Reading in the Garden

Riotously Funny Race Still in the traveling mood this summer?  Check out this book about an over-the-top, whirlwind, world tour. The Ridiculous Race  by Steve Hely and Vali Chandrasekaran  is a funny memoir about two men racing each other around the world. It’s a bet to see who can circle the globe the fastest—without the use of airplanes. The prize:  A bottle of the best Scotch (Kinclaith, 1969). The competitors: Two television comedy writers.  The year: 2007.  The outcome: Hilarious! The starting point is Los Angles and Steve heads west while Vali heads east. This book is their outrageous travelogue noting their separate adventures in Mexico, China, Brazil, England, France, Ulaanbaatar, Germany, Russia, Sweden, Egypt, Italy, and more. They try new things: Segway tour through Paris, ride a horse in Mongolia, ride on the Trans-Siberian railroad, four-wheel in Dubai. And of course, they try new food. Steve tried duck in China. Maybe he should have skipped that one.

From Italy With Love Ready for an Italian getaway?  Check out these books about Italy as I continue to revive previous reviews on traveling and gardening this summer.  As a gardening bonus, I will show you how to create a mosaic art pole for your garden.  See how you can make your own fun and cheery art piece to brighten up your flower garden!   The Reluctant Tuscan: How I Discovered My Inner   Italian  by Phil Doran.  Phil Doran is a burned-out Hollywood writer for TV sitcoms who reluctantly agrees to move to Italy after his wife bought a 300-year-old farmhouse in a small town in Tuscany. Anyone who has ever done any renovations or repairs in their home knows what a headache it can be.  But throw in a different language and top it off with frustrating bureaucratic green, white, and red tape, and you have the makings of an amusing disaster.  Told with the witty style you would expect from a comedy writer, their venture in this little village will bring a smile on