Roaming&Reading  January 21st 2024

Read to Roam Book for January: "The Storm We Made" by Vanessa Chan

Although debut novelist Vanessa Chan was born and raised in Malaysia and knew her grandparents lived through the tumultuous years of British and then Japanese occupation during World War 2, she'd heard very few family stories from that time when she decided to write about it.

She confides in the author's note: "Excavating truths from my grandmother about her teens in occupied Kuala Lumpur was nearly impossible. When I would ask her what life was like, she would always reply, "Normal! Same as anyone."

So Chan created an evocative story in which Cecily, married to a Malaysian who works for the British colonial government, begins to spy for the Japanese, who are planning an invasion.

The story spins from Cecily, who is falling in love with her controller, to her children, all of whom meet different fates during the war.

Chan wrote the novel during the pandemic--stranded far from her family's home--and endured the deaths of her mother, grandmother and uncle.

She says: "I wrote about the ambiguity of right and wrong when survival is at stake. I wrote because, at the end of the day, remembering is how we love."

Listen for my MPR interview with Vanessa Chan on February 9th.

Bhutan/Kerala SOLD OUT

The November, 2024 trip to Bhutan & "Covenant of Water" trip to Kerala are sold out. Please email me to join the waiting list.

But, if you missed this trip, don't despair! In November, 2025, I'm setting off for a "Life of Pi" (Remember Robert Parker, the fearsome Bengal tiger?) wildlife expedition to India that I think will be exceptional!

Safari drives to see rhinos, tigers, elephants, Asiatic lions, snow leopards and, of course, Bengal tigers.

We'll stay in historic lodges, hike along mountain passes and jungle trails and explore India's cool, serene forests.

And wait until you see the reading list!

I like to keep all of my overseas adventures small and intimate, so if this trip intrigues you, please drop me an email at SirenSojourns@gmail.com.

Setting a Reading Goal This Year?

I love the idea of reading goals even though mine often get derailed by the deluge of books I'm reading for my MPR book show.

But if you're looking for a way to add dimension or challenges to your 2024 reading, click these links, including from the Des Moines Public Library, and read on!

https://bookriot.com/achievable-reading-goals/

Here's how Canada does it. https://www.cbc.ca/books/canadareads

https://www.dmpl.org/read-watch/browse-borrow/reading-challenge

Where is SirenSojourns Headed in 2025 & Beyond? And Where Do YOU Want to Go?

I'm an anticipation junkie so I like to have adventures on the calendar as far as the eye can see.

Which means the SirenSojourns schedule for 2025, 2026 and 2027 is taking shape with plenty of space for serendipity!

That's what happened when I realized I could actually SEE the places in Kerala, India that Abraham Verghese wrote about in "The Covenant of Water."

And that's why I switched up the Bhutan extension to Thailand for an experience in the mountains and winding canals of southern India.

That trip is now sold out but I have a waiting list. If you'd like to join it, just email me at: SirenSojourns@gmail.com.

So, buckle up, friends! Here are the places I want to explore with you in the next several years:

"Life of Pi" Wildlife Adventure to India with a "Covenant of Water" extension (for anyone who missed it in 2024!) Lions and tigers and leopards! Nov, 2025. Itinerary coming soon.

Rainforest Adventure to Indonesia to see gorillas, volcanoes and a national park in Bali, Spring 2026.

Expedition to the Wilds of Madagascar

Chicks-Only Autumn Pilgrimage to the Land of "Little Women." (Boston, Mass)

Outlander Adventure to the Scottish Highlands.

Sri Lanka.

Now, where would YOU like to go?? Because Siren is all about making ALL of our bookish adventure dreams come true together. Drop me a line and tell me.

...