Getting ready

It was difficult to prepare for this trip during the spring, as everything picked up speed at home and at USM in April and May. I did find the time to do a little reading to set the stage, however. I am finishing Harvard Sitkoff's biography on Martin Luther King Jr. (King - Pilgrimage to the Mountaintop) which gave me some more insight into the overall biography of MLK. It also provided enough detail of the Montgomery Bus Boycott, the Birmingham movement in 63, and the Selma movement in 65 for me to be able to sink into more detail when I visit those three locations. I have reread two sections of my favorite book, Confederates in the Attic by Tony Horwitz. His reflections on touring Shiloh and Vicksbug are priceless. I will read a few of the passages and post them if I have time. I have been working on the audio version of Shiloh by Shelby Foote, read in the authors mesmerizing southern gruffness. I also have some great podcasts loaded on the iPod for the lengthy drives between stops.