Vacation paperbacks

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Gimme some ideas!

I have this infamous shelf of books that I want to get to that I haven't, yet. They're mostly hardback and several first editions (I collect modern Indian fiction first editions) that I don't want to mess with. I'm going to a cabin in the Rockies at the end of the month and want some good reading matter in the form of a book that can take a beating. (Cabin is tiny, remote, and, um, rustic.) Plus small, if possible.

These are the hardbacks I have to give you an idea of what I like and also what I wouldn't want to buy as a paperback 'cause I already have 'em:

Two Lives (Vikram Seth)
The Penelopiad (Margaret Atwood)
The Death of Vishnu (Manil Suri)
The Sari Shop (Rupa Bajwa)
The House of the Blue Mangoes (David Davidar)
The Glassblower's Breath (Sunetra Gupta)

OK, I didn't realize that such a high percentage were Indian, I don't JUST like Indian authors. The last book to leave that shelf that I really liked was "Middlesex" by Jeffrey Eugenides.

"Life of Pi" is on that shelf too, and is a paperback, but I have tried to get back into it about 12 times and I think I'm just going to let it fade. (I'm on page 149 and it's still failed to grab me.)

I'm pretty well-read on "obvious" books (Middlesex + Life of Pi -type books) up until 2000 or so, and then the amount of reading took a nosedive. So 2000-2005 (to be a paperback) is probably a good time frame.

I'm most interested in fiction, but enjoy good travel writing and exceptional pretty much anything.

Thanks!

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Have you read any Tony Horwitz ? If not , you owe it to yourself to do so. Non fiction travel writing with an historical bent , but hugely entertaining.
He has written four books that I know of: One For the Road, Baghdad Without a Map, Confederates in the Attic, and Blue Latitudes.

As for Life of Pi... Recycle it, it's a stinker.

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Yep, I've read them all. I do like 'em, especially "Baghdad Without a Map." I saw that Redmond O'Hanlon (one of my favorite travel writers ever) has a new book out, but it sounds like he procrastinated forever and then wrote in in a rush, and that it shows.

Kinky Friedman has several new books out too, they all seem kinda slapdash tho.

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The secret life of Bees. Smile

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I know I'm totally killing my own thread, but I've read that one too!

Keep 'em coming...

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Back in a bit..

well, while I'm here, have you read Alice Munro or William Trevor short stories?

On travel, or at least settling down away from home, I remember liking Driving over Lemons somewhat, and loved, wait, wait, I have to check the title....

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Ran into a dead end on that. I remember the title as Pasqualino's Nose, or something like that, but I can't find it on Amazon or google.

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Vokram Seth's From Heaven Lake

Seth's travels through Sinkiang and Tibet in the early eighties...

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I also liked Moghul Buffet and Reading Lolita in Tehran, Moghul Buffet being more vacation reading than Reading Lolita. Back with links.

(heh, I meant to type that as Vikram...)

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Soz,
Have you read Seabiscuit ? I was doubtful as hell about it but it turned out to be a great read.
Also, are you familiar with Muriel Spark ? She's one of my all time faves.

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Moghul Buffet by Cheryl Benard

Turns out this is put out by Soho Crime - I tend to like the writing in that Soho Press series, if not every single book by every one of their authors.

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Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi

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Bee Season by Myla Goldberg

The Wall by Marlene Haushofer

Not Indian, but interesting to read.

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Now we're talkin'!

I've read "From Heaven Lake," but none of the others mentioned. I bought "Bee Season" for someone as a gift because it looked good, but haven't read it myself. "Reading Lolita in Tehran" is also on my radar as a good one, that I haven't read. And LTX's "Seabiscuit" recommendation is intriguing, especially coupled with other comments here.

I think at least those three are now on my list, others look good too.

I love Alice Munro, I think I'm up to date on her published books. I'm not sure if she's quite the vibe I'm going for -- she's sublime, but often manages to plunge me into a funk.

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Right re funk, I can get that on reading Trevor too.

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Hah, found it...

Pasquale's Nose by Michael Rips

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well, there's always "Lyrical and Critical Essays" by Albert Camus

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Driving over Lemons: an Optimist in Spain

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Nice list so far- I am going to buy my vacation books in the States. Geraldine Brooks was recommended to me by a friend.
Do you like to read European authors?
Like José Saramago, Calvino,..

Do you like Franzen?

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I found "The Time-Traveler's Wife" when looking up "Reading Lolita in Tehran" on Amazon -- it was in the "customers who bought this also bought" list along with "Middlesex" (I like!) and "Life of Pi" (I don't!), looks interesting, anyone read it?

ul, yep, I like those two (Saramago, Calvino), I like some European authors but not all. There are some modern French ones for example that look interesting but I think would annoy me.

Thanks for bringing up Franzen, I haven't read "The Corrections" yet. I know about it, and have sympathized with him in the Oprah flap, and really like his essays in the New Yorker, but I don't think I've actually read any of his books yet. "The Corrections" is definitely one of the "obvious" ones I was referring to, ones that make top ten lists and are generally known and that if I wasn't wrapped up in small-child-care I'd usually have read. Thanks!

Also reminds me (but not via Amazon this time) of "Everything is Illuminated" by Jonathan Safran Foer.

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