Counting the blasts
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (323744)
Rockingham, Australia
June 17, 2022 4:13am CST
I’ve just finished reading a Reader’s Digest condensed version of Jenny’s Mountain by Elaine Long. Originally published in 1987, it’s set in the mountains of Colorado where, after her husband becomes too traumatised to work their goldmine, Jenny takes over, learning to use dynamite to blast away the rock face, and to drill and bore out the ore.
It was an engaging book but I was fascinated by the detail woven into the narrative of how the holes for the dynamite were drilled in a particular pattern and how the tinders/wicks (I think those are the terms) were made by hand. Once the fuses were lit, it was important to count the number of blasts to be sure that all had detonated before going back into the mine shaft.
Do you ever read condensed books? One day, I’d like to read a condensed one and a non-condensed one to see if I can pick the difference.
The photo was taken at Coober Pedy, in typical Australian mining company, although opals are the treasure here. Obviously, it's nothing like the Colorado mountains.
25 people like this
25 responses
@arunima25 (84944)
• Bangalore, India
17 Jun 22
I have never read a condensed book. But it seems the ones that are by Reader's Digest are very interesting. I would like to read one sometimes.
Hopefully you can get a condensed and original book of the same and draw a comparison. It would be tricky to condense a book without loosing the real essence and main points.
6 people like this
@arunima25 (84944)
• Bangalore, India
20 Jun 22
@JudyEv I totally agree. Sometimes I feel that the story or book could be better if it was a little abbreviated.. And they won't cut much as the story might loose it's essence.
1 person likes this
@m_audrey6788 (58487)
• Germany
17 Jun 22
No. I don`t read condensed books but nice to read things from your post
5 people like this
@BarBaraPrz (45235)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
17 Jun 22
I used to read them to my mother.
In what year was Jenny's Mountain set?
3 people like this
@BarBaraPrz (45235)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
17 Jun 22
@JudyEv Early 20th century?
2 people like this
@RebeccasFarm (84370)
• Wheat Ridge, Colorado
17 Jun 22
Lovely..I could be doing with some dynamite here in CO too
3 people like this
@JudyEv (323744)
• Rockingham, Australia
19 Jun 22
@RebeccasFarm Yes, because of the Colorado connection.
@MarshaMusselman (38469)
• Midland, Michigan
17 Jun 22
I didn't realize that opals are mined also not that they are mined in Australia.
I've read a few condensed books before and have wondered the same thing.
3 people like this
@MarshaMusselman (38469)
• Midland, Michigan
18 Jun 22
@JudyEv interesting. They must not blast the sites or yours think they'd worry about the places they're living crumbling down also.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323744)
• Rockingham, Australia
19 Jun 22
@MarshaMusselman They probably blast out on the flats but not in the town area. It must be reasonably easy digging as, if people want a new shelf, they just dig out the rock to create a new one.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (61328)
• United States
17 Jun 22
Yes, we used to have Reader’s Digest condensed books when I was a kid. I have honestly never read the full novel of anything I read from RD to see where the differences lay, either.
3 people like this
@RasmaSandra (72517)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
18 Jun 22
I have not read any condensed books in a long time, I sound like an interesting story,
3 people like this
@Marilynda1225 (79233)
• United States
17 Jun 22
That sounds like a very interesting book and I love when you learn something from a book you're reading. Interesting for sure about how they drilled holes for dynamite, etc.
I haven't read a condensed book in ages but it would be interesting to read both to see what the difference would be.
3 people like this
@LindaOHio (153163)
• United States
17 Jun 22
I used to read condensed books; but now I like to read the full versions.
3 people like this
@LindaOHio (153163)
• United States
18 Jun 22
@JudyEv I haven't seen any condensed books in decades. They used to be really popular here.
1 person likes this
@Fleura (28949)
• United Kingdom
17 Jun 22
So why does the husband become too traumatised - what happened to him?
Sounds an interesting read, and provides insight into a tough way of life too.
I have an Australian opal : )
I haven't read any condensed books; if I'm going to read a book I'd rather read it as the author wrote it.
3 people like this
@JudyEv (323744)
• Rockingham, Australia
17 Jun 22
There was a rock fall in the mine when the guy was working it. Some of it is just within credibility but I'm sure there were women back then who did work incredibly hard. I understand what you're saying about books being condensed but sometimes a bit of judicious pruning would help many a book keep a reader's interest better.
2 people like this
@oahuwriter (26786)
• United States
18 Jun 22
I used to read them and enjoyed it. I like mystery genre. You know now about mining.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (323744)
• Rockingham, Australia
19 Jun 22
@oahuwriter I found them very interesting too. And lots of little jokes, etc.
1 person likes this
@oahuwriter (26786)
• United States
19 Jun 22
@JudyEv
Years back in my Mother had a subscription of Readers Digest. Good reads!
1 person likes this