Holiday Books

[Gonk the Insane]

I'm heading away for a few days soon on a mini-break and I'm frantically stocking up my kindle in case I run out of books to read. It got me wondering on the type of books people take away with them (if books are even in the luggage).

Do you read more of the same novels as usual, or step outside favoured genres? Do you have a favourite author's book saved up for holidays?

I read mostly Fantasy and Science Fiction, but leave the comfort zone for occasional adventure novels, thrillers, noir, and the odd comedy or two. Usually I'd just take a selection of those (depending on the type of holiday - probably wouldn't take anything white-water rafting!) - and I'm sure I'll take one or two SFF books - but I find myself in the mood for something either different or just so earth-shatteringly brilliant that I might quit writing, so feel free to wade in with any suggestions.

 

[Vince W]

You will probably want something that moves along at a good pace and will be able to finish by the end of your break. I'd suggest The Stainless Steel Rat books by Harry Harrison if you've not read them. If you want some plain adventure books I would recommend Beau Geste by P. C. Wren. Adventure in the French Foreign Legion! Or if you want something of a more relaxed pace If Only They Could Talk by James Herriot.

 

[Gonk the Insane]

Thanks. I've read the Harry Harrison books - they're brilliant. The P.C. Wren ones look interesting though, and they're free on Amazon - woot!

 

[Randy M.]

You say "holiday" and I think Halloween and Christmas:
Something Wicked this Way Comes by Ray Bradbury
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

Thought association aside, when traveling on vacation (can you tell I'm a Yank?) I usually go for works that won't require too much deep thought. In the past I've read books in the Harry Potter series, The Day of the Triffids and Fritz Leiber's collection, You're All Alone (the title story plus "Four Ghosts in Hamlet" and "The Creature from the Cleveland Depths").

Since I've gotten older and my books have, too, I try to be sure I take something I can replace if I get careless (the Leiber was an exception; don't know what I was thinking but fortunately I didn't lose it) which sometimes leads me to try writers new to me who have recently published books: Walter Mosely, Jane Yolen, Thomas H. Cook, Michael Koryta.

Well, that was less helpful than I intended. Good luck making your picks.


Randy M.

 

[vanye]

Um, when I travel, I usually take the smallest books off my to-read pile with me. Haven't gone electronic with my books, yet.

 

[Elvraie]

I always take the slimmest books of my reading shelf to take with me for work, as it is lighter in my bag and I have to walk or stand quite a lot. I read bigger volumes while on holidays/vacations. We drive to Continental Europe or on the Isle of Man, so space is not too much of a problem. I seldomly fly nowadays (exept last year on a propeller plane from Manchester to the Isle of Man) as I have a spouse who doesn't like too much airports and distrust planes. I don't have an ebook reader yet.