More on past trails today, I think. :-)

About the Titanic: There was much on the actual sinking of the Titanic, (and a rush to make a few films) it seems, but then not so much on what happened to the survivors. Andrew Wilson takes care of that in Shadow of the Titanic: the Extraordinary Stories of Those Who Survived by tracking down letters, diaries and unpublished interviews. A common memory seems to be of the cries of all of those not on lifeboats, cries that would haunt survivors the rest of their lives. As would, for at least one, the silence that came after. (Think about that for a moment, it gave me chills). There was also one memory from someone who had lived in the town where the ship was built ... as a youngster, he remembers the huge anchors being hauled through town by teams of twenty draft horses. Not all did well, many never talked about it, nowadays we'd recognize it as PTSD, but not then, folks just tried to get on with their lives with varying levels of success.

About the Pacific Northwest: I read Sexless Oysters and Self-Tipping Hats: 100 Years of Invention in the Pacific Northwest, by Adam Woog way back in 1991 when it was first published. I spotted it recently on a shelf and just had to read it again! So many wonderful products, gadgets, games, and equipment began here! No surprise that the best waterproofing product (for shoes and leather) came from here, or the down vest, but so did the Dick and Jane books, the Erector Set, and various Slinky toys! We can also claim credit for the Happy Face! And of course, planes, computers, and medical equipment. This book might seem a bit dated, but it is an excellent read!

About The White House: There have been many amazing women in the White House. Some were better educated than their husbands. Some were not wives, but a daughter or relative that took on the role of hostess. Read about them all from Martha Washington to Michelle Obama in First Ladies: Presidential Historians on the Lives of 45 Iconic American Women, by Susan Swain and C-Span. Pulled from the show on C-Span, this is an interesting collection of .... well, observations might explain it nicely .... there are sometimes several opinions on a First Lady. Most interesting.

About Word Play. Puns, Puzzles, and Wordplay: Fun and Games for Language Lovers, by Jim Bernhard is part history, part games and puzzles, and all witty and fun. Be sure to read the puns out loud, it helps! (Some times it took several readings for me).

About England. A friend of mine will be heading for London this autumn so naturally, when I found Weird England: Your Travel Guide to England's Local Legends and Best Kept Secrets, by Matt Lake, I had to read it. :-) From rock formations, to caves, to buildings that lean (on their own, not by design) there are many things to see, some of which are thousands of years old. Some are haunted, some are holy, some are funny (not always intentionally), all have interesting stories.

Reading Hermit With Dog