Reading in the Garden

Antarctic Adventures A fascinating account of a modern-day explorer who idolized Shackleton and trekked to the South Pole twice before attempting a  solo  land-crossing of the Antarctic continent! Stunning with awe-inspiring photos.   Henry Worsley, related to Captain Frank Worsley, on Shackleton’s ill-fated  Endurance   Expedition , was obsessed with Antarctica. Together with a great nephew of Shackleton, and a great grandson of the second in command on Shackleton’s  Nimrod Expedition,  the three men set out to trek across Antarctica in 2008-09 to reach the South Pole.  They faced the dreaded Beardsmore Galcier, whiteouts that made one man motion sick, and a two-day storm after which they had to hack themselves out of walls of ice. The arduous journey would have been enough for most men, but Henry Worsley wasn’t done yet. He came back to the unforgiving, brutal continent, two more incredible times, the last one braving the challenge on his o...

  Historical Fiction at its Best! What a jaw-dropping book about a boy in Romania during one of the most oppressive communist regimes led by dictator Nicolae Ceausescu (Beloved Leader) and his wife Elena (Heroine Mother).   In Romania, people are kept under complete control:  where they live (tiny hovel-like apartments); where they work (twelve hours a day, six days a week); and how much food and electricity they get (very little).  Even in their own homes, people speak in whispers because they know they are bugged and any word against the government will result in severe punishment or death. This is a country where cigarettes are a form of currency used to bribe dentists for Novocain or vodka is used to get an x-ray at a doctor’s office.   The biggest wield of power Ceausescu holds over Romanians is isolation and FEAR.  He instills fear in everyone by having his own citizens become informants on each other.  NO one can be trusted, ...

  Pack Your Bags for Positano.    I was intrigued by the story of a young woman who meets a young version of her own mother who had recently passed. While I mistakenly thought this was a humorous book, the complexities of relationships made up for it. It was about the dynamics of relationships: the love and secrets between mother and daughter, husband and wife, and struggles within one’s own identity.   But it was the descriptions of the food and locations that really grabbed me over and over and had me heating up my phone with non-stop googling of the hotels, restaurants, and other GORGEOUS sites in the Amalfi Coast. One day (when I hit the lottery) I want to plan a tour of all the stops Katy made. Most people might like this book for the mystery and romance, but as for me, she had me at “Positano.”  Positano awaits: Left: Positano by  By Annwvyn. Middle: Hotel Poseidon.  Right: Path of the Gods If you liked this book you may want to read: Beautiful ...

  No Regrets?    A quirky and uplifting read about second chances.  Nora is given the opportunity to relive and correct some of her regrets in life. But with each venture, she is plopped into a past she doesn’t know much about. It’s not all she thought it would be and her alterations extend beyond the editing of her original regret.   I had to laugh that with each trip back in time, she’s never exactly aware where she is or how her life has built up to that point. It’s a mystery she must quickly figure out before she steps on that stage to give her motivational speech, or find her way home in a foreign country, or know what a spotter’s job is on an arctic exploration. I like how it’s explained that when we sometimes forget why we went into another room, it’s probably a blip in time when we’ve changed lives.  So, now I have a good excuse!  Ha!   Be sure to check out this unique and playfully thought-provoking book!  W...

  I Just Love “Love & Saffron” I LOVED , LOVED, LOVED this book about two women corresponding in the 1960s!  They begin by sharing their interest in food and then develop a true friendship. One lives in L.A., the other in the Seattle area. Every page either made me smile or pulled on my heartstrings. The book is like a time capsule, because the women discuss the many historical events that happen during their lives: Cuban Missile Crisis, JFK’s assassination, McCarthyism, feminism, Lawrence Welk, etc.     Besides the food and historical aspects, many personal connections in this book made it special for me. Including the fact that it’s about a wonderful correspondence which reminds me of my oldest friend in Germany and my recent correspondence with my second cousin in Australia.  I’ve also been to some of the locations like the Seattle Space Needle, Pike Place Market and Los Angeles.    This is such a SPECIAL, gentle gem of a book th...

  Where There’s Smoke... A young seamstress in 1946 North Carolina, discovers the secrets of a tobacco company. She learns the harsh reality between the balance of truth and consequences, health and economy, and the strength of profit and power.  This book is sure to spur some great book club discussions not only about smoking, but also women’s roll in the 1940s and fashion.  Good book! It will be published next month, so pre-order your copy from your local independent bookstore today.  Of course I was curious, so I found some brief information on the history of tobacco:   6,000 BC:  Tobacco has been around for a long, long time…dating back to 6,000 BC. 1760:  L.P. Lorillard Co. was the first tobacco company in the U.S. (NYC). They first produced pipe tobacco, cigars, chewing tobacco, and snuff.  1847:  Philip Morris was established in the UK; in 1902 in the US.  Marlboro is one of their brands. 1849:  J.E. Liggett an...

Education for ALL.      Malala’s resilience and resolve in the face of radical abominations is undeniably inspirational!     Malala was fifteen years old when she was shot for her vocal passion for education for ALL—including girls.     This memoir is a fascinating first-hand account of her life in Pakistan and under the tyrannical rules of the Taliban who took control of the Swat Valley where she lived.   In this Taliban-controlled world women had to wear burqas and had to hide behind curtains in their homes or go into another room if men were present. They could not laugh out loud, wear white shoes, were locked up and beaten for wearing fingernail polish, and were not allowed to go to school. Malala outlines the corruption and oppression in Pakistan made extreme by the Taliban, where women were second-class citizens with no control or rights .  Jaw-dropping. I'm still in culture shock! “In Pakistan when women say they want independence, peo...