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Armchair Travel February 2018
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| The Epic City: The World on the Streets of Calcutta by Kushanava ChoudhuryWhat it's about: After graduating from Princeton, Kushanava Choudhury left his immigrant parents in New Jersey and returned to Calcutta, India, where'd he spent a portion of his youth, to work at the Statesman newspaper and explore the teeming, complex city.
Reviewers say: "This vibrant memoir evokes the many paradoxes of Calcutta." (Publishers Weekly)
"A candid and often moving history of a city's dramatic past and roiling present." (Kirkus Reviews) |
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Rowing the Northwest Passage : Adventure, Fear, and Awe in a Rising Sea
by Kevin Vallely
What it's about: In this gripping first-hand account, four seasoned adventurers navigate a sophisticated, high-tech rowboat across the Northwest Passage. One of the "last firsts" remaining in the adventure world, this journey is only possible because of the dramatic impacts of global warming in the high Arctic, which provide an ironic opportunity to draw attention to the growing urgency of climate change.
What reviewers say: "A rousing combination of science and adventure in the Arctic." (Booklist)
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The stowaway : a young man's extraordinary adventure to Antarctica
by Laurie Gwen Shapiro
What it's about: The spectacular, true story of a scrappy teenager from New York's Lower East Side who stowed away on the Roaring Twenties most remarkable feat of science and daring: an expedition to Antarctica.
What reviewers say: "This fascinating and exciting story contrasts the optimism and sense of progress of the 1920s with the devastation of the 1930s. Readers of popular history and biographies will find much to delight in here." (Kirkus Reviews)
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Himalaya Bound : One Family's Quest to Save Their Animals - and an Ancient Way of Life
by Michael Benanav
What it's about: Welcomed into a family of nomadic Indian water buffalo herders, the author joins them on their annual spring migration into the Himalayas. More than a glimpse into an endangered culture, this superb adventure explores the relationship between humankind and wild lands, and the dubious effect of environmental conservation on peoples whose lives are inseparably intertwined with the natural world.
What reviewers say: "An involving , often touching story of an admirable people as well as a cautionary tale about the effects of rapid change and counterproductive conservation efforts on traditional societies." (Kirkus Reviews)
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| A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail by Bill BrysonWhat it's about: American travel writer Bill Bryson, who'd been living in England for years, set out to hike the Appalachian Trail with an old friend. The two out-of-shape 40-somethings thought they'd walk the entire 2,100 miles to Maine before winter -- but reality soon hit. Nature descriptions and a history of the storied trail combine with the pair's amusing experiences and their encounters with other hikers.
The movie: In 2015, Robert Redford and Nick Nolte dramatized the duo's nature adventure on the big screen. |
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| Out of Africa by Isak DinesenWhat it's about: When Kenya was known as British East Africa, Dane Karen Blixen (whose pseudonym was Isak Dinesen) lived and worked on a family coffee plantation located at the foot of the Ngong Hills. Her classic memoir lyrically captures her time there from 1913-1931, describing the alluring landscape, the local people, the deaths of close friends, and the eventual failure of the farm.
The movie: The award-winning 1985 film adaptation of Out of Africa, which also drew from other Dinesen writings, focused on Blixen's romance with a British aristocrat and starred Meryl Streep and Robert Redford. |
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| Into the Wild by Jon KrakauerWhat it's about: Bestselling author Jon Krakauer pieces together the dramatic -- and tragic -- story of Chris McCandless, an intelligent young man who embarked on a solo journey into the wilds of Alaska with no map and virtually no supplies.
The movie: Originally published in 1996, Into the Wild was adapted as a film in 2007 by Sean Penn and starred Emile Hirsch; Chris' sister, Carine McCandless, consulted on the movie and later wrote a book, The Wild Truth, about her and her brother's abusive childhood. |
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| Under the Tuscan Sun: At Home in Italy by Frances MayesWhat it's about: First published in 1986, this delightful book chronicles poet Frances Mayes' purchase of a Tuscan villa in need of refurbishing. Relating experiences from her new Italian life, Mayes describes spending time with her neighbors, dealing with repairs, and dining on delicious foods (recipes are included!).
The movie: The 2003 Under the Tuscan Sun movie is quite different from the book but features luminous scenery and a compelling Diane Lane as Mayes. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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Winfield, IL 60190
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