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The Museum of Things Left Behind
Escape into the warmth and charm of this big-hearted modern fable - and discover a European country you've never heard of. Nestling in the picturesque mountains between Italy and Austria is the beautiful but isolated country of Vallerosa, a land of stopped clocks, full employment, pungent tea, patriotism, rival cafes and a slower way of life. The world has finally started to take notice of this hidden gem, and when a letter arrives, announcing the imminent arrival of a Very Important Person, the Vallerosans hurry to make preparations for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to show off their country. But the visitor is not quite what they had in mind ...
432 pages, Paperback
First published May 21, 2015
50 people are currently reading
683 people want to read
About the author
Seni Glaister
3 books24 followersSeni Glaister worked as a bookseller for much of her career before founding WeFiFo, the social dining platform, in 2016. Her first novel, The Museum of Things Left Behind, was published in 2015. She lives on a farm in West Sussex with her husband and children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 116 reviews
January 13, 2021
A Comedy of Power
In the line of Gulliver’s Travels, Gormenghast, and The Mouse That Roared, The Museum of Things Left Behind is a send-up of cultural, political and corporate power. Its conceits, its isolation and insulation from reality, its arrogant self-justifications and its inveterate misogyny are displayed with wit and humour. At a personal level the book plays up the particularly masculine disease of the anxiety of influence - the simultaneous devotion to and resentment toward one’s forebears from whom power has been received. Sociologically Glaister shows insight from obvious first-hand experience about how organizations really work, which is generally not how they’re supposed to. They have a momentum of their own which isn’t really subject to anyone’s control.
Glaister’s protagonist, the “Elected Dictator” of the minuscule country of Vallerosa, is, in theory, politically omnipotent. In practice he is the most neurotically constrained person in the kingdom. He can trust none of his ministers; and since the Prime Directive of power is to stay in power, he feels continually oppressed. His father, he feels, had done more. As he says to his chief of staff, “You know, Angelo, I’ve felt for a while now that I’m losing control. I see no tangible signs of it but, from the periphery of my vision, I can tell that, little by little, the things I have within my power are becoming becoming more precarious.”
His vulnerability to his own staff is matched only by his gullibility when confronted with the jargon of American management consultants who know their real job is not to accomplish anything other than to keep him around - in order, of course, that they might stay around. But even their assurances leave him with doubts: “The numbers. Do they add up? If we’re not importing anything, and we’re going to sell everything we’ve got, and all we’ve got now is tea, what are our people actually going to live on?... And, anyway, why do we need more? Whom do we offend if we’re satisfied with enough?” In the battle of common sense vs. the economic imperative, it is always advantage growth. ‘Better’ is the comparative for... well no one is quite sure for what. Success is what passes for success.
The eponymous museum is a Lost & Found of the detritus of the world forgotten randomly over the years in Vallerosa, a sort of national unconscious. But of course each of the residents also carries around his own psychic baggage, which can only be revealed by appropriate external intervention - in this case the arrival of a special guest with royal credentials. Is not her letter of introduction stamped with the image of the British monarch? Thus it is usually through error that one becomes aware of the unconscious. Real progress is always a mistake; we don’t create it, we fall into it.
The Museum of Things Left Behind is witty, well-written, and instructive. It’s a book that all politicians, corporate executives, and economists ought to read. But of course they won’t.
In the line of Gulliver’s Travels, Gormenghast, and The Mouse That Roared, The Museum of Things Left Behind is a send-up of cultural, political and corporate power. Its conceits, its isolation and insulation from reality, its arrogant self-justifications and its inveterate misogyny are displayed with wit and humour. At a personal level the book plays up the particularly masculine disease of the anxiety of influence - the simultaneous devotion to and resentment toward one’s forebears from whom power has been received. Sociologically Glaister shows insight from obvious first-hand experience about how organizations really work, which is generally not how they’re supposed to. They have a momentum of their own which isn’t really subject to anyone’s control.
Glaister’s protagonist, the “Elected Dictator” of the minuscule country of Vallerosa, is, in theory, politically omnipotent. In practice he is the most neurotically constrained person in the kingdom. He can trust none of his ministers; and since the Prime Directive of power is to stay in power, he feels continually oppressed. His father, he feels, had done more. As he says to his chief of staff, “You know, Angelo, I’ve felt for a while now that I’m losing control. I see no tangible signs of it but, from the periphery of my vision, I can tell that, little by little, the things I have within my power are becoming becoming more precarious.”
His vulnerability to his own staff is matched only by his gullibility when confronted with the jargon of American management consultants who know their real job is not to accomplish anything other than to keep him around - in order, of course, that they might stay around. But even their assurances leave him with doubts: “The numbers. Do they add up? If we’re not importing anything, and we’re going to sell everything we’ve got, and all we’ve got now is tea, what are our people actually going to live on?... And, anyway, why do we need more? Whom do we offend if we’re satisfied with enough?” In the battle of common sense vs. the economic imperative, it is always advantage growth. ‘Better’ is the comparative for... well no one is quite sure for what. Success is what passes for success.
The eponymous museum is a Lost & Found of the detritus of the world forgotten randomly over the years in Vallerosa, a sort of national unconscious. But of course each of the residents also carries around his own psychic baggage, which can only be revealed by appropriate external intervention - in this case the arrival of a special guest with royal credentials. Is not her letter of introduction stamped with the image of the British monarch? Thus it is usually through error that one becomes aware of the unconscious. Real progress is always a mistake; we don’t create it, we fall into it.
The Museum of Things Left Behind is witty, well-written, and instructive. It’s a book that all politicians, corporate executives, and economists ought to read. But of course they won’t.
June 7, 2015
I'm sure many people will love this book but I found after several attempts at reading it that it left me completely unmoved. It is basically making fun of bureaucracy and the machinery of government through the imaginary country of Vallerosa and the way they behave when a member of the British Royal family wants to visit them.
The basic idea is interesting and I really thought it would be a book I would enjoy. I many ways it is well written but I felt it was over-written and it moved painfully slowly. I think the idea would have worked well if the book had been half the length it actually is. I just couldn't get interested in the characters, though I did find a spark of sympathy for the President who didn't quite know what he should be doing or whether he was doing what he was doing well or not.
I think the satire was very overdone and would have been better if it had been rather more subtle. I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley for review.
The basic idea is interesting and I really thought it would be a book I would enjoy. I many ways it is well written but I felt it was over-written and it moved painfully slowly. I think the idea would have worked well if the book had been half the length it actually is. I just couldn't get interested in the characters, though I did find a spark of sympathy for the President who didn't quite know what he should be doing or whether he was doing what he was doing well or not.
I think the satire was very overdone and would have been better if it had been rather more subtle. I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley for review.
May 19, 2016
Set in a tiny picturesque country between Austria and Italy with lots of quirky characters, The Museum of Things Left Behind sounded just like something I would love. However it turned out to be extremely slow-going and quite boring. It's supposed to be a parody on bureaucracy and people's narrowmindedness and pomposity. Parody and satire are very difficult genres and I can see how some people will enjoy this book. I wasn't one of them however. I would have enjoyed this more if it had been a lot shorter and not so very detailed in many of its descriptions.
(I received a free digital copy via Netgalley/ the publisher. Thanks for the opportunity!)
(I received a free digital copy via Netgalley/ the publisher. Thanks for the opportunity!)
November 6, 2018
Satire? Spoof? Farce? Fable? Whatever it is, it's a hoot.
Ooh, this is quite delicious! Somewhere north of Italy, set in splendid isolation, the imaginary village-state of Vallerosa is run by "elected dictator" Sergio Scorpioni. The presidential post has been handed down to him by his father, whose shoes he fears he will never be able to fill. When a Very Important Letter arrives from Britain - well, it must be Very Important because the stamps carry our own dear Queen's head - the President and his Ministers are thrown into a frenzy of excitement and panic. Are they to expect a visit from a Very Important Personage Indeed? They certainly seem to think so....
Park your disbelief under the sun-lounger and enjoy a twinkling piece of literary escapism, one that actually has some pretty profound things to say about the nature of power and the power of nature beneath the many chuckles. Here is just a flavour of Seni Glaister's outstanding debut: "Mosconi stiffened, his feathers ruffled. 'I don't know what you think this country is. Of course we have access to the internet. We are not an outpost here. We are teetering very close to the cutting edge of modern society.'"
Ooh, this is quite delicious! Somewhere north of Italy, set in splendid isolation, the imaginary village-state of Vallerosa is run by "elected dictator" Sergio Scorpioni. The presidential post has been handed down to him by his father, whose shoes he fears he will never be able to fill. When a Very Important Letter arrives from Britain - well, it must be Very Important because the stamps carry our own dear Queen's head - the President and his Ministers are thrown into a frenzy of excitement and panic. Are they to expect a visit from a Very Important Personage Indeed? They certainly seem to think so....
Park your disbelief under the sun-lounger and enjoy a twinkling piece of literary escapism, one that actually has some pretty profound things to say about the nature of power and the power of nature beneath the many chuckles. Here is just a flavour of Seni Glaister's outstanding debut: "Mosconi stiffened, his feathers ruffled. 'I don't know what you think this country is. Of course we have access to the internet. We are not an outpost here. We are teetering very close to the cutting edge of modern society.'"
June 21, 2021
I quite enjoyed this political parody once it got going. Its very in the vein of Swift, subtle but wordy, showing the absurdity rather than being some smart-ass, holier-than-thou journolist's preaching polemic about the state of the nation and how it should be done.
There is a humanity here, a humour and a human philosophy at work which is hinted at as you read a very readable, but wordy at first, book. Once it gets into its stride, and you, as reader / tourist, get into the country you feel quite at home and see through the oddities of the place, the way it works and the how it functions.
Visit, it is well worth it.
Toast
There is a humanity here, a humour and a human philosophy at work which is hinted at as you read a very readable, but wordy at first, book. Once it gets into its stride, and you, as reader / tourist, get into the country you feel quite at home and see through the oddities of the place, the way it works and the how it functions.
Visit, it is well worth it.
Toast
May 23, 2015
A quirky little book that is as enchanting as it's title.
Vallerosa is a tiny little country nestling in the mountains between France, Italy, Austria and Switzerland. Run by a paranoid and irresolute, more benevolent than despotic elected dictator, the country is looking to an American consultant to improve it's economic standing.
When Lizzie Holmesworth writes to the President of Vallerosa to ask for permission to visit for a month to work towards her Duke of Edinburgh Award, something is seriously lost in translation. When she arrives, the President and populace are actually expecting the Duke of Edinburgh, and to save face the President presents her as a member of the British Royal Family. This gives her unprecedented access and freedoms to meet both Government officials and the local inhabitants. The misunderstanding sets in motion a chain of events that will change Vallerosa and everyone who lives there.
Vallerosa's fragile economy is based on self sufficency and the production of their own particular brand of tea, a result of a previous historical blip. The American consultant wants all of the land given over to tea to improve exports (which are currently non existent) and at the same time there seems to be a consensus that Tourism will also improve their standing.
The book started a little slowly and the language at times was a bit clunky, almost like a bad translation. However the engaging story and the delightful characters soon meant that I was less critical as I just wanted to see how things played out. The book is a clever satirical look at the world and how Capitalism (here in the shape of the Americans) doesn't always offer the best way forward. It is a clear example of the dangers of putting all your eggs in one basket. It also strikes a blow for feminism as while all of the Government officers and local businesses owners are men, it is the women working behind the scenes that are actually the driving force that keeps the country going.
The question is who will secure the confidence of the indecisive President and his cabinet, to determine the future of Vallerosa.
In case your wondering the whimsical Museum of Things Left Behind, is literally that. The countries sole Museum aimed at giving 'lost items' their purpose back. This again is another allegorical construct as Vallerosa is full of people struggling to achieve their potential and have a real, rather than imposed purpose to their lives. Not forgetting that the tea plants that grow in the valley were the original things that were left behind.
A fun, quirky but also engaging and thought provoking read that has you thinking about the nature of societies and whether progress and Capitalist thinking is always the way forward.
I received an ARC via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Vallerosa is a tiny little country nestling in the mountains between France, Italy, Austria and Switzerland. Run by a paranoid and irresolute, more benevolent than despotic elected dictator, the country is looking to an American consultant to improve it's economic standing.
When Lizzie Holmesworth writes to the President of Vallerosa to ask for permission to visit for a month to work towards her Duke of Edinburgh Award, something is seriously lost in translation. When she arrives, the President and populace are actually expecting the Duke of Edinburgh, and to save face the President presents her as a member of the British Royal Family. This gives her unprecedented access and freedoms to meet both Government officials and the local inhabitants. The misunderstanding sets in motion a chain of events that will change Vallerosa and everyone who lives there.
Vallerosa's fragile economy is based on self sufficency and the production of their own particular brand of tea, a result of a previous historical blip. The American consultant wants all of the land given over to tea to improve exports (which are currently non existent) and at the same time there seems to be a consensus that Tourism will also improve their standing.
The book started a little slowly and the language at times was a bit clunky, almost like a bad translation. However the engaging story and the delightful characters soon meant that I was less critical as I just wanted to see how things played out. The book is a clever satirical look at the world and how Capitalism (here in the shape of the Americans) doesn't always offer the best way forward. It is a clear example of the dangers of putting all your eggs in one basket. It also strikes a blow for feminism as while all of the Government officers and local businesses owners are men, it is the women working behind the scenes that are actually the driving force that keeps the country going.
The question is who will secure the confidence of the indecisive President and his cabinet, to determine the future of Vallerosa.
In case your wondering the whimsical Museum of Things Left Behind, is literally that. The countries sole Museum aimed at giving 'lost items' their purpose back. This again is another allegorical construct as Vallerosa is full of people struggling to achieve their potential and have a real, rather than imposed purpose to their lives. Not forgetting that the tea plants that grow in the valley were the original things that were left behind.
A fun, quirky but also engaging and thought provoking read that has you thinking about the nature of societies and whether progress and Capitalist thinking is always the way forward.
I received an ARC via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
May 17, 2016
Felt too long and didn’t really hold my interest.
A small hidden forgotten nation in central Europe is visited by an English tourist in a case of mistaken identity.
I really liked idea of a nation so small and non threatening that other nations ignored or forgot about it. I had high hopes of this but it felt too long and the plot moved very slowly so I ended up skipping through pages to get to the end.
I couldn’t get interested in the characters and just found it all too contrived and twee. Maybe that’s the idea, but it didn’t work for me?
I'm sure some people will love this book but sadly not for me.
I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
A small hidden forgotten nation in central Europe is visited by an English tourist in a case of mistaken identity.
I really liked idea of a nation so small and non threatening that other nations ignored or forgot about it. I had high hopes of this but it felt too long and the plot moved very slowly so I ended up skipping through pages to get to the end.
I couldn’t get interested in the characters and just found it all too contrived and twee. Maybe that’s the idea, but it didn’t work for me?
I'm sure some people will love this book but sadly not for me.
I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
September 16, 2015
This book was a wonderful story told as a travelogue to an imaginary country, a country where community was important and self-sufficiency and education all important. Mostly told thru the eyes of a British tourist, Elizabeth Holmesworth who finds her way thru a difficult path to this country hidden in the Alps and basically forgotten by the rest of the outside world. The journey of discovery for Elizabeth is as much about the local landscape as well as the inner. It is also a journey of evolution for the locals thru their interaction with Elizabeth. I enjoyed this fable of modern times with a message against western led materialism.
July 7, 2015
This is a curious, but charming little book. You can imagine it filmed as a b&w Ealing comedy.
A forgotten country, an endless bureaucracy, all shaken up by the arrival of a tourist, mistaken identity, evil American Capitalists, comedy scenes in rival bars, a toiling army of land girls . . .
The evil Americans are a bit of a caricature and the eco/barter/bees bit is laid on a bit thick but it just about works in the end.
A forgotten country, an endless bureaucracy, all shaken up by the arrival of a tourist, mistaken identity, evil American Capitalists, comedy scenes in rival bars, a toiling army of land girls . . .
The evil Americans are a bit of a caricature and the eco/barter/bees bit is laid on a bit thick but it just about works in the end.
December 23, 2016
I almost gave up on this book, it seemed to take such a long time to get going. I certainly wouldn't describe it as gripping! But after about 100 pages or so I started to enjoy the story more. It is clever and wordy and humorous in a farcical way with gentle characters who are often quite pompous and silly until you get to know them better. Charming is probably a good description and it certainly made me smile.
August 12, 2015
Waste of time in my view which isn'y something I say regularly. I often wonder whether I rate things too highly just because they're books and they've been written and that's admirable isn't it. But this thing feels like a superficial attempt to write a movie script and not a very good one.
Read
February 24, 2017This book was hard to read and totally uninspiring, I didn't care for the characters or the story. Really disappointed in this book as the description held such promise.
June 25, 2018
Lovely grotesque-parody-comedy of our democracy! A bit too lengthy for my taste, but very refreshing read.
September 14, 2018
Beautifully written and symbolic in many ways. A grown-up fairytale (no prince or princess...don’t worry).
May 31, 2015
This book is clever and a little bit fascinating, but it also has some bits that produce eye-rolls.
A newcomer arrives in Vallerosa, a tiny, self-sufficient, and overlooked European country. Through her eyes we see some Animal-Farm-esque bureaucracy and authoritarianism, as well as the hidden niches where things really get done.
I thought the symbolism and use of characters was smart - in an obvious way. I loved the ending, where we see that the citizens are willing to sacrifice personal time for the good of their country - even without pay or recognition. I liked that the president was made to literally sweat in fear that he wasn't living up to his constituents' expectations.
But I didn't like the slams on America, nor the stereotyped American characters. And I didn't like how so much of the story had to be contrived -- and then the ending seemed to swing so far from the way the plot was heading. I almost feel like the author was trying to prove a point to a hostile audience. I don't want to be lectured for several pages on the necessity of honeybees or the reasons why a wife might be too tired to spend time with her husband. I read for escapist pleasure, so a lecture in my fiction just ain't my bag, baby.
I think maybe more could have been done with the museum in the story - or the title should've been changed to something tea-related. And I definitely wished the tea had more magic.
All in all, a bit long-winded and idealistic, but definitely an interesting commentary on society, government, roles of men and women, education, employment, and agriculture. The character development was terrific, as was the dialogue. And though I'm not sure it was important to the story, I was very, VERY happy to see all that pastry finally available for breakfast.
http://randombookmuses.com/2015/05/29...
I received an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
A newcomer arrives in Vallerosa, a tiny, self-sufficient, and overlooked European country. Through her eyes we see some Animal-Farm-esque bureaucracy and authoritarianism, as well as the hidden niches where things really get done.
I thought the symbolism and use of characters was smart - in an obvious way. I loved the ending, where we see that the citizens are willing to sacrifice personal time for the good of their country - even without pay or recognition. I liked that the president was made to literally sweat in fear that he wasn't living up to his constituents' expectations.
But I didn't like the slams on America, nor the stereotyped American characters. And I didn't like how so much of the story had to be contrived -- and then the ending seemed to swing so far from the way the plot was heading. I almost feel like the author was trying to prove a point to a hostile audience. I don't want to be lectured for several pages on the necessity of honeybees or the reasons why a wife might be too tired to spend time with her husband. I read for escapist pleasure, so a lecture in my fiction just ain't my bag, baby.
I think maybe more could have been done with the museum in the story - or the title should've been changed to something tea-related. And I definitely wished the tea had more magic.
All in all, a bit long-winded and idealistic, but definitely an interesting commentary on society, government, roles of men and women, education, employment, and agriculture. The character development was terrific, as was the dialogue. And though I'm not sure it was important to the story, I was very, VERY happy to see all that pastry finally available for breakfast.
http://randombookmuses.com/2015/05/29...
I received an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
July 12, 2016
Amazon:
Vallerosa is every tourist’s dream – a tiny, picturesque country surrounded by lush valleys and verdant mountains; a place sheltered from modern life and the rampant march of capitalism. But in isolation, the locals have grown cranky, unfulfilled and disaffected. In the Presidential Palace hostile Americans, wise to the country’s financial potential, are circling like sharks …
Can the town be fixed? Can the local bar owners be reconciled? Can an unlikely visitor be the agent of change and rejuvenation this broken idyll is crying out for?
Full of wisdom, humour and light, THE MUSEUM OF THINGS LEFT BEHIND is a heart-warming fable for our times that asks us to consider what we have lost and what we have gained in modern life. A book about bureaucracy, religion and the people that really get things done, it is above all else a hymn to the inconstancy of time and the pivotal importance of a good cup of tea.
_________________________________________________________
What a quirky little read..... felt like I was reading something written quite some time ago. From the land that time forgot :) Lovely read. Felt the story line lost it's way a bit - but that's forgiven because of the standard of writing and originality of the concept.
Personally I think every town should have a Museum of Things Left Behind - what a brilliant idea - and I'm sure would contain some VERY interesting items (as well as lots of mundane ones).
Thanks for the recommendation to my friend Betty :) - this was a thoroughly enjoyable read.
Vallerosa is every tourist’s dream – a tiny, picturesque country surrounded by lush valleys and verdant mountains; a place sheltered from modern life and the rampant march of capitalism. But in isolation, the locals have grown cranky, unfulfilled and disaffected. In the Presidential Palace hostile Americans, wise to the country’s financial potential, are circling like sharks …
Can the town be fixed? Can the local bar owners be reconciled? Can an unlikely visitor be the agent of change and rejuvenation this broken idyll is crying out for?
Full of wisdom, humour and light, THE MUSEUM OF THINGS LEFT BEHIND is a heart-warming fable for our times that asks us to consider what we have lost and what we have gained in modern life. A book about bureaucracy, religion and the people that really get things done, it is above all else a hymn to the inconstancy of time and the pivotal importance of a good cup of tea.
_________________________________________________________
What a quirky little read..... felt like I was reading something written quite some time ago. From the land that time forgot :) Lovely read. Felt the story line lost it's way a bit - but that's forgiven because of the standard of writing and originality of the concept.
Personally I think every town should have a Museum of Things Left Behind - what a brilliant idea - and I'm sure would contain some VERY interesting items (as well as lots of mundane ones).
Thanks for the recommendation to my friend Betty :) - this was a thoroughly enjoyable read.
December 30, 2015
Originally posted on bluchickenninja.com.
This book is what I imagine would happen if you mixed the Vogons from Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy with the bumbling idiocy of Winnie the Pooh. Its a quirky tale of misunderstandings which turns into a satirical take on capitalism. It was a very strange book, it takes place in a small idyllic country of seemingly no significant importance to the world. To be honest when I started reading this the descriptions made it seem so idyllic that I thought I was going to be reading some strange dystopian fiction.
But I really enjoyed it. It was a thought provoking read that really made you think about capitalism and the role of women in keeping a country running. It was also about tea and had a very good argument for tea becoming a basic human right and that is something I fully support.
This book is what I imagine would happen if you mixed the Vogons from Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy with the bumbling idiocy of Winnie the Pooh. Its a quirky tale of misunderstandings which turns into a satirical take on capitalism. It was a very strange book, it takes place in a small idyllic country of seemingly no significant importance to the world. To be honest when I started reading this the descriptions made it seem so idyllic that I thought I was going to be reading some strange dystopian fiction.
But I really enjoyed it. It was a thought provoking read that really made you think about capitalism and the role of women in keeping a country running. It was also about tea and had a very good argument for tea becoming a basic human right and that is something I fully support.
March 20, 2018
I really enjoyed reading this book but the ending felt rushed and inconclusive (a suspicion confirmed by the acknowledgements). There are some very fine observations in here about human nature, our impact on the environment, and the narrow-mindedness of the English. The complexity of Vallerosean government also made me think of Gormenghast which is not a bad thing. I just wish the pace of the writing had been more consistent.
September 14, 2016
I left Vallerosa with a lighter heart. I know people have found it boring and slow but I savoured it all. It is so lovely to read a gentle book, no heavily written predictable romance, no ghastly dead bodies and very subtle cynicism. Yes, the Americans were clumsily written and I would have liked for the women to be introduced sooner but overall I loved it.
June 20, 2016
A very imaginative story! And the writing is humorous! The language used by the author is clever and extravagant~
August 2, 2016
I kind of liked it. But I didn't love it. Maybe it was too much about ideas but not enough about the characters. I felt a bit detached the whole time.
August 20, 2016
Gosh, that was absolutely lovely. A really pleasant, whimsical and joyous book. Recommended for those suffering from a malaise; it'll cheer you right up.
July 31, 2018
Picked this up in a charity shop as the title looked interesting but if ever there was a misleading title, this is it. The museum gets a brief mention but the book is not what I thought it was.
November 27, 2018
The Museum of Things Left Behind was a book I went in with an open mind. It was one of the books for my Lowest Rated TBR Challenge for the month of November, and aware of the low rating it has, I tried to not have any judgments of it beforehand.
The story surrounds a country called Vallerosa, a place that was shielded from war and from most of everyone's eyes. It thrived on tea, the belief of every man following in their father's footsteps and endless education until they were 'ready' to step foot into the working field. A small country where their views and ideas are much more different than today's society and they take their tea very seriously.
It began awfully slow, forming a (very) clear picture of the country and didn't follow any specific character which I wasn't used to. Either way, I was desperate to read this for my challenge and continued on, realising that it was a story that followed the citizens of Vallerosa and a very special guest. At first I was a little skeptical of this as I've not read many books that was like this but I realised that I loved it very much.
Who would've thought that a tiny place like Vallerosa could've been so interesting? President Sergio who followed in Sergio Senior's footsteps, desiring to honour his father; the competitive spirit of the patron of Il Gallo Giallo and Il Toro Rosso who competes to be bar that attracts the most customers and the way the government ruled the country never failed to amuse me. Although the main part of the story was how the visitor, Lizzie Holmesworth, changed the people of Vallerosa, it was always the competition between the two bars that made me love the story.
I admire Glaister's ability to look at things from a different perspective as she wrote the way the government of Vallerosa reflected on ideas. She brings to light how instead of nurses who were the ones who took care of the patients, it was the patients' families who cooked, fed and cared for them, emphasising that they were the ones who were family and it was the family who would show the love and care needed for their own. This was only one of the differences between the way the Vallerosan mindset was different, many more could be found in this book and it was definitely and eye opener.
However, as much as I loved it, I do have some problems with this book. I felt as if it being a bit mean to the American consultants who came to Vallerosa in search for prospects for export. Although they did undervalue Vallerosa and they were taking advantage, threatening and blackmailing the president, it was hinted at that. Perhaps I was looking way too deep into it and it was just pure coincidence. I also found that the title was not entirely suitable as it was only brought up close to 200 pages into the book.
I definitely enjoyed this book far more than I thought I would and would recommend this to those who are interested in having a different view on things of many aspects, from education, misplacing things to even crops and plantation.
The story surrounds a country called Vallerosa, a place that was shielded from war and from most of everyone's eyes. It thrived on tea, the belief of every man following in their father's footsteps and endless education until they were 'ready' to step foot into the working field. A small country where their views and ideas are much more different than today's society and they take their tea very seriously.
It began awfully slow, forming a (very) clear picture of the country and didn't follow any specific character which I wasn't used to. Either way, I was desperate to read this for my challenge and continued on, realising that it was a story that followed the citizens of Vallerosa and a very special guest. At first I was a little skeptical of this as I've not read many books that was like this but I realised that I loved it very much.
Who would've thought that a tiny place like Vallerosa could've been so interesting? President Sergio who followed in Sergio Senior's footsteps, desiring to honour his father; the competitive spirit of the patron of Il Gallo Giallo and Il Toro Rosso who competes to be bar that attracts the most customers and the way the government ruled the country never failed to amuse me. Although the main part of the story was how the visitor, Lizzie Holmesworth, changed the people of Vallerosa, it was always the competition between the two bars that made me love the story.
I admire Glaister's ability to look at things from a different perspective as she wrote the way the government of Vallerosa reflected on ideas. She brings to light how instead of nurses who were the ones who took care of the patients, it was the patients' families who cooked, fed and cared for them, emphasising that they were the ones who were family and it was the family who would show the love and care needed for their own. This was only one of the differences between the way the Vallerosan mindset was different, many more could be found in this book and it was definitely and eye opener.
However, as much as I loved it, I do have some problems with this book. I felt as if it being a bit mean to the American consultants who came to Vallerosa in search for prospects for export. Although they did undervalue Vallerosa and they were taking advantage, threatening and blackmailing the president, it was hinted at that. Perhaps I was looking way too deep into it and it was just pure coincidence. I also found that the title was not entirely suitable as it was only brought up close to 200 pages into the book.
I definitely enjoyed this book far more than I thought I would and would recommend this to those who are interested in having a different view on things of many aspects, from education, misplacing things to even crops and plantation.
April 20, 2015
“Please …. Visit …. Research …. Success …Duke of Edinburgh ..5 June ….for one month.’
When postmaster Remi decides ‘both for the sake of his career and for the sanctity of his country – to assume (a letter bearing the stamps of the Queen of Britain) was not just-a-letter but an official communique’ he cannot know that he has set in motion a set of events that will have a lasting effect on his small country of Vallerosa. Vallerosa is a picturesque country, situated between Austria, Italy, and France and surrounded by lush valleys and verdant mountains. It is a place some of its neighbours think of as a poor province of their own country and the others have not noticed its existence at all.
Elizabeth (Lizzie) is an English student arrives in the country, ready to do something worthy as part of her Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme. As she later comments: “The British are brought up to believe that everywhere they go people they meet will be somehow inferior – financially, emotionally, culturally, religiously – and, as such in need of our help”. She is looking to volunteer to help in an orphanage or the hospital, only to find they don’t have the former and the later is already well staffed and maintained.
This is a country run by an elected dictatorship, with President, Sergio, a man who inherited the post from his father its leader. Other cabinet members have similarly come by their posts the same way. They have a procedure and a form for everything. It is a country where you need to make an appointment with an under-secretary to make an official appointment with that under-secretary to make an appointment with the secretary. A country where you need a meeting to decide on committee name for organising an official visit, and a committee for organising a spontaneous celebration ‘Do you think I’d leave something as important as this to chance?’, President Sergio states. And yet it seems a very benevolent dictatorship. Everyone in the country seems to know there place in society and they all seem to be happy and content with their lot.
On arrival Lizzie is surprised to find she is treated as if she were an important royal visitor, which she soon discovers she is, if only in error. She is soon persuaded to maintain the facade of being British Royalty to help save the face of the Government. Lizzie’s presence and unique position allows her to both cut through the red tape of bureaucracy and also entrance the ordinary populace of Vallerosa, whether it be giving the local bar owners and baker a purpose at last reminding them they’re I the service industry, or by figuring out how a dance can solve the problem of the broken clock.
She also noticed the government is full of men, all the local businesses and shops are run by men. Where, exactly, are all the women? Why is a man protesting against being given a free education? Why is the main town’s clock broken, and why has it not been fixed? Why is Sergio starting to get paranoid that a revolution is being planned; and why have the government – whose country’s current import and export levels are zero – been convinced by an American (Chuck Whylie ‘Access to credit is a human right’ ) to convert all their land, including gardens, to grow tea for exporting.
Seni Glaister’s book is a light but cleverly satirical tale of a country that has been self sufficient and content and has, as a result, held back the tide of global capitalism. It challenges the assumptions that to exist in the world you need to play by the World bank’s rules, despite the lack of logic for doing so. “It’s not fashionable on a global level, to simply sustain yourself”, Angelo, the President’s right hand man says at one point to his observation that ” If we’re not importing anything, and we’re going to sell everything we’ve got, and all we’ve got now is tea, what are our people actually going to live on?”
It makes you think. Like many south American, central American and African countries have found to their cost their governments often get in hock to the World Bank and others with ‘deals’ that involve them having to produce enough export crops – sugar, cocoa, bananas, coffee etc – to provide then with finance to import other goods. The result is taking countries that previously were often self sustaining ones for food and turning them into ones totally dependent on one crop and the wonder that is global capitalism. Even we in the UK fall foul of this – without being forced into one export crop. We currently could only produce around 60% of food needed to feed ourselves yearly.
It also questions what lengths you should go to to put your name on the map and encourage tourism, and one of the books funniest moments is a discussion when the ministers for Tourism and Recreation explain to Lizzie how they are two very, very different things, completely and utterly different, and certainly not things anyone could confuse.
The Book’s title comes from the country’s national museum – a collection of things left behind by visitors. Initially all Lizzie sees it as a like a lost property office, but to Vallerosa the items are more found than lost, as this “gives them back their purpose.” The Country’s soul seems in danger of being lost too, but with a little help from the women of Vallerosa the country can get its own purpose back.
I may be starting to make this all sound a bit too serious. When you cut to the chase, most of all, it’s huge fun. It’s sweet, heart-warming, and farcically funny. I had a smile on my face throughout. The workings of government were straight out of the Marx Bros, and Duck Soup with a little bit of Capt Spaulding in Animal Crackers thrown in for good measure. I was reminded on an exchange in that film between Groucho and Zeppo: “Put it in a box. Put it in a box and mark it, uh…”fragilly.” Mark it what? Mark it fragilly. F-R-A-G… Look it up, Jamison, it’s in the dictionary. Look under “fragile.” It’s a conversation that would not be out of place within Vallerosa’s government.
If you were going to look for faults you might point to fact that it’s a book populated with a cast of ridiculously nice people (evil capitalist American’s aside) but this is a minor niggle that doesn’t really spoil the enjoyment of your time in Vallerosa.
Glaister’s day job is CEO of TheBookPeople. On this evidence her day job should certainly be fiction writing. Add to my growing pile of impressive debut novels for 2015.
When postmaster Remi decides ‘both for the sake of his career and for the sanctity of his country – to assume (a letter bearing the stamps of the Queen of Britain) was not just-a-letter but an official communique’ he cannot know that he has set in motion a set of events that will have a lasting effect on his small country of Vallerosa. Vallerosa is a picturesque country, situated between Austria, Italy, and France and surrounded by lush valleys and verdant mountains. It is a place some of its neighbours think of as a poor province of their own country and the others have not noticed its existence at all.
Elizabeth (Lizzie) is an English student arrives in the country, ready to do something worthy as part of her Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme. As she later comments: “The British are brought up to believe that everywhere they go people they meet will be somehow inferior – financially, emotionally, culturally, religiously – and, as such in need of our help”. She is looking to volunteer to help in an orphanage or the hospital, only to find they don’t have the former and the later is already well staffed and maintained.
This is a country run by an elected dictatorship, with President, Sergio, a man who inherited the post from his father its leader. Other cabinet members have similarly come by their posts the same way. They have a procedure and a form for everything. It is a country where you need to make an appointment with an under-secretary to make an official appointment with that under-secretary to make an appointment with the secretary. A country where you need a meeting to decide on committee name for organising an official visit, and a committee for organising a spontaneous celebration ‘Do you think I’d leave something as important as this to chance?’, President Sergio states. And yet it seems a very benevolent dictatorship. Everyone in the country seems to know there place in society and they all seem to be happy and content with their lot.
On arrival Lizzie is surprised to find she is treated as if she were an important royal visitor, which she soon discovers she is, if only in error. She is soon persuaded to maintain the facade of being British Royalty to help save the face of the Government. Lizzie’s presence and unique position allows her to both cut through the red tape of bureaucracy and also entrance the ordinary populace of Vallerosa, whether it be giving the local bar owners and baker a purpose at last reminding them they’re I the service industry, or by figuring out how a dance can solve the problem of the broken clock.
She also noticed the government is full of men, all the local businesses and shops are run by men. Where, exactly, are all the women? Why is a man protesting against being given a free education? Why is the main town’s clock broken, and why has it not been fixed? Why is Sergio starting to get paranoid that a revolution is being planned; and why have the government – whose country’s current import and export levels are zero – been convinced by an American (Chuck Whylie ‘Access to credit is a human right’ ) to convert all their land, including gardens, to grow tea for exporting.
Seni Glaister’s book is a light but cleverly satirical tale of a country that has been self sufficient and content and has, as a result, held back the tide of global capitalism. It challenges the assumptions that to exist in the world you need to play by the World bank’s rules, despite the lack of logic for doing so. “It’s not fashionable on a global level, to simply sustain yourself”, Angelo, the President’s right hand man says at one point to his observation that ” If we’re not importing anything, and we’re going to sell everything we’ve got, and all we’ve got now is tea, what are our people actually going to live on?”
It makes you think. Like many south American, central American and African countries have found to their cost their governments often get in hock to the World Bank and others with ‘deals’ that involve them having to produce enough export crops – sugar, cocoa, bananas, coffee etc – to provide then with finance to import other goods. The result is taking countries that previously were often self sustaining ones for food and turning them into ones totally dependent on one crop and the wonder that is global capitalism. Even we in the UK fall foul of this – without being forced into one export crop. We currently could only produce around 60% of food needed to feed ourselves yearly.
It also questions what lengths you should go to to put your name on the map and encourage tourism, and one of the books funniest moments is a discussion when the ministers for Tourism and Recreation explain to Lizzie how they are two very, very different things, completely and utterly different, and certainly not things anyone could confuse.
The Book’s title comes from the country’s national museum – a collection of things left behind by visitors. Initially all Lizzie sees it as a like a lost property office, but to Vallerosa the items are more found than lost, as this “gives them back their purpose.” The Country’s soul seems in danger of being lost too, but with a little help from the women of Vallerosa the country can get its own purpose back.
I may be starting to make this all sound a bit too serious. When you cut to the chase, most of all, it’s huge fun. It’s sweet, heart-warming, and farcically funny. I had a smile on my face throughout. The workings of government were straight out of the Marx Bros, and Duck Soup with a little bit of Capt Spaulding in Animal Crackers thrown in for good measure. I was reminded on an exchange in that film between Groucho and Zeppo: “Put it in a box. Put it in a box and mark it, uh…”fragilly.” Mark it what? Mark it fragilly. F-R-A-G… Look it up, Jamison, it’s in the dictionary. Look under “fragile.” It’s a conversation that would not be out of place within Vallerosa’s government.
If you were going to look for faults you might point to fact that it’s a book populated with a cast of ridiculously nice people (evil capitalist American’s aside) but this is a minor niggle that doesn’t really spoil the enjoyment of your time in Vallerosa.
Glaister’s day job is CEO of TheBookPeople. On this evidence her day job should certainly be fiction writing. Add to my growing pile of impressive debut novels for 2015.
December 15, 2020
My first impression of this one was that the language was cheerful and flowery, like you might expect from a story that promises to stretch the bounds of imagination. It then settled into a sort of Victorian feel. The use of language was really pleasant, but around the fourth chapter I was still wondering who the main character was and where the plot was going.
Eventually I caught on that Sergio, the president, was our hero and that the story was more about the political situation than about a museum. The museum does make an appearance, but in a fairly minor way.
The book made for pleasant reading, but seemed to lack a point. Characterization was strong, but plotting was weak. There were some amusing bits, like when the president deals with a protestor outside his home, but I would be hard pressed to explain a main conflict.
Some very nice writing though. I would try this writer again.
Eventually I caught on that Sergio, the president, was our hero and that the story was more about the political situation than about a museum. The museum does make an appearance, but in a fairly minor way.
The book made for pleasant reading, but seemed to lack a point. Characterization was strong, but plotting was weak. There were some amusing bits, like when the president deals with a protestor outside his home, but I would be hard pressed to explain a main conflict.
Some very nice writing though. I would try this writer again.
March 14, 2024
i don’t think a story like this needs 40+ chapters. it dragged in areas that didn’t need dragging. it wasn’t the most boring book but i did lose interest every now and then. there were too many characters coming in and out and i’d lose track. it’s still pretty charming though. better translated as a movie.
December 13, 2023
It’s as if a Wes Anderson movie were captured in a book.
Delightful, at times infuriating (on the part of the male characters), overall a feel-good read.
The tempo was just right for me, and it felt like a great story without any hidden agenda or meaning, just a lighthearted read.
Delightful, at times infuriating (on the part of the male characters), overall a feel-good read.
The tempo was just right for me, and it felt like a great story without any hidden agenda or meaning, just a lighthearted read.
March 28, 2015
http://www.pagetostagereviews.com/201...
The Museum of Things Left Behind is situated in the idyllic Vallerosa, a small country in the European mountains. Not many people know about this picturesque place and there are no specific transport links for tourists, so the occasional visitor tends to wind up in the little nation by accident. That is, until the President receives a letter from the United Kingdom announcing a very special visit from a Duke. The ministers are soon gathered and an itinerary, worthy of royalty, is planned.
But when two visitors arrive at the same time, one a grumpy American, the other a beautiful blonde women, neither seem to fit the image of the Duke of Edinburgh the President and his constituents had in mind. Not deterred by the unexpectedness of the visitors, the people of Vallerosa are determined to give Lizzie a royal welcome and make her stay a memorable one.
From the book's title and blurb I expected a quirky read set in a utopian nation and that's exactly what the pages of this novel held. The quiet Vallerosa, with its lush surroundings, came across as a beautiful country – one I would love to visit myself one day. Despite being completely fictional, there were elements that sounded similar to other places in Europe, creating a sense of familiarity, and author Seni Glaister's rich descriptions really made the nation come alive on the pages.
While it took me some time to be able to tell all the characters apart, particularly the government members who all had impossible names and similar occupations, such as Minister for the Exterior and Minister for the Interior; as well as Minister of Leisure and Minister of Recreation, once the visitors arrive the reader becomes acquainted with the people of Vallerosa through the eyes of the Lizzie and it becomes easier to get immersed into the unique story.
We learn that the Vallerosans are very set in their ways and it may take months for the simplest changes to be implemented by the government. For instance, the clock in the main piazza hasn't worked for many years because the ministers don't want to ask the one person qualified for the job directly to fix it. From an outsider's point of view it seems impossible for a nation to be run like that, which is why Lizzie is determined to make some positive change during her visit.
While I loved all the peculiarities found in Vallerosa, such as the silent rivalry between two adjacent bars, and a museum collection made up of things left behind or washed ashore, I found some of the sentiments within the book strangely backwards. The views of the people may have been set back a few decades because Vallerosa is such an isolated nation and time doesn't pass the same way as it does in the rest of Europe, but it felt like the author agreed with some of the prejudiced views and that was a shame.
Nonetheless, The Museum of Things Left Behind was an incredibly unique novel of a very special place. The first few chapters may be a tad confusing, as densely filled as they are with foreign names and places, perseverance does pay off; the quirky story within the pages is a fascinating and charming one.
The Museum of Things Left Behind is situated in the idyllic Vallerosa, a small country in the European mountains. Not many people know about this picturesque place and there are no specific transport links for tourists, so the occasional visitor tends to wind up in the little nation by accident. That is, until the President receives a letter from the United Kingdom announcing a very special visit from a Duke. The ministers are soon gathered and an itinerary, worthy of royalty, is planned.
But when two visitors arrive at the same time, one a grumpy American, the other a beautiful blonde women, neither seem to fit the image of the Duke of Edinburgh the President and his constituents had in mind. Not deterred by the unexpectedness of the visitors, the people of Vallerosa are determined to give Lizzie a royal welcome and make her stay a memorable one.
From the book's title and blurb I expected a quirky read set in a utopian nation and that's exactly what the pages of this novel held. The quiet Vallerosa, with its lush surroundings, came across as a beautiful country – one I would love to visit myself one day. Despite being completely fictional, there were elements that sounded similar to other places in Europe, creating a sense of familiarity, and author Seni Glaister's rich descriptions really made the nation come alive on the pages.
While it took me some time to be able to tell all the characters apart, particularly the government members who all had impossible names and similar occupations, such as Minister for the Exterior and Minister for the Interior; as well as Minister of Leisure and Minister of Recreation, once the visitors arrive the reader becomes acquainted with the people of Vallerosa through the eyes of the Lizzie and it becomes easier to get immersed into the unique story.
We learn that the Vallerosans are very set in their ways and it may take months for the simplest changes to be implemented by the government. For instance, the clock in the main piazza hasn't worked for many years because the ministers don't want to ask the one person qualified for the job directly to fix it. From an outsider's point of view it seems impossible for a nation to be run like that, which is why Lizzie is determined to make some positive change during her visit.
While I loved all the peculiarities found in Vallerosa, such as the silent rivalry between two adjacent bars, and a museum collection made up of things left behind or washed ashore, I found some of the sentiments within the book strangely backwards. The views of the people may have been set back a few decades because Vallerosa is such an isolated nation and time doesn't pass the same way as it does in the rest of Europe, but it felt like the author agreed with some of the prejudiced views and that was a shame.
Nonetheless, The Museum of Things Left Behind was an incredibly unique novel of a very special place. The first few chapters may be a tad confusing, as densely filled as they are with foreign names and places, perseverance does pay off; the quirky story within the pages is a fascinating and charming one.
March 29, 2017
Disclaimer: I was delighted to be approached by publishers 4thEstate and offered a free copy of this book, presumably because it appeared on my Goodreads wishlist. Although I was not asked to give a review in exchange I feel it is only fair to do so.
The country of Vallerosa, elusively tucked away in steep valley in the Carpathian mountains between Italy and Austria, is a small hidden gem. Unspoilt by the outside world that seems to overlook it, its people proud to say that no war has ever threatened their little country. It is a place that time has forgotten but its people take huge pride in their heritage. They are particularly proud their national crop, a very special tea which they have grown for centuries.
As the book opens there is much excitement in the little country as the President receives a rare letter from the outside world. He reads the words Duke of Edinburgh and Vallerosa starts to make plans to receive royalty. Indeed this turns out to be no ordinary visitor. Though not entirely what was expected, as the visit progresses we start to see changes in Vallerosa and its people as their ways are challenged and old prejudices overturned.
I found this a charming and gently humourous tale. I was certainly attracted to Vallerosa, its climate and scenery, the rushing river in its steep sided ravine, its red walled houses and the tea plants filling every cultivated space as far as the eye can see. I would have loved to stop in one of the two cafes on the square to try that very special tea. I enjoyed the book and would certainly pick up another by the author, Seni Glaister. The reader will gradually realise that Vallerosa is a male dominated society. Apart from a very few exceptions, for example when the visitor is introduced to individual women, in particular the matriarch of one family, it is 80% of the way through the book before a Vallerosan woman takes a major and influential part in the plot. Whilst unusual, the reader will discover that this strange situation is essential to the plotline. There is very little that I disliked. The two American characters, whilst also essential to the plotline, rather unfortunately felt like caricatures - whether deliberate humour was intended I am not sure. Also, on one or two occasions, particularly in the President's personal angst filled thoughts and writings, the storyline dragged a little. I admit I skipped over some of his rather wordy deliberations. Mostly though my attention was held with the outcome following the interventions of the special visitor was never really in doubt.
The Latin words before the first chapter Alieni theam faciunt optimam - Strangers make the best tea - contain much truth. It takes a stranger sometimes to point out the obvious, challenge the accepted and often by example show the way forward. At one point the visitor is proudly shown around one of the main tourist attractions, the ‘Museum of Things Left Behind’ of the title. Somehow this feels an apt comment on Vallerosa itself. At the end of the book this little country has become a changed place where much remains the same and you feel that is just as it should be.
Can anyone tell me where I might buy my train ticket, please?!
The country of Vallerosa, elusively tucked away in steep valley in the Carpathian mountains between Italy and Austria, is a small hidden gem. Unspoilt by the outside world that seems to overlook it, its people proud to say that no war has ever threatened their little country. It is a place that time has forgotten but its people take huge pride in their heritage. They are particularly proud their national crop, a very special tea which they have grown for centuries.
As the book opens there is much excitement in the little country as the President receives a rare letter from the outside world. He reads the words Duke of Edinburgh and Vallerosa starts to make plans to receive royalty. Indeed this turns out to be no ordinary visitor. Though not entirely what was expected, as the visit progresses we start to see changes in Vallerosa and its people as their ways are challenged and old prejudices overturned.
I found this a charming and gently humourous tale. I was certainly attracted to Vallerosa, its climate and scenery, the rushing river in its steep sided ravine, its red walled houses and the tea plants filling every cultivated space as far as the eye can see. I would have loved to stop in one of the two cafes on the square to try that very special tea. I enjoyed the book and would certainly pick up another by the author, Seni Glaister. The reader will gradually realise that Vallerosa is a male dominated society. Apart from a very few exceptions, for example when the visitor is introduced to individual women, in particular the matriarch of one family, it is 80% of the way through the book before a Vallerosan woman takes a major and influential part in the plot. Whilst unusual, the reader will discover that this strange situation is essential to the plotline. There is very little that I disliked. The two American characters, whilst also essential to the plotline, rather unfortunately felt like caricatures - whether deliberate humour was intended I am not sure. Also, on one or two occasions, particularly in the President's personal angst filled thoughts and writings, the storyline dragged a little. I admit I skipped over some of his rather wordy deliberations. Mostly though my attention was held with the outcome following the interventions of the special visitor was never really in doubt.
The Latin words before the first chapter Alieni theam faciunt optimam - Strangers make the best tea - contain much truth. It takes a stranger sometimes to point out the obvious, challenge the accepted and often by example show the way forward. At one point the visitor is proudly shown around one of the main tourist attractions, the ‘Museum of Things Left Behind’ of the title. Somehow this feels an apt comment on Vallerosa itself. At the end of the book this little country has become a changed place where much remains the same and you feel that is just as it should be.
Can anyone tell me where I might buy my train ticket, please?!
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