*Everyone* packs a book when they head out of town.
(Or an e-reader, if you’re one of those who smirk when I insist that the most divinely intoxicatingly aspect of reading is that almondy scent of inked paper. Y’all don’t know.)
If you promise not to laugh, I’ll share a secret.
One of my bestest travel reads of all time was Dan Brown’s “Angels and Demons.” (Hush! You promised.) NOT because it was a good book… it was such literary rubble, in fact, that I remember wanting to hide it inside the shell of something respectable, like Faulkner.
Or a Playboy magazine.
“Angels and Demons” was a winning vacation read not because it was a masterpiece but because I read it whilst wandering through Rome and Vatican City, where the thriller is set. I’d read the book cuddled up in bed at night, then see many of the same places mentioned as clues in the book, bringing both story and city to life.
The good ol’ book + travel one-two punch.
Certain books conjure places so exquisitely, and I constantly find myself on the search for good reads that correspond with an upcoming trip or that help me to learn more about some new and exotic locale.
Enter my newest series [trumpets!]: Required Reading.
(My attempts to be cute resulted in titles like “Wanderful Books!” and “A Moveable Feets.” Clearly I need to stick with the basics.)
Despite losing credibility by opening with a vignette about Dan Brown, I hope the Required Reading series reminds you of past journeys, gets you excited for future ones, or- best of all- teaches you something new about our marvelous world!
First up…
Required Reading: Prague
“The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay” by Michael Chabon
Chabon’s Pulitzer Prize winning novel traces the lives of two cousins- Kavalier and Clay- before, during, and after World War II. After escaping Nazi-occupied Prague, Joe Kavalier makes his way to Brooklyn and Sam Clay. The two create their own brand of escapism, into and in the Golden Age of American comic books; they create a hugely successful comic about (what else?) an escape artist fighting the “shackles of injustice,” a thinly disguised Hitler and his Nazi troops.
It was one of those books I just couldn’t put down… and if you read as much for the writing as the story, Michael Chabon is a meticulous connoisseur of beautiful words.
Be forewarned that it’s actually quite a large book not to be able to put down… i.e., if you’re traveling with carry-on and every pound counts. It’s like, 650 pages, which might make you flip your love of ink-smell the bird and grab an e-reader.
But… the novel is set almost entirely in New York City. Why attach it to Prague? Because the whole time I was in Prague, I was thinking about this book. While books like “Angels and Demons” make the setting a main character, this novel was a little subtler. Like a fine wine, I say!
“The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay” first taught me about the legend of the Golem (a giant, supposedly formed out of clay by a 16th century rabbi living in Prague, who was magically brought to life to protect the Jewish community).
Without giving anything away, the Golem plays a huge role in helping Joe to escape from Prague and seems woven throughout the novel as themes of escape, transformation, and the importance of protecting the ones we love shape the story.
Sometimes the influence of the Golem in Chabon’s novel is more subtle (bringing a defender figure to life, in this case via the magic of a comic book) and other times, it’s pretty aggressive (a main character named Clay who drifts until cousin Joe arrives and brings him to life).
I didn’t realize that the Golem was such an important cultural legend until we actually visited Prague. He was a virtual celebrity within the Jewish Quarter of Josefov, where lore says the clay Golem might still lie in wait inside an anonymous attic.
It was one of those splendid symbioses between book and place.
Welcome to Required Reading!
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Wait, I’m not done. I have questions, people.
Have you read “The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay,” and if so, what did you think? (P.S. If you read it in the future, come back and comment- I really do want your take!)
And what have been your very favorite vacation reads? I’d love to add some new books to my ‘to read’ list!
Okay. Okay… now I’m done.
Oohhh... I love this. Although I don't get much time to read on holidays, when I did I usually took what ever I was reading at the time. I packed all of the (hrm, sniff) Twilight books with me (cough cough) not my favourite read but once you start...well...what ever...I read them all..hahaha... But my favourite travel read was Flabbergasted by Ray Blackston... It was laugh out loud funny and had nothing to do with travel at all!! My other favourite author is Terri Blackstock....again, nothing to do with travel, but great reads. Love the pictures... I'm looking forward to more of your "reads" :) have a great weekend!!
Ha ha, there's no shame in the Twilight game! Whatever has you reading! ;) Most of my favorite books read on vacation have nothing to do with travel, either (honestly, the book I'm highlighting in this post wouldn't be considered a "travel" book by most!). I've haven't yet heard of Flabbergasted or Terri Blackstock, but I'll put them on my list! I'm always on the hunt for new recommendations and excuses to read (travel-related or not). :) Have a wonderful weekend, Jenn!
Miranda, when I'm in transit, I like totally mindless escapism like Dan Brown. I want my book to be a distraction that keeps my mind off how many more hours I have to fly (Are we there yet?) I've read a couple of Chabon's books, including Kavalier and Clay, and loved them. I found K&C fascinating for lot so reasons. I particularly enjoyed the historical aspects of the development of the comic book industry. And Chabon's writing is absolutely, astoundingly creative. I don't really consider myself a writer, but any pretense that I may have gets blasted out of the water when I read an author like Chabon. How can he be so constantly and consistently creative? On every page I find myself saying: "Wow! So that's how a real writer does it." ~James
James, that desire for mindless escapism while traveling is echoed by many! It's probably why they call the light, fluffy books "beach reads-" and why the airport bookstores are always chock-full of Danielle Steels! :) I totally agree that Michael Chabon is a literary magician… his choice of words is so artful and precise! I had a heck of a time trying to find something to follow up Kavalier & Clay because the writing in other novels felt so trite after that. I finally gave up and "reset" with a good ol' beach read. It's hard to follow Chabon. :) Also, I shamefully haven't congratulated you & Terri on Basecamp Gallivance yet! I hope you're both settling in to Kentucky and finding much happiness at the new homestead.
YES!!! I'm so glad you read that book, I love it so much!!! I immediately wanted to read it again. And like . . hug the book.
Oooo, I forgot to add favorite vacation reads: The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafron I also really enjoy a good Agatha Christie or Phryne Fisher's Murder Mysteries as a fun easy read - I also enjoy YA fiction (Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell is a great one). I was also into The Faraway Nearby by Rebecca Solnitt - which would probably pair well with Iceland! - but might be a difficult vacation read. Also, YAY BLOG POSTS!