Travel
My Right Leg is Tastier than My Left by Andrew John Rainnie
This is one of those books written by a guy who is brash, no holds barred, quirky, down to earth and off the wall, and I just loved it.
Ship Happens by Brian David Bruns
I took on Ship for Brains by Brian David Bruns for review around the time of the Costa Concordia disaster in Italy earlier this year. I had cruised on that same ship in 2008 and felt a connection to those poor passengers affected by such incompetence. For I’d also been on another Carnival ship (Carnival owns Costa) in the Caribbean when an engine failed, delaying our return a full day. That situation was poorly handled and communicated by whoever was in charge. I felt this book might provide some tidbits to re-stoke my personal indignation with Carnival.
Roppongi by Nick Vasey
Peripatetic Australian Zack Morrissey is a chick magnet and all round likeable guy in 1998, back when international travel wasn’t so complicated. He’s crewing on a tourist boat in Israel, partying it up and having a good time, but not a wild time; also he’s not making as much money as he wants. Hence the compelling need to return to a notorious district of Tokyo called—and vividly depicted in Nick Vasey’s debut novel—Roppongi.
Review 192: Scavenger Guides Chicago by Daniel Ireland
When travelling, kids don’t want to see things, they want to do things. Scavenger Guides Chicago addresses that need by offering a guidebook designed and written for kids. This guidebook is meant to be used more than consulted and, ideally, become a lasting memento of a trip to the windy city. Challenges and questions about popular top tourist sites and activities encourage involvement. A travel guide, game, journal, photography course, and souvenir all in one.
Review 112: The Sophisticated Savage by Carla Seidl
I can guarantee you’ve never read anything like The Sophisticated Savage. Part scholarly essay, part interview, and part soul-baring diary, Carla Seidl weaves a tale that is hard to put down. What you will likely discover is that you end up finding out much more about Seidl than you do about the title character. Whether you end up empathizing with her or shaking your head, you will be right inside her head during a fascinating time in her life.
Review 93: A Glimpse of the Dragon by Janis Letts
I love an adventure story. I’m not talking about the jarring action packed adventure with lots of guns and running, destined for an R rating if it makes the big screen, but instead a personal kind of adventure for one person that ends up being a life changing personal journey for them. And that’s exactly what happened to Janis Letts.
Review 45: 30 ~ A Sense of Adventure and No Sense of Direction by Mark Callaghan
There are two types of dreams: those so bizarre and imaginative, and so out of reach that we think of them as nothing more but dreams. These sleep stories can be a buffet for a writer. Then, there are those dreams that are within our grasp, but often we are too busy to consider reaching for them. Maybe we choose to write about them as well instead of actually attempting to achieve them. Not Mark Callaghan.
Review 26-28 LLBR’s Search for America
Well, here it is folks. Few people answered our call, so we were forced to search Lulu for America on our own. In celebration of our independence as a nation, as a people, as authors, the Lulu Book Review was in search of that one Lulu book that embodies America and its freedoms.
Review 19: Sirocco Express by Tony Judge
Traveling to foreign countries is not a pleasure I’ve ever experienced myself, but I have always enjoyed reading about it. Christopher Isherwood and his writings about many trips to a war torn Germany remain at the top of the list of some of my favorite books. I can now add author Tony Judge to that list. When I began reading Tony’s book, Sirocco Express, I was immediately captivated by the author’s use of description. Here’s the very first line of the book: