Background books
My dad is awesome. One of the many things that I love about my dad is that he likes to read what I call 'background books', or non-fiction books pertaining to some sort of upcoming family or personal adventure. For example, he read a lot of climbing books before he and I climbed Mt. St. Helens together a few years ago, and he read a travel book about China before our trip there in 2010. Currently, he's reading a book about the history of the Czech Republic in preparation for our trip there next month.
Recently, he bought me a 'background book' to read before my time living in France. It's a newer one by David McCullough called The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris. It is awesome!! He never steers me wrong with book suggestions, it's so great! I'm reading about Americans in Paris between 1830 and 1900, arriving for the first time and sharing their first impressions through letters and journals, and it's so spot on. Their words are exactly what I think to myself when I'm in France or doing France-related things (like enjoying wine and cheese!). The descriptions of 19th century Paris and the culture are fascinating as well. If you love France or European history, I highly recommend it! I can't express how much I'm enjoying this book and how much it is making me more and more excited to leave and confident in my decision to do so.
A HUGE thank you goes out to both my dad and my mom for always being so supportive of my crazy adventures and for knowing me so well! I am very much looking forward to exploring the Czech Republic and Germany with them and then to show them around my favorite place in the world (France!) next spring.
Speaking of exploring, in exactly five weeks, I'll be on an early morning flight to Prague!! Yesterday, I had a big planning session with Roomie K for our trip to Italy in mid-September, and I'm going to San Francisco for my French visa next week. It's all happening!
"The dream of my lifetime was about to be realized; I was bound for France." - Nathaniel Willis
:)
Recently, he bought me a 'background book' to read before my time living in France. It's a newer one by David McCullough called The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris. It is awesome!! He never steers me wrong with book suggestions, it's so great! I'm reading about Americans in Paris between 1830 and 1900, arriving for the first time and sharing their first impressions through letters and journals, and it's so spot on. Their words are exactly what I think to myself when I'm in France or doing France-related things (like enjoying wine and cheese!). The descriptions of 19th century Paris and the culture are fascinating as well. If you love France or European history, I highly recommend it! I can't express how much I'm enjoying this book and how much it is making me more and more excited to leave and confident in my decision to do so.
A HUGE thank you goes out to both my dad and my mom for always being so supportive of my crazy adventures and for knowing me so well! I am very much looking forward to exploring the Czech Republic and Germany with them and then to show them around my favorite place in the world (France!) next spring.
Speaking of exploring, in exactly five weeks, I'll be on an early morning flight to Prague!! Yesterday, I had a big planning session with Roomie K for our trip to Italy in mid-September, and I'm going to San Francisco for my French visa next week. It's all happening!
"The dream of my lifetime was about to be realized; I was bound for France." - Nathaniel Willis
:)
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