Travel

A perfect read for trying times! Cultural anthropologist and photographer Barry Kass begins his memoir by quoting Richard Burton, the British explorer, who wrote that "one of the gladdest moments in human life … is the departure upon a distant journey into unknown lands." This is especially true given the travel restrictions in the coronavirus pandemic and thus all the more of a pleasure to read. Kass’s memoir is not your ordinary travelogue. It is filled with descriptions of exotic locations and adventures but also with honest musings, like the deep appreciation of the comforts – hot water showers – that we in the United States take for granted.   more »

Q: And will the decisions that are being made in this transition period — like the vaccine distribution plan — in any way limit the options of a new administration? Fauci: No, I don’t think so. I think a new administration will have the choice of doing what they feel. But I can tell you what’s going to happen, regardless of the transition or not, is that we have people totally committed to doing it right that are going to be involved in this. So I have confidence in that. Q: When do you think we’ll all be able to throw our masks away? Fauci: I think that we’re going to have some degree of public health measures together with the vaccine for a considerable period of time. But we’ll start approaching normal — if the overwhelming majority of people take the vaccine — as we get into the third or fourth quarter [of 2021]. more »

Jo Freeman writes: As I passed McPherson Sq., one of the two Occupy DC hotspots in 2011-12, I saw several white tents and a stage. Days later I learned that these were put up by Bond Events, a female-owned event production company hired by the People’s Watch Party. PWP is a new coalition of 20 progressive groups which came together to produce an election day party on Black Lives Matter Plaza. The Plaza covers two blocks of 16th St. north of Lafayette Square that were turned into a pedestrian mall in response to the June protests. The DC government painted Black Lives Matter in 35 foot yellow capital letters from K to H Streets and DC’s Mayor officially renamed it on June 5. It has become the protest center of the Capitol. more »

Jill Norgren Reviews: Penny has won a large international audience — her books have been translated into more than twenty languages — with books that pay as much attention to character as to plot. This makes them rich and well-paced. Gamache, the cop who refuses to be disillusioned, sarcastic, or unhappy holds it all together, but never on his own. He believes in the abilities of others and draws upon their wit along with his own. In Paris Penny lets Gamache draw upon the intelligence and skills several women, including his wife, trained in library science. The scenes describing their work are among the highlights of this new book. Loyal series readers enjoy a trip abroad while first time readers will have no trouble slipping into Gamache’s world. more »