The sofa wasn't there on Monday but it was there on Tuesday. It sat in the shade just down from the bus stop. A broken branch dangled from the tree above it, like maybe the sofa had fallen from the sky and damaged the tree as it fell. Then again, maybe the broken branch had been there the day before. I hadn't noticed.
And for my non-fiction book I just got a beautiful copy of Traveling the Silk Road: Ancient Pathway to the Modern World by Mark Norell, Denise Patry Leidy, and the American Museum of Natural History with Laura Ross. It is a lovely book with fold out maps that was put together for an exhibition of the same name.
The Silk Road. It is hard to imagine a single phrase suffused with as much mystery and romance as those three simple, evocative words. What does the phrase conjure up in your mind? Exotic faraway lands, long-gone empires, and mighty conquerors? Punishing travel over blazing-hot, windswept dunes and unforgiving mountains? Rich commerce in silks, gems, spices, and other goods – as well as ideas, religions, and ingenuity? The Silk Road embodies all of those things and more.
For The Friday 56 hosted at Freda's Voice something from page 56 of What We Found in the Sofa and How it Saved the World ...
I suddenly realized I was gripping the edges of the cushion I was sitting on very tightly. As I started to let go, I thought I felt the cushion squeeze back. I got off the sofa as quickly as I could.
And from Traveling the Silk Road we have ...
The name Xi'an is made up of two Chinese characters that can be translated literally as "Western Peace." But this important capital has had a variety of names over its three-thousand year history. During the Zhou dynasty it was known as Fenghao. During the Han dynasty (206 BCE - 220 CE), it was called Chang'an ("Perpetual Peace").
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| Xi'an known as Chang'an during the golden age of the Silk Road |
The sofa squeezed back. I'd jump off it quick! Sounds like a fun read.
ReplyDeleteSilk Road sounds like a book you'd read slowly so you could take it all in.
Here is my 56 - http://fuonlyknew.com/2014/08/15/the-friday-56-32-waking-the-merrow-by-heather-rigney-not-so-nice-mermaids/
I don't blame him for jumping off that couch. I would like What We found in the Sofa How it Saved The World. Your second book seems like a lovely, precious gift. I know you're enjoying that one.
ReplyDeleteBoth are interesting to me, but I like the sounds of the non-fiction. I love learning about new things and feel that book would introduce me to a lot.
ReplyDeleteHappy weekend!
The sofa book sounds cute.
ReplyDeleteSorry A Tree Grows In Brooklyn is too disheartening for you. I really liked it, but it is a bit sad.
The cover of The Silk Road is GORGEOUS. Silk would remind me of beautiful Chinese kimonos. They are always so gorgeous.
This book sounds amazing.
THANKS for sharing.
Elizabeth
Silver's Reviews
My Book Beginnings