Finished 11/16/19 at 7:30 AM

I used to love to climb. After a few of my friends and I began to do so regularly at a local gym, and then outdoors locally, then outdoors at a distance -- I fell in love with the sport and seemingly absorbed much of it's lingo and idiosyncrasies.

I also love the work of William Finnegan -- his book 'Barbarian Days: A Surfing Life' is one of my favorite of the past few years and his New Yorker articles are some of the best I've read.

So, obviously -- the combination of these two was awesome.

'Climbing With Mollie' is a short piece that follows Finnegan and his daughter's relationship with climbing -- everything from the physical actions of doing it, the culture they learn to adopt and the relationship they strengthen as a result. It uncannily captures exactly what it's like to enter this strange world (they do a step further and go to competition climbing, which I never ventured into). Finnegan does it with wonder and finesse as well.

It's one of the few pieces I have already sent recommendations out on to friends (OK, 'few' may be a misnomer). I highly recommend checking it out.