Posts by Kimberly Sullivan
(Feels like) Summer reading: Americanah
Okay, this weekend I had to take my son to the beach for a fun track and field workout session for him, but it also turned out to be a wonderful, relive-the-summer day for me. At Ostia, the beach nearest Rome, the massive summer crowds were gone, but the weather was almost as gorgeous as…
Read MoreJogging in St Julian’s, Malta
For those who read my blog occasionally, you may know I often pack along jogging sneakers when I travel – and particularly when I travel for work. My work days can be quite long, and there’s nothing like starting out early (after I silently curse the dreaded ring of the alarm clock) and heading out…
Read MoreBravo, Kazuo Ishiguro!
To be frank, after last year’s nomination of singer-songwriter Bob Dylan as Nobel Laureate for Literature left me rather annoyed, I wasn’t expecting much to emerge from Stockholm this year. So was I ever so pleasantly surprised to hear that this year’s honor was awarded to fabulously talented and diverse Japanese-English novelist Kazuo Ishiguro. My…
Read MoreTurin’s Egyptian Museum, Italy
I was recently back in Turin to visit a friend of mine who was in Italy for a short visit. I hadn’t been back to Piedmont’s capital in years, not since I lived “in the neighborhood” of (relatively) nearby Milan. Being back was a pleasant surprise, since the city has changed quite a bit from…
Read MoreRereading high school favorites…
With my oldest son in high school, I’ve enjoyed some of the ‘joys’ of returning to some of the old Classics I haven’t read since my own (long, long ago) high school days. Of course, many classics I reread regularly on my own, but strangely enough, for some others I apparently need a little push.…
Read MoreBasque gravestones in southern France
As someone who loves history, I’ve always been drawn to old cemeteries when I visit places. I grew up outside of Boston, and always enjoyed visiting pilgrim cemeteries when I was a kid. In Europe, many of the church cemeteries are quite picturesque and interesting – and this was also true of the little towns…
Read MoreDo you ever need a vacation from the novel you’re reading?
My true problem with reading is that I very rarely give up on a novel. It’s the same mantra I preach to my kids (with varying levels of success). However, sometimes it pays off. My kids’ generation are (sadly?) used to novels that read more like action movies – dumping them in the action in…
Read MoreSummer holidays in France’s Basque country – and beyond
Although I (admittedly) suffer from acute Wanderlust and love travelling anywhere, my main travel weakness is my status as a complete Italophile. However, as a close second, I’m also a hopeless Francophile. These two countries actually have a lot in common, with their strong regional characters that make exploring the various regions a real treat,…
Read MoreMy thoughts will be in Matera for the Women’s Fiction Festival!
I’ve spent many a happy weekend at the Matera Women’s Fiction Festival in the spectacular, southern Italian “cave” town of Matera. After a one year hiatus, the Festival will take place once again at the end of this month, but sadly without me. My inability to attend this year doesn’t mean I won’t be thinking…
Read MoreExploring Narni’s winding, medieval streets
This past summer, my track-and-field-addicted son attended a running camp in the Umbrian hill town of Narni – in central Italy. I’ve travelled a lot in Umbria, but it was my first time in this little village. Picking my son and dropping him off for his camp, I was quite envious he got to enjoy…
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