Nampa, ID -- July 23, 2007

Arrive Nampa, ID 9:30am Monday, July 23
Depart Nampa, ID 8:30am Tuesday, July 24


Coming into town--fields, then car lots, then the bus station.

Everything was so big.

Who are you doing this for? people would ask and didn’t quite understand that I was doing this for myself. But, they were really nice. The guy at the taco truck offered me a drink for free. A woman at a Mexican restaurant drew me a map. People talked to me, told me their favorite recipes. It was really enjoyable.

There was a little stream that flowed through town, with ducks quacking in it.


I poked my head into places, looking for readers and also tried a trick that my dad had taught me through his time in Search and Rescue--it's easier to find clues than it is to find the target. So, I asked people where I might find readers. At the Hong Kong restaurant they told me six people were reading there on Saturday and told me to try at Honker’s, where the waitress told me that there are two people that read at lunch time and to come back later and that they saw someone reading at McDonalds the day before. A pizza place told me that they have people reading in the afternoon, but not the evening.

And, though this time I did get to a convalescent home (in Salt Lake I arrived after 8:30pm, which was too late), I found myself at to one that specializes in caring for people with memory loss. Reading a book, the nurse explained, would be too much.

I thought a lot about my dad’s hunting, translating "think like an elk" into "think like a reader." It's a philosophy that rewards the thinker with scoring naps in the sun. You go somewhere and wait it out. Coffee shop? Park bench? Let the reader come to you. But, it turned out, I was too restless.

This was the first big small town I had visited. I had that same feeling I had in L.A., that feeling I had when I went to Moscow for the first time after spending a day in tight, compact Korea. The United States is built for giants.

A real small town would be easy. Condensed, small, you sit at a table in the local café all day, take breaks to go check out the park and then move to a bar stool in the saloon at night. (If anyone knows of towns like these, please email...)

Nampa, ID -- July 23, 2007

At the Flying M.

They got married a week ago. He’s originally from Alaska and a Kinesiology professor at NSU. She graduated with a degree in Art and Design. This is the first book she’s read in a while. Recently he’s read 1776, by David McCullough; a book about John Adams, and The Americanization of Benjiman Franklin, by Gordon S. Wood.

The Flying M was a little cafe that could be right out of my neighborhood in San Francisco. They said there used to be one in Boise that they would go to to hang out, because there wasn’t anything like it in Nampa, but then the people who owned it in Boise opened one in Nampa, too!

Nampa, ID -- July 23, 2007

At the LDS and Boyscout Supply Store, holding up the books of a popular local author, Sharon Lewis Koho. She went to school with this woman’s husband!

They told me how, in the whole Harry Potter enthusiasm, how the Home Section of the Nampa Press Tribune published six recipes that Muggles put together, including butter brew, meat pie, a Sunday chicken dinner, and a cockroach concoction with chocolate chips and pretzels.

A popular LDS author—Gearld Lund. Other popular authors include Betsy Brannan Greene, who writes women’s mysteries and has recipies in the back of her books, like strawberry jello with whipped cream and pretzels and butter pressed into the bottom of the bowl; Anita Stansfield.

Nampa, ID -- July 23, 2007

In front of the Nampa Public Library.

Reading Eyes of Eagles, by William W. Johnstone, which he’s read eight times. It takes place ten years before the Civil War and he likes learning and relearning the history.

His sister in the backseat is reading Number the Stars, by Lois Lowry. She loves the Hardy Boys, but dislikes Nancy Drew. She would love to be a detective.

His brother named Where’s Waldo as a favorite and I thought of that all day as I walked around town, searching for readers, poking my head into Chinese restaurants, cafes, doctor’s offices and swimming pools (not into the actual water).

His mother read to them when they were young and took them to story time at the library. You have to start young, she said. She’s not a fan of Harry Potter. In fact, as her children recalled, she’s even thrown the book into the fireplace. They are Christians and reading Harry Potter goes against their beliefs. Her favorite book is The Bible.


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Nampa, ID -- July 23, 2007

On Exercise Bike at the Recreation Center.

Reading The Amber Spyglass, by Philip Pullman.

Her favorite books--The Lord of the Rings series and Jane Eyre.

Recently she’s read Plain Secrets, a nonfiction book about the Amish; True Notebooks, by Mark Salzman, about how he volunteered at a writing class; and, from when she was young, The Great Gilly Hopkins, by Katherine Paterson.

Nampa, ID -- July 23, 2007

Next to the pool at the Recreation Center.

Reading the latest Harry Potter. She’s finishing it up in the book version. She listened to it all on audio, so that she could do the dishes and make dinner at the same time. But, because there were distractions of her family going in and out, she’s reading the end while her child (children?) swim.

She has also enjoyed the Eragon books on audio.

Her favorite books of all time—the Harry Potter books. Before this, she’s never been so excited for a book to come out.

Nampa, ID -- Public Library -- July 23, 2007

At the children’s desk, they provided me with directions around town and the names of popular children’s authors and books: Lemony Snicket or Daniel Handler (A Series of Unfortunate Events); Judy Blume; Juney B. Jones (The Magic Tree House series); Nancy Drew; Curious George; Dr. Seuss.

The adult librarian was out for lunch.

Nampa, ID --At the Swimming Pool -- July 23, 2007

No one reading here.

Nampa, ID -- July 23, 2007

His favorite book--The Bible, specifically John 4:5.

Another book he has at home is by Dr. Dobson, who is “muy conocido mundial”. He has programs on the radio.

What would his own book be about? How to educate children. He has nine-year-old twins and a five-year-old.

Nampa, ID -- July 23, 2007

At Papa John’s.

Reading Weavers of War. It’s the fifth book in a series. He reads so he can relax. This book is filled with lots of action and intrigue.

His favorite book of all time? Probably The Magician’s Apprentice, by Rayman E. Feist. He’s read it twice.

If he were to write his own book it’d be fiction—probably fantasy, like J.R.R. Tolkien.

What turns him off when he reads? Too many names and places. He doesn’t want to think too hard. If it gets too complicated too fast, he stops.

He’s from Portland and is traveling for work—he works with lasers on gun sights. They don’t have a Papa John’s back in Portland so he’s bringing several burritos home with him. I did my good deed of the day and told him to go to the Mission District and San Francisco and get a burrito there. If I accomplish nothing more on this trip, my 54 days will still have been worthwhile. I recommend a super burrito from just about anywhere on Mission Street.

Nampa, ID -- July 23, 2007

Reading The Bible and studying the Godhead.

He could care less about Harry Potter. It’s okay for kids because it’s fiction, but he rethought, kids take fiction to heart and it gives the false idea of, well, it represents Satan’s teachings, not directly, but leads one to believe a lot of hogwash that kids act on in one way or another.

When he was in High School he used to read science fiction. He was a real fan of Jules Verne, Heinlein, and Arthur C. Clark. It was his passion.

What would his own book be about? His own life and how he used to have no interest in God but how now... he would tell about the time when he woke up and realized the truth.

Nampa, ID -- July 23, 2007

At the reception desk of a Chiropractic Clinic (I'm not having back problems, just thought I should check to see if someone was reading in there....checked at the espresso shack and at the snow cone shack, too. but to no avail.)

This is the first person I’ve met who has finished the new Harry Potter. How did she do it? Her husband took care of the kids and she read from 8 a.m. on Saturday until 2:30 in the morning on Sunday then, again on Sunday from about 2 p.m. until 10 p.m.

Her favorite book--The Princess Bride.

If she were to write a book, it’d be poetry or song lyrics. She is musical as well—she plays the violin and sings.

Nampa, ID -- July 23, 2007

A hobby bookstore worker.

Currently he’s reading a book about the San Francisco earthquake and how it was the true end of the wild west.

They’ve been selling and buying the classics, including 1984 and Animal Farm, by George Orwell for summer reading lists. And, lots of mysteries, things people read on vacation.

Nampa, ID -- July 23, 2007

At the Hispanic Cultural Center of Idaho.

When I asked to see the library I was greeted by looks of surprise. What? they asked, Why? But you’re thin! I insisted anyway and, when I got there the door was locked and there was a sign reading, Weight Watchers. Ah ha! Unfortunately, the library is now just a meeting room. There weren’t enough volunteers to take care of the books so they were boxed up. The books included Spanish titles and Spanish and South American authors, as well as Danielle Steele and children’s books like Bob the Builder.

The last book she read was Two Little Girls in Blue, by Mary Higgins Clark.

Her favorite book as a child was Farmer’s of the Midwest. It was written in 1901. She got an A on her book report about it.

If she were to write her own book, it’d be a memoir about her life. She used to live in Helena, Montana where I grew up!

(this picture, I have to admit, was faked. She wasn't reading when I arrived, but ran to get her book and then sat down and posed for me.)

Nampa, ID -- July 23, 2007

Reading The Taking, by Dean Koontz. She likes mysteries.

Nampa, ID -- July 23, 2007

At Dairy Queen, reading Lucas, by Kevin Brooks, which she’s enjoying because it’s written in the voice of a girl her age, like a friend, even though the author is a man.

She like all sorts of books, including Ann Rice novels, classics for school like Animal Farm, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Great Gatsby and Of Mice and Men, as well as young adult stuff and Ben Michaelson. Her favorite Ann Rice novel is The Vampire Lestat.

What would her own book be about? She started writing one in the fifth grade. It was about an Indian chief and a princess.