A Final Country Roundup
Looking across the valley from the airport
1. A family down the road had a yard sale. I’m not sure if they sold a lot of stuff. But they did sell a horse.
2. I just learned about the 100 Thing Challenge via Time. People basically strive to own 100 things and nothing more. It’s a crazy idea to think about, no?
3. We moved back into the Tire House a little bit ago, and I forgot to tell you. Now we’re moving back out soon. I wonder what life is like without so much moving.
4. My flight exams are soon-ish. I’m as nervous as heck; Martin is beyond excited. For the first time, I actually approach him with questions about carburetors and air density.
5. There’s a good chance we’ll pass out from unrestrained, excessive consumption of this when we get to Berlin.
6. And finally, maybe you can help. I’d love to grab one last book in English and in the oh-so-low US dollars to take on our flights to Berlin. Suggestions? All-time favorites?
August 27th, 2009 at 3:34 am
I just read “The Time Traveler’s Wife” – and found it pretty ‘meh’. Too much hype, and I found the character’s not really developed. Am just about to finish “The Shack” which is highly controversial in certain circles and, if nothing else, has spurred some interesting conversations. One of my favorite books in recent years was “The Big House” because it reminded me so much of people I know and love back in MA. My cookbooks, I could always buy more, ha ha! Sewing books…I just loaded up my Amazon wishlist with a ton of them….books – i love ‘em!!
August 27th, 2009 at 4:41 am
I loved The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver. All the Jan Karon books. All the Adriana Trigiani books, esp the Big Gap series (hey, the setting is mountainous Va!)
I am emailing you pics of my CSN lighting fixture that I won here. I realize your email may be down while you move. Just let me know you got the pics when you are able. The light looks fab.
August 27th, 2009 at 4:45 am
My favorite book is The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. It’s a book about books, set in Spain…gorgeous book.
Good luck on your flight test! What a beautiful double rainbow!!!
August 27th, 2009 at 4:50 am
1. Middlesex by Geoffrey Eugenidis. One word to describe it: FANTASTIC
2. Last of the amazons by Steven Pressfield: great naration
3. All time classic Agatha Christie
Welcome back to Europe! Didn’t you miss it?
August 27th, 2009 at 5:00 am
1) Three Cups of Tea – An American man who attempts to climb K2, fails, stumbles upon a village who rescues him, he promises to come back to build a school, then ends up building many schools in Pakistan.
2) Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali – about a muslim woman who escapes an arranged marriage and goes to the Netherlands, becomes elected to Parliament
3) The Guerney Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society – currently reading, so far so good
4) Teacher Man by Frank McCourt (there are 3 books – ANgela’s Ashes, Tis, and Teacher Man) – about an Irish Immigrant
i do enjoy your blog :)
August 27th, 2009 at 5:39 am
I LOVED the Twilight series – it’s an easy read that I couldn’t put down. Also have recently read this random book called 1491 – it’s a book with this man’s theory that the Chinese really were the first to discover the Americas. It’s really interesting and he makes a lot of great points. I tried reading the “Shopaholic” series, but couldn’t get into it – it bothered me that the main character spent spent spent without having the funds to back it up. Have a great trip!
August 27th, 2009 at 8:40 am
I was totally charmed by the whole series of Ladies No. 1 Detective Agency books by Alexander McCall-Smith. If you haven’t read them and like them – you have about 10 books to look forward to. (I know, dangling prep)
August 27th, 2009 at 12:27 pm
Ditto on the Ladies No. 1 Detective series. Love them!
August 27th, 2009 at 12:44 pm
Oh, Katie. You had to ask a question that I can answer a million times over. Here is a list of just a handful of my favorites. You choose!
Jane Eyre -Charlotte Bronte
To Kill a Mockingbird -Harper Lee
The Bell Jar -Sylvia Plath
Night -Elie Wiesel
Angela’s Ashes -Frank McCourt
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close -Jonathan Safran Foer
Water for Elephants -Sara Gruen
Lovely Bones -Alice Sebold
The Kite Runner -Khaled Hosseini
A Thousand Splendid Suns -Khaled Hosseini
The Scarlet Letter -Nathaniel Hawthorne
And I hear these are good (haven’t read them YET):
The Berlin Stories -Christopher Isherwood
Native Son -Richard Wright
The Alchemist -Paulo Coelho
High Fidelity -Nick Hornby,
and, oh. I’ll have to go buy a book tomorrow. Oh, how I love books. They’re my only escape.
Hope you find something nice!
Katie
August 27th, 2009 at 6:10 pm
“Dream when you are feeling blue” By Elizabeth Berg
I love this book! Its about 3 Chicago sisters during WWII, and the letters they write to soldiers abroad. This book is in my all time top 5. Also, anything by author Lorna Landvik, I especially liked her “Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons”, sounds like chick lit but its not and its so good.
August 28th, 2009 at 6:59 am
Oooh you all have me rubbing my hands together in excitement. We all must think alike because I have read over half of the books you all listed. Oh love!
Right now I must get back to these airplane studies… how shall I focus now?!
Katie
August 30th, 2009 at 1:39 am
I think you might get a kick out of Bill Bryson’s I’m a Stranger Here Myself. There’s a lot of expat humor.
September 2nd, 2009 at 11:40 am
I was going to suggest a Bill Bryson book, too. They’re all good.