The Penguin Lessons: What I Learned from a Remarkable Bird | 
so-soThis is a touching and, on the whole, charming memoir about a young Englishman in 1970s South America who rescues a penguin from death by oil pollution and ends up bringing him home, transforming life at the boarding school in Argentina where he teaches. Michell must be quite elderly by the time of writing, and some outdated views show quite cringily at times (including fatphobia), and there‘s some editing issues, but still a pleasant read.
I am posting one book per day from my extensive to-be-read collection. No description and providing no reason for wanting to read it, I just do. Some will be old, some will be new. Don‘t judge me - I have a lot of books. Join in if you want!
#ABookADay2023
#wondrouswednesday Thanks @TheSpineView for the tag!
1) I normally am reading at least 3 books at a time: 1 IRL, 1 ebook (sometimes 2 if one is depressing), & 1 audiobook
2) I‘ve read many good books this year and this post is no promise it will be my final best book. But it was one of my first favorites of the year
I panned the Last Will and Testament…a book I read for Cape Verde and I bailed on The Big Killing, both for #readingafrica2022
My #readingbracket now that February is over. It was a hard choice for both January and February, but dang it, the penguin stole my heart. Thanks to @chasjjlee for starting this and @CoverToCoverGirl for tagging me. I love this!
pickProbably the best book of 2022 so far and probably in the running for best book of the year. The author finds a dying penguin drenched in oil on a beach and decides to try to save it. He does & then smuggled it into #Argentina. I was roaring with laughter about their antics together. At turns serious about the plight of the country & lessons he learned from Juan Salvado (the penguin), it is all but impossible to put down. All the ❤️ for this book.
While the book can be extraordinarily funny, it also is about the terrible circumstances in which #Argentina found itself. The author describes the exorbitant inflation and how he managed to deal with it, and now the bombings. I‘m enjoying this book so much, but I‘m also learning a lot about the country and its history.
Here, Perón died during his third term, and his second wife (his VP) became president
#foodandlit @Butterfinger @Catsandbooks
I ❤️ Juan Salvado, the penguin!
#Argentina #foodandlit @Butterfinger @Catsandbooks
Have I mentioned how much I love this book? I‘m about a quarter through it and I‘ve laughed so hard I have tears in my eyes. And the penguin‘s personality is just the best.
#Argentina. #foodandlit @Butterfinger @Catsandbooks
He‘s named the penguin Juan Salvador Pingüino!
#Argentina. #foodandlit @Butterfinger @Catsandbooks
“I also bought a tin of sardines, the only thing I could find that I thought the penguin might want for his tea.”
This book is so quotable. I‘m barely into it and I‘m chuckling a lot.
#Argentina. #foodandlit @Butterfinger @Catsandbooks
While strolling a beach in #Uruguay, the author came upon a beach full of dead penguins from an oil spill. One was alive, willing to fight to the death in the man‘s attempt to save it. With ingenuity the author captured it to take back to his friend‘s spotless luxe apartment to clean the oil off. Once the bird realized the man wasn‘t going to kill it, it calmed down. This description of the bird‘s reaction is adorable. Looks like a book I‘m ⬇️
Like any book that‘s worth its salt, the tagged book begins with a lovely map. #Argentina #foodandlit @Butterfinger @Catsandbooks
Having finally finished the History of #Argentina, I‘m ready for some good reads about the country starting with this one. #foodandlit @Butterfinger @Catsandbooks
These are the books I‘ve lined up for #foodandlit in February for #Argentina. @Butterfinger @Catsandbooks
so-soNice account of a penguin pal, simply written.
I found there was a bit much bumpf in it but also realised the author isn't a writer.
#3books with animals on the cover that I really, really loved, for very different reasons.
Tagged book only read because of @VeganCleopatra and her fabulous #NewYearWhoDis list last year. 😉
pickThis was such a sweet, funny, clever story—the true story of the author‘s time with a penguin in his early 20s in 1970s Argentina. Obviously, it‘s full of his times with Juan Salvador the penguin, but there are also stories of his other travels and adventures in South America. I giggled a lot and teared up a little.
Oh, and the audiobook is very well narrated by none other than Bill Nighy, too! 😃
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
#NewYearWhoDis
pickFascinating memoir about rescuing a penguin from an oil spill, including a marathon bus trip and smuggling it across the border into Argentina. Recommended by a friend, not something I would have chosen for myself, although I am a sucker for stray cat stories eg Dewey, Bob and Cleo! An enjoyable read with a smattering of Argentine history. #tommichell #penguins #collectivenouns
pickAn informative read about my favourite animal which really put a smile on my face. 5 stars! 🐧
Check out my blog to see more of what I thought of this one! 📚
Bonus midday reading time in waiting rooms is probably the best perk of having many medical appointments 🤓📚 #alwaysreading
Very big thank you to Helen @ShookBelf for this lovely card and book. This sounds absolutely darling and I‘ve been wondering about it since spotting it in Waterstones earlier in the year. If there‘s ever anything I can do to return the favour, please let me know. 💛 #bookmail #litsyisthebest #community #memoir #truestory #nonfiction #bookblogger #booklover #bookish
@Wanderingwithwords @miralunasbooknook @MayJasper @jenniferw88 @TCLinrow @jhod @kezzlou85
Your giveaway books will be in the post today. Hope you have many hours of #happyreading 📚💗📚💗📚
pickPrepare to fall in love, not only with this delightful little story but with its main protagonist, Juan Salvado, a rescued Magellan penguin. This is a quick read but will have you laughing and crying. A definite 5 stars.
#AtY #readathon #JuanSalvador #catchthefeels
This is such a delightful little read. Utterly charming and magical. Long live Juan Salvado 🐧🐧🐧🐧
#AtY #readathon #penguin #JuanSalvado
Happy penguin day - here‘s an easy but touching memoir (published by penguin) and a collection of my alcoholic penguins 😂 🐧 from l to r - cocktail shaker, wine bottle opener and wine stand (who does not want to show his head) !
pickThis was a great little memoir - thoughtful and witty, and very charming in both the story and the writing. I‘d never heard of it until @Libby1 posted about it the other day, and it became an instant must-read because my 11 year old is a lifelong extreme penguin enthusiast. 🐧🐧🐧 Can‘t wait to share this with him in the future.
pickI have a new love and his name is Juan Salvado penguin. This story is lovely. I'm completely charmed.
And someone on Litsy recommended this to me, but I can't remember who! So sorry, but thanks whoever it was.
pickAn utterly charming story about a young man who rescues a penguin in South America after an oil spill and ends up taking him home - he is a teacher at a boys' boarding school in Argentina.
🐧🐧🐧🐧🐧🐧🐧🐧🐧🐧🐧🐧🐧🐧🐧🐧🐧🐧
This was 1 of my favorites from last year... When I read it it just touched me & I loved it! Plus my dog Snowball (don't ask, a teenager named her)has the coloring of a penguin
#thisistheend
Juan Salvado is the cutest ever and now I want my own penguin. Except also I don't because I don't want to have to rescue one from terrible conditions! This book has been wonderful so far and I'm anxiously awaiting a negative twist, because so far it has been smooth sailing.
Outdoor reading weather is the best weather, and penguins are the best birds. Excellent combo.
pickOne of my favorite books of the year!! A story of what can happen when you are open to adventure & the unexpected!!
pickAny book about penguins is bound to appeal but the adorable illustrations and the idea of a penguin with such a grand name was utterly irresistible. Life goals: smuggle a penguin over an international border.
Penguins. What's not to love?
And the delightfully named Juan Salvado de pinguino. I'm half way through and I'm in love with this little penguin, though I hear it has a sad ending 🐧💔
