Photo by Carolyn Ray in Morocco. 

Why we chose this book: Intriguing places, authentic host

By Carolyn Ray, JourneyWoman

Last month, we went to the Silk Road on a bicycle with Kate Harris’ Lands of Lost Borders. This month, we head south to the “Salt Road” with explorer Alice Morrison.  This book is based on the BBC2 series which you can see here, but is not available to view!  However, we’ve put the trailer below to give you a taste of Alice’s style.  Her bio is incredibly impressive – just reading the first few paragraphs I realized she. is the real deal! Here is her opening paragraph – the rest you can read for yourself on her website here.  

Maya Angelou: “Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all people cry, laugh, eat, worry and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends.”

“Thanks for the visit. I am an adventurer and an explorer. I travel to the furthest places on earth and walk through its toughest habitats. I have been described as ‘Indiana Jones for girls’  (which I liked!) We live in a time when the world is in crisis in so many ways. I want to bear witness to what is happening to the planet as our climate and our society changes and I want to tell the stories that bring we humans together rather than the ones that drive us apart. Together, we can strive towards solutions and a happier world.  What better place to start than with the places and people that are furthest away.”

Your book club co-hosts, Wendy and Carolyn, invite you to join us for “Arabist and explorer”‘ Alice Morrison’s book as she attempts to follow the ancient “Salt Roads”. Join us for our monthly meeting on May 19, 8 pm EDT, for a facilitated discussion on this book, its themes and Morocco (a country I had the opportunity to spend almost a month in!)  Our book club operates on a Pay-What-You-Can model, where we make a donation to a non-profit organization that is meaningful to the author. We thank you for your generosity and kindness.

Please note, as of June 1, our event registration will change to Eventbrite. You will still be able to access future book club meetings on our site but the ticketing will come from Eventbrite. More details to follow. Thank you! 

Book Club Discussion Questions

Rather than our conventional questions, there are a few themes we’d like to discuss with you:

• The intersection of past and present always seem to surprise Alice:  when have you experienced this on your travels? 
• Safety: Alice’s safety tips on page 148 – what would you add, noting that she was always careful about the way she dressed? 
• Throughout the book, there is a deep appreciation for the mix of cultures and ethnicities (as on page 103). Have you noticed this in other places you have travelled to? Where? 
• The importance of speaking a few words in the language of the country you’re visiting – what words have you learned in other languages – what would you recommend to help others learn? 
• Alice discovers that salt and gold were the currency then, but more importantly, she begins to appreciate that knowledge was the true gift. What do you think the currency of our future will be?      
• Etiquette in Morocco – tips from those who have been? 

You can register for the book club meeting here. 

We’d Love  Your Photographs and Tips!

Do you have photos of Morocco or Mali to share? Send them in to [email protected] with a brief description and a tip, and we’ll share them in the session! Here are some of mine below from a 3-week trip across Morocco in 2015.  I wrote about spending New Year’s Eve in the Sahara Desert here.