I have been trying to read a lot of travel-related works lately, especially with my plans to move to Italy in the fall. It's not really travel guidebook stuff that I've been reading. More of it is fiction, or at least feels like fiction. One of the best "travel" related books I've read lately is "A Moveable Feast" by Hemmingway, and right now I'm reading "The Sheltering Sky " by Paul Bowles, which is great.<BR><BR>What is everyone else reading? I'd be interested in knowing what you read about before you travel, or what you read about to keep you inspired about travel.<BR><BR>Thanks,<BR>Jackie

Jackie,<BR>While contemplating a return trip to London early next year, I found a book bargain too good to pass up. Originally published in paperback for $250.00, I found the eleven volume set of Samuel Pepys diaries for under $50.00. The diary written in the mid-1600s traces the restoration of the monarchy, the growth of Britain's maritime powers, the plague of 1665 and the Great Fire of 1666. It's an extraordinarily detailed and highly enlightening insight into the life of London and Londoners in some mightily trying times.<BR>Filled with a goodly bit of court gossip involving Charles II and his many mistresses, as well.

Funny you should ask ! I had seen reviews of a book that has been a hit in Europe but just now published in the States. It is VANILLA BEANS & BRODO, about a couple of Aussies that settled in Montalcino. I have just started it but it looks fascinating--if you love Tuscany as I do. You can buy it at amazon.com Also, I have just finished THE WORLD OF VENICE by Jan Morris in preparation for our trip to Venezia and Slovenia in Oct.

THE LAST TIME I SAW PARIS<BR>Elizabeth Adler

Hi Jackie - I'm reading 'The Art of Travel' by Alain de Botton, which is a fantastic book examining the philosophical idea of travel. As the blurb says, it's an antidote to all those travel guides that tell us what to do when we get there, and instead tries to explain why we wanted to go there in the first place! It's clever, funny, well-researched and thought-provoking - highly recommended!

Interesting question as I love to read, as well as travel, and often read nonfiction travel literature. <BR><BR>Currently, I'm reading "All the Clean Ones Are Married--and Other Everyday Calamities in Moscow" by Lori Cidylo, an American reporter of Russian heritage who moved to Moscow to live for a while in the mid-90s (I love the title).<BR><BR>I belong to a travel literature book group, some others might want to start one of those--we meet monthly to discuss the book we've chosen to read. Sometimes people will bring photos if they've had a trip to the area, and one person is charged with "leading" the discussion, perhaps doing a little background research to present to others (very low key, it's not meant to be a lot of work). A few months ago we read "Travels in a Thin Country" about Chile by Sara Wheeler (a great book), and next month I will be the leader for the book "Bury Me Standing: The Gypsies and their Journey" by Isabel Fonseca. <BR><BR>On my own, in addition to the above, I've been finishing up "Paris in the 50s" by Stanley Karnow, and I read "Poland" by Michener on my trip there in May (I like to read books about the area I'm going or take them with me for plane and evening reading), as well as a Travelers' Tales series about Prague (short stories centered on Prague) as I was there also in May.<BR><BR>Recently I bought Lawrence Durrell's "Spirit of Place: Letters and Essays on Travel" which I'm looking forward to reading as I really love his work, both fiction and nonfiction. His book "Provence" was taken with me last summer on my trip there. That book was a little hard to find, I think it was out of print for a while or something.

Christina:<BR><BR>Your travel literature book club sounds really great. That's a great idea. I have an online literary magazine for travelers: The Long Trip Home (http://www.thelongtriphome.com) that focuses on creatively written travel (and it gives me the chance to write about Italy!)--and it might be a neat idea for us to add a "travel book club" to the site, but I'm not sure exactly how I'd go about that. The Long Trip Home has been great in the fact that I'm constantly reading small pieces about travel, and constantly being inspired to read, write, and, of course, travel.<BR><BR>I've seen the Traveler's Tales books before. I have also read something somewhat LIKE that, although it's writings by famous authors and poets, called Italy in Mind (I've also seen they have Ireland in Mind). There's also a great one by all women authors called Desiring Italy. Both are filled with stories and even fiction and poetry about Italy.<BR><BR>Bob: I will have to check out the books you recommend too, since they are specifically about Italy. I've also been told to read "Italian Neighbors" by Tim Parks, since we are planning to move to Verona (or at least, it's one of our options).

Reading, "Notes From A Small island" by Bill Bryson. Gettng ready to travel to England for a 3 week stay.

<BR>Christina :<BR><BR>If you like Lawrence Durrell, please try his younger brother's books (Gerald Durrell), especially " My Family and other Animals " and the sequel " Birds, Beasts and Relatives " both about the entire Durrel family's travels and adventures in 1940's/50's Corfu. Very interesting, beautifully written and you will have tears of mirth streaming down your cheeks reading of the family's antics. They certainly were an eccentric bunch and you will want to rush out to Corfu immediately, albeit knowing that the peaceful and innocent idyllism you'll have read about probably and sadly doesn't exist there anymore. My favourite Lawrence Durrell book remains " White Eagles over Serbia ".<BR><BR>Enjoy.

Right now I'm reading "Blue Highways" by William Least Heat Moon about traveling America's backroads.<BR><BR>It was listed on National Geographic Traveler's 80 Best Travel Books list.<BR><BR>But that's not why I'm reading it. It also appeals to my Native American background. Good read.

Just finished An Italian Affair, starts in Ischia and goes to several European destinations and SFO. Working on a really good one about renting a place in Venice--will furnish title and author later. Just bought Prague to read as time permits. Also got good deal on Extra Virgin, a story of a young woman who renovates a place in Liguria. Actually the renovate a house in Europe somewhere is becoming its own separate genre. After reading a post on this site I picked up Piazzas and Pizzas by Jan Kubrick, supposedly a periodic poster to this forum. Very disappointed. Publisher must not furnish any editing assistance. The amount of glaring errors in the book are too numerous to count and very annoying. Made me realize that probably any of us on this site with a fair amount of travel experience could get published.

I'm currently reading Sarum by Edward Rutherford. Even though I have never visited or have immediate plans to visit Salisbury or ancient Sarum, it's still a fun read. I few months ago I finished London by Rutherford right before going to the city. I highly recommend London for anyone who loves London and has plans to visit. It made my visit to St. Brides and Twinings Tea shop all the more enjoyable.

Jackie, I'm not sure how you could do a book group online, I personally just think it wouldn't work as having a "discussion" online isn't very fulfilling--to me, I wouldn't want to do it. However, you could do the obvious as to picking a book for a month, and then posting a forum/BB section for a "discussion" of the book after being read. I wouldn't count on anything happening there, but that's the only way I can think. I believe Washington Post has an online book group, you could check their site to see how they handle it.<BR><BR>The Travelers Tales series is published by a company in Wash or Oregon, I think; I really liked it but for some reason, most of their volumes are for more exotic places than Europe (they don't have any other one for any European place, as I recall).<BR><BR>Oh, I forgot one, I also just finished reading "Without Reservations: the Travels of an Independent Woman" by Alice Steinbach -- a memoir about a 40-something divorcee who takes a sabbatical and lives in Europe for a year or so (Paris, London and then Italy). Sounds like something some people on here have done or wanted to.<BR><BR>Thanks for the Durrell tip, Mathew.

when travaling I try too bring a William S burroughs book.. I start reading when I start too get a litle stir crazy.. As I read the funny, disturbing opium endused rants.. I know that I'm fairly sane..<BR><BR>Actualy it's kink of strange that I've been too many of the same places Burroughs has lived and travelled too without trying. Interzone is set in Moroco, he got meried in Italy, he went looking for yage in Colombia etc..<BR><BR>NAKED LUNCH <BR><BR>

Jackie,<BR>One of my favorites which I plan to reread soon is Erica Jong's Serenissima.<BR><BR>Years ago when I was taking the overnight train from Munick to Venice, I was reading Death in Venice and that made quite an impression.<BR><BR>Tender is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald which is set on the Riveria and in Paris really captures the area.<BR><BR>A Room with a View by E.M Forster is another I really liked.

The venice book I mentioned in an earlier post is Venetian Dreaming by Paula Weidiger. It's wonderfully written, probably best read with a map of Venice in hand by those who love Venice as she does.

The next "travel" book I will read is In Search of England by HV Morton (ca 1964). I am currently reading No Great Mischief by Alistair Cloud. I agree though, A Moveable Feast was amazing. Love that Hemingway.

whoops. my bad. Alistair Mcleod

Christina:<BR><BR>Thanks for the advice about the book club. I will check out Washington Post to see how they do it. I think you are right--online might not be that great of a way to do that. It just seems to fit in with the website I have pretty well. I'll look into it.<BR><BR>flygirl: yeah, I loved A Moveable Feast. I was never that big into Hemmingway (I'd read The Sun Also Rises, but I hadn't been the greatest fan), but after reading A Moveable Feast, I was really amazed. It paints a great portrait of Paris at that time for people like him. Good stuff.<BR><BR>You should definitely read The Sheltering Sky too--it's about Northern Africa. It's a real classic.<BR><BR>Paul:<BR>You liked Tender is the Night? I had heard it wasn't great, but it might be neat to read if it's about France. A Moveable Feast deals with F Scott Fitzgerald too, which is cool to read about. I would like to read A Room With A View. I hear it is great to read after having visited Florence.<BR><BR>Any other ideas? I read Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino, and that was pretty neat, especially after having been to Italy for a while. I love literature that sticks to a certain place or is indirectly about a place, while it's really more about the people who inhabit it.<BR><BR>Jackie<BR>http://www.thelongtriphome.com

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