New Travel Book: Wanderlust by Karen Gershowitz
Wanderlust takes its lucky readers on a sensory journey across the globe, filled with sights, sounds, smells—and especially tastes. Karen’s wanderlust was born in the New York City of the 50s and 60s at the side of a mother who sought out new experiences and wanted to taste all the world had to offer. At the tender age of 10, when most American kids are stuck on PB&J and macaroni cheese, Karen was regularly trying (and enjoying!) new foods from a variety of cultures. An adventurous eater went on to become an adventurous traveler: to date, Karen has visited over 90 countries.
Karen experienced many good tastes while traveling, though a few were memorably bad. Good: delectable apple strudel at Café Mozart in Vienna; an entire bowlful of ikura to relish in Hokkaido, Japan. Bad: British food in 1970s London. Baddest: a mixture of boiled veg, rice, crushed saltines and Vienna sausages, topped with canned fruit salad, condensed milk and—wait for it—sardines! After being presented with this awful concoction while on a Tanzanian safari, Karen was able to laugh about it. I was sorry to hear Karen’s first taste of lefse in Wisconsin wasn’t great. Please try it the way my Norwegian grandmother always served hers: spread with butter and brown sugar, rolled up and eaten out of hand.
Whether hacking her way through a lush Bornean jungle, examining opals underground in Tasmania, bargaining for goods in a Moroccan souk or learning how to “not do” in a sleepy Cretan town, Karen’s descriptions of the world’s people, landscapes and ways of life never fail to captivate. I was especially fascinated by her visits to places at unique points in history, such as Budapest and Prague soon after the collapse of the Soviet Union. This book takes us on a whirlwind journey through one woman’s lifetime of travel stories, leaving this adventuring woman inspired, energized, and hungry to discover tasty morsels and experiences for myself.
Wanderlust: Extraordinary People, Quirky Places and Curious Cuisine will be released October 3, 2023. Head over to KarenGershowitz.com to learn more.
It does sound like a very stimulating read – the more so given that the author’s adventures date back to way before today’s generalized travel ways and manners. By the way, will we ever get to read a book authored by you, Cynthia? 😉 It would be quite a pleasure, for sure! 🙂
Yes, travel before Instagram! It’s a great read. As far as me authoring a book….aren’t you kind! I guess anything is possible 😉 I think it more likely you shall write one, if you haven’t already. Thanks for reading!!