Overburden

In a blog post last October I had mentioned the book opening of "Overburden: Modern Life on the Iron Range" by my friend Aaron Brown. I read through the book before Christmas, in fact, and am reluctant to say that it has taken me this long to finally write more about it. It only took about a week for me to read it and I enjoyed it very much. I can now recommend the book with more authority since I've actually read it and not just because my friend wrote it. As others have said, it's informative, entertaining and reads like a novel.

It was kind of strange for me to read since I've known Aaron since the second grade, shortly after the infamous (in Cherry anyway) Cherry/Forbes merger. Actually, I had heard about him before that because his photo had been in the newspaper. He had won an invention contest and a trip to Washington D.C. which apparently really impressed my grandma. My grandma had clipped the article out to show me even though I had no idea who he was. For some reason, I remember that photo of Aaron with the seat belts. I wonder why? Perhaps it was my grandmother's enthusiasm and the fact that he won a trip to Washington D.C. as a first grade student! Anyway, the two schools coming together and the invention contest are both mentioned in the book.

My friend Kelly and I talked about reading the book last time we were together. We both said the same thing, "I didn't know Aaron (fill in the blank here with most of the stories from the book)." Through the book, I learned more about the history of the Iron Range and even got to know Aaron a little better. I felt like I got to swim around in his head for a while. Speaking of swimming around in someone's head, Being John Malkovich is a movie about just that, only people are actually swimming around . . . in someone's head. It's an interesting movie. I'd recommend it. Just like I'd recommend buying and reading Aaron's book, Overburden.

My friend Erin, from Cook, bought the book for her dad for Christmas. She said that her dad enjoyed it so much that while he was reading it, he would laugh and point out passages to her. So, there you have it. Erin's dad liked it too.

Aaron will be at a book signing and reading tonight, (Feb. 18th), at the Hibbing Public Library. If your don't have plans, I encourage you to go on over and check it out. If you're busy tonight, there are a few more lectures and book signings lined up for the near future. The places and dates can be found on Aaron's Blog.

I enjoyed the book Aaron, well done. There are many people from your humble roots that are proud of you!

--AnnMarie