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The Latest

From the Book of Ecclesiastes to George Shearing and the Ray Charles Singers, folks have been reminding us "There's nothing new under the sun." That was my take when I started this column; many of the "latest" travel scam warnings could be from decades ago – timeshare buy-out scams, ingenious ways pickpockets try to distract you while grabbing your wallet, forcing you to buy a worthless trinket. And many more are the usual suspects of internet and smartphone scams that have been around almost as long as the internet and smartphones and can get you no matter where you are. But a few are recent enough to warrant a mention in the at least "sorta new" group.

Helsinki and Tallinn are two great capitals in Northern Europe. Just 50 miles and a two-hour ferry ride apart, these two cities – facing each other across the Baltic Sea from their respective countries of Finland and Estonia – are not only neighbors, but soul sisters.

Six years after she won critical acclaim for her debut novel “If You Leave Me Now,” Crystal Hana Kim has published her second book “The Stone Home” (William Morrow). The novel centers on a homeless mother and daughter who, in the 1980s, are sent to live in a South Korean reformatory center designed to break down their will to survive. While the book is dark and conveys desperation, it also highlights hope and the power of resilience. Currently on a book tour (https://crystalhanakim.com/events/), Kim spoke with us about her travels and how they are a part of her writing process.

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