Laurie King's Writings
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Short Story
Nov.11.2008
The Thong Also Rises: Further Misadventures from Funny Women on the Road
“I can’t believe you left them there,” Jim muttered as I squeezed the handle and pulled hard for a third time.
“What do you mean, you can’t believe it? You can see them as well as I can. You’re not going blind, are you?” The keys were clearly visible in the ignition. People were beginning to stare.
He walked around to my side of the car. “I knew this would...
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Short Story
Nov.11.2008
30 Days in italy: True Stories of Escape to the Good Life
When I was young, my father bounced me on his knee, reciting the words in a hushed and tuneless monotone.
Paris has la Tour Eiffel Babylon had its tower as well But neither has the power to seize ya Like the Leaning Tower of Pisa
Every time he got to seize ya, he grabbed my shoulders and squeezed, and I shrieked in a confusion of fear and delight...
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Short Story
Nov.11.2008
Venturing in Italy: Travels in Puglia, the Land of Two Seas
To paraphrase a well-known aphorism, a journey of one thousand excesses begins with a single bite. And—one single bite after another—I happily ate my way through Puglia, in southern Italy. Anticipating the visit was a gastronomic adventure in itself. Puglia has a long coastline, an agricultural heritage and a tradition of frugality. It is known for healthful and...
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Short Story
Nov.11.2008
Venturing in Italy: Travels in Puglia, the Land of Two Seas
The instructions were unnerving: Boil olive oil in a hot pan, lay the horsemeat in flat, and turn it when it starts to rise. I tried hard not to visualize horseflesh rearing up out of a pan of boiling oil.
We were in search of the “Puglian delicacy” I had read about in a guidebook and was determined not to miss. My plan was to find a restaurant that served...
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Short Story
Apr.28.2008
Venturing in Ireland
Long before I was old enough to be introduced to the mysteries of yeast and asexual reproduction, I learned to bake brown soda bread from my Grandma Hayes. She stood nearly five feet tall, always straight and proud, had red hair and freckles that she hated, and strong, cool arms that I loved. I didn’t realize it at the time, but Grandma also taught me about...
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Short Story
Apr.28.2008
Sheela-na-gig’s invitation is fraught with danger. Our relationship began with my quick peek at a wildly pornographic image in Thomas Cahill’s popular book, How the Irish Saved Civilization. An ancient goddess, Sheela is rendered symbolically, stripped of all but the essential features. She is naked, bald, and breastless, and reaches both arms behind her legs,...
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Short Story
Apr.28.2008
The Kindness of Strangers (Lonely Planet)
I didn’t know whether I was being kidnapped or rescued — that was what made my one big decision so difficult. That and the fact that I was young and foolish, and more than a little anxious about being stranded in the North African desert.
It all began quite innocently. Our bus had deposited Alan, my affable traveling companion, and myself at the door of a small,...
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Article
Apr.28.2008
The San Francisco Chronicle Magazine
I was in the outhouse, with my pants halfway down, when I heard an urgent whisper outside: “Bamboo lemur, behind the loo!” I made a judgment call. The greater bamboo lemur (Hapalemur simus) is one of the rarest primates in the world; researchers believe there are fewer than 1,000 left. In fact, this critically endangered species was believed to be extinct until...
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Article
Apr.28.2008
The San Francisco Chronicle Magazine
Who do you call if you're working for the kingdom of Saudi Arabia and are asked to improve foreign relations? It had better be someone experienced at working in culturally ambiguous situations, someone who is diplomatic, persuasive and adept at navigating bureaucratic channels. It should be someone who is well-connected and effective at brokering new...
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About Laurie
Born and raised in Iowa—the pulmonary artery of the American heartland—Laurie McAndish King has studied medicinal plants in the jungles of Brazil, lived in a commune in Argentina, survived a kidnapping in Tunisia, chased lemurs through the mountains of...