Bucharest is a city near and dear to my heart. Between Fall 1994 and Spring 1996, while providing volunteer humanitarian service there, I walked the grey avenues, packed into crowded buses, licked summer ice cream in the parks, and cuddled orphans. Even after leaving Romania for my native California, I felt I had taken part … More The Historical Fiction of Bucharest
Last Train to Istanbul was written by Ayse Kulin, a Turkish short story writer, screen writer and novelist. First published in 2002 in Turkish as Nefes Nefese, it was later translated into English in 2006 by John W. Baker, and published by Everest Yayinlari in the same year. A later publication came in 2013 by … More Book Review: Last Train to Istanbul
We are currently reading Last Train to Istanbul by Ayse Kulin as our June pick for the bookclub Travel Europe Through Books; the country of our current focus is Turkey! Kulin is an author of international renown whose works have been frequently published in English, but most foreigners will be unfamiliar with the majority of … More 5 Great Literary Sites in Istanbul
In the snooty, intellectual circles of cosmopolitan neighborhoods, where money is merely a fashion accessory, a more sophisticated version of the causality dilemma, regarding the order of the first chicken and the egg from which it hatched, is discussed endlessly, without ever coming to agreement. Those gathered for wine and cheese after the debut of … More Art Imitating Art: An Introduction to Little Sicily
26 April 2023 I am sitting on the edge of Lake Como, a vision of sparkling blue, nestled in the Cyprussy hills of northern Italy. Yesterday we arrived here in the train after eight hours of travel, much of which was through the alpine valleys of Switzerland. Tomorrow we’ll train into Rome. Everything is so … More Travel Log: Rome & Florence
To me, Vienna has always been the most beautiful city in the world, since I was 10 years old and read a historical novel called Vienna Prelude. Other kids wanted to visit Narnia or Avonlea, I hankered after Vienna. To me, it was a city of beautiful steeples, a million kinds of coffee, opulent opera balls and music. … More Vienna is my Muse
If you are a lover of historical fiction set in Europe, you have probably heard of at least one of the foremost novels featuring Vienna. A literary traveller can enjoy stepping into the locations described in these novels as she explores this imperial city. … More Austria for Literary Travellers
In our online book club ‘Travel Europe Through Books,’ we travel to a new European country every month through its literature. This month we’ve been focusing on the literature, culture, and landscape of Great Britain by way of Thomas Hardy’s classic romance, Far From the Madding Crowd. As we round off this month, I thought … More An Interview with British Author Maggie Holman
During our recent trip to London, we stepped into Waterstone’s at Trafalgar Square. It was big, beautiful, and inviting; a paradise for book-lovers. We traipsed inside, ready to be astonished, as we had already been by the beautiful and varied London sites leading up to this one. We are a family of four, and we … More Book Shops of London
The articulate, ambitious, and passionate ‘English lady’ stereotype exists in part because of the English romance novels that have created her. She is independent and strong-willed, and knows what she wants from love. The world adores her, creating literary tours, tea varieties, and instagram giveaways to help readers pay homage to her. Where in literature … More 5 English Classic Romance Novels Featuring Strong Women
