Trail of Crumbs

Kim Sunee's memoir, Trail of Crumbs: Hunger, Love, and the Search for Home, appeared by chance on my lap.  Kate found it at the Mars Hill Library and passed it on to me.  It's the true story of a young (30-something) woman, born in Korea and abandoned at age three in a market, who is eventually adopted by a New Orleans couple and who, at the time of writing, has ended a domestic relationship with a wealthy Frenchman and is still searching for her true identity and her home.  The book is as captivating as a novel because the author writes so well and has a tale to tell.  Because Kim  or "Keem" --(I call her that because she is so referred to by the people in her life  AND because I can't manage the diacritical marks for her family name) loves to cook, the memoir is also suffused with recipes French, Asian, and New Orleanian.  

    Because there are people in my family who were adopted from other countries at an early age, Kim's story has extra meaning.  We all seek our identity, our place in the world, and for the adopted person there is the extra question of who and why.

  Kim Sunee writes beautifully, for the most part: I could have skipped a few of the more intimate amorous scenes.  But her story is important and engaging, and I recommend this book to everyone.

Saturday Mashup

Librarians are wonderful, and so are their children, and also the blogs which give us these surprising discoveries! Today a lot of shiny bits and pieces appeared out of the chaos that is daily life, and with patience and attention I might get to highlight a few of them. Until next time, here is a belated Easter image from Biltmore Village --

Oh, so maybe you wanted to see the McDonald's a block away, the one that sits by the entrance to the Biltmore Estate and mirrors its style? Be good and hopeful, and maybe I'll take a couple of pictures there. While you're waiting, listen to a child talk and read a good book and remember that while change is constant, the really good things don't change.

I'm quitting trying to be "with it," technologically. The last straw came in today's funnies, when the dad in Zits announced he's started a blog, and the teen kid told him blogs are over -- now it's vlogs. What's the point? Blogger spellcheck doesn't even recognize the word "vlog." Better to put your attention on the children and the books. Maybe I'll listen to my own wisdom.