Last week I got to the library. I have had several books on a wait list and of course they all came in at once. This is what I snagged…..

I read a review of this book and as travel writing is one of my top favourite genres I thought I would have a closer look at it to see if I want to read it.

“The 1914 Giro d’Italia: The hardest bike race in history. Eighty-one riders started and only eight finished after enduring cataclysmic storms, roads strewn with nails, and even the loss of an eye by one competitor. And now Tim Moore is going to ride it. And he’s committed to total authenticity.” (Good Reads)

It is one of those tales where something momentous happened in the past and now a person decides to recreate the experience. It is supposed to be very funny.

This is the most well known book (and author) of the bunch. I have read it already and I must say it is one of the best books I have read in awhile. As James says from “James Reads Books” it is my new favourite book. George Orwell can write like few others and his description of the poverty of working in restaurants in Paris and living on the streets of London in the 1930’s is an incredible experience.  We don’t know how well off we are at times. I would consider reading this again. I loved the people in it and felt for them with all my heart.

I have had to wait months for this book so I will start it probably later today. It sounds like the title to a crime novel but it is not.

From Good Reads…”Many people dream of escaping modern life, but most will never act on it. This is the remarkable true story of a man who lived alone in the woods of Maine for 27 years, making this dream a reality–not out of anger at the world, but simply because he preferred to live on his own.”  

It appeals to me because I get tired of all the people around me and crave some quiet time in nature. But 27 years?  He left civilisation in the late 1980’s and didn’t speak to another person for almost 30 years. I have to see how he did that. Grocery shopping? Eating off the land? In Maine?  So many unanswered questions. It sounds fascinating.
I checked this unknown Indigenous story out of the library after seeing a post written by Whispering Gums about Mandala Press.  I went to the library web page and typed in the name of this publisher just to see what would come up. Most entries were children’s books but this looks as though it is for older readers.

“A young girl, Ngarta, fearing for her life when strangers approach, runs for her life. She supported herself by hunting and gathering, moving from waterhole to waterhole. It was in the 1960’s, when most Walmajarri people had left the desert and moved onto cattle stations. Ngarta’s sister, Jukuna, had already left with her husband. When the murderers caught up with Ngarta and wanted to kill her, she persuaded them to follow her instead.”  (The blurb on the back of the book.)

When I was in Sydney with my friend we were talking about cooking. I told her I recently purchased a pressure cooker. I still jump about three feet into the air when it releases steam at the end of a session. She mentioned to me this book that sounded quite funny.  The library. had it. I don’t know if I’ll have time to read it before it is due back but I will look through it. The blurb on the back states, “A baby + a toddler + a full-time job = total meltdown”.  You get the idea.

Has anyone out there read any of these?