History: Reread and Rewritten

By Beth Green

One of the biggest thrills for me when researching a place to visit—whether for tourism or for living abroad—is reading about its history. I have written here before about reading a book just because I like the setting. But I also seek out works of both fiction and nonfiction to flesh out my concept of what a place was like at particular moments in time.

Following is a short list of a few historical books about China I often recommend to friends and other travelers.

* Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China, by Jung Chang, is one of those sweeping, epic tales that makes you want to flip right back to the start after finishing the last page. Part memoir, part novelized biography of the author’s mother and grandmother, Wild Swans tells the story of a family as well as a nation. From her grandmother’s bound feet to her mother’s work with the Communist Party, and finally to Chang’s emigration, Wild Swans illustrates the great changes China has undergone better than any other book I’ve read on the subject. At the time I read it, the book was banned in China. I got it from an expat friend, who got it from a friend, who brought it in from Hong Kong. And yes, I passed it on.

*Journey to the West, attributed to Wu Cheng’En. Often called just Monkey when in translation in the West, this is one of the four great classical novels of China. It describes the pilgrimage of a monk from China to India, on a quest to bring Buddhist scrolls back to his homeland. There is evidence the monk, Xuan Zang, was a real historical figure, but I’m guessing that the tale’s other characters are not: Sun Wu Kong, a monkey king; Zhu Bai Jie, an awakened pig; and Sha Wu Jing, an immortal general fallen from service in the heavenly court. If you travel in Xi’an or the western parts of China you’ll often find references to this party’s legendary journey.

*River Town and Oracle Bones, by Peter Hessler.  These two books about journalist Hessler’s experiences, travels, and friendships in China since the 1990s are titles I often recommend to people who ask me for something to read about China’s contemporary history. (I mentioned River Town in my post about the Yangtze River, here.) Hessler moved to a small town in Sichuan province in the 1990s as a Peace Corps volunteer. His books reflect the amazing cultural and social changes that have taken place since that time, and also the changes in his own perceptions of China. He’s got a third book now, Country Driving, which I keep meaning to read.

*1491: The Year China Discovered the World, by Gavin Menzies. Probably known to my friends and family as the book I love to hate, I often recommend people read this book even though I doubt it’s historically accurate. (I’m not the only one. There was considerable controversy about this book’s claims.) Basically, the author asserts that China discovered the Americas and Antarctica before Columbus. I’m willing to accept that as a possibility, but then Menzies goes on to say that the Chinese influence from landings and shipwrecks on their voyages forms the basis for much of indigenous tradition in the Americas.

That’s where I get skeptical. However, what is fascinating to me about this book is the reception it got within China—my students loved it. The government loved it. It was featured on the news. It was widely available for sale (unlike Wild Swans, as I mentioned above, which features actual history.) So I recommend this book, because it has resonated with a huge population—it shows what they would like their history to reveal. Menzies followed up this book with two books I’ve yet to read:  1434: The Year a Magnificent Chinese Fleet Sailed to Italy and Ignited the Renaissance and The Lost Empire of Atlantis.

Do you have some favorite titles about the history of a place? Add them in the comments!

Books that Feel Like Summer

By Beth Green

For the last few months, I, ever the book lover, have been hunting down and web-snipping lists of “summer books.” As happens every year, celebrities, newspapers, National Public Radio and many blogs have weighed in on what they consider summer reads. Like Santa Claus, I’ve been checking them twice―looking for that elusive, definitive, capital-L List of books guaranteed to whisk me off to fantasyland on an e-ink carpet.

I haven’t found that List yet, but I discovered a few worth mentioning here.

For example, Slate.com has a list of books for the beach, about the beach.

The NPR has many lists, including lesser-known books for kids’ and teens’ books, and funny ones too for summer.

A chapter of the Sisters in Crime mystery writers' group (all of us Novel Adventurers are proud SinC members) has provided a list ofbeach-worthy reads written by authors in the group.

Perusing these lists and compiling them into my own List made me ponder what a “summer read” really signified for me.

Before starting high school, I was home-schooled and read non-stop, no matter the season. When I entered public school, I welcomed the summer months as a time when I could read something for pleasure, school weeks being hectically full of social activities. During summers in high school, I practiced Spanish by reading Harlequins from the bilingual section of the library and rummaged through garage sales for ten-cent books. At university, I decided summer reads should be more Educational (yes, thinking of it with a capital E), and I slipped into all the classics I could find: Anna Karenina, Thornton Wilder’s plays, Chekov, ancient Greek poetry, Ayn Rand, and a lot of literature that I’m glad I read but perhaps didn’t so much enjoy reading.

But, after my school days, it’s been hard for me to keep track of what books I’ve read in what season. Books snatch me up and carry me so far away from my normal life on their storylines that, while I realize that I must have been in some way aware of the passing of the seasons, I don’t connect it to the book I was reading at the time. It’s my favorite part of reading for pleasure―the journey outside my here and my now to wherever the writer has mandated.

So, I’d like to offer my own short list of books to the panoply of (probably better) lists on-line. The books I’ve selected perhaps at first glance seem dissimilar. They don’t fit in a particular genre and probably wouldn’t attract the same readership. But all of them are about getting out and doing the things we all want to be doing during the summer. They, at least in me, stirred up that last-day-of-school tingle of excitement.

Even if you haven’t got the time to sit down and read these books before summer greenery turns into autumn’s yard work, they’re worth finding and keeping aside until winter (or perhaps just until a forlorn bad-weather day that needs a touch of sunshine) because, if you’re like me, they will transport you to an endless summer.

1. Beach Music by Pat Conroy

I did read this book during summer―when I was still in school. Now, more than 10 years later, I remember the passages about food and the way Conroy evoked the feeling of walking on the beach, at night, even though I was actually on a bus, driving through the rain, on my way to a summer job.

2. The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway

Perhaps because he wrote it during the summer, this, more than Hemingway’s other novels, pulls me into summertime feeling. The parties, the travel, the crazy nights―it all spells s-u-m-m-e-r.

3. Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

I get laughed at every time I mention this travelogue to my bookworm friends, but I will continue to sing its praises. In the summer, who doesn’t want to jet off to Italy for pasta and romance, to India for some spiritual cleansing, and to Bali for enlightenment and, yes, more romance?

4. Across China by Peter Jenkins

Travelogues almost always make me feel summery, so that’s why I’m including two on this list. This thick description of Jenkins’ trip to China when the country was just beginning to ‘open’ to foreign influences again is a pleasure as much for his physical journey from his farmhouse and pregnant wife to the Mt. Everest Base Camp as it is for his emotional journey as he sees and experiences new things.

5. The Vision by Heather Graham

One of my favorite warm-day activities is scuba diving. So, I knew I was going to like it when I picked up this paranormal mystery. Graham serves up plenty of scuba adventures, a strong female lead character, and a great backdrop of the Florida Keys. Sounds like sunny vacation time to me!

6. Careless in Red by Elizabeth George  

I do love a detective-on-vacation story and this one and the next book on my list are good both for thrills and for vicarious traveling. In this novel, George’s main series character, Thomas Lynley, seeks the remote Cornish coast to help him recover from the loss of a loved one (trying not to put in any spoilers for those who haven’t started the fantastic Lynley series). Though the fog-swept bluffs and rocky beaches described in the book won’t make everyone’s heart sing “summer,” I certainly got the feeling I was on vacation while reading.

7. The Web by Jonathan Kellerman

A different type of holiday is in store for amateur sleuth (and professional psychologist) Alex Delaware, Kellerman’s main series character, when Delaware accepts a short assignment on a tropical island in the Pacific. The island itself may be a figment of Kellerman’s amazing creative powers but it doesn’t feel like it while you are reading the book. The foliage, the beaches, the reefs…if you want an island vacation but your budget doesn’t, this book is a quick way to get a taste of beach-side living, with a thrilling storyline to boot.

What books make you feel like summer?

Off The Beaten Track: Allison Rushby

Today's Off The Beaten Track guest blogger is the very interesting and lovely Allison Rushby, an Australian author of nine published novels.  She can generally be found writing furiously on her laptop (read: making procrastinatory purchases on etsy, or tweeting about nothing at @allison_rushby).  Her books include women’s fiction titles such as allmenareabastards.com, Hating Valentine’s Day and Wrong Way, Go Back and young adult titles such as Blondetourage and the Living Blonde trilogy.  In 2011 she moved to the UK with her husband and two children where she will be writing a travel memoir and blogging at http://www.keepcalmandcarryvegemite.com.

You write the very entertaining blog Keep Calm and Carry Vegemite. What inspired you to write this and how do you keep finding new material for your posts?

When we decided to move to the UK for a while for my husband's work (read: when my husband came home and told me he'd applied for a job in the UK and the interview was tomorrow…), I thought it would be a good idea to write a travel memoir about our experiences.  A friend suggested I keep a blog to keep me on track, as it would take some time to gather the material and form it into an actual manuscript.  At first, I worried about finding material, but it's been surprisingly easy.  When you're thrust into a new situation, all kinds of bits and pieces pop up every day that are worth discussing.

For those who haven’t been lucky enough to try Vegemite, can you explain what it is, why it’s so important, and how it is totally different to Marmite?

I think unless you're brought up on Vegemite, it's never going to be a foodstuff that makes any sense to you.  When you take a step back and think about it logically, a black, salty Vitamin B paste isn't all that appealing.  But when you're 18 months old and a picky eater, white bread, butter and a tiny smear of something salty is pretty good.  I'm sure this is why we all love it – it's ingrained.  Marmite might be another yeast-based spread, but that's where the similarities end.  The British marketing slogan is 'Love it or hate it'.  I hate it.  Enough said.

Allison, you’re an accomplished writer in fiction and you’re used to writing intensely on one project over a short period of time. How difficult is it to write a memoir over a longer timeframe?

I have to admit, it's quite difficult!  I find that I'm not writing steadily, but taking a lot of notes and then writing a number of chapters at a time.  And, of course, there's the blog to keep up with, which is a different beast entirely.  I can't really write any other way, however, because I need to live the experience before I write it!

 

You’ve received a lot of great media coverage about your move from Australia to England. Does this publicity find you or are you actively out there, promoting your blog and work?

I've been doing a little bit of publicity – when I remember!  Some of the pieces that have run have been due to media contacts asking what I'm up to and others have been chance – for example, the first time I went to the hairdresser in Cambridgeshire, I ended up seated beside the editor of a local magazine who passed my details on to the local newspaper.  As for the blog, I did take the time to list it at a couple expat websites and so on, but other than this, I've just been going on word of mouth and my trusty Twitter and Facebook friends.

Moving to a new country with a young family is always a challenge. What advice do you have for people contemplating something similar and how do you keep your sanity in the process?

Start planning early!  Things actually went very smoothly for us (while we watched other people at my husband's work have their visas rejected and so on), but this is only because we checked and double checked everything and started planning well over a year before our actual move.  The paperwork involved in an overseas move is simply unbelievable and I think the only way to keep your sanity is by doing a few forms a week.  We simply diarised things month by month and, at the start of each month, would begin checking off the tasks that needed completing.  It sounds boring, but it's the only realistic way, especially when you're travelling with two kids who need schooling and have different schooling needs.

People from other English-speaking countries find the Australian accent and word usage a tad difficult to understand. When that happens, what do you do? Pull out the crayons and start drawing stick figures to get your message across?

Truthfully?  Yes.  Just last week I had to actually write down what I was saying for a Scottish guy in a pharmacy, who simply couldn't understand me.  I'm not sure why (I could understand him).  Other times, I find I just give up.  Like the time I needed 'dry ginger ale' to add to my scotch and asked for it in the supermarket and a staff member left me standing in front of the crystallised stuff.

How long do you expect to be in the U.K. and what’s next?

We'll be here until 31 July next year, when my husband's job ends.  Hopefully we'll be able to do a little travelling on the way home.  If we have any money left, that is!  I think we just haemorrhaged most of it during a week in Paris.

You have a book release coming up early next year. Can you tell us more?

28 February will see my first Young Adult US release hit the shelves.  It's called Shooting Stars and is about a sixteen-year-old paparazzo.  I had an absolute ball writing it – I got to buy piles of trashy celebrity mags and read fantastic paparazzo autobiographies.  There's a sneak peek at www.allisonrushby.com (and pre-order buttons!  Yes, I'm shameless…).

Quick! Here’s a list of questions we’d like you to answer with the first word or phrase that pops into your head:

What do you miss most about Australia?

Dropping in for coffee with friends (okay, it's really wine, not coffee, but you know what I mean).

What has surprised you most about England?

The density of the population.  It sounds silly, because you know the population is greater, but it isn't until you're living this reality that it hits home.  When you're not used to having so many people around you, it feels very odd indeed.

Apart from Vegemite, what other Aussie food can’t you do without?

Pav.  Natch.

Which English food have you become addicted to? (And why are we asking so many food questions?)

That's easy.  Cider.

Have you learnt to make real English tea yet?

I'm still working on it.  I may perfect 'builder's tea' yet.

Who would play you in the movie of your life?

Toni Collette.  I used to get asked if I was Toni Collette from time to time.  But then she went all Hollywood and got hot.

Who would play your hubby?

Mr Darcy, of course! Oh, I mean, Colin Firth.  I always forget he has a real name.

Can you give us one word to sum up your experience in England so far?

Frantic.  Or maybe Paperwork! 

Off The Beaten Track: Bhutan, The Happiest Kingdom On Earth

Lisa Napoli is a successful media journalist with reams of experience working with many well-regarded, cutting edge institutions, among them CNN, the New York Times, MSNBC, NPR, and even the cable shopping channel, QVC. In 2006, she made her first trip to Asia when she was invited, by chance, to Bhutan. A native of Brooklyn, NY, and a graduate of Hampshire College in Amherst, Mass., Napoli lives in downtown Los Angeles and hopes in the second half of her life to be a philanthropist. She’s working with friends to raise money to help build a library in Bhutan through READGlobal.

I didn't set out to write about my time living in Bhutan. I'm a journalist, but I never fancied myself a travel writer. In fact, when I went to Bhutan to help start a radio station, I was trying to figure out how to get out of the media business altogether. It absolutely wasn't my intention to write a book or document the experience in any way.

But months after my return, I couldn't stop thinking about the place. Now that I've published a book about my time in and around this Himalayan kingdom known as the last Shangri-La, I'm having the pleasure of hearing from people who've been, who had the same kind of reaction. There are two types of people who seem to show up at readings, in fact: the devout Bhutan-philes, and the people who relate to where I was when I got asked to go there...people who have reached some sort of critical crossroads in their lives. One guy showed up in Miami the other night with his photo album; he'd been to Bhutan twice and said, "No one understands."  It's true that it's hard to explain what it is that touches you about the stark beauty of the place. I hope I've managed to do that with my new book, just a tiny bit.

And since pictures sometimes speak louder than words, I've got a series of videos I made on my last visit there up at the "Shangri-La" channel. My favorite one is called "geography lesson," about a group of grade-school kids I met in the fall on my sixth visit there. I was in the far east of the country, staying with some friends, Bhutanese friends. One day, we went for a walk and visited a school. You can see in the eyes of those kids how amazed they were to meet someone from the States. What you can't see is how moved I was to be the first outsider they'd ever encountered.

RADIO SHANGRI-LA: What I Learned in Bhutan, the Happiest Kingdom on Earth is classified as a travel memoir, and I suppose that's an accurate way to shelve it. But it's not an overt travelogue, a blow by blow of what you can or should see when you go. My experiences there were very different than those of people who pay $200 a day to visit. (The tourist tariff just went up to $250.) See what you think. Here’s an excerpt and if you would like to read more, follow the link below.

The approach to the most sacred monastery in the Kingdom of Bhutan is steep and winding and, especially as you near the top, treacherous. You are sure with one false step you’ll plummet off the edge. Had I been here during certain times over the last few years, I might have hoped I would. It is a cold winter’s Saturday, dark and overcast. Misty gray clouds, pregnant with snow, hug the mountains.

My companions are several of the twenty-somethings who staff the new radio station in Bhutan’s capital city, where I’ve come to volunteer. Kuzoo FM 90: The voice of the youth. Pema is wearing jeans and a sweatshirt and fl at white dress shoes, the kind you might put on with a demure frock for a tea party. Ngawang’s wearing the same stuff on top, but she’s got sneakers on her feet. Each woman carries a satchel stuffed with herkira, the official national dress, requisite attire for Bhutanese who reach the summit. Kesang is already wearing hisgho, the male equivalent. Over it, he’s carrying a backpack filled with ten pounds of oil to fuel dozens of butter lamps, offerings to be left for the gods. Me, I’m twenty years older, and practicality reigns: I’ve got on my thick-soled boots, an ugly long black down coat with a hood, and six layers of clothing underneath.

So much for the strength I’ve gained from my daily swimming regime; I am huffing and puffing against the altitude and the intensity of the climb. My new friends modulate their sprints to let me keep up.

Bhutanese are hearty in many matters - they are used to living off the land, the hard lives of farmers - but they are particularly strong when it involves making the trek to this place called Takshang, built on a sheer cliff that soars ten thousand feet into the sky. The depth of their devotion becomes abundantly clear when, out of nowhere, a radiant twelve-year-old boy scurries down past us, stark naked, completely unaffected by the temperature and the incline. He’s trailed by a solemn entourage of grown men. Not one of them misses a step. Later, we learn this beatific adolescent is a reincarnated lama on pilgrimage from the remote eastern reaches of this tiny country.

A pilgrimage to Takshang is the highlight of a trip to Bhutan, but it is commonplace for the Bhutanese. They are carried here from babyhood. Slight, frail seniors navigate the twists and turns and inclines deftly from memory, in a fraction of the time it takes foreigners half their age. Tales are told of people with physical disabilities who labor for twelve hours so they might reach the top, where a cluster of temples awaits. The most sacred of the altar rooms there is open to the general public only once a year.

To read more, go to:  http://www.scribd.com/doc/47547372/Radio-Shangri-La-by-Lisa-Napoli-Excerpt

To find out more about Lisa, visit her at http://www.lisanapoli.com/ 

To hear Lisa Napoli talk about her book and watch videos about Bhutan, visit Lisa's videos page: http://www.lisanapoli.com/photos-and-videos/videos.htm