Great Books

I spent my undergrad years painting dorm rooms to pay my tuition and never once allowed schooling to get in the way of my education. I graduated from St. Louis University in 1976 and decided it was time to actually read all of the books that I never had time to read while I was a working student. I lined the walls of a one-bedroom apartment in midtown Omaha with concrete-block-and-board shelves and soon amassed a formidable library of trade paperback books. For years, I worked day jobs and spent the rest of my time reading and writing. Maybe I was testing the truth of Augustine Birrell’s claim that any ordinary man can surround himself with two thousand books and be happy for the rest of his life. Happiness or no, in 1980, I decided to “see the world.” I read a fantastic book called The Art & Adventure Of Traveling Cheaply, by Rick Berg. Berg’s book could have been subtitled: Travel Light. Everything should fit in one medium-sized backpack, including your sleeping bag and ground cloth, one long sleeve shirt, one T-shirt, one extra pair of socks, underwear optional. Carry-on only! Don’t even think about checking it. For the […]