So who’s read Where is the Mango Princess? A Journey Back from Brain Injury
We don’t yet have a November book or discussion leader. Any volunteers who want to share a special book? If not, I’m thinking I might like to share, re-read, and discuss Cheap: The High Cost of Discount Culture
And now for our Special Feature. This is direct from Harriet in Norway.
When I was in Bergen (my birth town and where relatives and many friends live) for the 60 years anniversary of a friend, I walked the dogs (4 shiba), and I just could not believe my eyes: I walked past Garmann Street! I had to stop and take pictures with my mobile.
I took a lot of pictures of the houses with the name signs, because they are from different times in history, written differently!
It is a tiny street with small Bergen wooden houses. I just love them!
The Blue sign is a heritage sign stating the history of something or someone in the area (roughly translated):
The Garmann’s Street
The big farm of Sandviken (the local area translated as Big sandy Creek Farm) was wide, from The Mul-river in the South to Hellen in the North. (The farm was huge!) The Garmann family were owners of the farm from 200 years, from 1660. (Wow!) The family thus owned almost all of Sandviken and introduced organized “city planning” through its [bygslingssystem] (translates as “dividing areas and people living and working in groups”) so that commerce, industry, and residents’ hamlets would not conflict with farmers.
I made a collage of the street picture and the signs. It is such a curiosity!
Fun! Real Fun! The book got an extra dimension with this!
(Jen here again) How fun is this?! First, I love seeing a bit of Norway and Harriet’s birthplace. I also like hearing about the real Garmannsgaten. Then, I combine these images with the Garmann stories we just read and get a homey, rural, slightly old-fashioned, family- and community-oriented feeling.
So, who wants to go to Norway?
Categories: Reading
I got the book Mango Princess on Monday, and finished reading it this morning ( Wednesday) so, I am ready.
I made some enquieries about Stian Holes connections to Bergen, and the Garmanns Gate, but I could not find any. He is from Hokksund, Drammen, just an hour drive from Oslo.
By the way: Bergen, Norway was rated top 5 as best harbour and “tourist qualities” for cruise ship passengers. Some thropical islands got the top of the list. I get that, because it is usually a rainy day in Bergen:-)
Anyone planning a trip, I will happily be a guide for my book friends 😉
How about the mother of your book friends?!!! (I love your pictures!)
Harriet, what great pictures! I have been so busy, I barely have had time to breathe the past month, so I missed most of the discussion. But I want to thank you for introducing me to these books. I have recommended and/or given them to several people.
And yes- I would love to go to Norway!
😀
I am interested in the book Cheap… I am sometimes puzzled by people who are so eager to get a bargain, and even want to haggle with me on my handcraft! You cant underprize enough for some folks… I like to get good value for my money, too, of course. Maybe this book will give new thoughts to the subject.
Regards from Harriet
Note: Bergen is the second or third (depends on who you ask, people from Bergen or Throndheim) largest city in Norway. The pictures are from one of the area with very old houses. The anxiety for fire is great even though it is a rainy district.