(Kind of long, sorry) I read all the Dorothy Gilman books when I was in my 20’s as my whole family loved them. Suddenly in the past few years during Covid and caretaking my mom, I found Mrs Pollifax not only still relevant but comforting to me.

I started rereading them during times of high stress. But lately I noticed that her travels as an unexpected CIA courier have basic political information about countries in the news today. I kind of skimmed that in the past, but now I find myself digging for maps as Mrs Pollifax does. I read the wiki on the places she’s traveled and people and leaders that are discussed in the book. Albania, China, Hong Kong. I know the books are fiction but they led me into the history.

I just wondered if anyone else has a certain book or series that did this for them, unexpectedly. Thanks

  • minimalist_coach@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    11 months ago

    I discovered her this year. I had a challenge prompt to read a book that involved a retired person and that series popped up. I’ve only read a couple of books, but love them and will be working my way through the series as I have time.

    I love reading historical fiction to learn more about history, geography, and politics because I avoided those topics like the plague when I was younger.

    • mazurzapt@alien.topOPBEnglish
      1·
      11 months ago

      That’s funny you had a challenge like that. I challenged myself (because I read ‘Technoableism’ to find books about differently abled people. I found Elizabeth George who had an ongoing character who wears a leg brace(Inspector Lynley), Speed of Dark by Moon about a group of Autistic people. I have others but you get my drift. Good things come from these types of challenges.

  • terracottatilefish@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    11 months ago

    Ah, the night-blooming cereus. I read them as a teen 30 years ago and really enjoyed them. They were great for providing a little bit of cold war geopolitical into in a cozy mystery.

  • julieputty@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    11 months ago

    I love them! I just reread the whole series and it’s a hoot. And yes, they definitely have enough information in them to both create an interesting setting and to give them great context for the time they are referencing.