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AIDS through the Lens of Literature

May 21, 2012 by lisalisabookjam

AIDS & Literature (Plus More Details about Grassroot Soccer and Its Work to Eliminate HIV/AIDS)

Our earlier post, “Africa: Part One,” was inspired by Grassroot Soccer (GRS) and listed important, memorable books set in Africa.  GRS uses the game of soccer to educate, inspire, and mobilize communities to stop the spread of HIV and create an AIDS free generation, focusing most of its work in Africa.

Now, in an attempt to better understand the AIDS epidemic which has so effected that continent, we recommend two books that angle in on this devastating disease.  Please note that in the titles we’ve paired below, AIDS is depicted as an illness afflicting homosexual white men and both are set (or begin) several decades ago in the United States.

The typical HIV/AIDS patient today is very different.  According to the GRS web site (2008 report by UNAIDS):

  • Worldwide, 33 million men, women, and children are infected with HIV.
  • 2.7 million became newly infected in 2007 (roughly 7400 every day)
  • 45% of all new infections occur among 15-24 year-olds.
  • Less than 40% of young people have comprehensive HIV/AIDS knowledge.
  • 67% of people living with HIV live in sub-Saharan Africa.

But no matter who HIV/AIDS afflicts and no matter where they live, the disease and its effects on sufferers and their families remains the same. We believe the following selections will help the reader better understand AIDS and the history of the epidemic through though the lens of literature.

In One Person by John Irving (May 2012) – There are books that you read that are just great stories and keep you turning pages because it is important to discover what happens next.  There are books that while you are reading them remind you of places you have been and people you have encountered.  There are books that remind you people can be amazing, and that progress in improving the way humans treat one another is possible.  There are books that inspire you to ponder what you can do to help the world be a better place.  There are books that illustrate the power of literature to make one think.  This book did all of these things for me.

The story of William/Bill Abbot/Dean, a boy growing up in a rural Vermont town housing an all-boys academy, having “crushes on all the wrong people” is a novel at its best.  Narrated by a 70-ish year old Bill, as he reflects upon his life, the plot covers his life from his early teens to present day.  You watch him navigate high school, live as an adult, and learn about the mysteries surrounding his birth.  Warning –the mysteries about and the coincidences surrounding his father are among the weaker plot points in the novel; so please breeze by them in order not to miss the power of this book.

I enjoyed most of the characters populating this novel, even those of a less savory nature.  I smiled at the fact that great literature (i.e., Madame Bovary, The Tempest, works by James Baldwin and the Bronte sisters) is an important aspect of the plot.  And yes, because of Bill’s bi-sexual identity and his multiple partners, and the span the novel encompasses, you know from the first page that AIDS will impact his life as an adult in the 1980s. That knowledge does not ruin the plot and the pages dealing with that epidemic are among the most powerful in this book.  To say much more would give too much away.  Please read it an enjoy. ~ Lisa Christie

And the Band Played On: Politics, people and the AIDS epidemic by Randy Shilts (1987) – When first published, this book dramatically changed and framed how AIDS was discussed.   Shilts’ expose revealed why AIDS was allowed to spread unchecked while most institutions ignored or denied the threat, and he is often harsh in his reporting.  While the data and the portraits of the AIDS epidemic differ tremendously today (e.g, infected women; the epidemic on the African continent), this powerful story of AIDS when it became part of the US conversation about sexually transmitted diseases, remains important.  A 20th anniversary edition (2007) is available, and a movie based upon the book can be viewed on DVD. ~ Lisa Christie

BONUS PICK: For those readers looking for insight into the epidemic today, our friend Rob Adams at Grassroot Soccer also recommends Tinderbox: How the West Sparked the AIDS Epidemic and How the World Can Finally Overcome It by Craig Timberg and Daniel Halperin. This book discusses how Africa became the epicenter of this disease and why the implications for the world are vast. Neither Lisa has yet finished his recommendation, but we are grateful we have started this important book.

Posted in Non Fiction, Fiction Fanatics, Two Peas in a Pod: Similar Themes | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

“Pages in the Pub” – A Literary Evening Generates a List of Great Reads for Book Clubs and Book Lovers

May 7, 2012 by lisalisabookjam

On April 30th, we held our first “Pages in the Pub,”  an event designed to bring together independent booksellers, literary bloggers, public librarians, and book lovers for an evening of talking about great titles. We gathered at a local inn, sipped wine, and turned pages all with the goal of raising money for our public library.

We are pleased to inform you that we oversold and packed guests into The Norwich Inn that evening. More than 60 people attended (even though we had limited it to 50)  and we raised over $500 for the Norwich Pubic Library.

Presenters for our first “Pages in the Pub” included: Superb Norwich Bookstore Booksellers, Carin Pratt and Penny McConnel, Lucinda Walker – the amazing director of the Norwich Public Library - and our own Lisa Cadow of The Book Jam, with bonus books presented by Lisa Christie, also of The Book Jam, whose official role during the evening was to act as moderator.

For those of you unable to join us, a recap of the selections from each presenter is included below – along with a their own six word review. Why six words? Because we wanted to just whet your appetites and then have you research and read more for yourselves. Plus if we went any longer, we’d run out of space!

And don’t worry, if you must have more information right away, each title is linked to an independent bookstore’s review.

Carin Pratt

Carin, a new Vermont resident, sells books at the Norwich Bookstore after serving for twenty years as Executive Producer of CBS’s Face the Nation - yes, THAT Face the Nation.  We think that’s mighty impressive – but more importantly,  she’s a lovely person who we are privledged to know.  And, we really enjoyed her picks for Pages in the Pub.:

Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life death and hope in a Mumbai Undercity by Katherine Boo – nonfiction (2012) – Mumbai slums tragedy. Not beautiful. Great.

Carry the One by Carol Anshaw – fiction (2012) – Girl dies. How do survivors deal?

The Obriens by Peter Behrens – fiction (2012) – Man, marriage, family. Compelling, tragic saga.

Lisa Cadow

Lisa is one of the Lisas behind the Book Jam blog. She is also the founder and Chief Crepe officer of Vermont Crepe and Waffle, which is now moving into its busy fifth season with the opening of our local farmers markets.  Her crepes are fantastic and her book picks are superb and diverse – enjoy!

Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka fiction (2012)- Wartime Japanese Brides. New Lives. Poetic.

Tiny Sunbirds Far Away by Christie Watson –fiction (2011) - Despite turmoil, Nigerian girl learns midwifery.

Blood, Bones and Butter: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef by Gabrielle Hamilton (2012) – Female Restaurateur with MFA writes spicy memoir.

Lucinda Walker

Lucinda is the talented  librarian for our town of Norwich.  She is truly a treasure and we are so glad she offered her gifts to our town.   Her picks are fun and thoughtful. Have a great time reading them.

Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic by Alison Bechtel – nonfiction (2006) – What makes our parents tick? Graphic.

The Tower, the Zoo & the Tortoise by Julia Stuart – fiction (2010) – Quirky and sweet. A love story.

Razor’s Edge by Somerset Maugham- fiction (1944) – Bohemian, Post WWI, Paris, Soul-Searching & Snobs.

Penny McConnel

Penny is the co-founder and co-owner of the Norwich Bookstore.  When the Lisas of the Book Jam grow up, we want to be her.  She chose “oldie but goodies” to discuss. So pick up her selections and enjoy some contemporary classics.

Disturbances in the Field by Lynn Sharon Schwartz – fiction (1983) – Philosophy, friends, music, marriage, NYC.

Stoner by John Williams – fiction (1965) – Beautifully written life of sensitive professor.

Any Human Heart by William Boyd –fiction (2003) – Fictionalized biography of interesting worldly man.

BONUS PICKS – because you can never have too many good books

Lisa Cadow’s bonus round

Stones in the River by Ursula Hegi – fiction (1996) – Nazis. Outsider heroine. German village. Astounding.

Lisa Christie

Lisa is the other Lisa of the Book Jam. She was the founding Executive Director of Everybody Wins! Vermont and subsequently served as Executive Director of Everybody Wins! USA, placing children’s literacy dear to her heart.  Her picks are eclectic and involve places far away.  Happy travels.

In One Person by John Irving – fiction (2012) – Bisexual boy. Colorful family. Life unfolds.

The Terror by  Dan Simmons—mystery (2007)- Real Arctic Shipwreck. Everyone Dies. Why?

Vida by Patricia Engel – connected short stories (2010) – Colombian immigrants in Jersey. Teen matures.

Posted in Book Clubs, Fiction Fanatics, Armchair Travelers, Understanding World Events, Must Read Memoirs, Food Lovers, Historical Fiction Buffs | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Three Questions with Carole DeSanti

May 2, 2012 by lisalisabookjam

As part of our mission to promote authors, the joy of reading, and to better understand the craft of writing, we’ve paired with the The Norwich Bookstore in Norwich, Vermont to present an ongoing series entitled “Three Questions”.  In it, we pose three questions to authors with upcoming visits to the bookstore. Their responses are posted on The Book Jam in the week leading up to their engagement. Our hope is that this exchange will offer insight into their work and will encourage readers to attend these special author events.  While most of the authors will be featured on our special 3 questions page, once each month we will spotlight ONE of the many amazing authors visiting the Norwich Bookstore here on our main page.

We are pleased to welcome Carole DeSanti, the author of The Unruly Passions of Eugenia R,  to The Book Jam.  This historical novel has been a work-in-progress for ten years as Ms. DeSanti’s work as an editior for authors such as Dorothy Alison and Terri McMillan occupies her full time. The Unruly Passions follows the life – and passions – of Eugenie, a young girl from the Pyrenees who is lured to 19th century Paris by her nobleman lover.  When she finds herself pregnant, sixteen, and abandoned by her child’s father, Eugenie must chose between starvation and working at the illicit “Les Deux Soeurs” brothel. And social upheaval in the form of the Franco-Prussian War is soon to follow. Ms. DeSanti will be reading from her book at 7 pm on May 9th at the Norwich Bookstore.  Call 802-649-1114 to reserve your spot.

1.What three books have helped shape you into the author you are today, and why?

Alison Uttley’s A Traveller in Time was the first piece of fiction that startled me into realizing, as a young girl, that we could travel back into history.  That novel  brought the past alive  and changed my view of the world forever.  Then, The Brontës; but especially the relationship between Jane Eyre (which I also read when I was young) and Jean Rhys’s Wide Sargasso Sea, which taught me that you could go back IN to literature, as a creator.  I’m counting them as one so I can mention Virginia Woolf’s Orlando, which knocked me over when I read it for the first time.

2.What author (living or dead) would you most like to have a cup of coffee with and why?

Emile Zola, provided he was in a relaxed mood and we could do it in Aix-en-Provence or Paris.  He was a fierce realist, a fanatical researcher, and he believed society could be changed by literature.  (We consider that a romantic opinion today, of course.)    Eugénie R. is in many ways a response to his novel Nana, because with all of his research and realism, he could not give a woman who lived as Nana did — as a Paris courtesan — an inner life and an ability to reflect.  I want to ask him why not, so that might lead us into a heated argument! He also worked in book publishing, as I do, and I’d love to compare notes.

3.What books are currently on your bedside table?

Magic: A history of its rites, rituals and mysteries by Eliphas Levi — a classic book on the occult published in 1913; an ARC (advance reading copy) of Deborah Harkness’s Shadow of Night, Property by Valerie Martin; and The Food Matters Cookbook, Mark Bittman’s new volume on healthy eating, various tomes on gardening (as it’s spring) and David Cordingly’s book on seafaring women – Seafaring Women: Adventures of Pirate Queens, Female Stowaways, and Sailors’ Wives.   There are more on this toppling pile but I’ll stop there!

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Books That Keep You Up at Night

April 23, 2012 by lisalisabookjam

Recently both of us have had the pleasure of finding a book that we just couldn’t put down, one that we carried everywhere in order to eek out a few extra minutes of reading between meetings or while waiting to pick up kids, one that kept us up late into the night.  Yes, we may have lost a few hours of sleep because the suspense was killing us, but burning the midnight oil and finishing it one fell swoop made it worth having to guzzle an extra cup of coffee to manage the next day.

This post is dedicated to the thrill of reading, to the suspense filled books we’ve just finished, and to an oldie but goodie in this page turning genre.

AND REMEMBER, TODAY, April 23, 2012, IS THE LAST DAY TO VOTE FOR THE BOOK JAM AT THE INDE BLOGGER AWARDS. Click here to cast your ballot. Thank you!

Afterwards by Rosamund Lupton (24 April, 2012) - We both thoroughly enjoyed her first novel Sister (2011).  Now for our individual reviews.

From Lisa Christie ~ I LOVED this one. I cried.  OK, I at least teared up and was sad for a while. Yes, I did.  And, even though I have an annoying habit of being able to guess the ending of television shows, movies and mystery novels, I still sighed at the end.  Why? Well, it is hard not to put yourself in the place of each of the characters in this novel; a novel about the aftermath of a school fire where a teenager is trapped and a mother goes in to save her.  The give and take of who will survive and who caused the commotion is well executed. The questions of what would you do for love resonate long after you finish.  I highly recommend this second book by the author of Sister - another great and well written and moving book for those of you in the mood for a modern “thriller”.

From Lisa Cadow: I, too, enjoyed Afterwards. The subject matter - about the days following a devastating school fire that leaves a mother and her teenage daughter in critical care - is certainly not “easy”  but the author pulls the reader in with her Lovely Bones style of writing (with an injured, out-of-body narrator telling the story). Meet Grace, the mother, who’s able to watch events unfold despite being in a coma. Though I wouldn’t normally be drawn to something so seemingly macabre, I loved Lupton’s first book, Sister, (about a woman who goes to London to search for her missing sister) and was eager for another one of her literary wild rides. She didn’t disappoint with this one as a result of the unusual and original way she’s constructed the story, the interesting psychology of the characters, and the everyday nature of the drama. The hardcover release date in the United States is tomorrow, April 24th, 2012. I suggest readers plan to sleep in on the morning of the 25th.

The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins (2008, 2009, 2010) – Even on re-reading in preparation for seeing The Hunger Games on the BIG screen, I found these are well-paced books for teens and beyond and I still ignored other things in order to finish.  Katniss Everdeen is a heroine you love to love and the premise is fascinating. ~Lisa Christie

Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier (1938). This was the first book that kept me up practically all night reading. I simply couldn’t get enough of “Manderley,” Maxim de Winter’s estate in the British countryside, where he brings his new, young wife after a whirlwind courtship on the French Riviera. Once there, she is plagued by the ghost of the seemingly perfect “Rebecca” – Maxim’s late wife – whose presence still fills the halls, gardens, wardrobes, and picture galleries. This psychological thriller has the reader questioning her own reality and sanity as she flips through the pages watching the new Mrs. de Winter deal with the venomous housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers, and planning a ball for Maxim de Winter’s friends. This great book will keep readers of all ages on the edge of their seats and up throughout the night.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You’re Invited:

And one last item.  For those of you in the Norwich, Vermont area, please join us for our first Pages in the Pub on April 30th.  Pages in the Pub brings the Book Jam “live” to a local inn, so that other book lovers may talk about books with some “experts” – local booksellers and local librarians — over a glass of wine, beer or seltzer.  (It would be an ideal way for your book club to get ideas for your next few months’ worth of selections, in addition to books for your own reading stack.)  Proceeds from the event benefit the local public library.  To attend the April 30th at the Norwich Inn, event call the Norwich Bookstore - 802-649-1114 to reserve your spot with a $5 contribution.  All proceeds for this first event will be donated to the Norwich Public Library.

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Two Tales that Heighten the Senses

April 10, 2012 by lisalisabookjam

 Some quick housekeeping before getting down to the business of books and our reviews of The Bells by Richard Harvell and Perfume: The Story of a Murder by Patrick Suskind:

1) You may have already noticed that there’s a new icon showing at the top of the sidebar to the right.  It’s for the Indie Book Bloggers Awards – please consider clicking on it or this phrase –  Indie Book Bloggers Award – and casting your vote for The Book Jam!

2) We’ve created a new page on our blog to feature all of the incredible authors visiting the Norwich Bookstore and their interviews with us. It’s called 3 Questions (do you see the new title bar up above the image of the book nestled in to the tree, right next to “Standouts”?). That page will house all information related to author visits from here on out. Check it frequently to see updates OR, alternatively, “like” us on our Book Jam Facebook Page to get real time news of author responses and the times and dates of their visits.

And now, without further ado, it’s time to move on to what we’re all here for: the books.

Like wine and cheese or Bogie and Bacall, a perfect pairing – of the literary sort – has come to our bespectacled attention.  This “Two Peas in a Pod” themed post focuses on a set of  riveting titles that revolve around the power of the senses. So take a deep breath, perk up your ears, and get ready to dive back in time.

The Bells by Richard Harvell (2010). Lisa Christie found this book back closer to when it was released and reviewed it in a 2011 Book Jam podcast. But the other Lisa just finished it and requested that we give it double air time as she was so besotted with its story. Meet Moses, a boy born in the Swiss Alps in the 1700′s to a deaf mother whose ultimate pleasure is ringing the bells in her village’s small bellfry – their powerful vibrations reverberating through her body is her only sensory pleasure. This special little boy is blessed with an exquisite voice and exceptional ears. These talents forge for him a complex life – in a monastery, as an outcast, on the run in some of the most beautiful places in Europe – and for the reader a most intersting plot. Some might say that the story and its telling are “overwrought”  but we found its pacing to be “on pitch,” enouraging readers to turn the next page. The setting of the Alps and Vienna is lovely (and very well researched), and the story of forbidden love captivating, but it is also fascinating in the understanding it gives readers about music, opera, the church, and the sad traditon of “castratos” in a world that has (thankfully) long since passed. ~Lisa Christie and Lisa Cadow

Perfume: The Story of a Murder by Patrick Suskind (1986). “Perfume” was an international bestseller nearly twenty-five years ago when it was first published but it still retains its fresh aroma and power to intrigue. Set in 18th century France, this historical fiction thriller starts out in Paris with the birth of “Grenouille” to a poor mother working in a decrepit dish stall. It is Grenouille’s perfect sense of smell – his gift is to the nose what perfect pitch is to the ear – that sets him apart but, alas, it is also this boy’s biggest curse. We follow him through his shaky first years as an orphan to his discovery of “the perfect scent” (and the abominable crime that follows), and then through his life as a master perfumer. Whether it is the setting of Paris and its Provinces, the concocting of masterful perfumes, intrigue, history, or psychological drama that you seek, you will find them all in this satisfying novel. ~Lisa Cadow

Posted in "Two Peas in a Pod", Historical Fiction Buffs, Two Peas in a Pod: Similar Themes | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Three Questions with Chris Trimble

April 2, 2012 by lisalisabookjam

As part of our mission to promote authors, the joy of reading, and to better understand the craft of writing, we’ve paired with the The Norwich Bookstore in Norwich, Vermont to present an ongoing series entitled “Three Questions”.  In it, we pose three questions to authors with upcoming visits to the bookstore. Their responses are posted on The Book Jam in the week leading up to their engagement. Our hope is that this exchange will offer insight into their work and will encourage readers to attend these special author events.

We are thrilled to welcome professor, writer, and Norwich resident Chris Trimble  to The Book Jam. He will be discussing his latest book, Reverse Innovation, with co-author Vijay Govindarajan at a reception being held at the Norwich Bookstore

on Thursday, April 12th from 7 to 8 pm. This is an exciting work that focuses on the increasing number of innovations emerging from the developing world and how it will be these leading edge ideas that lead the way in the next phase of globalization. During the gathering the authors will hold a brief discussion of their findings, take questions from the audience, and then enjoy wine and appetizers with attendees as they celebrate the publication of their latest release from Harvard Business School Press.  Unlike most Norwich Bookstore events, this reception does not require a reservation.

 

1. What three books have shaped you into the author you are today, and why?

Michael Lewis, The Big Short; Paul Krugman, Peddling Prosperity; and James Gleick, Chaos: Making a New Science. I could have picked several other books by any of these three authors.  All have a gift that I aspire to: the ability to tackle complex subjects in business, economics, science, and technology in a way that is a joy to read, both because the ideas are presented elegantly and because the ideas are delivered through compelling narrative.

2. What author, living or dead, would you most like to have a cup of coffee with and why?

Natalie Angier (Pulitzer Prize Winning science writer for the New York Times). Outstanding science writer whose quirky observations and gift with language would almost certainly mean a darned entertaining cup of coffee.

3. What books are currently on your bedside table?

I just finished Walter Isaacson’s autobiography of Steve Jobs. It’s a fabulous piece of work that is sure to be widely read and talked about in business circles. The only unintended consequence may be that a large number of readers may all-too-quickly conclude that what worked for Apple will work for them.

Point of disclosure, Professor Trimble is married to Lisa Christie of The Book Jam.

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Books About Africa: Part One

March 27, 2012 by lisalisabookjam

A friend of ours recently announced that his family is moving to South Africa as part of his new job as COO of  Grassroot Soccer - a Norwich based organization that uses soccer to promote HIV/AIDS education in Africa, Guatemala and the Dominican Republic.  His mother-in-law asked us for great reads that would tell her more about the African countries where Grassroot Soccer (GRS) works. (We are guessing she is already planning a trip to see her grandchildren.)

We thought this offered The Book Jam a great opportunity to talk about exceptional books about Africa and to mention the important work of GRS.  Unfortunately, there is simply too much information for one post.  So we’ve split it into two.  Part Two will take a closer look at AIDS and its impact through the lens of literature, and have more information about the work of GRS.  It will post in May to coincide with the publication of John Irving’s new novel – In One Person - which while about a lot is at some level about the impact of AIDS on 1980s America.

Africa (orthographic projection).svg

Until then, Part One – sixteen books (the number is an homage to March Madness we suppose) we can recommend that deal with the African continent in some form or fashion.  The first four have our usual review length, the rest are a list for those of you looking for more titles.

Kenya: West with the Night (1942, 1983) by Beryl Markham. This incredible book shows how an amazing woman lived, rode, flew, loved and laughed in Africa in the early part of the 20th century.  This book may start out in Kenya, telling of Markham’s first passion (horses) but it then lifts the reader up, up, away, and into Northern Africa as Markham prepares to fly to Britain, and then finally to set records crossing the Atlantic solo. A fantastic piece of literature. As Hemingway said of Markham, she “can write rings around the rest of us who consider ourselves writers…it really is a bloody wonderful book.” A GREAT read and a superb book club book. ~ Lisa Cadow and Lisa Christie

Kenya, Zimbabwe (and the former Rhodesia),and Zambia: Cocktail Hour Under the Tree of Forgetfulness (2011) and Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight  by Alexandra Fuller (2003). Alexandra Fuller is simply one of the best memoir writers around. The stories of her British/Scotch family’s life in Africa are so outlandish, funny, and tragic that they could only be true. But it takes a writer of tremendous talent to bring the damaged characters, the exotic landscape, and the complex, violent history of so many countries  so fully to life. “Cocktail Hour” is Fuller’s love letter to her heroic, larger than life mother who after living in, farming in, and losing so much in Africa for all of her adult life is still there, still loving the continent, and finishing out her final expatriate days on a thriving fish farm. “Don’t Let’s Go“, Fuller’s earlier book about growing up in the 1970′s and 1980′s will take your breath away and make you marvel at the resilience and adventurous spirit of this very special family.  ~ Lisa Christie and Lisa Cadow for the 2003 book. Only Lisa Cadow has read the 2011 book

Rwanda: Running the Rift by Naomi Benaron (2012) – For me, this author’s amazing gift is that she makes a book about a country torn apart from genocide somehow hopeful, without flinching from the awful truths contained in Rwanda and in the world’s lack of response to the horrors there.  My theory of how she manages this is that you care for her hero, Jean Patrick, the Tutsi boy who anchors this narrative and his dream to run in the Olympics. And you care for all the unique characters he encounters while maturing from boy to young man, especially his girlfriend Bea and his room mate Daniel.  The story effectively illustrates the strong ties of family and friendship, and the love that can overcome hatred even as all hell breaks loose - even if ultimately, that love can not save everyone.  Since it is the second of the two winners of the Bellwether Prize for Socially Engaged Fiction that I have truly enjoyed, I vow to add the annual winners to my annual reading lists. ~ Lisa Christie

Kenya: Flame Trees of Thika: Memories of an African Childhood by Elspeth Huxley (1959, 2000) This is a classic in the genre of white women with African childhoods, right up there with West With the Night and Out of Africa. I had never heard of it (really!) – surprising given that I’m a huge fan of this kind of literature – and, even though it is told from the perspective of a very young Elspeth, it was a joy to come to this tale in my 40′s. Elspeth’s voice is clear, amusing, innocent, and yet also somehow wise. She tells of her family’s moving to a remote area of Kenya to grow coffee in 1912 when she was just 5 years old. There are stories of snakes, the travails of building shelter in such a foreign land, and of her family’s encounters with the Masai, the Kikuyus, plus the various European and British “tribes” (the Scots, the Dutch) that struggled to settle in this unforgiving and forever challenging environment  ~ Lisa Cadow

BRIEFLY, More Titles to Enjoy

Bostwana: Number One Ladies Detective Agency Series by Alexander McCall Smith. You will fall in love with Mma Ramatswe’s common sense approach to life and to solving mysteries in an everyday Botswana setting.  ~ Lisa Cadow

Kenya: Out of Africa by Isak Dinesen (1927) – Yes, Meryl Streep comes to mind, but this is a powerful piece of literature set in colonial Kenya even without an academy award-winning movie.  ~ Lisa Cadow and Lisa Christie

Nigeria: Tiny Sunbirds, Far Away by Christie Watson (2011) and The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives (2010) - One, a coming of age novel that examines the complex political and economic problems of oil-rich Niger and another that (often humorously) explores the complexities of polygamy. Please refer to our October 11, 2011 blog for a more detailed review. ~ Lisa Cadow

South Africa: Books by Booker and Nobel Prize winning author Nadine Gordimer, including July’s People (1982) or The Pickup (2001). Insight into Apartheid and often erroneous expectations and misunderstandings among blacks and whites. ~ Lisa Christie

Malawi: The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind  by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer (2012) -Two forms – one for kids and one for adults - of the remarkable story of William Kamkwamba, a boy from Malawi who dreamed of building a windmill to help his country. ~ Lisa Christie

Ethiopia: Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese – Gorgeous gorgeous writing and a story that spans years and continents.  Truly memorable.

For teens

South Africa: The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay - A powerful (pun intended) tale of what one person can do in their own life to affect injustices. Last read years ago with young teens who loved it and the movie it inspired. ~ Lisa Christie

Two More for Kids

Malawi: Laugh with the Moon by Shana Burg (June 2012) - Clare is recovering (as much as one can) from her mother’s death when her father relocates them from Boston to Malawi. This kids’ book illustrates the power of friendship and cultural exchanges. ~ Lisa Christie

African continent: The Boy Who Biked the World: On the Road to Africa by Alastair Humphreys (2011) – The journal entries with drawings and “actual handwriting” in this are clever, and the moral that with hard work and enduring some tough situations you can reach your dreams is important.  ~ Lisa Christie

Posted in Armchair Travelers | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments »

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