NEWS/BLOG

Books Worth Looking Into

I’ve just discovered Tourmaline, a novel by Joanna Scott, published a few years back. The title refers to the gemstone found on the Italian island of Elba, where Napoleon was exiled and where an American family goes for a vacation that keeps getting extended. The story is told by various family members long after the fact. It’s the early fifties, post-war Europe. The Americans have borrowed money from their more affluent relatives for a vacation. Their misadventures begin when their luggage is stolen before they even get to the island. It’s not a comedy of errors, though errors are plentiful. Murray Murdoch, the father, is full of grand schemes, some of them quite absurd and his pursuit of them leaves his wife and four young sons unsettled. What’s interesting here is the juxtaposition between these American expats and their Italian neighbors who are ever polite and accommodating, but who become suspicious after the mysterious disappearance of a young woman from a prominent local family. The loose ends are tied up finally. This is recommended to anyone considering a move to a country where there’s apt to be culture shock.

Another not-so-new book that I enjoyed tremendously is The Mission Song by John Le Carré, whose work I’ve always loved. Here the main character, (dare I say hero?), Salvo, is half black, half white, a highly gifted interpreter, who happens to be married to an upper-class Englishwoman who is a journalist. There is another woman, though, African, sincere and compelling. Salvo is summoned to a meeting where the fate of an impoverished African country is being decided by a group of moneyed Europeans and some Africans tribal leaders they’ve hoped to dupe. The Africans are characters one rarely meets on the printed page, much less in real life. One in particular, Haj, is unforgettable. As Le Carré fans would expect, the plot has more than a few twists and turns. Le Carré is now well into his seventies and let’s hope he enjoys good health for some time to come.

I’ve been spending time with Living Abroad in Costa Rica, an excellent source for anyone considering a move there or who enjoys Costa Rican lore. See the review Updates from All Over.

Please note that the Living Abroad books aren’t related to Network for Living Abroad or liveabroad.com/ However, we do think they do a fine job.

Send us your suggestions as to books, resources and news items. We like hearing from you.