Thursday, September 11, 2008

In The Company of Cheerful Ladies: A Mysterious Pumpkin, and Red Tea

The New York Times Book Review called this book, "A literary confection of . . .gossamer deliciousness. . . ." I've just started reading another very enjoyable tale set in Botswana, In the Company of Cheerful Ladies by Alexander McCall Smith. Super sleuth Mma Ramotswe has a mystery in her own life right now--who left the delectable pumpkin on her porch? (That shouldn't spoil too much of the story for you should you decide to read it!) As with all the books in this series, the beginning chapter summarizes events from the previous books, so readers don't need to read each one to know what's going on, although I've made the choice to read each book of the series, in order.

Last night I had to pick up a few groceries and found a container of rooibos, the ever-present tea in the No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, to enjoy at home. I was tempted to buy a red tea with the enticing name of "Botswana Blossom", but decided to get the plain red tea instead, as I'm a bit of a purist. Red tea is an indigenous herb of South Africa called rooibos (ROY-boss). It's supposed to be very healthy, loaded with polyphenols and flavonoids which help protect against the onset of aging and disease. Red tea apparently has all the benefits of green tea, without the caffeine.

I'm thrilled to report that I've been getting more international traffic to Suko's Notebook--from at least 16 countries--including numerous guests from Gaborone, Botswana, the setting for The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency books! Of course, I also greatly appreciate my visitors from the United States. As always, I welcome your comments, and pertinent questions may be emailed to me--I usually respond within 24 hours. One remarkable thing about the internet is that it brings people from all over the world closer together. As we conduct searches and research from our homes, offices, libraries, and schools--or anywhere else with an internet connection--we connect with people world-wide and learn about other cultures--and seem a bit closer to peace on earth.

On this seventh anniversary of the horrific events of Sept. 11th, please take at least a few moments to remember the victims, as well as the many heroes of that day.

4 comments:

  1. I agree with your comments today -- and the blessing of having the internet bring us together as a world. It is so rewarding to connect with people all over the planet. I feel it is a gift to be able to do so!

    And, yes, our hearts and lives were all changed by 9-11. We are grateful for the reminders today and hope that our prayers will be felt by those in need!

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  2. Thank you for your comment, Heidi, and please visit again!

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  3. I dream of writing fiction such as the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency books. Until then I'm happy knowing that we're writing our own sort of non-fiction story through blog posts and comments. Women who care, women who read, women who can contemplate life while sipping tea -- these are the women that shape the world. Thank you for providing a means of connection, and reminding me to pause and remember the events of September 11th.

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  4. You're very welome, Christie. Thanks for your insightful comments.

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