Little Princes: One Man's Promise to Bring Home the Lost Children of Nepal by Conor Grennan
(William Morrow, Jan. 25, 2011)
Amazon's product description: "In search of adventure, 29-year-old Conor Grennan traded his day job for a year-long trip around the globe, a journey that began with a three-month stint volunteering at the Little Princes Children’s Home, an orphanage in war-torn Nepal.
Conor was initially reluctant to volunteer, unsure whether he had the proper skill, or enough passion, to get involved in a developing country in the middle of a civil war. But he was soon overcome by the herd of rambunctious, resilient children who would challenge and reward him in a way that he had never imagined. When Conor learned the unthinkable truth about their situation, he was stunned: The children were not orphans at all. Child traffickers were promising families in remote villages to protect their children from the civil war—for a huge fee—by taking them to safety. They would then abandon the children far from home, in the chaos of Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu.
For Conor, what began as a footloose adventure becomes a commitment to reunite the children he had grown to love with their families, but this would be no small task. He would risk his life on a journey through the legendary mountains of Nepal, facing the dangers of a bloody civil war and a debilitating injury. Waiting for Conor back in Kathmandu, and hopeful he would make it out before being trapped in by snow, was the woman who would eventually become his wife and share his life’s work.
Little Princes is a true story of families and children, and what one person is capable of when faced with seemingly insurmountable odds. At turns tragic, joyful, and hilarious, Little Princes is a testament to the power of faith and the ability of love to carry us beyond our wildest expectations. "
I picked up a slim paperback that has been languishing on my shelf: Voltaire's Calligrapher: A Novel
by Pablo De Santis, published Oct. 1, 2010. I see it as literary fiction, but it's described also as "steampunk mystery set in the time of Voltaire." (Booklist) Wish I had started it sooner!
Title: The Tapestry Shop (Five Star Expressions)"Catherine glanced at the musician; all eyes were on him. This musician has smitten all the ladies and probably cannot see past his Norman nose, pampered as he is in court circles." (ch. 7)Goodreads description: "The Tapestry Shop, by Joyce Elson Moore, is an historical novel based on the life of Adam de la Halle, a 13th century poet/musician who entertained in France's royal courts and who left behind a vast collection of secular compositions.
While researching Adam's music, the author discovered ... that the earliest version of the Robin Hood legend may have been Adam's play, Le Jeu de Robin et Marion. Because Adam was patronized by royalty, his play was probably performed in English courts, and would have changed, as legends do. In the retelling, Robin became an English hero, and Robin's companions became the Merry Men.
The book draws the reader into the Middle Ages, where women joined the crusades and students held discourse on the Street of Straw, but the overriding appeal of The Tapestry Shop may be Adam's connection to the popular legend of Robin Hood."
Comments: Romance, religion, history, music and poetry all rolled into one in this novel by Joyce Elson Moore about Adam de la Halle, a French trouvere or troubadour whom she did extensive research on for her novel. Well worth while for lovers of poetry and literature, history, and legend.
by Zoe Ferraris, and a third, 
The Sari Shop Widow by Shobhan Bantwal, September 1, 2009, Kensington Publishing.
Product description: "Pungent curry. . .sweet fried onions. . .incense. . .colorful beads. . .lush fabrics. Shobhan Bantwal's compelling new novel is set on the streets of Edison, New Jersey's Little India, where a young businesswoman rediscovers the magic of love and family. ..Comments: I learned a lot about Indian-Americans and Gujarati family traditions, how the East and the West meet and co-exist in contemporary times. I recommend this for those who read women's fiction and international authors.
Since becoming a widow at age twenty-seven, Anjali Kapadia has devoted herself to transforming her parents' sari shop into a chic boutique, brimming with exquisite jewelry and clothing. Now, ten years later, it stands out like a proud maharani amid Edison's bustling Little India. But when Anjali learns the shop is on the brink of bankruptcy, she feels her world unraveling. . .
To the rescue comes Anjali's wealthy, dictatorial Uncle Jeevan and his business partner, Rishi Shah--a mysterious Londoner, complete with British accent, cool gray eyes, and skin so fair it makes it hard to believe he's Indian. Rishi's cool, foreign demeanor triggers distrust in Anjali and her mother. But for Anjali, he also stirs something else, a powerful attraction she hasn't felt in a decade. And the feeling is mutual. . .
Love disappointed Anjali once before and she's vowed to live without it--though Rishi is slowly melting her resolve and, as the shop regains its footing, gaining her trust. But when a secret from Rishi's past is revealed, Anjali must turn to her family and her strong cultural upbringing to guide her in finding the truth. . ."
Murder in Passy: An Aimee Leduc Investigation Set in Paris.
by Anchee Min
by Zoe FerrarisBooks reviewed Letting Go of September by Sandra J. Jackson, July 31, 2024; BooksGoSocial Genre: thriller , family drama Themes: reflectiv...
