Rating: 
Summary: Man, 50, retreats to mountaintop, emerges kinder, gentler
Review: Can you retreat to a mountaintop cabin at age 50 and emerge several months later a kinder, gentler person? Jon Katz did and Running to the Mountain is his engaging account of that transformation.He doesn't claim that such a transformation was his goal nor does he claim to have accomplished such a transformation. Still, his thoughtful, disarmingly honest, almost guileless account leaves no doubt that his experiences left him both kinder and gentler. (His kindness and gentleness were so manifest during a recent appearance on a C-SPAN television show that at least one caller to the show explicitly congratulated him on the fact.) Katz's stated goal for the retreat was to learn more about himself and his relationship to the world. He has proclaimed the retreat a success in this regard. His account of the retreat, and the disaffection that prompted it, offers startlingly telling glimpses into the hazards and rewards of earning a living as a writer and an author. It reveals, in countless, unsentimental ways, the scope and reach of an abusive parent's impact on the life of an abused child. Above all, it offers hope to anyone who was raised in an abusive household and who hopes to transcend the fear and self-loathing engendered by such an upbringing. Katz was well into his 30s before a psychiatrist helped him realize that he could become a writer if he so chose. More than ten years later, having earned considerable success as an author and a journalist, be retreated to the mountaintop wracked by a lack of self-confidence and a lack of certainty about his role in the world. Shortly after his arrival, while less than 100 yards from his cabin, he became lost and disoriented and almost gave up hope of finding his way back. Readers who have never felt unwanted by their families, who have never felt unsuited to their work, who have never doubted their spirituality, who have never lost their way, may find Katz's story unremarkable and unrewarding. Others will savor the many small victories, numerous sweet triumphs, and countless insights that Katz has to share. Somewhere near the middle of the book he mentions, in passing, that he has succeeded in the most important challenge of his life: He has raised a wonderful daughter and given her a childhood free of the abuse that characterized his own childhood. His retreat played no role in this success but it played a significant role in his recognition and appreciation of it. If you've ever contemplated a run to the mountain, buy this book now and take it with you when you go. But don't wait until then to read it. Jon Katz is a kind and gentle soul who has already made the trip and you'll enjoy what he has to say about it.
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Summary: Jon understands the male soul.
Review: This is a wonderful book. I am amazed to find a writer in the same place as I. He speakx for many of us who seek God, or at least peace, in a world of everyday living. He knows what it feels like to be a man who does not fit in with the sterotypical man. He feels not just pain, but joy and connection to a larger sprirt. I could not but this book done until I finished it because it spoke the words I need to heat. Thanks Jon. Please continue a series on the same topic. I want to hear more from you.
Rating:
Summary: Written from the heart
Review: Courage and honesty come in many forms, and I found them both in this book. Embarking on what to some might be a minor or inconsequential endeavor, Katz finds nothing less than a quest. The book works on many levels. On the surface, it's the story of a writer's adventures as he bought a "retreat" in rural upstate New York. On another level, it's an exploration of urban versus rural societies. On still another level, it's a spiritual journey informed -- and perhaps guided -- by the writings of Thomas Merton. It's also about aging, friendship, and dogs. Accessible, relevant, and enlightening, not to mention just a good read.
Rating: 
Summary: Light Reading With A Message
Review: Critics have said that it's mush, or that Katz is a "phony" who "experienced wilderness" with all the accoutrements of a 20th Century techie, but let's face it: you don't have to be a monk, or an Alaskan explorer, to experience live changing events. To those critics I would say try living away from friends, family and familiar day-to-day experiences for six months in a remote area. If I were a betting person I'd place a wager that you'll experience moments of revelation too. I liked the book. It was light and entertaining reading. I laughted when reading about the house repairs. I shuddered when reading about the storms on the mountain. I had moments of reflection, and could identify with Katz' descriptions of a 50 year old, about to "lose" his child/children to adulthood, who didn't know what he, himself, wanted to do when he grew up. For those who are looking for light reading with a message, I whole heartedly recommend this book. As they use to say, try it - you'll like it.
Rating: 
Summary: Total disapointment
Review: The prologue was so appealing that with every page of the book, I expected to find some meat, some wisdom, some significant observations. But the entire book was shallow popcorn. It's a story of a middle-aged man who goes off to a cottage in remote - Alaska? (no, upstate New York) to abandon civilization for a taste of near-monastic life (complete with his Apple Powerbook, internet connection, Primestar satellite and pay-per view movies). One high point is when he learns to trap - bears?, no, field mice! A sample-in the last chapter we learn the author wakes early, write for a while, has a tuna sandwich, drives to a Vermont bookstore, visits a public forest, goes to another bookstore. And then writes, and I quote, "I had the virtuous tiredness that comes when you've done something demanding but healthy and feel entitled to rest". OH PLEASE!
Rating:
Summary: Right on target for age 40+ searchers
Review: Since dropping out of the rat race at age 48 (a few months ago), I've been in a rather frantic quest to find some meaning and a new direction in my own life. Consequently, I've read probably 50+ books in the last year or so on spiritual, self-help, and related topics . . . and Katz's book goes to the top of the pile. While I can't say it changed my life, it did help me reflect on how one can go about making substantive changes in life. If you're a 40+ male, or a female who's involved with one, I can't recommend this book enough. I felt it was written directly for me and I will re-read it again.
Rating:
Summary: Astonishing, powerful, beautifully written
Review: Reading this book is like going on a spiritual retreat. Blessedly devoid of the New Age touchy-feeling mess that passes from books about spirituality these days, it's a brave and brutally honest saga of spiritual growth and personal assessment. I stayed up all night reading it, and will read it again soon. Having read just about everything that Merton wrote, I found myself nodding my head in agreement with Katz' observations. What Jon Katz asks in this book is if our everyday lives can be enough, and what he find out is that you sometimes have to step outside of it to find out how extraordinary our ordinary lives are.
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Summary: Merton, the Mountain and Me
Review: I'm not a religious person, but I've always wanted to be a more spiritual one. Thomas Merton inspired this book, along with the restlessness of Baby Boomers like me as they approach middle age and the great beyond. I'm learning first-hand why they call us the "Sandwich Generation," pressed as we are between work, kids and aging parents and relatives. One of Merton's most seminal ideas was the journey of the soul, the passage from one point in life to another. Turning 50, watching my very beloved daughter prepared for college, restless in a middle-class suburban New Jersey life (about which I've written five novels), I broke for the hill, just as Merton did, and tried to figure out how I wanted to live the rest of my life. And I went alone, leaving my family behind, but bringing two of the greatest companions anyone could have on a trip like that, my Labradors Julius and Stanley, contemplative, soulful and generous companions. Unlike Merton, I had him as a guide. I spent much of a bleak, dark, winter on the top of a remote mountain restoring a cabin in upstate New York. I encountered many strange dramas, from a bad well to hordes of rapacious mice. I was not prepared for the solitude, the cold, the loneliness, the challenge of life like that. Contemplation and loneliness literally hit me on the head. But it was a great trip, one of the greatest and most meaningful of my life, and this book is the story of that trip, part memoir, part spritual adventure. Please let me know what you think. My e-mail is listed below.
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Summary: A Place to Self Evaluation
Review: During a change of life as he reaches the empty nest era, Katz shares his thoughts and reasons for acquiring his mountain get-away. After he and his wife raise their daughter, Katz decides to find a relaxing haven, to spend some time alone, to read the philosophy of Merton and play with his dogs. This account of his rehabilitating a run-down mountain cottage was fun to read. It is a story that many of us wish to echo as we approach our post-midlife (despite the title) years...finding and enjoying a summer get-away. To reward one's self of the work conducted through life is an admirable goal, even though Katz's goal, in part, was to find material to write about (he is an author by the way). I thank Jon Katz for sharing his adventure with us. It was fun to read and I, no doubt, will re-read this as my time comes to find my reward some day. There simply is something tranquil about having a place to go to where one doesn't need a clock, where the beauty of nature and seclusion are paramount. I feel there is a deep feeling within all of us to have such a paradise to go to. I can picture myself now sitting on the porch, overlooking a beautiful valley between mountains, with a good book in hand while man's best friend lies at my feet.
Take this book for what it is, a fun account of one man's experiences of finding that one summer place to spend some alone time (and time with the family)--to contemplate his life while enjoying it with his four-legged friends. It sounds like a beer commercial, it just doesn't get any better than this. A very good read. Similar books: David Brill, A Separate Place; Mark Phillips, My Father's Cabin; Elizabeth Gilbert, The Last American Man; and, of course, the classic, Thoreau's Walden.
If you know of any similar books, please drop me a line John@delbridge.net.
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Summary: Risking it on the mountains
Review: With a fine sense of humor, Jon Katz reveals his most innermost feelings when he explores the purchase of a crumbling, dilapidated mountain top cabin in upstate New York. Jon, an author, is not a talented handy man around the home. It appears he can barely screw in a light bulb, not to mention his weak skills balancing a check book. Obviously catered and emotionally indulged by his wife, it is a strong reflection of his love for her that he takes on the job of becoming not only responsible financially, but challenging and accomplishing simple things like scrubbing a toilet and cooking dinner. Later, he takes on tougher skills of gardening and basic home maintainance.
His emotional torture is the realization that the couple can barely afford the luxury (?) of a second home, especially one with significant needs. His prolonged assault of ponderous concerns weigh heavily on him as he goes through the decision of actual purchase and facing the extensive renovations ahead of him. He perceives the purchase as an escape for which he can write his novels, articles and self-exploratory memoirs yet the sacrifice he is inflicting on his wife and daughter disturbs his decision making processes. But his love for the home and the mountain lure him and with excessive reflection of his motives and writings of Thomas Merton, he bites the bullet and signs on the doted line.
Central to his development are his extraordinary blond labradors and their day to day activities. A black lab owner myself, I found this the most charming aspect of his life style. There is something so deeply penetrating in one's love for their dog, and it was quite palpable in the experiences they shared together. Special kudos to his patient and loving wife, Paula who understood when to let go and trust in her man. Their daughter, Emma, friends Jeff and Michele, and the incredible townsfolk round out a very lovely story of growth and achievement. Jon's writing skills truly made me feel as if I too, was sitting in his front yard, sipping scotch and watching the mountains looming in the distance. He just may tug of few of you out of your hum drums, and provoke you as well to purchase your little cabin in the mountains.
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