Mirror, Shoulder, Signal by Dorthe Nors is a coming of middle age story, and maybe the world needs more of these. Sonja lives in Copenhagen and translates Swedish detective stories. She’s feeling stuck. She is also trying to learn to drive (hence the title) while dealing with vertigo and trying to figure out the next… [Read More]
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United States: Killers of the Flower Moon
I’m still engrossed in my around-the-world challenge. For the United States, I went with Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI, a book about the Osage Nation. Like so many Americans, I don’t know nearly enough about our indigenous nations. This is both a Native American story and… [Read More]
The Impact of Extreme Heat on Urban Real Estate
Right now, temperatures are breaking records in the Western United States. Highs are expected to hit 113 Fahrenheit in Las Vegas and 117 in Phoenix, with a drought making matters worse. This urban extreme heating is caused by climate change combined with what the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency calls the urban heat island effect. Buildings… [Read More]
New Zealand: Alps to Ocean Challenge
The two most disturbing movies that I have ever seen were set in New Zealand. Once Were Warriors is a difficult story of a Maori family trying to stay together in a modern era, and Heavenly Creatures is a disturbing true-crime story starring a young Kate Winslet. Babe and What We Do In the Shadows… [Read More]
Bahrain: The Battle for the Arab Spring
Bahrain is an island nation in the Middle East, situated between Saudi Arabia and Iran. It is connected to Saudi Arabia by a bridge; it is divided by religious denomination and social class. It has fewer remaining oil reserves than most of its neighbors, but it has a more diverse economy than many. Other industries… [Read More]
