Michael Summers
@mwsum
Writer, runner, and Military Veteran with love for theology and international relations (the subjects that you aren't supposed to discuss), also enjoy baseball, music, and history. Avid reader. Autism advocate. Kansan now for more than a decade. #veteran
I found this rock while mowing my yard. As I removed dirt from it, I discerned a metaphor for our nation and world: Even in the darkest hours, hope remains when people have faith in and love for one another. #hope
While characters could have been better developed, I appreciated attention paid to local culture (I grew up about thirty miles away) and to racial, religious, and cultural bigotry that infused the timeline of WW2 America. Life was messy then as now; not all turns out well in this story. #booksky
Happy Sunday! Perspective: A sunny day full of possibilities? Life-sustaining rain clouds? Cloaked Communist-allied alien spacecraft invading Earth? Which do you see? Or is something else? #photography #philosophy #climate #psychology #politics
This fantasy/romance/mystery explores two (or is it three?) times in the lives of seminar students and their teachers. What will they sacrifice to gain power, wealth, and control? At the core is a library fueled with mystical (dangerous?) power from an ancient book within it. #booksky
Research and history tie the two threads of the plot together. A literary scholar in 2119 searches for a lost poem from our time. He learns how uncertain knowledge is. It's a reminder to be humble about what we "know" and to consider what we may be setting up our descendants to experience. #booksky
My primary Independence Day activity was participating in an American Legion and VFW flag line at the Lansing, Kansas celebration. One of those moments when Democrats and Republicans were able to act together as Veterans serving Veterans to celebrate our nation as worth saving #IndepenceDay
Walking reminds me of our planet's beauty and calms, clears my mind so I may dream and have hope #photography
The reader learns from an aide who wanted Trump to succeed then realized Trump's motives and priorities were not his own nor in the best interest of the nation. Insight: Trump in a second term would lose all guardrails. America was warned. Check it out from the library. #booksky
The flag may be tattered but it is still flying. Keep hoping and working for people. When we work together for one another, we sustain and justify the "American experiment." Happy Independence Day! #IndependenceDay #4thofJuly
Sometimes the path forward seems clear, other times reveal complexity and the need for harder work to clear the way of debris #photography #politics #religiion
Jane Eyre as well as Crime and Punishment echo in Verity - who to believe, who to fear. What lurks in authors' lives that births loathsome acts, what fears evoke horror? Tragedies multiply. How does trauma warp parents' minds, or their child's? What choices would I have made? #booksky
Not all American female heroes of World War II were Rosie Riveters. Some flew combat aircraft, but had to leave America to achieve feats that still elude American women. "Eager for the air," their heroism, tragedies, romances, and foibles make this an inspiring, yet discouraging must read. #booksky
Klein probes her own psyche and her "evil twin's" psyche in the context of fractured personal, ethnic, and national relationships. We make choices that change or reinforce the arc of our lives. As we forge our way forward, which version of ourselves will we choose? #booksky
Adventures in mowing - Rabbit encounter in my front yard yesterday. Squirrels, rabbits, and the occasional raccoons frolic in my yard and deck. #environment #photography #mature
Happy Father's Day! My own father was also my mentor, colleague, inspiration, and friend. I aspire to be the same for my children and grandchildren. #fathersday
Michelle Obama is a strong woman who married a strong man. Insight into an enduring marriage of a neat, organized woman and a less neat man who has compelling vision. Read this book if you do not like Michelle Obama or her husband. Fans will love, but discover rough edges and determination. #booksky
AI is everywhere in this novel's world. An all-female crew of 80 is selected for the first interstellar journey. An explosion rocks their journey. Terrorism? Relationships, AI dependency, a world war and unresolved family drama back home all figure in. I hope that a sequel will follow. #booksky
This historical fiction with ties to the author's own family examines bigotry, national dreams, family secrets, love and betrayal. Three tragic loves refine Shiv's character after meeting Gandhi defines its foundation. After an open ending, will Shiv choose desire, nation, or family? #booksky
Kurzwell updates his previous books on future fusion between humans and AI. He predicts human-Cloud linkage in 2 decades. In 2024, he didn't foresee slashes to humanitarian aid, meteorology funding, and scientific research. Kurzwell provides an important overview of questions related to AI. #booksky
A truly enigmatic development. The metaphysical contortions that alleged Christians attempt in order to defend cruelty to the poor, to refugees, and to the sick are sickening.
This past weekend, the Kansas American Legion Convention elected George Pogge as new commander. Boys State Governor Garrett Li and Girls State Governor Sasha Gutru addressed the convention. I spoke with Gutru, who plans a political career as a Democrat. Both young leaders give me hope for America.
While I worked at recovering from injury that prevented running, I walked over 64 miles in May #fitness
Have a thoughtful Memorial Day. I went to a ceremony at Leavenworth National Cemetery today. Several friends of mine died in Iraq or Afghanistan. An uncle died in Vietnam. This day is about the sacrifice made by them and their families. Of
What calms you when you do it? For me, what helps me relax and clear my mind is mowing my yard. Singing is next then running