Planet Utah: A (Re)Introduction

While out of town (in South Dakota) last week, I used the downtime to get some reading in. One of the books I packed along was Boom Town by Sam Anderson. It has been more than a minute that I have been so thoroughly captivated by a book. It does everything I’d ever want a book on “place” (in this case Oklahoma City) to do. It weaves multiple disparate narratives of culture, history, and environment into a cohesive thread that has me feeling like I know something deep(er) about OKC than when I started.

Upon reflection, some of the spirit in Boom Town lies at the heart of what I have been trying to do with this blog. Periodic explorations of the (often unexpectedly connected) roots that make up the place I know in love (to wit: Salt Lake City). While I am not talented enough as a writer to achieve what Sam Anderson has done, I do think that revisiting this goal, and making it an increasing focus of my weekly blog posts, is a worthwhile mission. Some weeks it might be something brief (but entertaining) about “my” place. Other weeks it may be the culmination of a longer piece of research/writing that I’m ready to share. In the aggregate my intention will be to create a (hopefully entertaining) pastiche of the things I learn/know/love that a neophyte reader could stumble upon and learn more about the place I know and love. So, with that, let’s go explore “Planet Utah!”