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Have Books, Will Travel

I am a born traveler. My very first photo, snapped at the hospital shortly after my birth, became my first passport photo. I boarded my first international flight shortly thereafter, and I have been traveling ever since. To date, I have visited 4 continents, 24 countries outside of the USA, and 31 states plus Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico. My very patient husband jokes that I always start planning the next trip on the flight home (sometimes I actually start before that!). I think the planning is half the fun. Some of my favorite travel memories include family trips with my daughter and husband to Aspen, our honeymoon in Rome, Christmas with my parents in London, our little family's favorite beach trip to Puerto Rico, and my first solo adventure to Big Sky, Montana.  I am also an avid reader, reading more than 100 books every year and currently working my way through the Boxall 1001 Books to Read Before You Die list. I come by my love of books naturally. I was raised by a librar...
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Celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month in Books


Celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month by expanding your reading list this
month to include Hispanic writers representing a variety of countries. Following is my suggested reading list: 

The Gods of Tango by Carolina De Robertis is the story of a young woman who leaves Italy in the early 1910s for a new husband and a new home in Argentina. When she arrives in Buenos Aires after a long journey, she learns her husband has been killed, and she is instantly a woman alone in a new country with no financial resources. She is soon moved by the music of her new home and the tango in particular. This is a novel about finding your passion and fighting the odds to pursue that passion. I rated this four stars on Goodreads. Find it here: The Gods of Tango by Carolina De Robertis | Goodreads.

The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende is a family saga and a love story spanning decades and generations set against the backdrop of post-colonial political struggles in Chile. This is one of the classics of magical realism and is a must read for those who enjoy a dash of magic in their fiction. I rated this five stars on Goodreads, and this is my favorite Allende novel to date. Find it here: The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende | Goodreads.  

Fruit of the Drunken Tree by Ingrid Rojas Contreras is set in Escobar-era Colombia. The novel is narrated in alternating first-person chapters told from the perspectives of two characters, 7-year-old Chula who lives in privilege and whose family always has the option of escape and of financial security and teenaged Petrona, the family's maid who sometimes lives-in and sometimes returns to her village home to help take care of her family. The contrast between Chula's and Petrona's circumstances is beautifully done, and the small age gap between these two characters further highlights their disparate experiences. Petrona has limited or no choices and is hardened for her age. Chula has the luxury of childhood naiveté, which Petrona never got to enjoy. Beautifully written and imagined and an interesting glimpse into the brutalities and fear that many Columbians experienced. I rated this four stars on Goodreads. Find it here: Fruit of the Drunken Tree by Ingrid Rojas Contreras | Goodreads. 

In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez is the story of the Mirabal sisters and takes place during the final period of the Trujillo dictatorship in the Dominican Republic in the 1960s. The novel is inspired by the true story of four sisters, three of whom were murdered for their roles in an underground plot to overthrow the government. This is a story of sisterhood and bravery. It is heartbreaking and beautifully told. It is also fascinating from a historical perspective. I rated this four stars on Goodreads. Find it here: In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez | Goodreads.  

Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel is the story of the all-female De La Garza family se in turn-of-the-century Mexico. The youngest daughter of the family, Tita, has been forbidden from marrying and is consigned to a life of caring for her mother until her mother dies. The wrinkle is that Tita falls in love with Pedro, and Pedro marries her sister (despite also being in love with Tita). Love triangle anyone? This is a story of passion (and about the power of food). I read this ages ago before I was rating books on Goodreads, but I remember really enjoying it. It may be time for a re-read. Find it here: Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel | Goodreads.  

Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter by Mario Vargas Llosa is the humorous tale of a young man (Marito) working in the news department of a local radio station in Lima, Peru. Marito's life is sent into chaos when his aunt Julia, a recent divorcee who is 13 years older than he is, comes on the scene, and they begin an affair. At the same time a new scriptwriter, Pedro Camacho, joins the radio station and makes Marito his confidante. Pedro's scripts are racy, and he is slowly going insane. This was a Nobel Prize Winner (but don't think that makes it stuffy). I rated it four stars on Goodreads. Find it here: Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter by Mario Vargas Llosa | Goodreads.  

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  1. CherylSeptember 21, 2023 at 1:54 PM

    Another wonderful book for this category is The Murmur of Bees by Sofia Segovia.

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    Replies
    1. IsabelSeptember 21, 2023 at 3:01 PM

      Thanks for the recommendation Cheryl. I haven't read that yet, but I just read the book description, and it sounds wonderful! As you can probably tell from my post, I love historical fiction and magical realism, so this is right up my alley. I am adding this to my To Read List now. (Gosh, that list is getting long! :) )

      Delete
  2. ElysiaNovember 5, 2024 at 10:04 AM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

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