Expanding My Horizons Through Reading

When I was younger, I did a lot of hiking that was a bit beyond my comfort zone. There was Precipice Trail in Acadia National Park. Parts of the trail involve ascending via metal ladder rungs pounded into rock, and the drop (if one looks down) can be frightening. There were other hikes on moderately difficult trails to mountain tops. And then there was Mount Washington in the White Mountains. Even though I was a somewhat experienced hiker, that one took 8 hours up and back. These days (many years later) I stick to easy to moderately easy hikes. My mountain hiking isn't over, but I always take the less challenging routes.

Suffice it to say that even in my younger years I never contemplated thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail. But because I know people who would like to, I've been looking at books on the topic. And of course, I ate up Bill Bryson's A Walk in the Woods many years ago (haven't seen the movie yet. I worry that I'll be disappointed). While I'll never hike the AT, I like reading about people who take to the trail.

So I'm currently enjoying a book (volume 1 of 2) called Stumbling Thru: Hike Your Own Hike by A. Digger Stolz. Although the author has thru-hiked the trail, these books are fiction. With an entertaining cast of characters, the book is proving to be a fast and enjoyable read.

I love reading fictional works (non-fiction, too) about topics where I have limited or no knowledge. This one fits the bill perfectly. I highly recommend it.

Have a great day!

Myrna

New York Vs. London, Fiction-wise

The Fairmont Hotels has posted an infographic comparing London and New York locations that have appeared in fiction, as well as some other interesting comparatives (number of restaurants, bars, museums, film festivals, theatres and so on). It certainly makes me want to put my traveling shoes on. Take a look.

Produced by Fairmont Hotels & Resorts

What I've Been Reading

I have, over the years, read and reread, the first few (maybe 5?) books in Winston Graham's Poldark series. There are 11 altogether, and I've recently managed to snag the rest of the books, so I was all set to read them when a copy of Longbourn came in at the library on a 7-day checkout (no renewals).

So I quickly changed my plans and dove into Longbourn by Jo Baker. I was not disappointed. It's Pride and Prejudice (sort of) told from the viewpoint of the servants in the Bennet household. So, it's less about the Bennets and more about the lives of those servants, in particular, Sarah, a young woman who had come to the household as a child but is now grown. I'm not sure I can ever read Pride and Prejudice with the same blithe disregard for the shadowy servants in the book again, but I highly recommend Longbourn.