Author: Laine B Brown
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781999654818
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 346
Book Description
Laine gave up her job as a nurse, sold her home and gave away most of her belongings. She had three desires bubbling at the heart of her choice, to write a book, paint a picture and climb a mountain before she died. A man with a van took her remaining belongings, along with her basset hound Basil, down to the heel of Italy over 1,500 miles away.
Finding Myself in Puglia
Author: Laine B Brown
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781999654818
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 346
Book Description
Laine gave up her job as a nurse, sold her home and gave away most of her belongings. She had three desires bubbling at the heart of her choice, to write a book, paint a picture and climb a mountain before she died. A man with a van took her remaining belongings, along with her basset hound Basil, down to the heel of Italy over 1,500 miles away.
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781999654818
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 346
Book Description
Laine gave up her job as a nurse, sold her home and gave away most of her belongings. She had three desires bubbling at the heart of her choice, to write a book, paint a picture and climb a mountain before she died. A man with a van took her remaining belongings, along with her basset hound Basil, down to the heel of Italy over 1,500 miles away.
Cultural Sociology of Cultural Representations
Author: Christopher Thorpe
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
ISBN: 0429670885
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 297
Book Description
This book provides a historical cultural sociological analysis of cultural representations of Italy in England and later Britain, from the period of the Italian Renaissance to the present day. Rooted in a critical account of orthodox social scientific approaches to thinking and theorising cultural representation, the study combines analytical frames and conceptual apparatus from Bourdieu’s Field theory and Yale School cultural sociology. Drawing from a wide range of empirical data and studies, the book demonstrates the significance of representations of the Italian peninsula and its people for exploring a range of cultural sociological phenomena, from the ‘classing’ and ‘commodification’ of Italy to the role of Italian symbolism for negotiating cultural trauma, identify formation, and expressions of cultural edification, veneration, and emulation. As such, it will be of interest to scholars of (cultural) sociology, history, anthropology, Italian studies as well as scholars in international studies interested in intercultural exchange and representations of other nations, national cultures, and otherness.
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
ISBN: 0429670885
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 297
Book Description
This book provides a historical cultural sociological analysis of cultural representations of Italy in England and later Britain, from the period of the Italian Renaissance to the present day. Rooted in a critical account of orthodox social scientific approaches to thinking and theorising cultural representation, the study combines analytical frames and conceptual apparatus from Bourdieu’s Field theory and Yale School cultural sociology. Drawing from a wide range of empirical data and studies, the book demonstrates the significance of representations of the Italian peninsula and its people for exploring a range of cultural sociological phenomena, from the ‘classing’ and ‘commodification’ of Italy to the role of Italian symbolism for negotiating cultural trauma, identify formation, and expressions of cultural edification, veneration, and emulation. As such, it will be of interest to scholars of (cultural) sociology, history, anthropology, Italian studies as well as scholars in international studies interested in intercultural exchange and representations of other nations, national cultures, and otherness.
Southern Italian Desserts
Author: Rosetta Costantino
Publisher: Ten Speed Press
ISBN: 1607744023
Category : Cooking
Languages : en
Pages : 226
Book Description
An authentic guide to the festive, mouthwatering sweets of Southern Italy, including regional specialties that are virtually unknown in the US, as well as variations on more popular desserts such as cannoli, biscotti, and gelato. As a follow-up to her acclaimed My Calabria, Rosetta Costantino collects 75 favorite desserts from her Southern Italian homeland, including the regions of Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Puglia, and Sicily. These areas have a history of rich traditions and tasty, beautiful desserts, many of them tied to holidays and festivals. For example, in the Cosenza region of Calabria, Christmas means plates piled with grispelle (warm fritters drizzled with local honey) and pitta 'mpigliata (pastries filled with walnuts, raisins, and cinnamon). For the feast of Carnevale, Southern Italians celebrate with bugie ("liars"), sweet fried dough dusted in powdered sugar, meant to tattle on those who sneak off with them by leaving a wispy trail of sugar. With fail-proof recipes and information on the desserts' cultural origins and context, Costantino illuminates the previously unexplored confectionary traditions of this enchanting region.
Publisher: Ten Speed Press
ISBN: 1607744023
Category : Cooking
Languages : en
Pages : 226
Book Description
An authentic guide to the festive, mouthwatering sweets of Southern Italy, including regional specialties that are virtually unknown in the US, as well as variations on more popular desserts such as cannoli, biscotti, and gelato. As a follow-up to her acclaimed My Calabria, Rosetta Costantino collects 75 favorite desserts from her Southern Italian homeland, including the regions of Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Puglia, and Sicily. These areas have a history of rich traditions and tasty, beautiful desserts, many of them tied to holidays and festivals. For example, in the Cosenza region of Calabria, Christmas means plates piled with grispelle (warm fritters drizzled with local honey) and pitta 'mpigliata (pastries filled with walnuts, raisins, and cinnamon). For the feast of Carnevale, Southern Italians celebrate with bugie ("liars"), sweet fried dough dusted in powdered sugar, meant to tattle on those who sneak off with them by leaving a wispy trail of sugar. With fail-proof recipes and information on the desserts' cultural origins and context, Costantino illuminates the previously unexplored confectionary traditions of this enchanting region.
Frances Mayes Always Italy
Author: Frances Mayes
Publisher: National Geographic Society
ISBN: 142622091X
Category : Travel
Languages : en
Pages : 420
Book Description
"This lush guide, featuring more than 350 glorious photographs from National Geographic, showcases the best Italy has to offer from the perspective of two women who have spent their lives reveling in its unique joys."--Publisher's description.
Publisher: National Geographic Society
ISBN: 142622091X
Category : Travel
Languages : en
Pages : 420
Book Description
"This lush guide, featuring more than 350 glorious photographs from National Geographic, showcases the best Italy has to offer from the perspective of two women who have spent their lives reveling in its unique joys."--Publisher's description.
Pan' E Pomodor
Author: Ian R. McEwan
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781430325833
Category : Puglia (Italy)
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
When the journey began we didn't expect to buy a derelict "torretta" and a 10 acre olive farm in the Gargano, Puglia. My wife's father "escaped" from the village and lifestyle of Vico del Gargano. Each year he would return with his family for August and later, we too visited Vico each summer. For my wife in particular Vico always felt like home. She seemed to have a subliminal bond, perhaps acquired when she was brought to Vico as a baby and left in the care of her grandmother. We instinctively wanted to move to the area, but due to the remoteness, the dialect and strong family reaction we were deterred from doing so. Nonetheless, we continued to harbour dreams of the spur of Italy, its beautiful rugged coastline, its mountainous forested interior, its people, dialect and traditions that gave the impression that civilisation had simply passed the region by. One day the opportunity arose for us to escape the UK and we embarked on a long journey that would change our lives forever ...
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781430325833
Category : Puglia (Italy)
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
When the journey began we didn't expect to buy a derelict "torretta" and a 10 acre olive farm in the Gargano, Puglia. My wife's father "escaped" from the village and lifestyle of Vico del Gargano. Each year he would return with his family for August and later, we too visited Vico each summer. For my wife in particular Vico always felt like home. She seemed to have a subliminal bond, perhaps acquired when she was brought to Vico as a baby and left in the care of her grandmother. We instinctively wanted to move to the area, but due to the remoteness, the dialect and strong family reaction we were deterred from doing so. Nonetheless, we continued to harbour dreams of the spur of Italy, its beautiful rugged coastline, its mountainous forested interior, its people, dialect and traditions that gave the impression that civilisation had simply passed the region by. One day the opportunity arose for us to escape the UK and we embarked on a long journey that would change our lives forever ...
Soul of the Heel
Author: Scott Bergstein
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781543044140
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 288
Book Description
There is an old Yiddish proverb that Scott and Jessica would have done well to heed. Mensch tracht, und Gott lacht. Man plans and God laughs. They thought that quitting their jobs, leaving a comfortable penthouse in Pittsburgh, saying good-bye to family, friends, and their mother tongue and moving to a little olive farm in Puglia, the "heel of the boot," would be as easy as breaking a really expensive wine glass. And God laughed.So begins The Soul of the Heel, the story of an American couple that dreamt of an idyllic life in Italy but found that getting there would require patience (little of which either of them had), perseverance (which they both had in abundance), and money (of which they barely had enough). At age fifty-eight, Scott felt bone-weary of the corporate life he had endured for over half of his years. He took a leap and suggested to his wife, Jessica who was twenty-three years his junior, that they consider leaving their lives behind and move to Italy. Their jobs were wearing them away much like a chisel wears away marble and they had been talking about how the next chapter in their lives would read. Jessica bought the idea of moving to Italy like it was on sale at Barney's. They jumped on a plane to Puglia, a place they had never been, visited thirty-three properties in four days and picked one to be their new home. Like a raft on Class 5 rapids, events moved from there at high speed, sometimes out of control, and frequently encountering obstacles that threatened to dash their dream to splinters. Fortunately for them and their vision, they met Colleen and Francesco.Colleen was born in Ireland and had lived in England, Canada and France before finally settling in Puglia. Francesco, on the other hand, had spent his entire life in the "heel." Tall, blonde, and lissome, Colleen seemed to glide from one thing to another. Francesco's staccato movement and tendency to freneticism was a stark contrast, as was his dark hair and matching complexion. But, in all ways important, they were of like mind and spirit. It was Colleen and Francesco who introduced Scott and Jessica to the property that they would call Villa Tutto and were the Virgil to their Dante, guiding them through the circles of Hell currently referred to as "Italian Immigration," "the Italian banking system," and virtually every other Italian institution. It was they who dedicated themselves to the goal of making sure that these na�ve Americans, these two brave and silly souls, saw their dream of living in Puglia become a reality.On the two-year journey from making the decision to move to Italy and Scott and Jessica's first night together as residents of Cisternino, they encountered a cast of characters that taught them that Puglia is not just about delectable food, voluptuous wines, and astounding scenery: Michele, the rotund, ever-smiling contractor they hired to do the renovation they swore they would not undertake; Pierino, owner and executive chef of Il Cappriccio, a Cisternese icon who occasionally serves up porcupine for dinner; Roberto Angelini, one of Italy's most erudite wine merchants; Pietro, the former owner of Villa Tutto who continues to believe that the place is still his; and, a parade of Italian bureaucrats hell-bent on preventing Scott and Jessica from fulfilling their dream of abiding blissfully in bel paese. As the story of their quest to move to the heel of the boot unfolds, Scott and Jessica, with Colleen and Francesco at their side, take on the challenges set before them, one-by-one overcoming them until they are finally together at Villa Tutto beginning their version of la dolce vita.
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781543044140
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 288
Book Description
There is an old Yiddish proverb that Scott and Jessica would have done well to heed. Mensch tracht, und Gott lacht. Man plans and God laughs. They thought that quitting their jobs, leaving a comfortable penthouse in Pittsburgh, saying good-bye to family, friends, and their mother tongue and moving to a little olive farm in Puglia, the "heel of the boot," would be as easy as breaking a really expensive wine glass. And God laughed.So begins The Soul of the Heel, the story of an American couple that dreamt of an idyllic life in Italy but found that getting there would require patience (little of which either of them had), perseverance (which they both had in abundance), and money (of which they barely had enough). At age fifty-eight, Scott felt bone-weary of the corporate life he had endured for over half of his years. He took a leap and suggested to his wife, Jessica who was twenty-three years his junior, that they consider leaving their lives behind and move to Italy. Their jobs were wearing them away much like a chisel wears away marble and they had been talking about how the next chapter in their lives would read. Jessica bought the idea of moving to Italy like it was on sale at Barney's. They jumped on a plane to Puglia, a place they had never been, visited thirty-three properties in four days and picked one to be their new home. Like a raft on Class 5 rapids, events moved from there at high speed, sometimes out of control, and frequently encountering obstacles that threatened to dash their dream to splinters. Fortunately for them and their vision, they met Colleen and Francesco.Colleen was born in Ireland and had lived in England, Canada and France before finally settling in Puglia. Francesco, on the other hand, had spent his entire life in the "heel." Tall, blonde, and lissome, Colleen seemed to glide from one thing to another. Francesco's staccato movement and tendency to freneticism was a stark contrast, as was his dark hair and matching complexion. But, in all ways important, they were of like mind and spirit. It was Colleen and Francesco who introduced Scott and Jessica to the property that they would call Villa Tutto and were the Virgil to their Dante, guiding them through the circles of Hell currently referred to as "Italian Immigration," "the Italian banking system," and virtually every other Italian institution. It was they who dedicated themselves to the goal of making sure that these na�ve Americans, these two brave and silly souls, saw their dream of living in Puglia become a reality.On the two-year journey from making the decision to move to Italy and Scott and Jessica's first night together as residents of Cisternino, they encountered a cast of characters that taught them that Puglia is not just about delectable food, voluptuous wines, and astounding scenery: Michele, the rotund, ever-smiling contractor they hired to do the renovation they swore they would not undertake; Pierino, owner and executive chef of Il Cappriccio, a Cisternese icon who occasionally serves up porcupine for dinner; Roberto Angelini, one of Italy's most erudite wine merchants; Pietro, the former owner of Villa Tutto who continues to believe that the place is still his; and, a parade of Italian bureaucrats hell-bent on preventing Scott and Jessica from fulfilling their dream of abiding blissfully in bel paese. As the story of their quest to move to the heel of the boot unfolds, Scott and Jessica, with Colleen and Francesco at their side, take on the challenges set before them, one-by-one overcoming them until they are finally together at Villa Tutto beginning their version of la dolce vita.
That Summer in Puglia
Author: Valeria Vescina
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781912477999
Category : Puglia (Italy)
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
Fiction. Tommaso has escaped discovery for thirty years but a young private investigator, Will, has tracked him down. Tommaso asks him to pretend never to have found him. To persuade Will, Tommaso recounts the story of his life and his great love. In the process, he comes to recognise his true role in the events which unfolded, and the legacy of unresolved grief. Now he's being presented with a second chance - but is he ready to pay the price it exacts? THAT SUMMER IN PUGLIA is a tale of love, loss, the perils of self-deception and the power of compassion. Puglia offers an ideal setting: its layers of history are integral to the story, itself an excavation of a man's past; Tommaso's increasingly vivid memories of its sensuous colours, aromas and tastes, and of how it felt to love and be loved, eventually transform the discomforting tone with which he at first tries to keep Will and painful truths at a distance. This remarkable debut combines a gripping plot and perceptive insights into human nature with delicate lyricism. Very beautiful, surprising and evocative.--Simonetta Agnello Hornby This is an enchanting slow burn of a novel; a notable debut. Vescina's voice is admirably clear, her descriptions lucid, and her characters are human to the core.--Rachel Seiffert THAT SUMMER IN PUGLIA is rich in insights into human emotions. It's the tale of the disastrous course even a great love can take if bitterness is allowed to prevail and chances of forgiveness are rejected, but also of the miracles it can work if profoundly experienced and expressed. Valeria Vescina's style has the fluidity of the great European novelists. Her characterisations are at once vivid and poetic, and the plot ever-surprising. Finally, here is the discovery through literature of Puglia, with its remarkable synthesis of Mediterranean history and cultures--and how appropriate, as this is, deep down, Greek tragedy.--Edoardo Winspeare
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781912477999
Category : Puglia (Italy)
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
Fiction. Tommaso has escaped discovery for thirty years but a young private investigator, Will, has tracked him down. Tommaso asks him to pretend never to have found him. To persuade Will, Tommaso recounts the story of his life and his great love. In the process, he comes to recognise his true role in the events which unfolded, and the legacy of unresolved grief. Now he's being presented with a second chance - but is he ready to pay the price it exacts? THAT SUMMER IN PUGLIA is a tale of love, loss, the perils of self-deception and the power of compassion. Puglia offers an ideal setting: its layers of history are integral to the story, itself an excavation of a man's past; Tommaso's increasingly vivid memories of its sensuous colours, aromas and tastes, and of how it felt to love and be loved, eventually transform the discomforting tone with which he at first tries to keep Will and painful truths at a distance. This remarkable debut combines a gripping plot and perceptive insights into human nature with delicate lyricism. Very beautiful, surprising and evocative.--Simonetta Agnello Hornby This is an enchanting slow burn of a novel; a notable debut. Vescina's voice is admirably clear, her descriptions lucid, and her characters are human to the core.--Rachel Seiffert THAT SUMMER IN PUGLIA is rich in insights into human emotions. It's the tale of the disastrous course even a great love can take if bitterness is allowed to prevail and chances of forgiveness are rejected, but also of the miracles it can work if profoundly experienced and expressed. Valeria Vescina's style has the fluidity of the great European novelists. Her characterisations are at once vivid and poetic, and the plot ever-surprising. Finally, here is the discovery through literature of Puglia, with its remarkable synthesis of Mediterranean history and cultures--and how appropriate, as this is, deep down, Greek tragedy.--Edoardo Winspeare
Solo in Salento
Author: Donna Keel Armer
Publisher: Keelykreations
ISBN:
Category : Travel
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
SOLO IN SALENTO BEGINS WITH A LIE. Desperate to break out of a life haunted by a wretched past, a loss of faith, toxic relationships, a stressful management career, and a slow sink into domestication, Donna craves time away from everything and everyone, including her loving husband. So she lies, telling everyone she is traveling alone to research a novel she intends to write. While in Otranto, Donna masters the complex recycling system of a country where she doesn't speak the language. By applying these same trash rules to her own life, she discovers that she can sort, recycle, and discard the personal garbage that has plagued her over a lifetime. The book's universal themes of personal growth and travel invite you to come along on this transformational journey filled with mysterious sacred places, culinary delights, and the possibility of being kidnapped. Readers seeking personal realization, along with active travelers, courageous wannabe travelers, and armchair travelers, will be drawn into the magic.
Publisher: Keelykreations
ISBN:
Category : Travel
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
SOLO IN SALENTO BEGINS WITH A LIE. Desperate to break out of a life haunted by a wretched past, a loss of faith, toxic relationships, a stressful management career, and a slow sink into domestication, Donna craves time away from everything and everyone, including her loving husband. So she lies, telling everyone she is traveling alone to research a novel she intends to write. While in Otranto, Donna masters the complex recycling system of a country where she doesn't speak the language. By applying these same trash rules to her own life, she discovers that she can sort, recycle, and discard the personal garbage that has plagued her over a lifetime. The book's universal themes of personal growth and travel invite you to come along on this transformational journey filled with mysterious sacred places, culinary delights, and the possibility of being kidnapped. Readers seeking personal realization, along with active travelers, courageous wannabe travelers, and armchair travelers, will be drawn into the magic.
Sharing Puglia
Author: Luca Lorusso
Publisher: Hardie Grant
ISBN: 9781742708485
Category : Cooking
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
Featuring the traditional recipes and stunning photography of the sun-kissed Puglia region, Sharing Puglia will transport you to the sapphire waters of the southern coast of Italy. With this collection of the quintessential culinary delights of Puglia designed for sharing and entertaining and that celebrate seasonal produce, you'll be able to imagine you are sitting by the shores of the Mediterranean, listening to the soothing sounds of the sea lapping against limestone cliffs, all the while savoring kingfish crudo with fresh fava beans, lemon & cacio cavallo or devouring scampi with fresh chicory and pomegranate. This collection of recipes focuses on delectable dishes perfect for sharing with friends and family- Gallipoli-style fish stew; fava, broccoli and chicory soup; baked snapper with skewered prawns; and veal broth with pasta. Celebrate seasonal produce with dinner party menus for entertaining through the four seasons, or prepare a few simple antipasto dishes such as pickled artichokes, bruschetta with olives, and taralli (savoury crackers). There are scrumptious, vegetable-packed comfort foods like eggplant parmigiana, artichokes with fried potatoes, and smoked scamorza cheese salad with mushrooms; recipes for making the best artisanal pizzas; and of course, the region's standout pasta dishes, such as conchiglioni with vongole and cauliflower, and tagliatelle with fava beans, ricotta, parsley and mint.
Publisher: Hardie Grant
ISBN: 9781742708485
Category : Cooking
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
Featuring the traditional recipes and stunning photography of the sun-kissed Puglia region, Sharing Puglia will transport you to the sapphire waters of the southern coast of Italy. With this collection of the quintessential culinary delights of Puglia designed for sharing and entertaining and that celebrate seasonal produce, you'll be able to imagine you are sitting by the shores of the Mediterranean, listening to the soothing sounds of the sea lapping against limestone cliffs, all the while savoring kingfish crudo with fresh fava beans, lemon & cacio cavallo or devouring scampi with fresh chicory and pomegranate. This collection of recipes focuses on delectable dishes perfect for sharing with friends and family- Gallipoli-style fish stew; fava, broccoli and chicory soup; baked snapper with skewered prawns; and veal broth with pasta. Celebrate seasonal produce with dinner party menus for entertaining through the four seasons, or prepare a few simple antipasto dishes such as pickled artichokes, bruschetta with olives, and taralli (savoury crackers). There are scrumptious, vegetable-packed comfort foods like eggplant parmigiana, artichokes with fried potatoes, and smoked scamorza cheese salad with mushrooms; recipes for making the best artisanal pizzas; and of course, the region's standout pasta dishes, such as conchiglioni with vongole and cauliflower, and tagliatelle with fava beans, ricotta, parsley and mint.
Il Bel Centro
Author: Michelle Damiani
Publisher: Rialto Press
ISBN: 8835880866
Category : Travel
Languages : en
Pages : 514
Book Description
A witty and warm-hearted memoir of abandoning fast-paced American days in favor of discovering the Italian secrets of food, community, and life. Moving across the globe meant Michelle Damiani soon found herself untangling Italian customs, delighting in glorious regional cuisine (recipes included), and creating lasting friendships. From grandmothers eager to teach the ancient art of pasta making, to bakers tossing bread into fiery ovens with a song, to butchers extolling the benefits of pork fat, Il Bel Centro is rich with captivating characters and cultural insights. Throw in clinking glasses of Umbrian red with the local communists and a village all-nighter decorating the cobblestone streets with flower petals; as well as embarrassing language minefields and a serious summons to the mayor’s office, and you have all the ingredients for a spellbinding travel tale. Exquisitely observed, Il Bel Centro is an intimate celebration of small town Italy, as well as a thoughtful look at raising a family in a new culture and a fascinating story of finding a home. Ultimately though, this is a story about how travel can change you when you’re ready to let it. With laugh-out-loud situations and wanderlust-inspiring storytelling, Il Bel Centro is a joyous and life-affirming read that will have readers rushing to renew their passports. “This is one of the most beautiful book I’ve ever read.” “I absolutely couldn’t get enough of this book.” “This book made me want to pack my bags.” “I loved, loved this book. Fabulously written, engaging, and entertaining.” “A magical read.”
Publisher: Rialto Press
ISBN: 8835880866
Category : Travel
Languages : en
Pages : 514
Book Description
A witty and warm-hearted memoir of abandoning fast-paced American days in favor of discovering the Italian secrets of food, community, and life. Moving across the globe meant Michelle Damiani soon found herself untangling Italian customs, delighting in glorious regional cuisine (recipes included), and creating lasting friendships. From grandmothers eager to teach the ancient art of pasta making, to bakers tossing bread into fiery ovens with a song, to butchers extolling the benefits of pork fat, Il Bel Centro is rich with captivating characters and cultural insights. Throw in clinking glasses of Umbrian red with the local communists and a village all-nighter decorating the cobblestone streets with flower petals; as well as embarrassing language minefields and a serious summons to the mayor’s office, and you have all the ingredients for a spellbinding travel tale. Exquisitely observed, Il Bel Centro is an intimate celebration of small town Italy, as well as a thoughtful look at raising a family in a new culture and a fascinating story of finding a home. Ultimately though, this is a story about how travel can change you when you’re ready to let it. With laugh-out-loud situations and wanderlust-inspiring storytelling, Il Bel Centro is a joyous and life-affirming read that will have readers rushing to renew their passports. “This is one of the most beautiful book I’ve ever read.” “I absolutely couldn’t get enough of this book.” “This book made me want to pack my bags.” “I loved, loved this book. Fabulously written, engaging, and entertaining.” “A magical read.”