The author truly likes wine and feels one should drink wine to enjoy. His travelog of how he got be be selected to be the chief wine critic for The new York Times will help others realize the effort needed. His advice to selecting wines is very simple and tells what not to do. If one is interested in selecting good and affordable wines, this book is helpful.

CIA recevies a message that an undercover agent has betrayed them and undercover agent is sent to find that person. Everyone seems to know where to find help and who to trust. It tells about the rough life an undercover agent really has. It's a good story to ponder how many people help our country and are never known.

When three missionary ladies traveling saw a young girl in the middle of the road having a baby, they stopped and helped her. There were other travelers who stood and watched but did not help. The mother died and the missionary ladies were accused of killing the mother. The author describes every scene so vividly that I felt I was there. With the descriptions of the food, such as nutneg and cottage cheese sandwiches, I was glad I wasn't. The book gives wonderful description what life was like in1923 in Kashgar.

When the author took her family to live in Paris for two years, she was going to see Paris. The descriptions of museums, stores and food are incredible. The events of each day sound so exciting that one wants to get on the next plane to Paris. She tries so many foods, searches the markets, gives lectures and still take time to love her family.

If you ever tried to mix a certain shade of blue paint you can understand the problems artists in the 1900 had trying to succeed.
Blue was impossible without the help of certain minerals that the "colorman" would sell to the artists. The paint would be mixed with turpentine and the fumes would cause hallucinations.

I loved the conversations and ways of life of the artists. Just imagine listening to van Gogh and Gauguin discuss their paintings over a glass of wine.
I always imagined the poor artists huddled in dark corners and starving. They were poor but all were willing to help others. Stores would ask for paintings on the walls so they would be sold "for a fee"

This is a great story of artists life in Paris .