Did you ever read something that you just needed to read at that time? I just finished Rita Mae Brown’s Riding Shotgun and just totally enjoyed it. It has some keen observations of the human condition, modern and not so modern, and truthfulness, and, of course, horses. Thanks, Rita, I needed that.

I was introduced to Rita Mae Brown through the same book most everyone else was: Rubyfruit Jungle, the epitome of early lesbian literature that I suppose that is supposed to be. We read it for a social work sensitivity class or something, one in which we read not only lesbian literature but also literature of poverty (The Beans of Egypt Maine) and the black experience (sorry, don’t remember that one) and who knows what all else. We had this ex-state trooper in the class who was prone to say things like, “Nothing against those Catholics, BUT . . .” who was horrified that his son might pick up this lesbo book and learn something about female anatomy. It was pretty funny.

I’ve only read Rubyfruit and a couple of her foxhunting mysteries. I frankly don’t remember all that much about Rubyfruit, but the horse books are thoroughly enjoyable.