogue and the rapid-fire pacing, amping up the entertainment value.

“‘MPD says they’re on the case, some think it’s the Outfit, some say the Nazi Youth.’

‘Two different kinds of trouble, ain’t it, one you end up dead, the other dead and in hell.’”

However, "Shadow Ticket" feels like it's trying too hard at times, making for a dense, confusing read. Shifts in perspective, geography, and timelines can leave a reader searching for safe ground, but the myriad characters make it difficult to find it.

The result is a whirlwind of concepts and what-ifs, alongside an appreciation for the genre and the author that doesn't quite match the final product.

“ … While in the back at any moment might be standing in wait some hopeful kid, his own instrument bouncing back highlights, his face still in shadows he’s never felt at home in, as if, when the spot finds him at last, as he steps into the full light, he’ll turn out to be somebody we already think we know …”

Day 2,322, Quasi-Quarantine: Miami Targets Big-School Flyers On Busy Third And Final Day Of Draft

Following busy first and second days in Pittsburgh, the 'Fins picked a whopping seven players on the third day of a marathon draft.

Miami chose two fourth-round linebackers in Texas's Trey Moore (6-1, 243, No. 130 overall) and Pittsburgh's Kyle Louis (5-11, 220, No. 138 overall) and three fifth-rounders in Texas safety Michael Taaffe (5-11, 190, No. 158 overall), Missouri wide receiver Kevin Coleman (5-10, 179, No. 177 overall), and Mississippi State tight end Seydou Traore (6-3, 233, No. 180 overall). In the sixth and seventh rounds, the Dolphins selected Texas guard D.J. Campbell (6-3, 313, No. 200 overall) and Iowa edge Max Llewellyn (6-5, 258, No. 238 overall), respectively.

The pluses: Moore is a versatile 'backer, with some demonstrated ability to both rush the passer and play the run. He's athletic (4.54 seconds in the 40-yard dash) with short-area quickness, relying on a constant motor and understanding of leverage. 

Louis is a decisive playmaker with skills to play at safety or strong-side 'backer. Strong athleticism (4.53 seconds in the 40-yard dash, nearly 40-inch vertical) and body control match well with his natural instincts, allowing him to find the ball and punish the opposition. He earned first-team All-American honors as a junior, racked up six picks and 10 sacks in his final two seasons, is a film junkie, and served as captain. Notably, analyst Dane Brugler had him rated the seventh-best linebacker and No. 75 overall player in the entire draft, giving the Dolphins tremendous value out of the pick.

Taaffe was a former walk-on and three-year starter at a premier program, earning All-SEC honors on the strength of his seven career interceptions. He is known for being a hard hitter with good anticipation, instincts, and straight-line speed (4.5 seconds in the 40-yard dash), adding blitz skills as his career progressed.

Coleman has quick feet, steady hands (2.9% drop rate), great after-the-catch running ability, and a natural feel for changing route speeds. He was tabbed as the No. 25 wideout and No. 184 player in the draft by Brugler, so he was picked in an appropriate spot. His work ethic, Senior Bowl participation, and production (140 catches over the last two seasons) made him attractive to the 'Fins.

A former goalie in soccer, Traore has lateral quickness, strength (25 reps on the bench), and agility (40-inch vertical, 4.61 seconds in the 40-yard dash), making him a plus blocker in space. He's tough at the catch point (just three drops in his final two seasons, with 69 receptions), a solid red-zone threat (10 career touchdowns across Arkansas State and Mississippi State), and committed to continuous improvement.

Another three-year starter at Texas, Campbell is a former five-star recruit who earned All-SEC accolades in a consistent senior campaign. Displaying good leg drive and long arms, he's powerful in the run game, solid on second-level blocks, and uses a good first step to absorb bull rushes. He's also dependable, starting 43 straight games in college.

Brugler considered Llewellyn a fourth-rounder as the No. 18 edge and No. 130 overall player in the draft, making him a tremendous value pick in the final round. The Iowa product is considered a relentless, high-effort rusher, using a great get-off, ability to convert speed to power, and refined pass-rush moves to rack up 45 pressures as a senior. Llewellyn has solid size and athleticism (4.81 seconds in the 40-yard dash), posting a dozen sacks, nine batted passes, and three forced fumbles in the past two seasons. The honorable-mention All-Big Ten choice stood out in the Senior Bowl as well.

The minuses: Moore is considered a bit of a 'tweener who doesn't possess a dominant trait, meaning that his spot was pretty rich, considering Brugler had him rated the No. 25 edge and No. 188 overall player in the draft -- nearly 60 spots lower than the 'Fins drafted him. Due to issues in space, a lack of counter moves, short arms, and mediocre explosiveness, he lost playing time in his final season with the Longhorns.

No matter where Miami uses him, it will be difficult to hide Louis's lack of size. There were times when he was overpowered and overwhelmed in college, struggling to get off of blocks in the run game. He can over-pursue when chasing the ball and was less productive as a senior, partially due to injury.

Brugler rated Taaffe as the No. 13 safety and No. 170 overall player in the draft, making him a slight overpay where he was chosen. The analyst cited "underwhelming physical traits" (short arms and a lack of strength) and a tendency to "get trampled in the open field" -- suboptimal traits for a free safety. Taaffe is considered a liability in man coverage due to his over-aggression and a tendency to hold when plays are extended.

Coleman lacks ideal size and speed (clocked at 4.49 seconds in the 40-yard dash at the combine), has a limited route tree, does not stretch the field, and hasn't demonstrated much ability in the red zone. He played at four schools (Colorado, Louisville, Mississippi State, and Missouri), has a tendency to short-arm balls over the middle, and seems locked in at a slot position he may not be ideal for. 

Traore was chosen more than 100 spots before Brugler had him rated (No. 294 overall as the No. 27 tight end in the draft), and he'll be 24 years old by the time the season starts -- which may not align with the perception that he's a developmental project. He struggles blocking in the run game, partially due to his size and partially due to the fact that he's relatively new to the game -- with just six years of experience in 11-man football. 

Campbell can struggle with stamina and balance in space, shows shaky technique, spends too much time on the ground, and doesn't have the agility to recover or stand out on pulling plays. Brugler had him rated as the No. 21 guard and No. 248 overall player in the draft, leading some to consider him a slight reach.

Llewellyn only started for one season, and struggled against the run and playing with leverage in college. Scouts described him as stiff and predictable at times, with too many "almost" plays and a relative lack of experience for a 24-year-old rookie.

The best-case scenario: New coach Jeff Hafley shows his creativity as a defensive coordinator by using Moore and Louis in hybrid ways, while minimizing the deficiencies of Taaffe and Llewellyn, maximizing their motors, and developing them into special-teams stalwarts. Coleman finds a role as a punt returner with some affinity in the slot to boost a depleted receiving corps, Traore carves out a role on special teams and as a supplementary blocking tight end, and Campbell shows enough to find a home as a depth guard on the roster.

The worst-case scenario: Moore and Louis can't escape their status as 'tweeners, Taaffe turns out to be a better story than an NFL fit, and Coleman can't overcome the lack of polish in his game to stick. Traore loses out in a numbers game as an over-aged project and Campbell proves to be missing the versatility you like to see in fringe offensive linemen (99.99% of his starts in college game at right guard). Llewellyn is determined to have reached his ceiling and doesn't demonstrate the consistency needed to join the defensive line rotation. 

The bottom line: Miami targeted Power 4 players at the end of the draft, looking for proven, isolated skills against top competition. My two favorite choices were easily Louis and Llewellyn, and I think both have an opportunity to see significant time defensively based on depth-chart holes. 

You can't throw a rock without finding a need on this roster, but the fact that the Dolphins didn't double up at cornerback and invested such little draft capital in a pure edge is surprising at the least. Of course, this rebuild is going to take more than a single draft cycle, but it's fair to question some of the positional value prioritized by the braintrust within this draft. 

Limerick Friday #651: The Soccer Manages To Overcome The Most Blatant Of Favoritism -- Day 2,319

The competition was heady

The excitement was steady

Despite FIFA's incessant corruption

And every water-break disruption

I miss the World Cup already

Despite toil and strife

Some signs of life

Won a series from the hated Braves

Can the Mets make playoff waves?

Not if the injured list says rife

"Idiocracy" looks normal in compare

To this admin's depravity laid bare

The world's laughingstock

Nothing can be seen as a shock

When these bitches show how little they care

Another year, another infraction

Lombardi getting in on the Cheaters action

A laughingstock is Chapel Bill

The Holes want to die on that hill

More ammo for the sell-your-soul faction

Training camp has begun

Another low-expectations one

For the struggling 'Fins

The rebuilds outnumber the wins

But still ready for that football fun

Last time ...

Day 2,318, Quasi-Quarantine: The Bells Toll For The Irreplaceable Glen Hansard

 

"That's another day over

Go to sleep now, my son

It's a full-blown solid gold

Miracle you've come

"And your mother's a beauty

Your dad's a fortunate man

And he'll be back to hold you

Just as soon as he can"

Like many lovers of Ireland and music and Irish music, I was gutted yesterday when news of the passing of Glen Hansard reached me.

So many of us fell in love with Glen and Marketa Irglova in the stunning, raw movie "Once," and I'll never forget watching the duo perform as Swell Season at Maymandi Music Hall in Raleigh on the heels of that film. The complicated relationship between the two was explored in a heart-wrenching movie, aptly called "Swell Season."

The two would go on to perform together in a strictly professional relationship, with Glen's rough approach blending beautifully with Marketa's grace. We would go on to see Glen perform five other times, including in 2008, 2010, and 2023. 

Every person who was touched by Glen's music has a different story that describes that impression. I will always remember his covers of Van Morrison's "Into the Mystic" and Pixies' "Cactus." I will always remember his audience participation, including allowing a fan to sing a verse on stage at the North Carolina Museum of Art. I will always remember seeing him last fall at the Durham Performing Arts Center and his rendition of "Parting Glass," which has taken on an even more poignant meaning today.

I will always remember his description of the origin story of "Factory Street Bells," which he wrote as part of the process of explaining to his toddler son why his father need to leave him and go on tour. I'll certainly never be able to hear that song again without crying.

Glen had a way of making you feel like you'd joined an impromptu jam at an intimate gathering of friends or stumbled across his appearance at a trad session at a pub in Doolin. 

He was a storyteller, a bard, a troubadour in the true Irish fashion. He meant a lot to me and the best part of me.

I'll miss him dearly.

Ar dheis De' go raibh a anam

Day 2,315, Quasi-Quarantine: Corruption And Ineptitude Still Manage To Shock In "The Cadaver King And The Country Dentist"

 

“‘The Mississippi system was run by the triumvirate for years,’ says one long-serving former coroner. ‘Imagine that. A pathologist, a small-town dentist, and a funeral director … The state provided an audience of adoring idiots.’”

In "The Cadaver King and the Country Dentist," Radley Balko and Tucker Carrington have painstakingly researched and compiled a searing indictment of the entire criminal justice system of the state of Mississippi and beyond. The idea that Steven Hayne, Michael West, and Forrest Allgood were never imprisoned -- or worse -- for their actions, is an absolute travesty. The fact that two of the three are already dead somehow isn't enough.

The reality that racism, politics, and ignorance are running amok in Mississippi won't surprise anyone with the ability to read. The sheer lack of repercussions might, despite our better instincts.

“Coroners were incompetent. State law at the time required just two qualifications for the job: candidates had to be registered to vote and ‘must never have denied the existence of a Supreme being.’”

While focusing on two specific cases of wrongful incarceration, the book unveils an entire system predicated on targeting those unable to defend themselves and the many individuals who both turned their backs on them and actively lied to end their lives as free persons.

Make no mistake: this is an infuriating read, perhaps made even more so by the fact that the work is a slow burn, with the feel of a textbook in many areas. However, the act of reading feels more essential now than ever, as the concepts of truth and accountability are constantly under siege.

“But I ain’t mad at any of them anymore. The system’s gonna do what the system’s gonna do.”

~Kennedy Brewer

Day 2,311, Quasi-Quarantine: Watching A Predictable Mets Loss While Going Back To Cali

Earlier this year, we spent our spring break visiting California. As part of our journeys, we ended up at Oracle Park to watch our Mets lose 7-2. We saw the only contest of the four-game series that New York lost, which is sort of par for the course for our fandom.

Checking another ballpark off the list was tremendous, as in recent years I've seen the Mets play the Red Sox at Fenway and the Giants and Rockies square off at Coors Field, in addition to catching a game at Citi Field. Oracle Park was beautiful and well situated, though the late-game arrival of the seagulls was straight-up Hitchcockian.

Seeing David Peterson get shelled and the Mets mostly flounder around the stadium was strong foreshadowing for a disastrous season. A few months later, Peterson would be relegated to the bullpen and then traded, while New York would be posting one of the worst records in the majors.

On the more notable side, I did have a $50 crab standwich -- the "Crazy Crab'z" -- and my son did eat a baseball helmets full of nachos.

Those were certainly the highlights of our entire Mets experience for 2026.

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.

Editor's note: Could Miami rebound on the final day of the draft? Find out here.

Day 2,260, Quasi-Quarantine: "Journey Without Maps" Documents A Harrowing Venture Through Africa's Interior

“Later I got used to not caring a damn, just to walking and staying put when I had walked far enough, at some village of which I didn’t know the name, to letting myself drift with Africa.”

Graham Greene's account of a four-week, head-long scamper through the interior of Liberia stands as a strong commentary on the impacts of colonialism in early-20th-century Africa. He and his retinue -- including his companion, a cousin he barely mentions -- covered some 350 miles on foot, braving a number of physical and cultural dangers.

“ … The peculiarly Protestant characteristic of combining martyrdom with absurdity.”

The author continuously put his health and safety at risk in "Journey Without Maps," but the intent of his trek was often missing. He seemed bent on rushing as fast as possible through the experience much of the time, causing a reader to wonder what he had hoped to achieve.

“I felt crazy to be here in the middle of Liberia when everything I knew intimately was European. It was like a bad dream. I couldn’t remember why I had come.”

I was a big fan of Greene's work in "The Quiet American," and this certainly represents a massive departure from that style. Perhaps an element of this tale that could have benefited from more exploration was the impact of the journey on his mental state.

“Today our world seems peculiarly susceptible to brutality. There is a touch of nostalgia in the pleasure we take in gangster novels, in characters who have so agreeably simplified their emotions that they have begun living again at a level below the cerebral.”

Greene credits the ordeal for rekindling his love of life, despite latter-life admissions that it was a reckless endeavor. His interactions with villagers are perhaps the best part of the book -- especially when they serve to highlight the ways in which the natives are being taken advantage of by his countrymen and other Europeans.

“A child was crying in a tenement not far from the Lord Warden, the wail of a child too young to speak, too young to have learnt what the dark may conceal in the way of lust and murder, crying for no intelligible reason but because it still possessed the ancestral fear, the devil was dancing in its sleep.”

Day 2,254, Quasi-Quarantine: Miami Looks For Foundational Pieces On Either Side Of The Ball on Active Day One Of Draft

In what must have been something of a surprise to new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and his crew, when the clock started at pick No. 11, the Dolphins had their choice of Ohio State safety Caleb Downs and Miami edge Rueben Bain. 

Instead of taking one of those standout defenders, however, Sullivan moved down one spot (acquiring two more fifth-rounders in return) and selected Alabama offensive lineman Kadyn Proctor. Then, later in the round, they moved from No. 30 to No. 27 (at the cost of moving from No. 90 to No. 138 later in the draft) to pick San Diego State cornerback Chris Johnson.

The pluses: Proctor is young (won't turn 21 until close to the season) and massive (6-6, 352 pounds), with demonstrations of dominance as an All-America last season for the Tide. Scouts consider him to have rare explosiveness, good lateral agility for his size, a nasty streak, and uncommon athleticism -- he even ran the ball five times for 'Bama, including an 11-yarder. He's also durable and sound, playing 40 games at left tackle over three seasons and going 18 straight starts without a holding penalty.

Johnson is instinctive, collecting 13 pass breakups and four interceptions (including two pick-sixes) while allowing zero touchdowns and just a 41.9-percent completion rate when he was targeted. Scouts give him high marks in mechanics, awareness, fluidity, transitions, anticipation, feel, closing burst, and recovery speed. He's considered a high-character teammate, sticking with San Diego State despite many opportunities to transfer to a bigger program and earning All-America and Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year honors.

In addition, Johnson is versatile enough to play both man and zone, is an eager run defender, and possesses good special teams experience, even blocking a punt along the way.

The minuses: Analysts have documented Proctor's struggles to play in space and understand leverage, with poor fundamentals, discipline, and technique at times. His timing has been questioned, he's shown late recognition on pass-rushing moves, he needs work on combo blocks, and he has no experience at guard -- where the 'Fins intend to play him initially. Perhaps most troublingly, he had significant weight issues early in his career, leading Bitch Saban to bash him unnecessarily during the draft process.

For Johnson, his thin frame (6-0, 193 pounds) and average long speed have caused him to be out-physicaled on 50-50 balls on occasion. Scouts question his tackling form, level of competition, and lack of experience in the slot. He did miss one game due to injury as a senior and skipped his team's bowl game, though he did play in and show out for the Senior Bowl.

The best-case scenario: Proctor lines up next to Patrick Paul on the left side of Miami's offensive line, creating a behemoth wall for new quarterback Malik Willis and opening sizeable holes for tailback De'Von Achane. Later in the season, Proctor transitions to right tackle, giving the 'Fins promising bookend tackles for the next decade-plus.

Johnson seizes a starting job from jumpstreet, giving the secondary a desperately needed playmaker and giving coach Jeff Hafley the confidence to create some exotic packages. The rookie emerges as one of the defensive cornerstones Miami needs to start to make some noise in the AFC East.

The worst-case scenario: Proctor struggles to adjust to the guard position -- mirroring the experience of highly touted 2025 rookie Jonah Savaiinaea -- and his weight becomes in issue in second-level and reach blocks. He earns a replacement-level (or worse) grade at a lower-impact position while Downs and Bain take the league by storm.

Johnson is targeted early and often by opposing signal-callers, and he loses more than he wins against a more physical and accomplished caliber of competition. He struggles in run support and his overall impact is diminished by the level of play that surrounds him in a secondary that lacks talent and experience.

The bottom line: Proctor was rated the No. 19 overall prospect in the draft by analyst Dane Brugler, so taking him as high as Miami did was a bit of a reach. He was also rated the fourth-best offensive tackle by Brugler, and since the Dolphins plan to play him at guard, one wonders whether the team could have prioritized more pressing needs at higher-impact positions.

Johnson was rated No. 24 overall and the third-best cornerback in the draft by Brugler, and his selection goes at least some of the way toward filling a massive void in the roster. No issues whatsoever with this selection.

You could make a compelling case for drafting either player, and I'd feel better about Proctor if he eventually takes over as the starting right tackle. Being a Dolphins fan, I fear that bypassing Downs (especially) and Bain will come back to haunt the franchise, but Miami needs players -- and a lot of them. While this braintrust has yet to earn the trust of the fanbase, you have to hope they had a conviction on both of these players that will pay off in the long run.

Editor's note: See how the Dolphins followed up on Day 2 of the draft.

Day 2,248, Quasi-Quarantine: Pacing, Humor Propel "Lost Lambs" To Must-Read Status

“She did not subscribe to the notion that some things were the way they were, always had been, always would be. That the sun set early in the winter, limiting playtime. That, once out, toothpaste could not be put back in the tube. Things only were the way they were because she had not yet been around to fix them.”

Mix bizarre family dynamics and teen angst, stir vigorously, insert dark themes, and somehow produce freshly baked hilarity? Somehow that's what Madeline Cash has achieved with her debut novel, "Lost Lambs."

“Louise was in a prison of her own mundanity. She’d taken to intentionally throwing out the metal forks with the food scraps when she scraped her dinner plate, just so that she might feel a momentary rush.”

Three teenage girls face adolescent challenges interlaced with global scandals while their parents experiment with an open, confusing marriage. The result is a series of subplots that ends up overlapping in delightful ways at the end.

“It was the best part of a new relationship, when you could fill a library with what you didn’t know about another person. Pure potential.”

The slight quibbles are that Cash employs an intentional stylistic device that doesn't quite work and ends up being an unnecessary distraction. Also, the pivotal scene in the mansion resolves without a real explanation of what happens.

Beyond that, "Lost Lambs" is an escapist's delight, capturing the weighty, existential issues of our time without ever forgetting to laugh.

“Control what people do and you’re a king. Control how people think and you’re a god.”

Day 2,246, Quasi-Quarantine: The Sharing Spirit Was Missing With This Noel Puzzle

 

'Twas the season for puzzling, and this one was a good follow-up to another Yule puzzle we'd wrapped up a bit earlier. It was a fun one, but unfortunately my partner worked on it quite a bit behind my back and ruined part of the experience.

7.1, would cobble together again with a better teammate

Day 2,245, Quasi-Quarantine: Fever-Dream Writing Of "Brawler" Undermined By Cardboard Characters

“I look around and can see it in so many other women, passed down from a time beyond history, this wind that is dark and ceaseless and raging within.”

~“Wind”

This gut-wrenching collection features short stories that include large twists and real emotion. Groff examines gender dynamics, relationships between guardians and children, and the lasting effects of trauma.

Some of the standouts include "Wind," "What's the Time, Mr. Wolf?", and "Under the Wave." In addition, "Between the Shadow and the Soul" was complex, "Such Small Hands" was nuanced, "Annunciation" had a compelling ending, and "Sunland" was straight-up gutting.

“Oh, but she hadn’t wanted to leave him, not really, had she. She had just wanted to know what it was like to brush up against the dazzling future again. She felt the part of her that the lush spring had stirred to life go dormant, deep in her, once more. She knew that it would not awaken again in her lifetime.”

~“Between the Shadow and the Soul”

I had some experience with Groff's work, but the short-story form feels like a better fit for her than the novel. Despite it coming highly recommended, "Fates & Furies" was a bit overwrought for me. 

While the bulk of these tales highlight one-dimensional male characters -- with a lack of nuance hurting some of the plots -- "Brawler" as a whole is well worth the time for those readers ready to experience a full range of feelings.

“But that was the moment when she knew he would lie to her, and everything her spun away from him, and he was the one she hated as she walked out the door.”

~“Brawler”