The best traveling companion is a friend, and these titles have been very good friends to me over the years.

To tell the truth, my copies bear the marks of our many adventures. Quite a few are dog-eared, some are bookmarked with train tickets to Cornwall or snapshots of Greek islands, and many have been accidentally illustrated with exotic substances, from a strong cup of Sicilian espresso or wayward glass of Turkish raki to the remnants of delicious Andalucian tapas or a creamy pint of Guinness in a bustling pub in County Clare.

For those of you enchanted by the places and stories I am privileged to offer fleeting impressions of in my work, I hope you’ll find some good friends and true in this little library, too. - LM