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bookgazing) wrote2010-10-21 03:30 pm
bookgazing) wrote2010-10-21 03:30 pm
Sunning Myself
After what we started calling ‘disaster week’ in Croatia we were so unrelaxed that I and another friend booked an impulse, budget holiday away. As soon as we’d put down the money I began feeling guilty. Could I really justify a second holiday this year? This second holiday was engineered so we could sit in the sun, use the pool and maybe move ourselves to a few attractions. Maybe move ourselves. Should I really be spending that much on lazing in a country I wouldn’t be going rambling all around? Wouldn’t Wales have been just as nice?
The time has rolled around for me to get off (we leave early Sunday morning) and all the guilt has rolled away. I could not be more ready for a week of books, sun loungers, beer and over indulging in food. I’m so glad I didn’t listen to myself. I’m off to the Algarve for six days and now it’s just on with the mad dash to make sure I’ve got enough summery clothes left over etc.
The most urgent question (aside from how many times can I ring a swim suit out) is which books should I take away with me. I’ve decided I want four novels and two novellas. I want a balance of fun novels and more challenging ‘thinky’ fiction, because I get restless if I’m in a foreign country without access to a bit of a mix. I’m sure I'm taking:
Novels
‘In for a Penny’ – Rose Lerner: Sarky humour in Regency England. This is a romance recommended by Booksmugglers, Smart Bitches and Gossamer Obsessions which begins with the line ‘No more mistresses’.
‘A la Carte’ – Tanita S Davis: This book just sounds like such an original piece of YA. I’ve never heard of a book about a teenager determined to get her own vegetarian cooking show before. How could I not love this?
Novellas
‘The Birthday Boys’ – Beryl Bainbridge: Is anyone else fascinated by explorers? This novella tells the story of Scott’s doomed trip to the Antarctic and back, recreating the voices of various members of the team.
‘A Portrait of the Mother as a Young Woman’ – Friedrich Christian Delius: This thriller written as one continuous sentence is my second review book from Peirene.
Now decisions get difficult. I want to take a historical novel and our house is full of them, but should I take:
‘Sacred Hearts’ – Sarah Dunant/ ‘The Agency’ – YS Lee/ ‘The Taste of Sorrow’ – Jude Morgan/ ‘Owl Killers’ – Karen Maitland/ ‘The Gunmaker’s Gift’ – Matthew Plampin ?
And I want a piece of really intense ‘thinky’ fiction (that term is so helpful obviously), but I want to avoid taking hardbacks (rules out quite a bit including AS Byatt’s ‘The Children’s Book’ which would probably have been perfect) and looking pretentious on a sun lounger (kicking out classics like ‘Howard’s End’). Should I take:
‘My Name is Red’ – Orhan Pamuk/ ‘Possession’ – AS Byatt/ ‘The Jewel in the Crown’ – Paul Scott/ ‘Carpentaria’ – Alexis Wright/ ‘The Bingo Palace’ – Louise Erdich ?
I’ll be checking the comments until I go and any suggestions would be welcome.
I’ve finished the Slaves of Golconda read this month ('The Small Room' by Mary Sarton) and want to say something about, so I’ve scheduled a post about it for the 31st when I’ll be flying back all sun rested, like a happy cat. Otherwise it’ll be blog silence here until 1st November, when I’ll return with my ‘Sporting Women’ theme month. Have a lovely time next week and I’ll see you all soon.
The time has rolled around for me to get off (we leave early Sunday morning) and all the guilt has rolled away. I could not be more ready for a week of books, sun loungers, beer and over indulging in food. I’m so glad I didn’t listen to myself. I’m off to the Algarve for six days and now it’s just on with the mad dash to make sure I’ve got enough summery clothes left over etc.
The most urgent question (aside from how many times can I ring a swim suit out) is which books should I take away with me. I’ve decided I want four novels and two novellas. I want a balance of fun novels and more challenging ‘thinky’ fiction, because I get restless if I’m in a foreign country without access to a bit of a mix. I’m sure I'm taking:
Novels
‘In for a Penny’ – Rose Lerner: Sarky humour in Regency England. This is a romance recommended by Booksmugglers, Smart Bitches and Gossamer Obsessions which begins with the line ‘No more mistresses’.
‘A la Carte’ – Tanita S Davis: This book just sounds like such an original piece of YA. I’ve never heard of a book about a teenager determined to get her own vegetarian cooking show before. How could I not love this?
Novellas
‘The Birthday Boys’ – Beryl Bainbridge: Is anyone else fascinated by explorers? This novella tells the story of Scott’s doomed trip to the Antarctic and back, recreating the voices of various members of the team.
‘A Portrait of the Mother as a Young Woman’ – Friedrich Christian Delius: This thriller written as one continuous sentence is my second review book from Peirene.
Now decisions get difficult. I want to take a historical novel and our house is full of them, but should I take:
‘Sacred Hearts’ – Sarah Dunant/ ‘The Agency’ – YS Lee/ ‘The Taste of Sorrow’ – Jude Morgan/ ‘Owl Killers’ – Karen Maitland/ ‘The Gunmaker’s Gift’ – Matthew Plampin ?
And I want a piece of really intense ‘thinky’ fiction (that term is so helpful obviously), but I want to avoid taking hardbacks (rules out quite a bit including AS Byatt’s ‘The Children’s Book’ which would probably have been perfect) and looking pretentious on a sun lounger (kicking out classics like ‘Howard’s End’). Should I take:
‘My Name is Red’ – Orhan Pamuk/ ‘Possession’ – AS Byatt/ ‘The Jewel in the Crown’ – Paul Scott/ ‘Carpentaria’ – Alexis Wright/ ‘The Bingo Palace’ – Louise Erdich ?
I’ll be checking the comments until I go and any suggestions would be welcome.
I’ve finished the Slaves of Golconda read this month ('The Small Room' by Mary Sarton) and want to say something about, so I’ve scheduled a post about it for the 31st when I’ll be flying back all sun rested, like a happy cat. Otherwise it’ll be blog silence here until 1st November, when I’ll return with my ‘Sporting Women’ theme month. Have a lovely time next week and I’ll see you all soon.