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Infinite Country by Patricia Engel | Thoughts

   Published : 2021   ||    Format : print   ||    Location : Colombia ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆   What was it about the country that kept everyone hostage to its fantasy? The previous month, on its own soil, an American man went to his job at a plant and gunned down fourteen coworkers, and last spring alone there were four different school shootings. A nation at war with itself, yet people still spoke of it as some kind of paradise.. Thoughts : Infinite Country follows two characters - young Talia, who at the beginning of this book, escapes a girl’s reform school in North Colombia so that she can make her previously booked flight to the US. Before she can do that, she needs to travel many miles to reach her father and get her ticket to the rest of her family. As we follow Talia’s treacherous journey south, we learn about how she ended up in the reform school in the first place and why half her family resides in the US. Infinite Country tells the story of her family through the other protagonist, El

The Sunday Salon: The waiting-for-holidays edition

The Sunday 
Salon.com

Good morning, Sunday Saloners! I've been back from the holidays/vacation to Miami/Key West for a few days now, but I'm still in a holiday mood. At this rate, the Christmas holidays cannot come soon enough. Even though we did a lot of things and were mostly outside during the holidays, I felt very refreshed by the time I got back home, which is strange for me because I'm usually in for quiet vacations.

I did visit Ernest Hemmingway's house in Key West while we were there, and boy, you would be amazed by the number of cats in the house. Snuggling in every corner, a few coming up to be petted, but most keeping to themselves and not really enjoying the tourist's intrusions. There was one that wanted to be petted but threw a hell of a peacock's arrogant attitude while getting a massage. There was another one snuggling inside a shelf in a bookstore. Adorable, really. Though, being a dog person, part of me wondered what a ruckus there wound have been if they were dogs not cats. But then, the dogs wouldn't stay in a house, would they?

Courtesy my husband's brother, we also got to lunch on a cruise ship. This was my first time on one, and I haven't been able to get the idea of a cruise ship out of my head. They even have a library on board - who would have ever thought that? Interestingly, they had a roller coaster as well on the top deck. I cannot imagine what it would be like roller coasting in the middle of an ocean. Seasickness plus dizziness would be a crazy mix.

I haven't been reading much lately. I read a chunk during the last three months for a challenge, and had to put aside tons of other things like knitting, interior decorating, reading the New Yorker, etc. I have a feeling I will be doing very little of reading this month. Which is fine by me. I have a ton of books to review and I cannot wait to post them. I've been knitting all day yesterday and plan to do more today. I started making a cowl for my dog but it turned out to be too tiny for her neck in the end. I swear her neck just thickened after I measured it. Oh well. The husband and I are also planning to do some work around the house this month though we haven't really thought much about it.

When I am reading, I am hoping to close the year with a few of the 2013 releases that I missed. So far, the books that I really want to read are The InterestingsHard LuckThe GoldfinchThe CircleThe Encyclopedia of Early EarthThe Golem and the JinniBoxers and SaintsWedding NightLife After Life, and The Preservationist. I know I am missing many other titles in there - and I'm hoping you would have a few suggestions for me to add to the list.

Comments

Can't wait to see your knitting and I am totally going to daydream about what the ship library looks like now.
Lisa Sheppard said…
Sounds like you had a great trip! I knew there were a lot of cats at Hemingway's place when he lived there but I had no idea they were still all over the place. That's not something you usually see at a tourist site!
Vasilly said…
A roller coaster on a cruise ship just sounds crazy!! That's way too much movement for me. I'm hoping to read The Goldfinch, Life After Life, and The Golem and the Jinni before the end of the year too. Want to do a read-along of one of them?
Sam_TinyLibrary said…
Sounds like you had a great holiday. I would have been interested to see the cruise ship, I've always wanted to take an extended break on an extremely luxurious cruise ship :)
bermudaonion(Kathy) said…
That sounds like a terrific holiday!
Jenny @ Reading the End said…
I can't even picture a roller coaster on a cruise ship! All I'd be able to think of would be falling into the water -- though in fairness I suppose that differs from what I am thinking of on a regular roller coaster only in that I would be imagining dying from impact with water, rather than impact with concrete. :p
Athira / Aths said…
Trust me, the cruise started sounding infinitely more appealing after I realized that they had a library. Also, they have many retreat areas on the top deck, where you can sit all morning and read in silence. Amazing!
Athira / Aths said…
I'm not usually one to want to visit important people's homes and such. Though I do love visiting castles. But seeing so many cats at Hemmingway's homes made it such a sweet place to visit. That was a first for me.
Athira / Aths said…
That would be great! How about The Goldfinch? Only because I already have the book with me. :)
Athira / Aths said…
You'll be surprised that the cruises aren't really very expensive, so long as you go for discounts or deals. They are affordable, costing the same as any other vacation you may take. The problem is the costs add up once you start living in the cruise, because of all the features they provide.
Athira / Aths said…
Yeah. If you're less panicky and super proactive, you can at least try diving into the water, which you cannot with concrete. ::shudder:: I will keep away from the coaster for sure.
Vasilly said…
The Goldfinch it is! :-)
Ti Reed said…
I'm not sure I could do a cruise vacation. I get sick with the slightest motion. A roller coaster on board would mean guaranteed nausea in my book!

I love the lights and decorations of Christmas. I love the food too but I am so done with the shopping part. I am not even doing that much but I hate it.
What? Now I'm ready for a cruise. :)
Helen Murdoch said…
I have never been on a real cruise ship either (I don't count the low budget one for the overnight sail between Denmark and England), but I'd like to go on one to see the amenities. I seem to get my reading done when we go to dance conventions, especially the ones involving a plane ride!
Athira / Aths said…
I went to the mall the other day and it was so crowded with shoppers. Duh, what did I expect? But still it was insane. Our small-town mall isn't usually that crowded on a regular day. It's like everyone woke up from a mass hibernation or something.
Athira / Aths said…
The amenities on the ship were just awesome. It's like getting pampered on a nice cozy holiday!
Athira / Aths said…
Yay! I will be sending you an email soon!