Hmm, so what sort of bookish mayhem have I been up to lately? I’ve been reading the latest Bookforum and lusting mightily. Yet, except for a little splurge at Half Price Books a couple weeks ago I have refrained from adding to the unruly book piles. I am still working my way through Emily’s TBR Challenge after all and I am doing really well. In fact, my arm is beginning to hurt a little from patting myself on the back.
Thus far I have completed eleven of the twenty-three books on my list. I am in the middle of two others. I had to give up on one (How to Read Literature Like a Professor) and took two from the pile without reading them at all (Her Fearful Symmetry because a couple of readers I trust told me not to waste my time, and Ender’s Game because I already know how it ends and the surprise ending is a good part of what makes the book enjoyable says my Bookman). But since I had three more books on my list than the challenge required I still come out doing great. I must have had a psychic moment where I knew the list would be winnowed down.
Even though I haven’t been buying books I’ve got a nice small stack from the library. The remaining Sophocles plays I have yet to read, An Experiment in Criticism by C.S. Lewis because Kate mentioned it, Vertigo by W.G. Sebald for the Slaves discussion, and I just brought home If Not, Winter: Fragments of Sappho because Emily was wowed by it. I would have more but since I realistically can’t read all the ones I want to get from the library I keep them on a list at work so I don’t forget. The list grows longer every week.
One of the things that is currently fretting my brain is a visit I will be making to my parents in California at the end of March. I’ll leave Minnesota on a Thursday and return on Sunday. The plane ride is four hours give or take each way. I won’t have much time to read while I am there because I will be making whirlwind visits to see all the family and a dear friend whom I have known since we were five. Given the two-hour time difference I tend to get up before everyone else and go to bed before everyone else so there might be time in the wee morning hours to get in a few pages of reading. So what books do I take?
I had thought I might take Sartor Resartus for the Scottish Reading Challenge, but I’m not sure that’s right for an airplane especially since I don’t particularly enjoy flying. I might save it for my long Easter weekend in April. I thought I might take Tana French’s In the Woods. So many people have loved it, but is it good for an airplane? What about 2666, would that be good for an airplane? I have a little over a month until the trip and I am already worrying about my reading material. I’m going to be in a real panic by the time the trip arrives.
Off to do some ballroom dancing and reading. Not at the same time though. Have a great weekend everyone!
Choosing books for long trips is always fun but difficult! For what it’s worth, I read In the Woods on a long plane flight this summer. It was perfect plane reading for me–a real page turner. I enjoyed it so much, in fact, that I read the The Likeness (the second book) on my next plane flight!
You’re already worrying about your book choices? You’re goofy. :p
Oh, this makes me laugh!
What about your Kindle? Would that work in=flight? I am terrified of flying, so I’m usually worried about whether I can get a drink on board. But, next to a “back stiffener” I need a good book!
Ooh, If Not, Winter is lovely — Anne Carson is so great. Plainwater is my absolute favorite book of hers — have you read it? It’s got so much good stuff — “Short Talks” (paragraph-long pieces on art/artists/the world-in-general) and “The Life of Towns” with pieces like “The Town of Spring Once Again” (see http://townofspring.blogspot.com/2008/07/life-of-towns.html) and “The Anthropology of Water,” which is a really satisfying essay.
And wow, eleven books from your TBR challenge list, that’s excellent! I’m still on my first … but it’s 957 pages long, so I don’t feel too bad.
I LOVED In the Woods – the only problem with taking it on a visit is you won’t want to put it down – you will end up ignoring everyone around you! I think it’s the kind of book you really need to set a day or two aside to read, without many distractions.
Such an interesting posting. When I travel, I spend more time evaluating my books than I do worrying about which clothes to take. A book has to match the journey. Two times I got it really wrong though, and it was so disappointing. On a trip to Mexico I took Stendhal’s The Red and the Black. Not a good choice. Another time [it was winter and all, and I was going to the frozen prairies] I took Snow by Orhan Pamuk. It had to be one of the most boring books ever. Tainted my trip. In both of these cases, I just think the books were too… serious or something.
You don’t want a potboiler necessarily, but you do want something that will allow for distractions [girls walking by on the beach, for instance]…. plus, you want something that you do not need an encyclopedia set to cross-reference the historical data in your novel!
For your trip, hmm… I would most recommend that Sebald one, but the reading of it can’t wait till the end of March, am I right? It’s just that Sebald is so good, and the use of photos in his stuff……. hmmmm….. perfect for being on a journey.
I am being of little help here….
As for 2666, wouldn’t you have to pay extra baggage fees for the sheer heft of the thing?
The C.S. Lewis book is absolutely fantastic, I have read it twice — that would be good for the journey, but it is not near enough — you need other books.
Here is my last bit of counsel.
Take an author that you know and trust.
Because it’s too late, once you are up in the clouds to say, “My goodness, this author ain’t writin’ good!”
Nice job with the TBR challenge! I’ve only finished 6 books, and I thought I was doing really well
I think you’re right that Sartor Resartus probably isn’t the best plane reading, and In the Woods is probably much better. Are you taking the Kindle so you can have some options?
Aw, shoot, someone(s) told you to avoid Her Fearful Symmetry? Dang, I was looking forward to reading that.
Too bad you won’t be closer to SF! If a crazy northern side-trip happens to take place, be sure to contact me!
Boy, everyone is doing much better with my TBR challenge than I am (just about to finish book #3). I keep getting distracted by library books. In the Woods is definitely good for a plane ride. Only problem is, if you’re not done with it, you might get quite angry when the plane lands and interrupts you. I’d also recommend downloading Raymond Chandler’s Farewell, My Lovely onto the Kindle.
What about your Kindle? Would that work in a transatlantic flight? I am terrified of flying, so I’m usually worried about whether I can get a drink on board. But, next to a “back stiffener” I need a good book!
Oh I am so envious. You are going somewhere warm. Well someone warmer than here and they won’t have any snow! Sigh. Heavy, heavy sigh. Into the Woods would be a great vacation read–sure to keep you glued to the pages for a plan ride!! Good job on reading from your TBR pile. I am feeling a little snowed under (literally and metaphorically actually). I keep reading about everyone else’s books and then I want to read them too. If only I could become more indifferent. And I started reading Her Fearful Symmetry but it just wasn’t grabbing me at the moment, so it was quietly set aside. I’m sure you’ll find lots of good reads to take with it, it;s just a matter of choosing the select few! Are you taking your Kindle or actual books?
Deciding on what book to read on a trip is crucial! The one time I flew – yes, one – I took something light and fluffy: Bet Me by Jennifer Cruisie. However, being the Nervous Nelly that I am, I couldn’t concentrate on the book as I waited to board the flight, or during the flight, thus, no reading accomplished. I hate flying! It feels unnatural. And I’ll never be able to drink V8 juice again as the woman seated in front of me drank a Bloody Mary and the smell was overwhelming! It didn’t help that I already had a queasy stomach. Never again! If I can’t drive to my destination, then I won’t go at all! Besides, I love to drive!
Choosing travel books is so essential and yet so difficult to do. I liked Into the Woods, but it was scary and a bit disturbing, so that would be out for me if I was flying at the same time. I’d need comfort all the way. 2666 would be too difficult for me to concentrate on (what can I say, I loathe flying, so it has to be an easy read, too, for my anxiety-drained attention span!). I would suggest Persuasion, if you hadn’t already read it!
My bloglines account is acting up, and it has been telling me no posts from you. This is not true. Grrr, silly bloglines. I will catch up.
Dailywords, thanks for letting me know In the Woods is a good plane read!
Cindy my sister, of course on all fronts!
Grad, oh yes, the Kindle would work in flight just fine. Since I only read free books on it though – classics – I had it in my head that there wouldn’t be any page turners. Have to re-think that.
Heather, I have not read Plainwater. I just read her translation of Elektra and now I’m reading Sappho. I will have to see if my library has Plainwater. I’m always up for good essays. I’m sure once you get past the chunkster you’re currently reading the rest of the TBR challenge pile will go fast!
Courtney, my family might not like it if I ignore them. I’ll have to think about that.
Cip, you and me, we’d travel well together! You understand exactly what I am looking for. Sebald will probably be almost done by the time of the trip. More than one book will be in my bag for sure. One must always have backup
Dorothy, thanks, I’m surprised at how well I am doing. I had thought I wouldn’t take the Kindle but I am now re-thinking that. I have to be careful though because with it I will have so many books to choose from deciding could be even harder.
Daphne, yeah, both James and Emily at Telecommuter Talk said it wasn’t worth it. Disappointing, I know. Maybe after the BIG ONE San Diego will be a lot closer to SF, but until then, the distance is sadly too far.
Emily B, thanks for the tips and recommendation! I am very surprised when I counted it all up how many books I have read for the challenge already. I saw the pile shrinking but I didn’t realize it had shrunk that much.
Jane, even though it might feel transatlantic flying from the Midwest to California, it’s only four hours. But I have been thinking I might take the Kindle. Unfortunately it gives me even more book choices and makes the selection harder!
Danielle, it will be the end of March so it will be warming up here by then, well warm for us at any rate! I know how you feel about wanting to read everyone else’s books after reading about them. I was going to take two books but now I’m thinking I might take the Kindle. Decisions! Decisions!
Laura, oh yes, a book has to have a certain combination of qualities to make it perfect airplane reading. It has to be especially engaging in order to distract me from the fact that I am 35,000 feet up in the air! I wish I could take a train, that would be fun, but the train takes several days one way so is not much of an option.
Litlove, darn that bloglines!
As long as there are no plane crashes scary an disturbing are ok. I have read Persuasion a couple times and enjoyed it very much. I am due for a reread but I need something more full speed ahead for a plane trip since I don’t drink 
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I too don’t like flying, and as I did last week, I need to mention that the Rosie Winter mysteries by Kathryn Haines and the Liebermann mysteries by Frank Tallis did the job very well. But I’d nearly finished each of them on each leg of the journey (and had to carry them around for the rest of the trip). Anyway, I’m not sure they’re available on Kindle!