A lushly illustrated love letter to gardening, complete with inspirational takeaways for how to create the foundation for a basic outdoor space, from Virginia Johnson, beloved textile designer and author of Travels Through the French Riviera.
Travel in old Virginia was many things, but it was never dull. Stagecoaches were the primary means of transport, carrying mail as well as passengers. Trips that now take hours lasted for days. Coach trips could be dangerous, and all-hands situations arose quickly. A traveler might need to apply horsemanship, carpentry, leather-mending or the sheer brawny effort of shoving the coach out of a muddy ditch. Inns across the state catered to stagecoach riders and acted as community gathering places. Some still stand, like the Rising Sun Tavern in Fredericksburg and Michie Tavern in Charlottesville. Author Virginia Johnson relates tales of those wild early days on the road.
A lushly illustrated guide to the historical, architectural, cultural, and gastronomic gems of the French Riviera, complete with practical tips on things like renting a car, finding the best beaches, and shopping at the farmers market like a local.
Set against the backdrop of 1960s Mobile, Alabama, the narrative explores the disintegration of a prominent family through the lens of Robert Townsend, a successful attorney struggling with addiction. His late-night work habits raise suspicions in his volatile wife, Elizabeth, leading to a series of misunderstandings and confrontations. As tensions escalate, their teenage daughter’s misguided attempts to mend the family only heighten the drama. Richly developed characters and universal themes make this debut novel a thought-provoking choice for readers and book clubs alike.