Travis McClain > Recent Status Updates

Read the letters Johnny sent Vivian after arriving in Germany through the end of the year ('51), most of which consisted of him yearning to hear from her. I think we all know that anxiety. I felt a swelling of it just from reading!

I didn't realize it when I picked up this book, but much of it is devoted to simply presenting in their entirety love letters Johnny Cash wrote his first wife throughout the course of their relationship. Vivian Cash wrote an intimate introduction, but it looks as though I won't encounter her writing again until later in the book. The letters I've already read are endearing; somewhat naive and corny.

Part 4: "Bon Aqua" is something of a hodgepodge. For me, the strongest section was devoted to his identity as a Christian. I've never had the strength of faith that he had, but I do have it. I find something encouraging about hearing testimonials from people who take ownership over their shortcomings, as Cash did. It helps me feel like there's some place for me in there somewhere, even if I don't know where it is.

Part 3: "Port Richey" covers quite a lot of ground, but it's the final bit about Cash coming to grips with the nature of fighting his addiction that struck me. I've been in a dark place with depression for awhile now, and I just read some of my own words in Cash's text. I've got a headache right now, but I'll have to deliberate on this some more throughout the day.

Part 2: "The Road" covers Cash's early years at Sun Records, and anecdotes about some of his friendships with other artists. I've now been to Memphis and Sun Studio, and can picture the comings and goings described there. And there's something about the combination of road travel and rich friendships that resonates with me.

I fell behind on "Ring of Fire: The Johnny Cash Reader" and had to return it to the library but I own "Cash", so when we got a break between severe storms last night/this morning, I decided to start reading it since it wasn't an electronic device.

While my niece swam and played, I read a chapter from Cash's 1975 autobiography, "Man in Black", giving his account of the death of his brother Jack. Even knowing what happened - and having already read that exact book - I was overcome by anxiety today, prompted by Cash recounting that his brother would not speak to him as he lay dying, Cash thinking it was his brother telling him to get used to him being gone.

Having just visited the Dyess Colony and Cash's boyhood home, it was surreal to know that I've stood in the exact places mentioned, that I've gone down the exact road between that house and the administrative office, that I've even sent a postcard from that post office! I'm definitely eager to read more of Christopher Wren's 1971 bio of Cash after this excerpt!