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The Humility of the Cover Art
Overlooking the hills of Tuscany at sunset from the courtyard of San Gimignano
Photograph by yours truly, Elora Canne
To continue our exploration of seeing EN ROUTE through the eyes of the author, I’m going to give you sneak peek into the humility that surrounds the cover of my memoir.
• What scene resonated with you most on a personal level? (Why? How did it make you feel?)
Let me start by saying, ouch, the fact that this photograph ended up being the cover of my memoir is beyond ironic! I had read a memoir about the Montepulciano region in Italy and really wanted to visit the area, alas we couldn’t get there and visited San Gimignano instead. So to begin with, we weren’t even meant to be there and that ended up being my book cover.
Secondly!!! Secondly, my husband and I both took a sunset photo through the same arch at the same time and I wholeheartedly bragged that my photo was better. (It was, despite being off-centre!) Nevertheless, once we were home I had the photograph enlarged and framed and hung it on our wall. Not only as a brag, but because I truly loved it. It fell off the wall and smashed. And smashed. And smashed. Yip, you read that right. My picture fell and smashed three times!
Karma is a mirror you see. I had bragged so brazenly about my photo that it had to become scratched and marked for me to understand that casting myself as a better photographer did not mean a thing in the larger picture of life. Humble pie anyone?
• If the book were made into a movie, who would play each of the lead characters?
I actually asked my family this question as they feature in my book, both the young and older versions of themselves. My younger self would be Emma Watson and the 40+ version of me would be Julia Roberts.
Some of their choices (which I’ll leave anonymous for their privacy) are:
Kit Harington
Saul Berenson
Justin Timberlake
Leonardo di Caprio
Sienna Miller
Kate Hudson
Jim Carrey
Diane Keaton
Jack Nicholson
Reese Witherspoon
Drew Barrymore
Rachel McAdams
Mark Ruffalo
Sean Connery
Dame Judi Dench
Charlize Theron
Salma Hayek
And this is why!
I just adore her #celebritycrush
• What were the power dynamics between the author and her companions, and how did that affect their interactions?
The people-pleaser in me drove the majority of the story, but as my personal growth unfolds through my observations of my other companions and how they interacted with each other, so my personal power started to establish itself. Self-empowerment helped me find my voice.
• How does the way the author see herself, differ from the way others see her?
Stubborn vs Determined
Shy vs Introverted
Acquiescent vs Tolerant
• Were there times you disagreed with an authors’ actions? What would you have done differently?
As the author I would hasten to add that my actions were not always honorable. I get impatient. What can I say? I’m human.
• What solutions does the author propose? Are the author’s recommendations concrete, sensible, doable?
The entire last chapter is a journey within, offering lifestyle and relationship solutions that worked for me. So yes, I’d say they are sensible, doable and concrete, but you’ll have to read the book to know what they are.
• What have you learned after reading this book? Has it broadened your perspective about a difficult issue—personal or societal?
The critical thinking style that both my sons adopted through their studies definitely broadened my perspective on societal issues. The actual Gap Year itself is what pivoted my view on my relationship with my husband and my friends and family who travelled with us.
• Do the issues affect your life? How so—directly, on a daily basis, or more generally? Now or sometime in the future?
My near-40-year marriage has thrived/is thriving as a result of the take aways from our trip. Learning and seeing new sides to each other that would otherwise never have been exposed in the daily humdrum of life helped us tremendously.
Now that you’ve read my responses, I am bursting at the seams to hear yours!
https://unsplash.com/@nadineshaabana
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