On the Shelf To Be Read #2: The Outermost House by Henry Beston

 

A recent video about the book The Outermost House by Henry Beston has inspired me to take the book off my shelf and put it on my TBR short list. It also shortly after my wife and I took a road trip on Cape Cod  to Provincetown(the very tip of Cape Cod) to visit a friend. 

The Outermost House by Henry Beston was first published in 1928. Even though it refers to a "year on the Great Beach of Cape Cod" the book is based on Henry's visits there over the course of two years. When Henry proposed to Elizabeth Coatsworth knew of his notes and no book manuscript she quipped, "No book, no married.". That apparently was enough to get him going. He finished the book and they were married. They did honeymoon there but rarely visited afterward. 

The Outermost House was located about 2 miles south of Nauset Coast Guard in Eastham, Massachusetts on the outer arm of Cape Cod facing the North Atlantic. It was a two room cottage designed by Beston and built by a carpenter named Harvey Moore (and crew). It was named "The Fo'Castle" for the four large windows faced the ocean. Because of storms and eroding dunes the cottage was moved in 1933 and 1944. The North Atlantic finally claimed it in February 1978 during the fierce Blizzard of 78. I lived on the south shore of Massachusetts on the inner side of Cape Cod Bay and remember the storm quite well. 

On the Shelf To Be Read #1: The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson

Any book on my bookshelves that I haven't read should be part of my TBR (To-Be-Read) pile. I marvel at readers on social media showing off a pile of books they plan on reading this weekend, week, month, or year. I often don't pick the next one until I'm close to finishing a current one. I sometimes have an inclination for one or two. I'll browse them a bit to see if it sparks an interest to go further. I'm not committed, though.

I'm currently rereading the iconic In Cold Blood by Truman Capote. It's said to spark the modern-day true-crime genre. It's the story of the murder of a family of four in Holcomb, Kansas in 1959  by two small-time criminals. The crime was a botched burglary inspired by misinformation about an alleged wall safe. What did the murderers walk away with? Less than $50 and small miscellaneous items. I can't remember when I first read this story. It was inspired, though, by a film I saw in school on a TV wheeled out on a cart with a suitcase-sized VCR (high-tech at the time) underneath, and we watched the film adaptation of In Cold Blood shot in black and white. It starred the late Robert Blake as one of the killers, who at the time starred on his own TV series(as a cop ironically) called Baretta. 

I must really want to read this since I bought 2. 

Recently, while scanning my own shelves, I discovered I had two copies of The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson. This is the true-crime story set in the 1890s in Chicago that centers around the time of the World's Fair in 1893. It tells the story through the creator of the World's Fair, Daniel Burnham, and serial killer, H. H. Holmes. I guess this was a hint that I should read this one next. I'll probably donate one to my local "Friends of" library group. 

Not only are both books true crime, but I also discovered that they have been described as non-fiction novels, either novel-style, such as "In Cold Blood", or "novelistic" with "The Devil in the White City". I'll see how Larson compares to the standard Capote set. 

Books of July 2025

Books I've completed in July 2025.

• 7/4/2025 - The Declaration of Independence:  A small, thin, and handsomely hard-covered book containing the Declaration of Independence and short biographies of the signers of the document. 
• 7/6/2025 - Stoner by John Williams: Is about William Stoner, who is born to a farming family at the beginning of the 20th century. He attends college and discovers his love of literature, eventually becoming a teacher/professor at the same institution. The story explores how he lives life's tribulations with stoicism and resilience. At the end of his life, he finds solace in his love of books. 
• 7/28/2025 - The City and The Pillar  by Gore Vidal: The story follows a young athlete, Jim, who has a close sexual encounter with his friend Bob. They part ways as Bob graduates and moves on. Jim follows suit a year later. He is following Bob but is also exploring his own sexual identity and how he fits into the society of wartime (WW2) America. They do eventually meet up again, and Bob is married. The ending isn't the neat wrap-up you might expect. 

Reading summary July 2025

In honor of my country's birth this month, I took out my thin hardcover copy of the Declaration of Independence on the 4th of July and read it. I've often gone years, even decades, without giving this document much thought. In the current political climate, depending on one's political leaning, one may find little to celebrate or take pride in. Although I am also appalled at those leading our country at this time, I still think it is every American's right to celebrate. The government does not exclusively belong to one political party or another. It belongs to every American. As a former President once said, " There is not a liberal America and a conservative America - there is the United States of America." Celebrate it always. 

Stoner by John Williams was I've seen recommended by many reading/book enthusiasts on social media. Part of it was the cover by the New York Book Review(NYBR) of the stoic middle-aged man staring at the ground, looking deep in thought. We follow the life of William Stoner, who was born about 1890-1, but the book essentially starts as he enters college, intending to learn more about farming to help, and I assume to take over the family farm he grew up on. One day he discovers his life's love of English literature and books. His life is forever changed as then stays at the college to teach and live his life there. He marries and then has a daughter. Has professional squabbles within his profession. Has an affair with a coworker. He does find satisfaction in his work, and he still loves his literature. He then passes away from cancer on the verge of retiring, clutching his book in solace. It is not a book of high drama or action, but this book kept me interested throughout. I'm writing more about this in a later post.

I find Gore Vidal an interesting writer and person. The City and the Pillar was one of his earliest novels, published in 1948. For some reason, I thought it was his first, but it was actually his third book. The book is notable as it looks at male homosexuality as it was during World War 2. The main protagonist is Jim who is a high school athlete and is close to his friend Bob. In a moment of passion, they have a sexual encounter in an emotional moment as they will soon be parting ways. Bob is graduating and moving away and, eventually join the Merchant Marines. Jim stays to finish school and then graduates, and moves out on his own. Joins the service(there is a war on), but he stays stateside. Meanwhile, he is coming to terms with his own sexuality. Bob is never far from his mind. After having a relationship with a movie star and writer he ends up back home. Coincidentally, Bob is also returning and has been successful in his career and is married. The book ends on an unfortunate note, and it doesn't end neatly.