Wandering through Life: A Memoir by Donna Leon 193 pp.
This memoir by the author of the Commissario Brunetti mysteries seems like talking to an old friend. Written as a series of vignettes about different periods of her life Leon covers a wide range of her life. Part one covers her early life from her childhood in New Jersey, summers on her grandfather's farm, selling produce, developing a love of opera, and heading to college. The second part tells of her experiences as a teacher of English in Iran (just prior to and during the Shah's downfall, then teaching college in China, and finally Saudi Arabia before finally settling in Italy. Venice is her love and the place where Brunetti solves crimes. Leon has also written travel books and books on music including her favorite composer, G.F. Handel. Now 80 years old, Leon lives in Switzerland for most of the year but returns to Venice frequently. Her 32nd Brunetti mystery was published this year and she's said nothing about stopping.
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