Onto Salt Lake City

The drive out of Vegas is incredible, with stretches of desert which become running hills which become red cliffs.



But I was more aware of the moral contrast, going from Vegas, a city renowned for its vice, to Salt Lake City, renowned for Mormonism. Having read Under The Banner of Heaven and heard Craig Walzer's tales of his Mormon inquiry last summer, I wasn't sure what to expect but the city welcomed me. First, there was the very touching gift of free parking for everybody for the entire month of December. Nice.




Then, there was the King's English Bookstore. This is a haven of good books, progressive politics, and stunningly good people. The founder, Betsy Burton, has just written a book about her store called The King's English: Adventures of an Independent Bookseller, a book which has quickly found a place in my heart. There was a Christmas party at the store, so I was sitting there drinking wine, talking death penalty with a district attorney who had just written a book about a famous Salt Lake City murder, being charmed by all these lovely bookstore people (see the photo). I decided Salt Lake City is a damn good place to be.