18 September 2012

It's Tough Work, But Somebody Has To Do It: Choosing vacation books

Which ones will make the cut?
I'm not a particularly big planner when it comes to most things in life, but there are two things that I plan very seriously: my vacations and my vacation readings.  For the former, I spend hours and hours each week on online, scouring travel forums and villa/hotel websites to select the perfect island vacation.

Sidebar: I'm not lying; I could probably plan a better Caribbean vacation than most travel agents.

Second only to planning the vacation is what I plan to read on said vacation.  I get more reading done during those weeks when my toughest decision is whether to snorkel or kick back in a hammock than practically the rest of the year put together. Okay, so that's a slight exaggeration, but you take my point.

Snorkeling self-portrait from Virgin Gorda
VERSUS

The incomparable hammocks at Gwen's on Anguilla
Seriously, it's a tough call, you know? But I digress...when it comes to packing books, and I'm still talking physical books and not an e-reader, I need to make sure that they've earned their space in my suitcase. That's why I test-drive every book by reading the first 2-3 chapters. It used to be that I only read the first chapter in each book, but then I got stuck with a few duds because, as a friend in publishing mentioned, the first chapter is often the best edited. 

Backtrack up to the topmost photo in this post is a stack of books I'm tentatively taking with me on my fall vacation, but I need probably 1-3 more books, depending on how long they are.  I'll be gone seven days, and it's nice to have a book for each day, plus a buffer book or two in case I do end up with a dud. I also try to have mostly novels, with at least one YA and one work of non-fiction to round it all out.

Mr Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore: Love the name, loved the first two chapters.  Got this ARC from my FSG sales rep, Bob. 

Safekeeping: This is a YA novel that my coworker Marika recommended. 

The Aviator's Wife: Loved the author's previous book about the imagined inner life of Alice Liddell, the inspiration for Lewis Carroll's classic books, so I feel good about this one, too.  Plus it might piggyback as a book my husband will read. I think I got this one from my sales rep, Michael.

Princess Elizabeth's Spy: Really enjoyed the first book in this series. This one promises to be as light & frothy and it might piggyback as a book my mom will want to read.  This one also came from Michael.

Attachments: I was pretty excited to see that I had an ARC of this one lying around my house during my fall cleaning. This one I'm taking because Alice and her followers love this one and I want to be just like them. I have no idea where this copy came from, but I'm happy I found it.

Home is a Roof Over a Pig: The token non-fic on my list, and I'm only lukewarm about it.  The idea is good: a retired military family moves to China with their three young children (including their youngest, adopted from China) to live and teach and so their children can have exposure to a new culture and speak another language, etc. The writing is only mezzo-mezzo. 

Also under consideration is The Revised Fundamentals of Caregiving, of which I read the first few chapters a couple of nights ago, and it's fun.  The catch being that it's already published, and I'd prefer not to take with me more than one book that's already published, and that honor must needs go to Attachments

Who has suggestions for me?  Make your voices heard and make it now, peoples. 

23 comments:

  1. Love this post so much. More than anything else, I love that you're taking physical books and not an e-reader! I do the same thing for any trip - even business. On a business trip, I'm typically only taking along 3 books. Vacation - one for every day. I've never tried reading three chapters to pass the test though - that's so clever. I don't know that I have any suggestions - though I've read quite a bit of good non-fiction this year, but all older: Into Thin Air, The Climb, Last Call (fantastic).

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    1. Nicole, I don't know Last Call, so I'll have to look into it. Glad i'm not the only one who still prefers to travel with physical books (though I'm not doing my back & shoulders any favors).

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    2. It's a history of Prohibition. Dan Okrent (author) is just hilarious/super factual. It's a great book.

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  2. Hahaha, 'Alice and her followers', love it! I don't really have any recommendations, other than JUST TAKE ATTACHMENTS AND READ IT LIKE 7 TIMES, cause it's seriously that good. But you *may* want to take the others as back ups, just in case that doesn't work out for you. Which it totally would.

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    1. *eyes you nervously* Um, yes, of COURSE I will read it seven times and have no need for any other books. :)

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  3. YAY Attachments! So good.

    What about some Bryson? Not sure which of his you haven't read (Other than At Home, Sunburned Country, and Walk in the Woods) but it's hard to go wrong with his stuff. But Thunderbolt Kid, Short History and Notes from a Big Country are all excellent.

    Side note, it looks like you're snorkeling in a button down shirt. And I love the scenario I made up where you just HAD to snorkel right now and couldn't get changed first. The sea calls!

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    1. When it comes to Bryson, I'm pretty much a completist, but my husband just read his book on American English and it seems like there was a lot in it that I forgot, so maybe I'll pick that one up...

      I'm wearing a snorkel shirt because I can't be in the sun for more than a few minutes without getting burned, but I liked your imagined scenario SO much better.

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    2. "The sea calls, and like a swallow flying to the hinterlands, away I must go!"

      *grabs snorkel out of back pocket*

      *dives into water*

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  4. Have you read Blame? It is about a girl who gets into trouble with her drinking. Just recently read and loved it.

    Also, just read Into the Free. Really beautiful writing I thought.

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    1. I don't think I know either of those, MaryMcKay. I'll have to look into them. Were they for your bookclub?

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    2. The second one was for my book club this month. The author lives in Oxford and came to speak at our local library recently. She was really interesting. She said the sequel will come out on fall of 2013.

      I think I heard about Blame on NPR.

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  5. I'm eager to hear what you think of Mr. Penumbra... I'm intrigued by that one as well!

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  6. Any room for me? I can make myself very small like Alice and I'll bring my ereader so honest, I'll barely take up any space at all.

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  7. Those hammocks... they call to me.

    I loved Attachments as well -- I think it would be a perfect vacation read. The other books on your list sound very intriguing!

    Do you ever read books set in the place you're visiting? I'm not sure what Caribbean island you're going to, but on the off chance that you're headed to Trinidad, I'd recommend Prospero's Daughter by Elizabeth Nunez.

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    1. Ooh, thanks for the suggestion. I'm not heading to Trinidad, but I almost always try to take with me at least one book of Caribbeana in my travels. I'm headed to Virgin Gorda and I don't think there are any traditionally published books that are set there. Perhaps some self-published ones?

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    2. Have a great trip! Cannot wait for a trip report on Virgin Gorda! :)

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  8. Mr Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore. Omg. I need this, for that is the best title.

    Ok, I realize there's been a LOT of hype about Attachments from me and...those in my bloggin' circle, but really it's just REALLY cute and the characters are really likable. I know one person who couldn't finish because the premise was not pleasing to her, but everyone else I know at least thought it was super-cute. But it's also a fast read, so definitely bring a bunch of others. ;)

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  9. Yes, it is definitely a fast read. I sat down just to test drive it and 50 pages later looked up...so I'm a-lookin' forward to it!

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  10. I really enjoyed The Revised Fundamentals of Caregiving. Pretty quick, poignant read. Also, I just started an e-galley of The Woman Upstairs by Claire Messud, and it appears to have potential. Very jealous you're going to Virgin Gorda. My husband and I spent a glorious day there several years ago. Are you renting a villa? Enjoy!

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    1. I remember liking Claire Messud, so maybe I'll check that out! yes, we're renting a villa on the island and staying for 6 nights to celebrate a birthday, so my mom and one of my friends will be joining us, too. Believe me when I say I can't wait!

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  11. Mr. Penumbra calls. As do most things you recommend. Will Odyssey have favorite cards on some of these books? When I go into our Maine Coast Bookstore in Damariscotta, I always look for staff picks.

    Will you be gone when I'm there? Bummer if you are.

    S

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    1. Hi, Sharon. I believe I'll be working the evening of your event, but our events person said it was still a little bit up in the air on your end?

      Yes we have staff picks sections in both fiction and non-fiction, but also shelf tags for other books we love in every section in the store. Looking forward to meeting you in person!

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  12. Read Mr. Penumbra so we can all see what you think of it! I loved the excerpt that was available online and can't wait to read the whole thing.

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Please, sir, may I have some more? (Comments, that is!)