Cheap Land Colorado with Ted Conover - Desideratum

What this episode covers

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's far off the beaten path. Author Ted Conover takes us there in this Desideratum. 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. 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. 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. 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'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 coloradosun.com or wherever you're listening to this podcast. Ted will be in Denver for the Colorado Sun’s SunFest ideas conference. Here's a link for tickets: https://coloradosun.com/sunfest/ And here's a link to the La Puente organization Ted volunteers with so you find out more about the good work they do. https://lapuentehome.org/ One more big thank you to the audio publisher Random House Audio for the excerpt from Cheap Land Colorado. And, as always, thank you for listening.

Share this episode

Similar Episodes

Pt 1 History of the Discovery of the Mississippi River

Jun 18, 2026 ·21m

Pt 2 History of the Discovery of the Mississippi River

Jun 18, 2026 ·25m

Pt 3 History of the Discovery of the Mississippi River

Jun 18, 2026 ·22m

Pt 1 Life of Father James Marquette

Jun 18, 2026 ·25m

Pt 2 Life of Father James Marquette

Jun 18, 2026 ·23m

Pt 3 Life of Father James Marquette

Jun 18, 2026 ·24m

Similar Podcasts

Communication Desideratum Michele Buc, MSC How to Communicate without feeling like a lost bottle drifting in the vast ocean. Discovery and Exploration of the Mississippi Valley by John Gilmary Shea (1824 - 1892) LibriVox "It has long been a desideratum to have in English the early narratives, of the discovery and exploration of the Mississippi. Marquette's map and voyage have indeed appeared, but the narrative varies in no small degree from the authentic manuscript, and the map is not at all a copy of that still preserved, as it came from the hand of the great explorer. These published from original manuscripts, and accompanied by the narratives of the missionaries in La Salle's expedition, are now first presented in an accessible shape, and complete the annals of the exploration.The life of Marquette, and the history of the exploration itself, are the result of many years study of the early Spanish and French authorities, both printed and manuscript, some of which have never before been consulted." - Summary by the Author Discovery and Exploration of the Mississippi Valley John Gilmary Shea "It has long been a desideratum to have in English the early narratives, of the discovery and exploration of the Mississippi. Marquette's map and voyage have indeed appeared, but the narrative varies in no small degree from the authentic manuscript, and the map is not at all a copy of that still preserved, as it came from the hand of the great explorer. These published from original manuscripts, and accompanied by the narratives of the missionaries in La Salle's expedition, are now first presented in an accessible shape, and complete the annals of the exploration.The life of Marquette, and the history of the exploration itself, are the result of many years study of the early Spanish and French authorities, both printed and manuscript, some of which have never before been consulted." - Summary by the Author Discovery and Exploration of the Mississippi Valley John Gilmary Shea "It has long been a desideratum to have in English the early narratives, of the discovery and exploration of the Mississippi. Marquette's map and voyage have indeed appeared, but the narrative varies in no small degree from the authentic manuscript, and the map is not at all a copy of that still preserved, as it came from the hand of the great explorer. These published from original manuscripts, and accompanied by the narratives of the missionaries in La Salle's expedition, are now first presented in an accessible shape, and complete the annals of the exploration.The life of Marquette, and the history of the exploration itself, are the result of many years study of the early Spanish and French authorities, both printed and manuscript, some of which have never before been consulted." - Summary by the Author

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Desideratum?

This episode is 50 minutes long.

When was this Desideratum episode published?

This episode was published on September 22, 2023.

What is this episode about?

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's far off the beaten path. Author Ted Conover takes us there in this Desideratum. A desideratum is an essential...

Can I download this Desideratum episode?

Yes, you can download this episode by clicking the download button on the episode player, or subscribe to the podcast in your preferred podcast app for automatic downloads.