Librarian Adventures

In my last post I described my reading goal for 2020: each month, read a book about something foreign, and then translate some aspect of what I read into real life. I was so excited about getting started with this challenge that I began reading Elif Shafak's 10 minutes 38 seconds in this Strange World  on January 1st.  I knew I wanted to try some different Turkish foods during the month, so I also checked out several cookbooks which included Turkish cuisine.  And so, for much of this past month I have immersed myself in this foreign world. The Book: 10 minutes 38 seconds in this Strange World 10 minutes is the story of a woman--Tequila Leila--whose body has died, but whose mind continues reviewing her life for 10 minutes and 38 seconds after her death.  It was written in Turkish; I read the English translation. As I began reading, I didn't expect to connect with the main character.  The book flap describes her as a sex worker.  I'm ashamed to admit that with tha

Last month the community engagement department at my library put together a blog post about the reading goals of the library staff.  I had never come up with reading resolutions, but after a bit of thought, I decided to push myself to translate what I was reading into real life: A few years ago I read  Marcus Samuelsson’s memoir  Yes, Chef . His whole life was foreign to me, from his upbringing in Sweden to the anxiety-inducing competitive atmosphere of his workplace. One aspect of the book I could relate to was his appreciation for traditional foods from around the world. After I finished the book, I had the opportunity to visit his restaurant in Harlem, which was another exciting foreign experience: navigating the subways of New York alone, being seated at a table alongside strangers, and ordering the prix fixe.    This year my goal is to recreate that experience 12 times over. I want to read a book each month about something foreign, and then somehow find a way to live the exp