A number of years ago, when I was in Grad School, my in-laws returned from Spain and brought me a book by Washington Irving titled "Tales of the Alhambra". Irving had spent a good block of time there. When you are done with the book you have learned a great deal about the Alhambra, its history, and the lovely gardens. It became part of the bucket list and we went out of our way on a road trip of Spain to make a visit. It was worth it. But having read the book made it feel like it was a second visit. If you read Dan Brown's "The Di Vinci Code" and go to Paris or read his "Secret of Secrets" and go to Prague it makes a difference. Even if you read them when home it puts flesh on the bones. I remember reading "City of Fallen Angels" and it made a priority for me to visit the opera house in Venice. I would not otherwise seen La Fenice, and was glad I read it the book.
No comments:
Post a Comment