Reader's Fave

I recently interviewed Ron Wright for our 28th installment of Reader's Fave, a casual interview with someone who shares their favorite book. I met up with Ron at the 117th Wahkiakum County Fair, where we sat in the shade of the Friends of Julia Butler Hansen pop-up tent.

As we began, there were five "well-worn" paperback books, which Ron had brought, laid out on the table before us. The titles were "Atlantis," "Empire of the East," "Adiamante," "The Dragon Never Sleeps," and "Future Shock." Each book was of the science-fiction genre. "These are pure escape books for me," said Ron. "[They are] well written with soft or growth under tones. I re-read each book every year, except "Future Shock." It was evident Ron felt and wanted to keep in touch with each book and its message. "They keep me connected," he said. "For me, it's like watching a T.V. movie each time; like I'm not even reading the words. It's like a movie in my head."

If Ron had to pick his personal favorite of the four, it was "The Dragon Never Sleeps" by author Glen Cook. "It was the most fun story," said Ron. "It shows how a little guy can be successful but not destroyed by the system; that the little guy can do it. The little guy can be against the system yet, at the same time, make the system better." In our talk, it was clear Ron identified with an underdog and enjoyed reading of the possibility of positive change in the midst of an overruling system. "In this book, it's the little guy making it better, not destroying the system. Good things happen here. It reinvigorates me on how to work within the system without destroying it. How can humanity continue on without technology destroying us? The next page is what I look at."

The other books laying on the table also bring forms of escapism to Ron in different ways. When mentioning "Adiamante" by L.E. Modesitt, Jr., Ron said, "Whenever I'm feeling or getting fat-headed is when I read it. It puts me in my place." Regarding Fred Saberhagen's "Empire of the East," Ron said, "I find hope in a strange kind of way here. There is an interplay between science and non-science." Ron finds "Atlantis" to be a bleak book. "It attempts to explain all the myths we've ever had, but it's a dark book," he said. "[It's] almost pure fantasy; a very well written book by the author."

This leaves Ron's final book, "Future Shock," by Alvin Toffler. Ron first read it in 1985, but doesn't read this book every year like the others. "If I was to tell a high school kid to read a book, it'd be this one," he said. "Everyone in robotics, tech, or science should read it. So much of what has happened or is happening today was predicted by the author in novel form. It was remarkable and prescient of the author. This guy hit it. You understand the world you're coming into, and it could be a future we're coming into for a lot of people."

In his own life, education, work, and experiences, Ron has brought hope in leading and causing fundamental transformations to school systems. He continues to seek change today. "What my job is in the world is to give back," he said. "It'd be shameful of me not to give back. My art is to create social groups that last past me. I want to transform ahead of the curve."

To provide a further glimpse into Ron's reading habits, he re-reads other books on a regular basis, including the entire "Harry Potter" series, the "Star Wars" Luke Skywalker series, and books by J.R.R. Tolkien.

"I have always been a reader," he said. "My mom always read mystery novels. I think I've had a library card since second or third grade. I enjoyed books such as 'The Little Red Hen,' 'Charlotte's Web,' and even read 'Animal Farm' at a young age. I was one of those people who fit in the school system set-up at that time."

May you wonderful Wahkiakum readers find and enjoy a book which enables you to momentarily escape and reflect on how you might cause a bit of change in your own world.