The story revolves around a newly wed wife who finds that she has to move lock, stock and barrel every four years to countries where her husband is posted. Add to this that Brigid does not like flying, is terrified of it actually, finds entertaining and dinners difficult, worries incessantly over earthquakes, mud slides and driving on bad roads and you have a roller coaster of a book.
From Brussels to Syria, India to Kazakhstan the book moves swiftly taking in the cultural aspects of each country, the people and style of living in each which Brigid tries to take in her
stride.
Diplomatic baggage is a nice travel memoir. It gives us not just the tourist picture of mosques, temples, souks, markets and the like but it also gives you an idea of what happens when you actually go to live in a place like Damascus for example. The idea of being part of the city for four years, making it your home, finding new friends and adapting to the new way of life is part of this story.
I found Brigid's trepidation over some of the things she found frightening a bit difficult to understand - her nervousness over entertaining, her anticipation of what could always go wrong, despite a very supportive husband but overall the book was a lovely look into the life of an expat wife who is expected to cope with everything that life and foreign climes throws at you.
You find the most interesting books, this one sounds good too :)
ReplyDeleteyou might know a comforter as a duvet?
ReplyDeleteI love travel memoirs altho as an Air Force brat, I get impatient with people who are fussy about moving. We moved every two years until I went to college and one just adjusts!
ReplyDeleteYou always find such good books. This one sounds great!
ReplyDeleteI came from Cym Lowell's Book Review Party Wednesday
ReplyDeleteI like experiencing foreign cultures! This should be fun! How about the story telling quality? How good is it?
Cherry Mischievous
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