As we travel, we are reading and discarding. It says something about pre-travels life that I’m reading New Yorkers from October, even as Jessica is reading the new issues on the Kindle. I’m leaving old issues in our hotel room, assuming they will end up for sale at the Nha Trang market by tonight.
At the suggestion of a teacher, Malcolm is reading Malcolm X, one of his historical namesakes. Malcolm and I also both read Peter Bergen’s “untold story” in The New Republic on the battle for Tora Bora and how we lost Bin Laden. Fiona and Jessica have both read (and adored) Anthony Doerr’s Four Seasons in Rome — we’re told it’s required reading for people on their way to the American Academy in Rome. Somehow, I’m not so persuaded by the subtitle: “On twins, insomnia, and the biggest funeral in the history of the world.” (If I happen to leave this paperback in our room, perhaps it, too, will find a new owner tonight at the Nha Trang market.)
Meanwhile, Michael Bierut and I share a closeted love of spy novels, but seldom can find a new one worthy of the genre. I’ve read and enjoyed Olen Steinhauer’s other books, but Michael insisted I read the new one, The Tourist. Yes, it’s good, very good — and dark too, the way I like them. Not sure I will find another spy novel for months that I haven’t read, so I was sad to finish it. Unless Malcolm decides to try it out, on it goes to the Nha Trang market.
Not pictured : Running In The Family, Short Stories by Michael Ondaatje (Audiobook)
Comments
7 Comments so far. Leave a comment below.Hi Bill, Jessica, Fiona and Malcom! We just got back from 3 weeks in Syria (Damascus, Aleppo, Palmyra), followed by Instanbul and Paris–happy new year from us all! Traveling is a lot like reading and an excellent time to do it! Decoding . . . Fantastic fiction we read during our travels: Javier Marias’ The Man of Feeling (good read for Italy!), and Pamuk’s Borgesian first novel, The New Life. Non-fiction: Gibbon’s Fall of the Roman Empire . . . incredibly beautiful and funny. We will be thinking of you as you go through this amazing adventure–hopefully cross paths in Italy at some point.
Bacioni! Lucia, Jon, Isabella.
Hi to all!!!
We miss you already. I am glad to see Four Seasons in Rome on the pile. I’ve been showing off Fiona’s step stool in every shop class! It’s all done and looks great. Happy New Year! Love, Laura
Hello:
Nice photos and great travelogue. Vietnam pics make me want to pull out my tattered Quiet American by Graham Greene. Glad to see the Malcolm X book in the pile.
Enjoy each moment. Peace, John E
Mercifully, we have the internet for that, Judy!
What…no People, In Style, or National Enquirer? How will you keep up?
Judy
Dear Jessica, Bill, Malcolm and Fiona, Happy New Year!
It is snowy, cold and quiet here at Winterhouse, hope you are all having an amazing time. I am so enjoying this blog and living vicariously through your adventures.
X’s and O’s
P.S. Ruby and Maude send licks.
This is great, and I hope you get all caught up with old journals and books. But what am I to do now about reading the New York Review of Books?