Cheap Land Colorado with Ted Conover

<p>This is a real life story set in a vast land, the San Luis Valley of Colorado. It’s a huge flat prairie flanked by mountains, and it&#39;s far off the beaten path. Author Ted Conover takes us there in this Desideratum. </p> <p>A desideratum is an essential thing and this story got me thinking about lots of essential things - like wide open spaces, what to do with a rattlesnake, the peace you find in silence, and the need for connection.</p> <p>Ted Conover is perhaps best known for spending a year as a prison guard at the maximum security prison Sing Sing in New York. The book he wrote about that experience was called Newjack and it earned a National Book Critics Circle Award for Nonfiction and made Ted a Pulitzer Prize Finalist. His work expands and deepens what we think of as Journalism.  He submerges himself in often uncomfortable situations and then takes readers along with him.</p> <p>Today we’re talking about his latest immersive experience and book called Cheap Land Colorado. In his observation of small details side by side with his big picture perspectives, he paints a very complete picture with his own voice as narrator in your ear.</p> <p>I hope you enjoy getting to know Ted Conover as much as I have. I want to thank The Colorado Sun for shining their light on Ted’s work. I listen to the Sun&#39;s podcast called The Daily Sun-Up, and every Sunday I check out their SunLit feature for author spotlights. Sunlit editor Kevin Simpson often talks to authors on The Daily Sun-ups Friday podcast. Check it out at <a href="https://coloradosun.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">coloradosun.com </a>or wherever you&#39;re listening to this podcast.  </p> <p>Ted will be in Denver for the Colorado Sun’s SunFest ideas conference. Here&#39;s a link for tickets: <a href="https://coloradosun.com/sunfest/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">https://coloradosun.com/sunfest/</a></p> <p>And here&#39;s a link to the La Puente organization Ted volunteers with so you find out more about the good work they do.