A half hour shy of noon a few weeks ago, in need of some exercise, I raised my bony ass off the living room sofa, exited my house and took a walk around my suburban neighborhood. It was a hot and humid summer day, the type that normally causes me to spew sweat like a volcano. I guess the dermatology gods took pity on me, though, for my wrinkled skin became only mildly moist during the stroll.
I usually don’t spend a lot of time looking upward when I’m outside, not in daylight nor when the skies are black. Pretty foolish of me, because, obviously, the heavens are incredible. But, on the day in question I decided to alter that orientation by examining the clouds filling much of the sky. They were of two sorts, some of them bright and friendly and perfect partners for the sky’s blue areas, the others darkened and signaling that rain, which ultimately never arrived, might be a-comin’.
And I also had my eyes on trees, which are fairly abundant in my neighborhood (I live a few miles outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA). It would be cool, I decided, to snap some photos in which cloud-filled skies and trees appeared. But only cloud-filled skies and trees. This turned out to be harder than I thought it would be. I shouldn’t have been surprised, of course, since my neighborhood is jam-packed with houses, utility poles and overhead-utility lines, nearly all of which not only were in the way, but also cursed me out when I told them I wouldn’t include them in the photos. What a bunch of obnoxious bastards! Persevering, I found a fair number of vantage points that allowed me to meet my criteria. I tell you, the life of an amateur photographer ain’t a breeze. On the other hand, just about nobody’s life is a breeze. Hell, that’s life.
Two photos from my mini expedition adorn this essay. I regard them as semi-abstract compositions, the amorphous clouds offset by the tight structure of treetops. I bow before Mother Nature. Her variety of creations is dazzling and just about infinite, yet limited and uncomplicated displays of her wares, such as these, have no trouble awing me. There’s a whole lot to be said for simplicity.
Getting back to life, this month I was swept away by a novel that tells the tale of one David Granger, a 68-year-old American whose adult life has been the opposite of a breeze. Months and months of violent combat in Vietnam jungles in the late 1960s saw to that, not only while he was fighting the Viet Cong, but also every year since then, a decades-long period during which war-induced nightmares have bedeviled his bedtime hours. Granger is the narrator of The Reason You’re Alive, the madcap, profane and humane book by Matthew Quick published in 2017. (Matthew Quick’s best-known novel is The Silver Linings Playbook, which was turned into a movie starring Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper.)
David Granger is a piece of work, an over-the-top character who wears his lengthy list of opinions on his sleeve. A widower, he has an uneasy relationship with his one child (an adult son named Hank), and adores his young granddaughter, Ella. His friendships are pretty plentiful and also profound. And although he possesses a conservative, America-first outlook, he does not meet the definition of a Trumpster, because he is completely accepting of, and admires, the USA’s racial and sexual minorities. A complicated guy, Granger feels compelled to put his story down on paper before it might be too late, seeing that he recently went under the knife for brain cancer, a disease he believes was induced by heavy exposure in Vietnam to the poisonous chemical Agent Orange. Post-surgery, Granger gets it into his head that he should return a valuable object that, under shameful circumstances, he stole from a fellow soldier during the war.
I don’t want to spill too many beans about the plotlines, so I’ll say little more. I will add, however, that the sentences in The Reason You’re Alive barrel along like a high-speed train and pack a punch. Here’s a sample paragraph from the book:
Doctors had sawed through my skull. They had cut out part of my brain. I was still freeballing it in a lime-green fairy gown. I was in a fucking hospital bed, for Christ’s sake, and Hank’s machine-gunning me with entire belts of words just because I didn’t tell him about the surgery until after it was over. I figured, why worry him? We hadn’t been speaking since summer anyway. Ever since we had a blowout at the Phillies game.
See what I mean? Matthew Quick can write. I unhesitatingly recommend The Reason You’re Alive.
Yeah, Another Blogger 
Thanks for the book suggestion, Neil. This sounds like something I would enjoy. And I couldn’t agree more; no one’s life is a breeze.
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Hi there. Matthew Quick has written a number of novels. I might check out another one of his.
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The trees and clouds look good together. The book sounds like a gripper.
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Hi. The book is fast-paced and pretty wild. It held my attention!
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The ability to find joy, admiration and inspiration in nature makes your life so much better, doesn’t it? The book sounds intriguing.
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Hey there, Emma. I liked this novel a lot, as you can tell. It’s a pretty exhilarating ride.
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I am with you, I love sky and tree photos when I walk. Looks like a good book, just might be able to squeeze it in before summer comes to a screeching halt. Some people make it look like a breeze, take for example the buffoon and his date at the Coldplay concert…a couple of weeks back. Even though he’s rich, and he’ll land on his feet, but his life is WRECKED. And the woman, too. We are all trying to navigate life as best we can. Thanks for the reflective read to start my day. Keep making those days count.
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Thanks for adding your thoughts, Clay. If you read the book, I hope you’ll like it!
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I’m with you on the walk, embracing nature, finding awe in the clouds, the simple and ordinary moments that become the extraordinary, if we let them. The book sounds like an interesting read. I’ve just recently come from a museum tour of a secret American WW11 army base in Charleville, SW Queensland. Keep on finding those simple joys, it’s what makes life so grand.
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It’s the little things that count!
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It is indeed!
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Thank you, Neil, for the amusing post! As you know, you can write too, but decided blogging is the best way of expression. I love your nature inspired writing, photos, philosophical musing, helping others in the medical facility, your stamina to walk for miles, musical skill, devotion to your wife, and your country. In short, I like your blog! Just keep on writing, and snapping the trees, sky, and the clouds!
Joanna
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Thanks a lot, Joanna. And I like your blog too!
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Thank you, Neil, for your beautiful reply, and you are more than welcome!
Joanna
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Clouds with trees are my favorite subjects. I often include utility lines as integral parts of the pictures.
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Hi. Do you take many photos of sunsets and/or sunrises?
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I shoot dawn and dusk whenever I’m out of town. Otherwise, I catch the brightening clouds, especially when they’re colorful. This morning, the environment was reddish, so I snapped a few cloud-powerline frames. I have not looked at them yet, because I’ve been otherwise busy. A few of my past blog posts included some early morning views from rural Wayne County, Nebraska.
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Great photos, mate! The thing that always annoys me about nature photography is that my photos never capture exactly what I’m seeing with my eyes. But I still try!
The book sounds interesting. I’ve known a few Vietnam vets over the years and this story sounds like it may capture their post-war lives fairly accurately.
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Vietnam vets are a big part of the book. A couple of them impact the narrator’s life immensely.
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Beautiful photos and sounds like a great read!
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Thanks, Joyce. I kind of like working our neighborhood into stories.
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A classic!
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It sounds like a fabulous read, Neil. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
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I stumbled upon the book at a library. I’d never heard of Quick before. I’m glad I decided to read it.
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You certainly take good photographs…..and thank you for the book suggestion, I’ll look for it.
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I think the book would make a real good movie. Maybe that will happen one day.
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You call it “semi-abstract compositions, [of] the amorphous clouds offset by the tight structure of treetops.” While I adore your wordsmith skills, I call your photos beautiful! Thanks for the book recommendation. It sounds like one I’d enjoy.
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Hi Ally, and thanks. I appreciate the thumbs-up.
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Such beautiful photos, Neil! I find that clouds can be wonderful subjects for photography. I love how their constantly changing shapes, textures, and the way they interact with light create dynamic and visually interesting scenes. It is important to incorporate nature into our lives, whether through walks in the park, gardening, or simply spending time outdoors, as it can lead to a more joyful, healthy, and fulfilling life. Thanks for sharing, and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx
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“It is important to incorporate nature into our lives, whether through walks in the park, gardening, or simply spending time outdoors, as it can lead to a more joyful, healthy, and fulfilling life.”
Well said. I totally agree.
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🥰🥰🥰
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Your cloud / tree compositions are glorious. The book sounds a bit too stressful for me!
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I was outside doing yard work for two hours today. And I didn’t look up even once at the sky. I need to start paying attention!
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“(F)reeballing it in a lime-green fairy gown” is a great line.
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I think there’s a high chance you’d like this book.
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I have a post coming up that’ll tell you how to remove those utility lines from your photos. Just sayin’…
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I’ll look at it. Thanks.
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Beautiful nature pic 💯
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Thanks.
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Your two beautiful photos remind me how often I forget to look up. Sometimes I will spot an eagle perched at the top of a tree and wonder how many times I have missed that scene.
That was a good excerpt from The Reason You’re Alive. The older I get the more I think about that phrase.
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I hope this book will be made into a movie or a TV series. The book has a lot going for it.
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Matthew Quick. I didn’t know him, but Silver Linings Playbook is a great movie. Thanks for the introduction, Neil!
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Hey there, Crystal. I never heard of him either until I pulled the book off a shelf while wandering through the aisles of my local library.
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What gorgeous captures of fluffy clouds and majestic trees!
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Many thanks.
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How wonderful that Matthew Quick’s novel captured your attention! Thanks for the review 🙂
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I also loved the novel I read just before reading the Quick book: The Heart In Winter, by Kevin Barry.
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That’s great, Neil 🙂
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Phew, what a story! Isn’t it wonderful to be carried along like that?
Those are two fine cloud, sky, and tree pictures.
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Hi. I mentioned this in reply to another person: I read another outstanding novel recently — The Heart In Winter, by Kevin Barry.
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I can also get lost in the clouds! Very easily – but not while walking! . Silver Linings was an amazing movie – now you’ve made me interesting in his books! Also lovely to read your posts! Happy Summer (what remains of it)
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Hi. Right, Silver Linings is a terrific movie. Both cooper and Lawrence are great in it. See ya!
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Funnily enough I was trying to achieve the exact same thing the other night – trying to capture a jet black rain cloud coming over the hill at us – and it’s exactly as you say, really hard to capture without street furniture! That sounds like an interesting book: I’ll take a look for it. Great piece as always, Neil.
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Yeah, our species loves to build stuff, and that stuff tends to push Nature aside.
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Great photos! And yes, I agree: “…the life of an amateur photographer ain’t a breeze.” Although I am not even to the level of amateur, it is tough to take a great photo, especially using a phone! Anyhow the book sounds fascinating, and I might give it a read! Thanks for the heads up.
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Hi. I’ve been on a hot streak with books I enjoy. Right now I’m two-thirds of the way through a good one: Talk To Me, by T.C. Boyle.
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I admit that I prefer to have my head in the clouds these days, rather than read too many novels that remind me of all the ways we humans have messed up. I get enough of that in my daily diet of news, which I take only in small bites, but they nonetheless make me gag.
Keep looking up! ⛅⛅⛅
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Human behavior can be, and frequently is, atrocious.
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😢
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I would have been pleased with myself if I had simply remained upright while looking up and capturing photos-that-wouldn’t-have-been-nearly-as-lovely. Good balancing–literally and artistically!
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In the 1970s and 80s I enjoyed taking pictures with my Kodak Instamatic. Then I pretty much stopped taking pictures for a long time. I resumed the hobby when I got an iPhone about eight years ago.
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It looks like the obnoxious bastards yielded-nice photos! The Reason You’re Alive sounds thrilling. I normally don’t read fiction but this sounds compelling. Have a great day!
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Hi, and many thanks for stopping by. If you read the book, I hope you’ll like it. Take care.
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This does sound like an interesting book, with a well-rounded character.
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He’s intense, but he has a pretty good sense of humor. Overall, he’s likable.
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I love Matthew Quick’s writing!
Nice sky pictures, Neil, especially the first one!
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Hi there. I plan to read another of his books one of these days.
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Nice pics! The sky and trees are a constant, aren’t they, almost anywhere you are in the world? Except of course for deserts.
No, no one’s life is a breeze. Sometimes life is very windy and sometimes quite still.
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I just looked at the sky, as seen through trees in my backyard. Beautiful!
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The book doesn’t look like my cup of tea. But here’s a recommendation from me: West with Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge. Read it a year ago and still can’t stop thinking and talking about it!
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I hadn’t heard of it. Thanks a lot.
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The heavens are indeed incredible. In the Netherlands, being so flat, it is possible to find yourself in places with no obstacles enabling one to enjoy both the landscape and the magnificent skies. This is especially so in a province called Friesland. I love these photos and look forward to your next heavenly photographic adventure. Best wishes and keep taking those great photos.
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Hi. Is there much light pollution at night in Friesland? I’m guessing that there isn’t.
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You are absolutely right. All you can see are fields, trees and open space.
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“Don’t look up!” Ha, ha, but I always look up as I love clouds! And yes, photography done correctly (without AI, and all the modern paraphernalia) isn’t that easy!
Thanks for the book suggestion, I’ll look for this one.
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I have a bad habit of often not looking too much at the skies. It’s a habit I’m going to try and break.
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It’s clouds illusions I recall, I really don’t know clouds at all. Oh wait, that’s a song. But I like the pictures. I will also make note of the book.
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Joni!
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Your description of Quick’s novel makes its protagonist, Granger, feel almost real. Authors would love to have you review their books, I suspect.
I enjoyed the cloud pictures, too!
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Hi, Bradley. I’m going to go outside in a few minutes and look up at the clouds. I don’t look up anywhere near often enough, a habit I need to break.
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I just met a Vietnam vet who also had a brain tumor. I wonder if his was caused by Agent Orange? Keep looking to the skies, my friend!
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I’ve looked at the skies two times today. Most days, I don’t look up at all. So, I’m improving!
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Thank you for the walk, and the book recommendation. Both were perfect timing for me as today is a ‘lie around and read day’ – so I definitely needed the virtual walk. ❤
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Hi there. It’s been kind of a lie around and read day for me too!
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I agree that no one’s life is a breeze! And thanks for the recommendation, that definitely sounds like a book worth checking out.
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What amazes me is the enormous, ever-increasing number of quality books in the world.
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That book sounds a very interesting one 🤓i love the way you described the streets and that sky…..so atmospheric 🤩
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Hi. I just looked out my back door — the sky is clear and pale blue. It’s a beautiful morning here in Pennsylvania.
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I would like to say the sane but despite been pretty warm and mostly dry has been very cloudy lately 🤷♀️and today is not exception🙄
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Beautiful photos 💓
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I appreciate it. Thank you.
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I’ll have to give that book a try–thank you, Neil. Back to trees and clouds, that’s one of my happy places. I’m always looking up and lost in the mystery and beauty.
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Hi. I have a real bad habit of often forgetting to look up. I was outside today for an hour, doing yard work, and didn’t look at the sky. I somehow need to break this habit.
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certainly lively entertaining prose like yours, Neil: I love your snarky humor 🙂
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Hi John, and thanks. See ya!
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Walking, hiking, exploring – some of life’s greatest pleasures.
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Absolutely!
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Thanks for the walk and the book take. Im reading lots of soft covers these days. Lots of drawings and quote captions. Someone told me they’re called comic books. Quick reads.
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Comic books are cool. I wish I still had all the comic books I had as a kid. Superman, Green Lantern, Archie, etc.
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Just added this title to my TBR list. Thanks for sharing!! And keep looking up, but be careful not to trip 🙂
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I remembered to look up today! Hi, and thanks for stopping by. See ya!
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Clouds are always worth a shot. Listen to Joni Mitchell’s take on them. I’m taking note of your book recommendation.
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Hi, Shane. If you decide to read the book, I hope you’ll like it. Have a good upcoming week!
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Thanks for the book suggestion. I just put it on my Kindle (got it for “free” on my Kindle Unlimited account). Not a book I’d probably pick for myself, but your review and sample paragraph told me “YES.”
And Yes, I love trees and clouds. Trying to ‘shoot’ them together is not easy. I look up often in the sky from our front yard, where many trees make it challenging to see the hawks floating above me, below the clouds, looking for a tasty chipmunk. (But I warn the chipmunks every time). 🙂
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Hi. I found the book to be, among other things, endearing. The narrative (Granger) is honest and pretty good at sizing himself up, and at sizing other people up. Anyway, I hope you’ll like it.
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Perhaps the clouds and sky smiled back at you. I like admiring nature especially when I need a break from what I’m doing. Oh yeah, life isn’t a breeze. There’s too many twists and turns. But I guess it’s also what keeps life exciting.
Thanks for the book recommendation. That short snippet there is quite some storytelling. And thanks for sharing your walks, writing, photos, space, stories… Just enjoying what we do makes life simple and content.
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Hello there. Thanks for adding your thoughts and insights. I totally agree with your ending sentence: “Just enjoying what we do makes life simple and content.”
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