Take Me Away

I do not know about you but I am tired of winter! I am sure that many of you would love to escape the cold. At the Halifax Central Library we put together a display and a list of “Take Me Away” books so you can travel by a book to a warmer climate.

Italy

Swimming to Elba by Silvia Avallone

“Anna and Francesca are on the brink of everything: high school, adulthood, and the edge of ambition in their provincial town. It's summer in Piombino, Italy, and in their skimpy bathing suits, flaunting their newly acquired curves; the girls suddenly have everyone in their thrall. This power opens their imagination to a destiny beyond Piombino…Maybe the future is waiting for them there, or somewhere beyond. In this poetic, prizewinning debut, Silvia Avallone captures the lost innocence of a generation. Swimming to Elba is a story about the power of friendship, and the way that family, friendship, and economics shape our world.”

Cuba

Telex from Cuba by Rachel Kushner

“This stunning debut novel tells a truly inspired and unforgettable tale of two young children, Everly and K.C., who live and work on a sugar farm in Cuba during an uprising led by the Castro brothers. Filled with rich imagery, loathsome characters and unyielding passion, Kushner's plot and prose are refreshing and original. Lloyd James's spirited reading captures every aspect of Kushner's story; he can easily tug at listeners' heartstrings and guide them on a remarkable journey. James reads with wisdom and confidence, never second-guessing his delivery or interpretation of the work.” – Publisher Weekly.

Sri Lanka

Swimming in the Monsoon Sea by Shyam Selvadurai

“Sri Lanka, 1980. Fourteen-year-old Amrith's holiday plans seem unpromising: he wants to appear in his school's production of Othello and he is learning to type. Then, like an unexpected monsoon, his cousin arrives from Canada and Amrith's ordered life is storm-tossed. He finds himself falling in love with the Canadian boy.”

Macau (China)

The Color of Tea by Hannah Tunnicliffe

“An exciting debut novel set in the exotic, bustling streets of Macau, China about a woman whose life is restored when she opens a small cafe forms unlikely friendships, and eventually gains the courage to trust what's in her heart"--Publisher.

South Africa

The Fever Tree by Jennifer McVeigh

“South Africa, 1880. Frances Irvine, destitute in the wake of her father's sudden death, is forced to abandon her life of wealth and privilege in London and emigrate to the Cape. In this remote and inhospitable land she becomes entangled with two very different men, leading her into the dark heart of the diamond mines. Torn between passion and integrity, she makes a choice that has devastating consequences.”

What are your favourite summer books, dear Reader?