Counting the blasts

@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
@JudyEv (323744)
• Rockingham, Australia
17 Jun 22
That's true but a good many stories could do with a little abbreviating in some places. I don't really know how much is cut out but I don't think it can be much.
2 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
@JudyEv (323744)
• Rockingham, Australia
17 Jun 22
Thanks. I've been trying to read a bit more lately. I have lots of books and many of them I haven't read.
2 people like this
• Germany
17 Jun 22
@JudyEv That`s good
2 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
@JudyEv (323744)
• Rockingham, Australia
17 Jun 22
I don't know. It didn't say and I couldn't work it out but there was only one phone in the area - a payphone at the store. They had a generator at the mine that ran the drill and trucks and cars if that's any help.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (323744)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 Jun 22
@BarBaraPrz I would think so.
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
• Wheat Ridge, Colorado
18 Jun 22
@JudyEv Did you
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323744)
• Rockingham, Australia
19 Jun 22
@RebeccasFarm Yes, because of the Colorado connection.
@JudyEv (323744)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 Jun 22
I thought of you when I was reading the book.
2 people like this
• 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
• 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
@JudyEv (323744)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 Jun 22
The people there even live underground as it is so hot.
2 people like this
@CarolDM (203478)
• Nashville, Tennessee
17 Jun 22
I have read condensed books but it has been awhile.
3 people like this
@JudyEv (323744)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 Jun 22
I've often read all four from the one volume and enjoyed them all.
2 people like this
@CarolDM (203478)
• Nashville, Tennessee
18 Jun 22
@JudyEv That is great. My sister always read a lot.
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (168467)
• United States
17 Jun 22
I used to.
3 people like this
@JudyEv (323744)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 Jun 22
I might look out for more as I find them good value and I don't have any trouble getting rid of them when I've finished.
2 people like this
@sjvg1976 (41134)
• Delhi, India
18 Jun 22
No, I have never read a condensed book. I would also want to know the difference between both types of books.
3 people like this
@JudyEv (323744)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 Jun 22
You certainly don't notice that there are bits missing. If you didn't know it was a condensed book, you'd be none the wiser.
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
@JudyEv (323744)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 Jun 22
It's never obvious that bits are missing.
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (455008)
• Switzerland
17 Jun 22
I used to read "condensed books" when I was a student All those boring that we were obliged to read... but I missed some parts and if the teacher asked specific questions sometimes I failed.
3 people like this
@LadyDuck (455008)
• Switzerland
17 Jun 22
@JudyEv There were books that I hated, I did the same.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (323744)
• Rockingham, Australia
17 Jun 22
I used to try to 'speed read' too and cut out a lot of the descriptive stuff.
2 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
@JudyEv (323744)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 Jun 22
You see them sometimes in thrift shops. I often read all four and will enjoy them all.
2 people like this
• 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
@JudyEv (323744)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 Jun 22
I'll try to do it one day just to satisfy my curiosity.
1 person likes this
@DianneN (246452)
• United States
17 Jun 22
I used to read Reader’s Digest, but loved the jokes the most. I prefer the details of an original book.
3 people like this
@JudyEv (323744)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 Jun 22
Reader's Digests were always good in waiting rooms as you could usually finish what you started. Those days are gone now. There are never any magazines or reading material in waiting rooms since covid hit.
1 person likes 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
@JudyEv (323744)
• Rockingham, Australia
17 Jun 22
I've never been aware of any 'failings' in the condensed books.
2 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
@xFiacre (12541)
• Ireland
17 Jun 22
@judyev Your pic is probably not like Colorado at all, but it’s very reminiscent of roads in 1960s Malawi
3 people like this
@JudyEv (323744)
• Rockingham, Australia
17 Jun 22
When I see African movies, I'm often reminded of Australia. And the light seems to be different too somehow.
2 people like 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
@paigea (35511)
• Canada
17 Jun 22
I like the condensed books. You should try your experiment.
3 people like this
@JudyEv (323744)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 Jun 22
I will one day. I'm more and more curious now about how the two versions would compare.
2 people like this
@Dena91 (15769)
• United States
17 Jun 22
Yes, I enjoy reading condensed books too. Reader's Digest has many good ones.
3 people like this
@JudyEv (323744)
• Rockingham, Australia
17 Jun 22
I've never been aware that there might have been parts missing. It seems to be done very skilfully.
2 people like this
@Kandae11 (53597)
17 Jun 22
Some time ago l had Readers Digest delivered every month and l loved reading the condensed stories.
3 people like this
@JudyEv (323744)
• Rockingham, Australia
17 Jun 22
You can pick these up in thrift stores sometimes. I find them mostly really good.
1 person likes 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
18 Jun 22
The Reader's Digest versions usually have four stories and there is almost always at least one mystery.
1 person likes 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