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You are here: Home Life in Blogs & photos Books to read for summer

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10/08/2011Books to read for summer

Books to read for summer Books are the way to go in the sweltering summer month of August, says Expatica blogger Kristen Bernardi.

In August, physical exertion in Spain is kept at a minimum. Twice-daily showers are rendered ineffective, as you start sweating as soon as your feet hit the bath mat. Walking through the centre of Madrid at midday is like being trapped in the barrel of a hair dryer.

Whether you're in the city parked squarely in front of your fan (me), or on the coast stretched out in the sand (smarter people) one of the best things to do that requires the least amount of effort is to read a good book.

Dozens of authors have tried to capture the allure and mystique of living abroad. Hemingway was arguably Spain's most famous expat, though he talked up Paris quite a bit, too. If you fancy a bit of poetry, fellow American Ezra Pound showed his love for London, Paris and Italy in verse. Edith Wharton took a high-class approach to culture shock, while Graham Greene, like Hemingway, wrote about a country torn apart by war.

Enjoying a good book to beat the summer heat in Spain.

A Year in Provence and Under the Tuscan Sun give a more modern, romanticised account of moving abroad, while the former's tongue-in-cheek spoof, A Year in the Merde, shows France's warts and all. If this is more your style, check out David Sedaris' linguistic misadventures at learning French in Me Talk Pretty One Day.

Paris doesn't get all the attention, however. The Poisonwood Bible, one of my personal favorites, is a fictional account of an American family's life in Africa. Above the Sea shows what it's like to be a foreigner in China. Who knew our lives were so fascinating? Perhaps you can get started on your autobiography once the sun goes down.


This year's best sellers on Amazon.com include Precious Gifts of Love by C.J. Good, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson, Water for Elephants: A Novel by Sara Gruen, The Help by Kathryn Stockett and The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho.

Kristen Bernardi / Expatica


4 reactions to this article

Mdina posted: 2009-08-05 16:08:41

Can I recommend A new earth by Eckhart Tolle -- great to read when you have time to assimilate. Plus Brida by Paolo Coelho for an easier read.

Tamara1408 posted: 2009-08-10 22:37:56

Take this IQ test and support Belgium in a contest to name the
smartest country in the world:----------> http://www.test-qi.be/#111706

antoine posted: 2011-08-10 10:10:57

Can I recommend HhhH by Laurent Bizt - strongly written book around WWII phase in Prague.

Alfred J. Garrotto posted: 2011-10-11 04:22:35

In "The Saint of Florenville: A Love Story," a novel set in Belgium, an American priest and a Belgian nun are kidnapped while sightseeing in Bruges. What follows is a tale of loss, faith, and the struggle for survival--a celebration of love that cannot be defined by rules that humans impose. Available in print and ebook formats at Amazon.fr and for all ebook formats on Smashwords.com.

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4 reactions to this article

Mdina posted: 2009-08-05 16:08:41

Can I recommend A new earth by Eckhart Tolle -- great to read when you have time to assimilate. Plus Brida by Paolo Coelho for an easier read.

Tamara1408 posted: 2009-08-10 22:37:56

Take this IQ test and support Belgium in a contest to name the
smartest country in the world:----------> http://www.test-qi.be/#111706

antoine posted: 2011-08-10 10:10:57

Can I recommend HhhH by Laurent Bizt - strongly written book around WWII phase in Prague.

Alfred J. Garrotto posted: 2011-10-11 04:22:35

In "The Saint of Florenville: A Love Story," a novel set in Belgium, an American priest and a Belgian nun are kidnapped while sightseeing in Bruges. What follows is a tale of loss, faith, and the struggle for survival--a celebration of love that cannot be defined by rules that humans impose. Available in print and ebook formats at Amazon.fr and for all ebook formats on Smashwords.com.

Add a comment
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