Virtuoso Life - March/April 2008 - (Page 40) LUXE REPORT BOOKS Marie-Thérèse, Child of Terror By Susan Nagel (Bloomsbury, $27.95) Few historical tales can match the family drama of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. Beheaded in 1793 during the French Revolution, they left behind a daughter, Marie-Thérèse, who did everything she could to help restore the Bourbons to the throne. Author Susan Nagel puts to rest most of the doubts about the Bourbons (Was Thérèse the legitimate daughter? Did her brother the dauphin really die in Temple Prison?) via a thorough analysis of DNA samples and handwriting in family letters. But the best part of the tale isn’t the clarification of the historical record – it’s the engaging portrait Nagel paints of a young woman who gave up everything for the love of France and her family. Near Death on the High Seas Edited by Cecil Kuhne (Vintage Books, $14.95) As William F. Buckley Jr. writes in the foreword, humans’ capacity for exposing themselves to loneliness and fear “makes possible great adventures of the human spirit.” In this volume, Cecil Kuhne has gathered some of the most gripping adventure stories ever written, focusing on sailors’ love affairs and battles with the sea. Steven Callahan’s harrowing log of being lost for 76 days near the Canary Islands opens the volume with “viciously cold waves and strange creatures lurking below the churning surface.” Other tales include Thor Heyerdahl’s “Kon-Tiki” and John Rousmaniere’s “Fastnet, Force 10.” After reading these stories, you’ll understand why people risk all to experience the indifferent terror – and beauty – of one of Earth’s most powerful forces. A Camera, Two Kids and a Camel By Annie Griffiths Belt (National Geographic Books, $35) After growing up as a proper Catholic girl of the Upper Midwest, Annie Griffiths Belt became a photojournalist for a Minnesota newspaper and quickly moved on to the likes of National Geographic. As her career advanced, she married and had two children, whom she carried with her on her various assignments. This collection documents those they met along their journey, from the indomitable people of Minnesota and the “underappreciated” state of North Dakota to the residents of such disparate places as Australia, Pakistan, and Bosnia. The result is a stunning display of Belt’s compassion and gift for conveying emotion. – CHARLES EALY Balancing Act Inner peace and beauty harmonize in Gaiam’s new yoga kits. Available in “Earth Meets Sky,” “Asian Blossom,” and “Koi Fish” (above), the latex-free mats measure 68 by 24 inches and feature Asian prints and nature-inspired designs. Each comes in a matching cotton travel bag complete with zippered pocket and adjustable shoulder strap. $34 at www.gaiam.com. TRANQUIL TRAVEL 40 V I RT U O S O L I F E (BOOKS) IRIDIO SEATTLE http://www.gaiam.com
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