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Vietnam, Fall 2023 ~ Read
Ahead of our trip to Vietnam I wanted to read stories beyond the Vietnam War. Because I know so little about the region, and Vietnam specifically, I ended up reading three books, and was very happy with every one of my choices. To start in historically chronological order, I picked Bronze Drum: A Novel of Sisters and War by Phong Nguyen. Taking place in medieval Viet Nam, the book is very patriotic yet romantic, dark, yet informative. I loved getting a sense of ancient traditions and customs, and understanding Viet Nam’s millennia old bad blood with China. My next choice was actually set during the Vietnam War, but it was…
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Cambodia, Fall 2023 ~ Read
The Foreigner’s Confession by Lya Badgley was a perfect book to read ahead of our trip to Cambodia. I also suggested it to my book club, and we had the pleasure of meeting the book’s author via Zoom for a discussion, since she lives in WA as well, and is a friend of a coworker of mine. It was a treat, through and through! The book is focused on healing story of an American expat living in Phnom Penh and volunteering for an amputee organization. She encounters a variety of other expats as well as Cambodians. While the storyline is mostly focused on the protagonist’s experience in Phnom Penh, the…
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Istanbul, Fall 2019 ~ Read
The Architect’s Apprentice by Elif Shafak was recommended by my Fodor’s travel guide to Istanbul, so I figured I’d read it to see if it’s a good preview for the city that survived millennia, different faiths, earthquakes and fires. It is an entertaining read, detailing adventures of a young Indian boy, who ends up in Istanbul by accident, and grows into a figure of influence at the Sultan’s court. The reader gets some insight into the processes surrounding construction some of Turkey’s most celebrated mosques, while catching a glimpse into imagined lives of 14th century residents of Istanbul, as well as courtiers, merchants and various transplants from all over the…
