Odds & Ends: May 2, 2025

Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison. I’ve been continuing my reading goal of revisiting books that I read in high school. I recently finished Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man. I remember it having a big impact on me as a 17-year-old, and I was pleased to find out that it still holds up. Ellison is an amazing writer: he tells a compelling story packed with rich symbolism. I loved chewing on it, trying to uncover the deeper meanings. The theme of identity that the nameless protagonist grapples with resonated with me when I was a teenager trying to figure out who I was in the world. I was surprised to discover that it resonated with me even more as a middle-aged man. Highly recommend. 

“The Changing of the Guard.” Next week is Teacher Appreciation Week. If you’re a teacher in need of a boost, someone thinking about what a special teacher meant to you, or anyone, really, reflecting on the meaning of their life’s work, then you’ll appreciate this episode of The Twilight Zone. When prep school professor Ellis Fowler is forced to step down after decades of teaching poetry, he feels useless and forgotten, and even contemplates ending his life. But he changes his mind when he’s visited by the spirits of former, now-deceased students. The episode is pretty heavy on the sentimentality, but it offers a nice reflection on legacy, purpose, and the often unseen impact of a life spent in service to others.

The Man Who Broke Bowling. I like stories about people finding success through unconventional methods that are often ridiculed. This GQ profile of bowling superstar Jason Belmonte fits the bill. Belmonte uses an unorthodox two-handed style that has faced fierce criticism but consistently wins him matches. Similar to basketball star Rick Barry — who achieved nearly 90% accuracy by embracing the underhanded “granny shot” free throw despite widespread mockery — Belmonte stuck with the unconventional technique that worked best for him. With 15 major titles and counting, his willingness to endure criticism while perfecting a unique approach proves that sometimes breaking the unspoken “rules” is exactly how you win the game.

Mosquito dunks. It’s warming up here in Tulsa, which means the appearance of mosquitoes is right on the horizon. So I recently stocked up on mosquito dunks to get my mosquito-killing buckets ready for spring and summer. Simply place a dunk in a bucket filled with water and a handful of grass clippings. When female mosquitoes lay their eggs in the water, the dunk eliminates the larvae, significantly reducing the mosquito population around your property. You can read more about how to set up this effective mosquito-control method here.

On our Dying Breed newsletter, we published Sunday Firesides: Embracing the Coin of Character and The Truth About Therapy, Part I: A Good Therapist Is Damn Hard to Find.

Quote of the Week

In those vernal seasons of the year when the air is calm and pleasant, it were an injury and sullenness against nature not to go out and see her riches, and partake in her rejoicing with heaven and earth.

—John Milton

This article was originally published on The Art of Manliness.