Barbara Demick’s
Nothing to Envy, which she describes as “a gripping examination of the so-called hermit kingdom through the voices of six defectors.” In
Eat the Buddha, Demick uses that same ability to turn out a “fair and measured narrative” to Tibet. “This time, she’s pieced together stories told by Tibetans from Ngaba County in China to shed light on the struggles that have taken place since China occupied Tibet [in 1950],” Rajesh explains. “Tracing and tracking down hundreds of eyewitnesses to events between 1958 to present day, she has conducted exhaustive interviews that allow her to recreate everything from the smell of burning villages and the screams of tortured grandparents to softer moments of salty yak butter glistening in tea.” Rajesh, who also visited Tibet by train for her own book, appreciated Demick’s even-handed approach. “We see the raw untouched land pre-invasion and witness the destruction of the natural surroundings as time goes o
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Author Courtney Maum, now a seasoned veteran of a New England winter, offers practical advice for new arrivals to the Berkshires and its neighboring counties.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY METRO CREATIVE CONNECTION
Fireplaces are decorative; wood stoves will actually heat your house, says Maum. Plus, wood stoves can serve as de facto stovetops when the power gives out. (Which it will. A lot.)
PHOTO PROVIDED BY METRO CREATIVE CONNECTION
For newcomers to areas where skilled laborers canât be located with a simple Google search, just finding such lifesavers is already a feat. âAsk at your local hardware store, ask at the grocery store,â suggests screenwriter and ski instructor Dustin Schell, part-time in rural Vermont. âThese people will have business cards behind the counter â they know who to refer you to.â
New to the Berkshires? Author Courtney Maum offers up wisdom gleaned from lessons learned from her first few winters in the Berkshires, along with tips from other notable transplants who