Books

By Claire
I'm reading War in Val D'Orcia, An Italian War Diary 1943-1944, by Iris Origo. The more I read, the more I realize how little I really know about Italy's part in the War. This book was written during that time and it's an intimate and informative look at living through WW II in the countryside of Tuscany.

I'm trying to read and learn as much as I can about European, Turkish, and Egyptian history so I'll be at least a little bit prepared for all that we will see and learn throughout our travels.

I just finished No Man's Land: One Man's Odyssey through the Odyssey by Scott Huler. You can read my first attempt at writing a review for Traveller's Point, a great travel forum and blog site.

Reading will definitely be a big part of our trip and I've purposely chosen books that take place in the countries we will visit. Here's a sampling:

The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak
Speaking for Myself: My Life from Liverpool to Downing Street, by Cheri Blair
My Life in France, by Julia Child
Gertrude Bell: Queen of the Desert, Shaper of Nations, by Georgina Howell
Medievel People, by Eileen Power
Roma: The Novel of Ancient Rome, by Steven Saylor
44 Scotland Street, by Alexander McCall Smith
A Thousand Days in Venice, by Marlena de Blasi
Married to a Bedouin, by Marguerite van Geldermalsen