Peanut Butter and Naan

Peanut Butter and Naan, Stories of an American Mom in the Far East by Jennifer Hillman-Magnuson, is a memoir of one family's journey to India for 6 months while the Dad was transferred there for work. I should have put this book down as soon as I read the title, since when is India considered the Far East? Being an American that has spent a lot of time in India, I really wanted to like this book, I hoped it would make me want to travel there again with my daughter, but it just left me feeling dismayed and slightly embarrassed for all Americans in India.

The author tries so hard to be funny, but I found her annoying. She is so proud of herself for spending two hours alone in an Indian market with her daughter without their driver/bodyguard and thinks she has crossed the cultural divide when she buys an orange soda in a bottle and drinks it. I was so saddened by all the experiences this family missed, and by how many times she talked about how dirty India is.

I'm sure they're all nice people and in the end they helped out at a local orphanage, which the Mom considered a good photo-op; but where was the editor for this book? Lord Shiva is an Indian goddess with a Mona Lisa smile, ugh! This is one to skip.

Turn Right at Machu Picchu

Turn Right at Machu Picchu, Rediscovering the Lost City One Step at a Time, by Mark Adams is an interesting and funny travelogue written by an adventure magazine writer who finally gets out from behind his desk and onto the trail. He retraces the steps of Hiram Bingham, who has the claim of being the "scientific" discoverer of Machu Picchu.

I enjoyed reading about Adams' Ausrtalian trail guide, John Leivers, who brings to mind Crocodile Dundee, as well as all of Adams' local Peruvian guides. The book is filled with the history of Machu Picchu and the Incas, intermixed with interesting anecdotes; did you know Indiana Jones is based on Hiram Bingham?

An engaging read, a fun way to enjoy the Inca trail without leaving the comfort of your home.

What Alice Forgot

What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty, is a novel about a 39 year old woman, Alice, who falls at the gym and bumps her head, wakes up with a concussion and no memory of the last ten years of her life; she believes she is 29 years old and pregnant with her first child. She soon finds out that she has three children, she is getting divorced, and is estranged from her sister and her neighbor and has no idea why.

Moriarty is a wonderful storyteller and I was hooked from the first page, I couldn't put this book down. When Alice wakes up and believes she is her younger self, she has forgotten all the things she is supposed to be so stressed out about.

It's a funny, thoughtful novel that makes one reflect on their own life, and all the things we do that keep us so busy. A great read.

The Bolter

The Bolter, The Story of Idina Sackville, who ran away to become the chief seductress of Kenya's scandalous "Happy Valley set," by Frances Osborne is a book written by "The Bolter's" great-grandaughter. Osborne never knew the story growing up, as her mother told her " you dont want to be known as the Bolter's gandaughter."

Lady Idina Sackville, with little black dog Satan by her side, cigarette in hand, and wearing only the most fashionable clothes, created quite a stir in high society London of the 20's and 30's. The book traces her life and her decision to leave her two young boys behind and run off to Kenya with a new lover. She married 5 times, had inumberable lovers, wild parties, and defied all convention at the time. Although she was her own woman, she was often defined by the man she was with, and in the end, was quite lonely.

A fascinating read.

Saving the World

Saving the World by Julia Alvarez is historical fiction based on the voyage made by Dr. Francisco Balmis at the turn of the 19th century to bring the small pox vaccine from Spain to the New World. Twenty-two young orphan boys were brought on the journey to be live carriers of the vaccine, accompanied by one woman, Isabel, who was their rectoress.

Alvarez weaves a present day story in with this account, of a writer named Alma, whose husband goes to her native country, The Dominican Republic, to help set up a health clinic and gets caught up in a hostage situation there.

I loved the account from the past, but the present day part of the story was quite depressing. Alvarez is a wonderful writer,  and although I liked this book, it is not my favorite of hers. Still, a worthwhile read that brings light to this fascinating expedition to try to save the world.

Winter Garden

Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah is a novel set in present day Washinton State, and in the Leningrad of the past, during Stalin's reign of terror. Meredith and Nina grow up with a cold Russian mother who doesn't seem to love them, and only when they are called home, when their father is dying, do they begin a real relationship with their mother.

Told partly through the form of a fairy tale, Hannah weaves together these two tales seamlessly. I was totally captivated as I was taken on a journey along with the daughters to discover who their mother really is.

Part fairy tale, part historic fiction, beautifully written storytelling at it's best. A worthwhile read.

The Look of Love

The Look of Love by Sarah Jio is a novel about a woman who can see true love; her vision clouds over and she feels faint. It's a silly premise and a silly novel. Reading this book felt like eating a big bag of greasy potato chips, you keep reading even though you know you shouldn't, and end up feeling mildy sick by the end.

Jio's earlier novels were much better, so I'm not sure what happened here. The writing is bad, I didn't care about the characters and the story was ridiculous. Might appeal to those who like to overindulge in junk food. Otherwise, skip it.