I’m a citizen of two countries, but I’ve never had to apply for naturalization. I acquired US citizenship when I was born and Swiss citizenship in 1988 when I married a Swiss. Becoming a Swiss isn’t normally so easy. In fact, even people who were born in Switzerland don’t get citizenship unless at least oneContinue reading “Belonging”
Author Archives: Kim Hays
A Gripping Take on “The Troubles”
Like over fifty million American adults, I have Irish ancestors, although I have to go back to my great-great-grandfather and -grandmother to find anyone actually born on Irish soil. I was also an adult during most of The Troubles, the years from 1968 until 1998 when Northern Ireland was a battleground between the (essentially Protestant)Continue reading “A Gripping Take on “The Troubles””
Emotion Work
I’m back in Bern after thirty days in the US. With my nephew getting married in Napa Valley, my husband and I decided to drive from Vancouver, BC, where I did my last two years of high school, to Calistoga, CA, via Washington, Oregon, and the northern Californian coast. It was a great trip thatContinue reading “Emotion Work”
Teacup or Water Glass?
I was playing tennis with a Swiss friend recently, and the third time I dropped the ball I said, in German, “I can’t believe I’m such a butterfingers today.” It’s almost the same word in German as in English, even if the vowels are pronounced differently: Butterfinger. Except that it doesn’t exist in German, soContinue reading “Teacup or Water Glass?”
PESTICIDE in Your Ears
Great news! Pesticide audiobook comes out today. The Pesticide audiobook was produced by Tantor Media, and I was delighted to discover that they used two readers, Romy Nordlinger for Giuliana and Tim Campbell for Renzo. Nordlinger is a TV, movie, and stage actor (I think the word “actress” is gone, right?), and Campbell has won Audie andContinue reading “PESTICIDE in Your Ears”
Sons and Brothers
The freezing rains of late November and the icy rush of the Aare as it loops around the city of Bern set the scene for Sons and Brothers, the second Polizei Bern novel, which was published on April 18 and can be ordered on Amazon or through https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Sons-Brothers/Kim-Hays/9781645060581 In this book Giuliana Linder and RenzoContinue reading “Sons and Brothers”
A Breeze by Any Other Name?
My family’s house in Old San Juan was built (probably around 1850) to admit as much breeze and as little sunlight as possible. Only one of the three thick double doors across the front opened to the street. The other two were blocked by decorative wooden bars, so they could safely be left ajar toContinue reading “A Breeze by Any Other Name?”
Propaganda in Linen and Wool
My husband and I were on vacation in western Normandy for the last two weeks of June. For us, that meant visiting gardens, castles, and churches (including the magnificent Mont Saint-Michel); driving past vast fields of wheat under enormous skies (Normandy is so flat compared to Switzerland!), and strolling among half-timbered houses. We were alsoContinue reading “Propaganda in Linen and Wool”
PESTICIDE in an Organic Garden
Where do you celebrate the publication of a book about organic farming in Bern? On an organic farm, of course. And if you want to party in the city so no one has to drive? Well, then you need a small organic farm—or, to be precise, an organic garden, ideally one that’s right in theContinue reading “PESTICIDE in an Organic Garden”
The End of the Ice Saints
Yesterday I planted a last batch of sweet alyssum on my balcony. Every scrap of space in my pots and boxes is filled. From now until the end of October, I can sit back, water, and watch the flowers grow. Most of my flower-planting, however, I did off and on between May 7 and May 15,Continue reading “The End of the Ice Saints”
Kim Hays 