In Harm’s Way: The Sinking of the USS Indianapolis and the Extraordinary Story of Its Survivors by Doug Stanton. If you watch Jaws, and find yourself prompted by Quint’s monologue to learn more about the sinking of the USS Indianapolis, you’ve got to pick up this book. Torpedoed near the end of WWII (the Indianapolis had actually carried the components for the Hiroshima-bound atomic bomb), the fate of the ship would be marked by myriad ironies, tragedies, and dropped responsibilities. In Harm’s Way details those, while diving into the harrowing survival struggle of the nearly 1,000 men who went overboard, 700 of which perished in the four days they remained adrift in the open ocean before rescue arrived. The greatest test of historical nonfiction is whether it can maintain a sense of tension and suspense despite the reader already knowing the outcome. In Harm’s Way passes with flying colors. Gripping, frightening, and poignant, it’s the perfect book to pick up if you’ve wanted to get more into reading but have had trouble finding a book that’s held your interest. Highly recommend.
Casio Men’s Vintage A158WA-1. As I mentioned in a previous O&E, I’ve shifted away from using an Apple Watch and have started wearing old-school timepieces. The latest addition to my watch collection is the Casio A151WA-1. It’s a digital watch with a metal casing and bracelet that only costs $20. It’s become my go-to watch lately. First, I love it for the nostalgia factor. My dad, like a lot of dads in the 1980s, sported this watch. Second, it just looks like it means business. I can wear it with jeans and a tee or with my Sunday suit to church, and it looks good either way. It’s a solid, straightforward timepiece. Get one for your collection.
Invasion of the Body Snatchers. If you’re looking for a spooky film to watch for Halloween, cue up this 1956 sci-fi classic. Tapping into some of our deepest fears — the idea that those we love aren’t really who we think they are and the loss of personal identity — Invasion of the Body Snatchers tells the story of extraterrestrials who quietly invade by replacing humans with identical but emotionless duplicates that are born from alien plant spores (the expression “pod people” arose from the film). People have often read themes of McCarthyism, communism, and conformity into the movie, and it does serve as a reflection on the abdication of individuality, but the filmmakers were simply trying to make an engaging thriller, and it works very well on that score, too.
‘Weekend Warrior’ Workouts May Be as Effective as Daily Exercise, Study Shows. It’s recommended that folks get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity per week. If you have trouble hitting those numbers by doing several sessions of exercise spaced throughout the week, a new study offers good news: if you do a week’s worth of exercise on the weekend, it can be just as effective in warding off over two hundred mental and physical diseases and disorders. Of course, folks like us find that workouts are an essential daily mood booster. But if you don’t fall into that camp, you can still get a huge benefit by saddling up on a Saturday and taking a long bike ride.
To resist the frigidity of old age one must combine the body, the mind, and the heart. And to keep these in parallel vigor, one must exercise, study, and love.
—Charles Victor de Bonstetten
