short stories with strong message
Intrepid Express reader Diana Hinterleitner reviews a book that illustrates the benefits of understanding those who live in worlds beyond our own…
“In March 2008 I started reading Nine Parts of Desire. It is a collection of stories by Geraldine Brooks, a prizewinning foreign correspondent for The Wall Street Journal, who spent six years covering the Middle East through wars, insurrections, and the volcanic upheaval of resurgent fundamentalism.
I find reading short stories great for filling in between novels. My friend Tracy and I had planned a trip to East Africa for August 2008, but closer to the time of booking we decided that we would travel to North Africa instead and made plans to visit Egypt and Morocco.
As I hadn’t finished all of the stories in Nine Parts of Desire, I decided that this book would accompany me on my travels. What a great insight it provided for myself and Tracy, who also read the book while we were travelling. The author allowed us to distinguish between the perceived oppressive cultural traditions and the true teachings of the Koran and an understanding of the women behind the veils.”
If a book has inspired you to travel or simply makes for great reading while on the road, please email intrepidexpress@intrepidtravel.com – let us know a little of what it’s about plus an indication of the size, as we would love to hear your recommendation for a great backpack book!
You can check out other recommendations from Intrepid Express readers by clicking on the ‘books for your backpack’ travel theme in this blog or seeing the latest book reviews on the Intrepid travel website.
