Participating in another country’s Christmas traditions while traveling the world is a special experience we highly recommend. European Christmas Market river cruises, for example, are extremely popular, and passengers must make their reservations when itineraries are released. Spending time exploring Italian cities, or even the Greek Isles would be an enjoyable way to celebrate the holidays, as would a cruise to Caribbean ports featuring Christmas decorations against blue skies and white sand. The gift of travel is the best gift, because it comes with learning about cultures around the world, which is just one reason why we love traveling so…
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Fiction of the Pacific States
From the scenic coastal highways of California to the lush evergreen forests of the Pacific Northwest, the Pacific States are beautiful and varying in their landscapes. Sun-soaked deserts, rolling surf, sprawling vineyards, Redwood forests, and snow-capped mountain peaks provide the backdrop for both incredible travel and reading experiences. Let’s explore fiction of the Pacific States: California East of Eden by John Steinbeck Arguably Steinbeck’s most powerful and ambitious novel, East of Eden follows the generations of the Trask and Hamilton families as a retelling of the stories of Adam and Eve and Cain and Abel. At just over 600 pages,…
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Fiction of the Southwest
The American Southwest stretches across arid deserts, void of signs of human life. It is scenic canyons that cut through red rocks, natural showstoppers in some of our county’s most breathtaking parks. The diversity of the region’s people and fascinating history continue to evolve today, and the fiction selections of this region highlight the merging of past and present while telling the stories of its people. Oklahoma The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck A Pulitzer Prize-winning American classic, The Grapes of Wrath tells the story of the Joad family and their migration to California from the Dust Bowl during…
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Fiction of the Rocky Mountain States
The majestic snow-peaked Rocky Mountains and rugged natural beauty of the six states that form this region provide the perfect backdrop for stories of growth, survival, and the most memorable times of our lives. Here are our picks for fiction of the Rocky Mountain States: Montana Fourth of July Creek by Smith Henderson When social worker Pete Snow attempts to help a nearly feral boy he discovers in the Montana wilderness, he must confront the boy’s disturbed father, a survivalist who is preparing for the coming End Times. As Snow works to gain the trust of the boy’s father, the…
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Fiction of the Midwest (part 2)
Let’s continue exploring fiction of the American Midwest, where the waving wheat fields of the Plains catch the golden afternoon sunlight, the rugged beauty of the quiet Dakotas beckons those who yearn to rest with nature, and the lakes that dot the landscape of Minnesota call for lazy summer days perched on their docks. For the first part of this region’s recommended reading list, we visited Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin. Minnesota Monkeewrench by P.J. Tracy First in a series and penned by a mother/daughter writing duo, Monkeewrench introduces readers to software company Monkeewrench, which has created a computer…
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