This book is keeping me awake

Population: 485: Meeting Your Neighbors One Siren at a Time (Wisconsin)

Michael Perry

Since I was an infant, I have been a fussy sleeper. My biggest challenge is settling down and getting to sleep at night. Exercise is a huge help, but so is a wind-down routine at night. In my case, I get in bed 30 to 45 minutes before my target "bedtime" and read. Mostly I read biography and non-fiction - a page-turner novel is the worst - I'm not able to put the darn thing down and the next thing I know it's 2 hours later and I'm still wide awake.

This past week, I started in on Population: 485. The reason I have this book is that it's about New Auburn, WI. New Auburn is very close to where my grandfather built a lake cottage - the cottage that was the site of the family gathering in August that we never made it to. My cousin had recommended this as pre-gathering reading; I had bought the book with plans to read it on the plane. Of course, we never made it on the plane and so the book didn't get read.

First, I am absolutely loving the book. The topic, however, wasn't quite what I expected. It's a pretty darn graphic account of what it's like being a first responder in a small community. It's a topic I have at least some familarity with. Drake grew up in a small town (Population 1083). His brother is the former Roseville Fire Chief (now an Illinois State Trooper) and his Dad was recently recognized for 35 years of service on the Roseville Volunteer Fire Department.

The problem is that the writing conveys the experience of going out on various fire calls with heart-thumping accuracy. Not only is this darn book a page-turner, it's an adrenline-elevator. In effect, the worst thing I could be reading before bed.

I should take it off my bedstand, but I'm too hooked on it to do that. Luckily, I think I've just got a couple of more nights until I finish it off.