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[Travel] Holiday Books



WATFORD zero

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 10, 2003
27,781
I'm off on holiday, which for me means lying on a deserted beach reading a couple of (proper paperback) books and moaning about them falling apart as the glue melts in the sun. I have never really read books from when I left school up until I retired a few years ago so, as you will see the traditional classics have somewhat passed me by.

Particular favourites of the last few holidays have been Sapiens, the Danny Baker series, Keith Richards autobiography, Gordon Brown: Beyond the Crash, The David Niven Autobiographies, The Secret Barrister, Johnny Cash Autobiography, The Traitor of Colditz, John Peel Autobiography, The Damned United, Life in the Jungle: Michael Heseltine, Brian Clough Autobiography, and This is going to Hurt: Adam Kay.

I've just gone and read them all off the bookcase :lolol:

I've already ordered Barry Cryer: Same Time Tomorrow and Alistair Campbell: The Blair Years but need a third book to see a sad old grumpy old bastard through a week. Fire away :thumbsup:
 




timbha

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
10,515
Sussex
Although they are more expensive, hard backs are a far more pleasurable and less frustrating read. Given the cost of a holiday it’s worth an extra few quid.
 












Bakero

Languidly clinical
Oct 9, 2010
14,907
Almería
David Sedaris's The Best of Me is a good read too. It's a collection of short stories so easy to dip in and out of.
 






LamieRobertson

Not awoke
Feb 3, 2008
48,431
SHOREHAM BY SEA
Erm…..was last nights football the final straw…only you’ve not mentioned anyone else…so may i recommend this? 😉

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Alternatively this 🤔

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Swegulls

Well-known member
Aug 29, 2023
1,294
Stockholm
Paul Theroux is my go to author. "The Old Patagonian Express", going by train from Boston to Esquel in Patagonia, and his classic "The Great Railway Bazaar" are two of the few books I've actually have read more than once (think I've read them 3 and 4 times respectively, I must be nuts...) "A Short Walk In The Hindu Kush" by Eric Newby is another classic.

I don't know if he's aware of it, but I'm stalking Beach Hut here on that "What book are you currently reading"-thread. I'm into Dervla Murphy now, thanks to him. If you see this, thank you Beach Hut!
 
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Stato

Well-known member
Dec 21, 2011
7,375
You seem to like books with a political bent. Ever read any of Francis Wheen's? These two are very informative and funny. Strange Days is about the extremes of political ideas in the seventies and How Mumbo Jumbo is a cry for reason written in the nineties.


 






Ike and Tina Burner

Well-known member
Mar 22, 2019
613
A waiter in Paris was a pretty good read for me on my last holiday. It's about the experiences of an English bloke who works in a Parisian bistro for 8 months.
 


Greg Bobkin

Silver Seagull
May 22, 2012
16,062
@Rugrat ’s When The Angels Come Calling is a compelling read.

Not got round to reading this yet, it’s said to be great … Alan Johnson’s autobio The Long and Winding Road.
It really is.

In fact, it's one of only two books I've read in the past decade - or probably longer. The other one, which I read on holiday the other month - was The Sun Will Rise, by Anthony Ray Hinton. Another fantastic story.
 






JJ McClure

Go Jags
Jul 7, 2003
11,110
Hassocks
My usual sun lounger reading is a bit of James Patterson or Clive Cussler, Total trash but hey I’m on holiday, will normally get through 3 or 4 in a week.
 


Harry Wilson's tackle

Harry Wilson's Tackle
NSC Patron
Oct 8, 2003
56,205
Faversham
I'm off on holiday, which for me means lying on a deserted beach reading a couple of (proper paperback) books and moaning about them falling apart as the glue melts in the sun. I have never really read books from when I left school up until I retired a few years ago so, as you will see the traditional classics have somewhat passed me by.

Particular favourites of the last few holidays have been Sapiens, the Danny Baker series, Keith Richards autobiography, Gordon Brown: Beyond the Crash, The David Niven Autobiographies, The Secret Barrister, Johnny Cash Autobiography, The Traitor of Colditz, John Peel Autobiography, The Damned United, Life in the Jungle: Michael Heseltine, Brian Clough Autobiography, and This is going to Hurt: Adam Kay.

I've just gone and read them all off the bookcase :lolol:

I've already ordered Barry Cryer: Same Time Tomorrow and Alistair Campbell: The Blair Years but need a third book to see a sad old grumpy old bastard through a week. Fire away :thumbsup:
No evidence you like detective stories/series. There are several I can recommend. House of Silk by Anthony Horowitz is the 'missing' Sherlock Holmes. Very good.

My son bought me Iain Fleming the complete man, by Nicholas Shakespeare. In hardback. That may suit you.
 


Bakero

Languidly clinical
Oct 9, 2010
14,907
Almería
Paul Theroux is my go to author. "The Old Patagonian Express", going by train from Boston to Esquel in Patagonia, and his classic "The Great Railway Bazaar" are two of the few books I've actually have read more than once (think I've read them 3 and 4 times respectively, I must be nuts...) "A Short Walk In The Hindu Kush" by Eric Newby is another classic.

I don't know if he's aware of it, but I'm stalking Beach Hut here on that "What book are you currently reading"-thread. I'm into Dervla Murphy now, thanks to him. If you see this, thank you Beach Hut!

I love Paul Theroux too. Haven't actually read anything of his for about 15 years though so might have to revisit The Great Railway Bazaar. I just know it'll give me itchy feet though.
 




WATFORD zero

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 10, 2003
27,781
As someone pointed out early on, but I've never really realised before, I don't think fiction is really for me. I have to say that at the moment, I'm torn between The Future of Geography, by Tim Marshall and Mark Kurlanksy's Cod.

NSC's at it's abstruse best :thumbsup:
 
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Drebin

Well-known member
Jul 25, 2011
860
Norway
Paul Theroux is my go to author. "The Old Patagonian Express", going by train from Boston to Esquel in Patagonia, and his classic "The Great Railway Bazaar" are two of the few books I've actually have read more than once (think I've read them 3 and 4 times respectively, I must be nuts...) "A Short Walk In The Hindu Kush" by Eric Newby is another classic.

I don't know if he's aware of it, but I'm stalking Beach Hut here on that "What book are you currently reading"-thread. I'm into Dervla Murphy now, thanks to him. If you see this, thank you Beach Hut!
Another Paul Theroux fan here. Have read most of his books.

A lighter (and funny) book of his a have read many times on holiday is Hotel Honolulu.
 


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