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Armchair TravelFebruary 2016
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"I cannot tell you what an immense impression Paris made upon me. It is the most extraordinary place in the world!" ~ Charles Dickens (1812-1870), English author
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| No Baggage: A Minimalist Tale of Love and Wandering by Clara BensenWhile it's not uncommon for couples to meet on a dating website, it's a bit unusual when an early date lasts three weeks and covers eight countries. But after introverted 20-something Clara (who'd only recently recovered from a mental breakdown) and larger-than-life, unconventional professor Jeff met, that's what happened. With only the colorful clothing on their backs (a bottle-green dress for her and cherry-red chinos for him) and no hotel reservations or real plans, they traveled via plane, car, train, ferry, bus, and bike in Turkey, Greece, Hungary, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, England, and more, before finally heading home to Texas. This engaging, romantic travelogue questions what freedom is and we really need in life, and it thoughtfully deals with mental illness. |
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| The Road to Little Dribbling: Adventures of an American in Britain by Bill BrysonGreat news, Bill Bryson fans: his first travelogue in many years is finally here! In this delightful sequel to Notes From a Small Island, Bryson once again travels across Great Britain. But both Britain and Bryson have changed in the 20 years between books; he's older and more well-traveled, but feels like he understands his adopted country about as much as he did when he first arrived, and Britain...well, you'll need to read the book and see! With wry musings and observations, Bryson once again proves to be a persnickety but charming guide. For a similar U.K. tour but by a native Englishman who's lived in New Zealand for years, try Joe Bennett's Mustn't Grumble. |
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| Life and Death in the Andes: On the Trail of Bandits, Heroes, and Revolutionaries by Kim MacQuarrieThe Andes are the longest mountain range on earth, and author and award-winning filmmaker Kim MacQuarrie had long wanted to travel its 4,000+ mile length and gather "stories the way others might fill a basket with ripe, exotic fruits." Visiting Colombia, Ecuador (including the Galapagos Islands), Peru, Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina, he did just that, learning about Andean history as well as about some famous people who left their marks, including drug lord Pablo Escobar, revolutionary leader Che Guevara, bandits Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, explorer Charles Darwin, and a 500-year-old, well-preserved Inca "Ice Maiden." Richly detailed and well-researched, anyone interested in South America or its history should read this fascinating book. |
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| The Geography of Genius: A Search for the World's Most Creative Places... by Eric WeinerHow do you define "genius"? In Eric Weiner's case, simply being super-smart isn't good enough; he thinks of "genius in the creative sense," meaning those people who think of amazing and useful new ideas. Because he's fascinated by the topic ("in much the way a naked man is fascinated by the subject of clothing," he says), he traveled the world to examine the connection between setting and innovation. Weiner talked to locals and scholars to better understand why places like ancient Athens, Renaissance Florence, 20th-century Vienna, and modern-day Silicon Valley have incubated an exorbitant number of geniuses. This "witty, entertaining romp" (New York Times) is a good fit for curious fans of Bill Bryson looking for other amusing authors to read. |
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| Lunch in Paris: A Love Story, with Recipes by Elizabeth BardWhen Elizabeth, an American working in London, meets Gwendal, a Frenchman in England for a conference, they instantly connect. Before long, they are having lunch together in Paris, falling in love, and getting married. Using food as a frame, Elizabeth documents their courtship, describing mouth-watering dishes (such as molten chocolate cake and summer ratatouille) as well as shopping in a foreign language (her Parisian butcher looks like Matt Dillon) and choosing a wedding cake (one that's not gaudy). If you'd like a charming tale of an ex-pat in love with food, France, and her Frenchman, try Lunch in Paris. Recipes are included -- bon appétit! |
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Paris in Love: A Memoir
by Eloisa James
Bestselling romance author Eloisa James (aka Mary Bly, Shakespearean scholar) does what so many dream of: she moves to Paris! But the big move comes after big changes: her beloved mother (award-winning author Carol Bly) dies of cancer and, less than a month later, James receives her own cancer diagnosis. After successful treatment, James' family of four spends an extraordinary year in the City of Light. James' familial anecdotes together with memories of her mother and worries about her aging father (poet Robert Bly) make this charming look at Paris also a loving look at family. Readers interested in a young male novelist's view of this famed city might want to check out Paris, I Love You but You're Bringing Me Down by Rosecrans Baldwin (author of the critically acclaimed novel You Lost Me There).
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| Paris to the Past: Traveling Through French History by Train by Ina CaroParis isn't just an amazing place to visit -- it's also a gateway to France's well-preserved and often colorful past. Thanks to the various train trips (metro, high-speed TGV) that can be completed in less than one day, American-in-Paris Ina Caro (who explored her adopted country's roots via car in an earlier book, The Road from the Past) describes 25 well-researched outings that span 700 years of French history. Arranged chronologically by historical connection, she visits everywhere from the Place de la Concorde and Saint-Denis to Chartres, Orléans, and Versailles, and shares illuminating historical tidbits in this "charming" (Publishers Weekly) travelogue that takes you to Paris and beyond. |
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| Paris to the Moon by Adam GopnikAh, Paris: the city of light, love, sinfully delicious pastries...and expatriate Americans searching for that certain je ne sais quoi. Adam Gopnik, a writer for The New Yorker, had loved Paris since he was eight years old, so he was quite happy to move to the French capital with wife and son in tow and write a "Paris Journal" for the magazine. This book, consisting of previously published essays and excerpts from his diary over a five year period, describes family life Parisian-style as Gopnik finds an apartment, joins a gym, welcomes a new baby, and thoughtfully reflects on the city's mystique and allure. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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