Jukka Keller USA

No one belongs here more than you. - Miranda July
Quirky and unique, so often in literature corresponds to 'without substance'. Not so in the case of Miranda July, and certainly not so in this short story collection. I would not have known of this book except that i had seen You, me, and everyone we know, a movie written, directed by (she is truly incredible with children performing), lead acted in, edited, and promoted by Miranda July. July's clear-eyed stare is carried over here to her fiction. Her characters have their simple, often quixotic everyday life becoming their reason for being and vice versa. The profound and the arbitrary simple existence become one. Her characters spring to lives of happiness and wellness and connection even when and sometimes in spite of challenge and misery and hardship. I really hope Ms. July plans a single longer work so that instead of short visits we can all stay a while with her people.
Another good modern short story collection is Drinking Coffee Elsewhere by Z.Z. Packer. These stories like July's are fresh, each standing out and grabbing your attention, but often much darker, with people leading themselves astray by there own narrowness of vision. This book also shares similarity to July's with it's range and change of pace.
And still another good collection is Tumble Home by Amy Hempel. I found this collection quite striking, and yet as my recollection has it falling somewhat into the correspondence with quirky i mentioned above. Certainly to be recommended, Hempel is known for her style and has a strong following.
Interesting how these three female short story authors came to my mind together. I've thought and can only think of one man, who has written a modern collection similar. But i'll save him for another time.
By the way it's true => No one belongs here more than you.

The Wind in My Wheels - Josie Dew
Still more biking adventure. I listed Full Tilt by Dervla Murphy earlier. Here's three more women bike trek authors.
Josie Dew is crazy. On a whim she boards a ferry and bikes around Iceland -- just one of several treks she writes about in this book. Josie can find the funny part of just about anything, and while her writing is not as polished as Dervla's (of whom she drops by for a visit) this is still a fascinating and inspiring read. Josie also has books about her rides in the U.S. and Japan.
Another good read is Riding the Mountains Down by Bettina Selby. Bettina is a much more serious writer, and her books are both travel books and journalistic exploration. I really enjoyed her description, although i was looking for a little more excitement. She has a whole series of biking books after this and i'd be interested to read more from her.
Anne Mustoe is another writer who has written several recent bike trek books that have caught my attention. She like Bettina Selby is also a good example of an older rider.

Josie Dew:
http://www.josiedew.co.uk/
The Wind in My Wheels: Travel Tales from the Saddle (1992)
Travels in a Strange State: Cycling across the USA (1994)
A Ride in the Neon Sun: A Gaijin in Japan (1999)
The Sun in my Eyes: Two-Wheeling East (2001)
Slow Coast Home (2003)
Saddled at Dust (2006)
Long Cloud Ride (2007)

Bettina Selby:
www.bettinaselby.com/
Riding the Mountains Down (1984)
Riding to Jerusalem (1986)
Riding the Desert Trail: By Bicycle Up the Nile (1988)
Riding North One Summer (1991)
Frail Dream of Timbuktu (1993)
Beyond Ararat: A Journey Through Eastern Turkey (1994)
Pilgrim's Road: A Journey to Santiago De Compostela (1994)
Like Water in a Dry Land: A Journey into Modern Israel (1998)

Anne Mustoe:
http://www.annemustoe.co.uk/
A Bike Ride: 12,000 Miles Around the World (2002)
Lone Traveller: One Woman, Two Wheels and the World (2002)
Two Wheels in the Dust: From Kathmandu to Kandy (2002)
Cleopatra's Needle: From the Thames to the Nile by Bicycle (2003)
Amber, Furs and Cockleshells Bike Rides with Pilgrims and Merchants (2007)
Che Guevara and the Mountain of Silver (2007)

Leaving Mother Lake (2003) - Yang Erche Namu
What would it be like, if women owned all the property, ran the family, and could send their lover away and take a new one on whim? This memoir gives a view into the Moso culture, a matriarchal society (a vision of utopia?) in rural China. This book caused me to reflect on the challenges of adapting from traditional cultural ways to those of a dominant culture. I found it impossible not to reflect upon our own cultural values especially regarding gender roles and wonder why not here?
The author at times seemed somewhat catty probably a natural reflection of teenage attitudes.
She also created a stir when she audaciously (and satirically) proposed marriage to Sarkozy (French President) back when he was all the rage with his divorce and whirlwind romance.