The travelling reader (part 2)
I've been thinking more about reading books set in places you've been, and it's corollary - reading books set in the place your about to go.
A couple of years ago now we went to Egypt, and took along for the ride Christian Jacq's first volume of the Ramses series, and Arabian Nights and Days by the late Naguib Mahfouz. The effect they had on the trip was quite dramatic. Cam practically tripped over himself at Abu Simbel looking for the picture of Ramses' lion on the wall, and for me it added another layer of cultural perspective that could quite easily have been lost.
I've just rediscovered Salon's Literary Guide to the World - a fantastic (in progress) resource for identifying some appropriate reads. This is ten times better than the teeny weeny space they devote to literature in travel guides - I hope they consider putting out a book.
A couple of years ago now we went to Egypt, and took along for the ride Christian Jacq's first volume of the Ramses series, and Arabian Nights and Days by the late Naguib Mahfouz. The effect they had on the trip was quite dramatic. Cam practically tripped over himself at Abu Simbel looking for the picture of Ramses' lion on the wall, and for me it added another layer of cultural perspective that could quite easily have been lost.
I've just rediscovered Salon's Literary Guide to the World - a fantastic (in progress) resource for identifying some appropriate reads. This is ten times better than the teeny weeny space they devote to literature in travel guides - I hope they consider putting out a book.
posted by Laurie @ 10:17 AM
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