Two books if you love to wander. I am definitely a wanderer at heart. There’s nothing I would like more than to be on a plane right now and traveling to some distant city that I have yet to discover.
Maps, travel guides, and the dream of visiting new places never gets old but if I can’t be on the road then I love reading about it.
TWO BOOKS IF YOU LOVE TO WANDER
Sidewalks by Valeria Luiselli. Many years ago I read, The Death And Life Of Great American Cities by Jane Jacobs and was immediately intrigued. She described cities as breathing entities. As beautiful as it is, that book is more of an essay type read whereas Sidewalks is like the literary version.
Reading this book is like entering the mind of a flaneur who ruminates in imagery and poetry. For the writers in this group, it’s also an excellent lesson on translating your thoughts to paper.
You will follow Luiselli’s thoughts about driving, cycling or walking (hint she prefers cycling), you will learn about how Venice compares to Mexico City. You will be lead through the streets of Mexico City, with several detours, where she will share her ruminations on the sites, sounds, and real estate of the city.
Innocent and profound at the same time, this is one of the most charming books I have read in a long time.
The Only Street In Paris, Life on the Rue des Martyrs by Elaine Sciolino. The last time I was in Paris we stayed in a hotel near the Rue des Martyrs. As soon as we stumbled upon this street my first thought was, “if I ever get to live in Paris, this is where I want to live.”
You can imagine how thrilled I was when this book came to my attention. Basically, the book is a guided tour down the street. You will get to know its history, its inhabitants (both the people and the ghosts), and the business that line its streets.
Part journalistic observation, part storytelling by someone who simply loves the street, you’ll find yourself getting drawn into the everyday workings of this magical half mile strip.
You’ll meet the local grocers, the cheesemonger, the cafe owners and all the artisans. My favourite line from this book, “A world of dead barometers. It’s a loss, no?”
If you like Paris, even the tiniest bit, this book is a must read.
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