Welcome to Litsy!

To ease back into my Litsy Buddy reads, I chose this for #FoodAndLit this month, since we‘re focusing on Syria. I went the audiobook route and was a little disappointed. It‘s a kids book so my expectations weren‘t unrealistic. It‘s set in London and focuses on a group of students who befriend a young Syrian refugee boy named Ahmet. It‘s a little too syrupy sweet for my tastes, but good for kids to read. My complaint lies with the audiobook ⬇️

Rafik Schami always tells stories about an old Damaskus, that feels magical and painfully real at the same time. They are all somewhat mesmerising, but this one was not my favourite, but still a decent read. Helped pass the time on the train :)

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@Catsandbooks @Texreader
#foodandlit

A British Museum-sponsored archeologist works at a site in #Syria to uncover the code that would finally enable translating an ancient writing, but she is prevented from gaining any real knowledge from the clay tablets by the Syrian general heading the project. So the Brit tricks him, and obtains images of them, while also inadvertently coming into possession of 12 of the key tablets. So far so good. Unfortunately at this point the story “jumps ⬇️

I wanted to like this audiobook, but didn‘t connect with the characters. Maybe I will try it again some other time in a different format. #FoodAndLit #Syria

This scene made me laugh—the author loves honey beyond all else and is traveling the world to learn about its ancient origins. But he‘s terrified of bees. I grew up around bees, my dad a hobbyist beekeeper with many hives and was only stung once, when I slapped one on my leg. Oops. Anyway, I get that there are aggressive bees so I‘m sympathetic. But I think this scene proves a point; stay calm; he never was stung. #Syria #foodandlit

The author had to cross the Syrian desert (55 Celsius, 131 degrees Fahrenheit) to find the likely last beekeeper in #Syria keeping bees in the ancient way, in adobe cylinders. Sadly, so far, the varroa mite is destroying bees worldwide. As for Syria, it sounds like the most inhospitable place in the world, and not just its desert. The cities are horrific. Imagining it after the earthquakes is unimaginable. #foodandlit @Catsandbooks

This book shares first person accounts of Syrians. It‘s divided into several sections from the increase in authoritarianism, through protest and war, to flight to other countries. The author interviewed people from 2012-2016 who had left Syria.

I didn‘t feel like buying groceries to make something for #FoodAndLit, so I made these simple barazek cookies.

#nonfiction #audiobook #Syria #ReadTheWorld #ReadingTheWorld

Written in verse, this is a fast and lovely read. Started it a long while ago so I‘m glad I finally got to finish it!

#BookReport #DaiseysReadingWeek
📖 The Incredibly Dead Pets of Rex Dexter
📖 Cannery Row #AuthorAMonth
🎧 The Black Stallion #ChildrensClassicRead2023
🎧 Rain is Not My Indian Name

#CurrentlyReading
📖 #Clarissa
🎧 Middlemarch #PemberLittens
🎧 The Hobbit #FellowshipOfTolkien
📖 Winterkill
🎧 We Crossed a Bridge and it Trembled #FoodAndLit #Syria

#WeeklyForecast
📚 Continue current reads & listen to more audio

While this did give some insight into the Syrian war, it was quite meandering and didn‘t really have much of a point, or conclusion.
It was okay, but the chapters were long (only 3) and the characters weren‘t very likeable or have any character development.
It did have some nice metaphors though… 😂

#FoodAndLit #Syria