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Armchair TravelApril 2014
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"After a good dinner, one can forgive anybody, even one’s own relations." ~ Oscar Wilde (1854-1900), Irish writer
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New and Recently Released!
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| Uganda Be Kidding Me by Chelsea HandlerIn this new collection of humorous essays, outspoken comedian and bestselling author Chelsea Handler shares candid and sometimes ribald stories about her life, travels, friends, and flings (or lack thereof). Not one to deprive herself of a good drink, companionship, or the comforts of life, Handler spares no expense, as she jets, friends always in tow, to such places as the Bahamas, Africa, Germany, and Switzerland. Though not everyone will like Handler's particular type of no-holds-barred humor, those who do will want to mix a margarita and settle in with her latest literary effort. For another raucous look at traveling, try Chuck Thompson's Smile When You're Lying: Confessions of a Rogue Travel Writer. |
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| Savage Harvest: A Tale of Cannibals, Colonialism, and Michael Rockefeller's Tragic... by Carl HoffmanIn 1961, a scion of the powerful Rockefeller family, 23-year-old Michael, disappeared during an expedition to Dutch New Guinea where'd he planned to study a primitive tribe and gather art for a museum that his father -- the governor of New York -- had founded. Michael's body was never found, and officials ruled that he had drowned...but rumors swirled that he was actually killed and eaten by natives. In search of the truth, avid traveler and author Carl Hoffman recently retraced Michael’s path, immersing himself in the world of former headhunters and cannibals to solve this historical whodunit. If you enjoy this "riveting, multilayered tale" (Publishers Weekly), pick up Lost in Shangri-La by Mitchell Zuckoff, which takes place in the same area. |
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| Chasing Shackleton: Re-Creating the World's Greatest Journey of Survival by Tim JarvisFor Chasing Shackleton, Ernest Shackleton's amazing 1914-16 polar expedition -- one of the most incredible survival and endurance stories of all time -- was partially recreated 100 years later. Led by Tim Jarvis, one of the modern world's leading explorers, and with the blessing of Shackleton's granddaughter, a group sailed a replica of Shackleton's 23-foot boat and used authentic period gear and supplies to sail 800 nautical miles across the unpredictable South Georgia sea to South Georgia Island, where they then traversed mountains and glaciers. Though many pictures are included here, if you wish you could also see video footage of this incredible journey, you're in luck -- there's a PBS documentary of the same title. |
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| Train: Riding the Rails that Created the Modern World -- from the Trans-Siberian to the... by Tom ZoellnerDo you love trains or wonder what the world would be like without them? Then climb on board the Train express! Combining fascinating social history and a sparkling travelogue, author (and train buff) Tom Zoellner engagingly chronicles the innovation and sociological impact of railway technologies that have changed and continue to change the world. Lucky him, he also travels to such far-flung locales as India, Britain, Russia, China, Peru, Spain, and the United States, soaking up local culture and riding an assortment of trains, from old stalwarts to modern bullet trains. |
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| A Cook's Tour: Global Adventures in Extreme Cuisines by Anthony BourdainAnyone who knows anything about Anthony Bourdain knows that the witty chef and TV personality loves food and adventure. In this 2001 book that's still fresh with fulfilling anecdotes, Bourdain combines those two passions as he embarks on a quest around the world to find the perfect meal. Among many eclectic dishes, he eats traditional fugu (a poisonous blowfish that can kill you if prepared incorrectly) in Japan and enjoys moonshine and clay-roasted duck with the Viet Cong in the Mecong Delta as well as lamb testicles in Morocco and deep-fried Mars bars in Scotland. Still hungry? Check out one of Bourdain's other books or one of his TV programs. For a more restaurant-centric memoir that includes some traveling, try Bill Buford's Heat. |
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| Day of Honey: A Memoir of Food, Love, and War by Annia CiezadloNot many Americans choose to spend their honeymoon and early years of marriage in troubled Beirut, but Annia Ciezadlo did, and tried to make it feel like home. After falling for a Lebanese-American journalist, foreign correspondent Ciezadlo married him in 2003 and left New York City for his hometown when he became Newsday's new Middle East bureau chief. Eventually, the couple moved on to Iraq, which was in the middle of a war. Describing delicious dishes and fascinating people (including her Lebanese mother-in-law), Ciezadlo has written a mouthwatering book that The New York Times calls "among the least political, and most intimate and valuable, to have come out of the Iraq war." |
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| Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver with Steven L. Hopp and Camille KingsolverYou'lll relish this tasty memoir by novelist Barbara Kingsolver (The Poisonwood Bible) if you want to know more about the food you eat. The author and her family -- biologist husband Steven and daughters Camille and Lily -- move from Tucson, Arizona to a small town in Virginia's southern Appalachians where they strove to eat only locally and home-grown food (there are a few exceptions, coffee being one). Among other things, readers will learn about vegetable gardening, turkey breeding, and cooking with what is in season (recipes are included). Armchair travelers will enjoy the Appalachian setting as well as the vacations (there's even one to Italy). With wonderful descriptions, humor, fact-filled sidebars, and family lore, this lively book is informative as well as charming. |
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| An Embarrassment Of Mangoes: A Caribbean Interlude by Ann VanderhoofTwo 40-something professionals living in Toronto were ready for an adventure -- so instead of just dreaming about one, the Vanderhoofs saved, planned, and eventually sailed away for two whole years. In this "finely crafted" (Kirkus Reviews) book, armchair travelers get to follow along, experiencing life onboard a 42-foot sailboat, Receta, in the Caribbean as Ann Vanderhoof vividly describes the colorful landscapes, characters, food (recipes included), and events they encountered along the way. But do be warned: don't read this mouthwatering book while hungry! |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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If you are having trouble unsubscribing to this newsletter, please contact the Round Rock Public Library at
512-218-5400, 221 E. Main Street Round Rock, Texas 78664
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