Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Hums from a Hammock #1

isn't it lovely
tiddly pom
to be reading
tiddly pom
a lovely book
tiddly pom
and not any old book
tiddly pom
but one you can hold
tiddly pom
and float like a bear
tiddly pom
looking for honey
tiddly pom
here's one...

Travelling with Augusta: Preston - Gorizia - Venice - Masterton, by Ingrid Horrocks [VUP 2003]. A reflective, intelligent travel memoir of the best sort. NZ poet and academic Ingrid Horrocks uses her Great-great-great Aunt Augusta's travel journal from 1835 as a basis for her own journey through Italy and Croatia. This journey includes an intelligent, thoughtful and, at times, provocative meditation on the role and meaning of the woman traveller. Wonderful insights into this part of the world, too. Stunning holiday reading. Makes me want to travel again on my own or, at the very least, to travel with Ingrid. A good independent bookshop like Unity in Wellington should have this book which came out five years ago and so should any good library near you. It has just been translated into Italian.

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