Vacation Books

Books for vacations always present a particular quandary for me.

It used to be that I'd never bring enough books.  I'd bring the book I was reading plus one more.  Then, two thirds of the way into the vacation, I'd be without a book.  Me, on vacation, without a book to read is a nervous me.

I also used to "save" books for vacation.  I remember the "Beach Music" vacation up east during the summer of 1995.  Going back even farther, I remember "The Aquitaine Progression" (Robert Ludlum will be the subject of a future post) vacation in Aruba in 1984.

Traveling with kids (and the inordinate amount of "stuff" that accompanies this), coupled with recent checked baggage weight restrictions, put a crimp in my desire to bring hardback books on vacation.  And, as I've blogged before, I have not yet embraced an e-reader which is, of course, the perfect vacation book companion (as long as you don't get it wet or sandy).

So, for the last several trips, I've scoured the house for paperbacks that I haven't yet read.  Or, I've gone to paperbackswap.com and obtained paperbacks "on my list."  The last couple of vacations, I've actually brought more than I could read.  (I've recently loaded up on paperbackswap.com recommendations from others which I have not yet read)

We are taking a family vacation a warm weather climate at the end of December.  I'm already strategizing over (1) what books to take and (2) how to space my reading list.

I'm 200 pages in to Under the Dome, and it's fast reading.  My post on that book will be more expansive than a normal book post because I will couple the post with a general Stephen King post (I can't call Stephen King a man crush of mine because the dude is so freaky looking, but I wouldn't mind hanging with him).  My goal of reading Anathem (Check!), Superfreakomics (Check!), possibly sneaking another in (Game Six-Check!) and Under the Dome by Thanksgiving is actually on course.  I plan to make this goal (though by "Thanksgiving" I may mean "Thanksgiving weekend").

The next books on my list are non-fiction books which are en route.  The first is "When the Game Was Ours" about Bird and Magic; the second is "Last Words" about George Carlin (aka the best stand up comic in history not named Richard Pryor).

Anyway, as I scour the house for my upcoming vacation books, I may blog for additional advice.

Remember, reading a book is better than a sharp stick in the eye.