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One book only for 6 week trip

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    #32
    Reg'stoy
    Registered Users Posts: 1,576 ✭✭✭Reg'stoy


    JesseCuster wrote: »
    The Stand (Stephen King) - Apocalyptic tale of good and evil from the master storyteller. Would also recommend It, you will never see clowns in the same light again.

    Couldn't agree more, loved both books. Might I be so bold as to recommend James Herbert's Fluke and Others for the flights over and back (both short enough for the journey).


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    #33
    Denerick
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 6,488 ✭✭✭Denerick


    Six of One wrote: »
    I am going off to Africa for six weeks, I'm not going to have access to any books whatsoever. I read quite fast and will have plenty of time. I can only really bring one book, so I need something that will last me! I'm looking for a big long fiction book that is also a good read and will entertain me. I really wish I hadn't already read Shantaram! If anyone could suggest something that they think might suit that would be great. A friend suggested Moby Dick, any opinions?

    Lord of the Rings (One of the few books one can read and re-read continuously if you ask me)
    The Count of Monte Cristo (Big and brilliant, I haven't got round to reading it myself unfortunately!)
    Bonfire of the Vanities by Tom Wolfe (One of my favourite books, and big too!)


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    #34
    Closed ac
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,347 ✭✭✭Closed ac


    War & Peace - Leo Tolstoy.

    It's around 1,500 pages according to Wikipedia so it would definately last you for six weeks! :D


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    #35
    beans
    Registered Users Posts: 1,886 ✭✭✭beans


    'Consciousness Explained' by Daniel Dennett. It's very well-written and entertaining, but requires a lot of mental digestion along the way. Should certainly keep you going for 6+ weeks :)

    Edit - sorry, I see now you're after fiction. How about this


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    #36
    Six of One
    Registered Users Posts: 197 ✭✭Six of One


    Well, better late than never to reply :D

    In the end I brought A Suitable Boy, as suggested by two posters so thanks for that. During the first few weeks of the trip I did indeed have the opportunity to borrow other books so I had A Suitable Boy on hold for a fortnight while I read through the other books available . Thankfully no book rationing was necessary at all!


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    #37
    randomguy
    Registered Users Posts: 282 ✭✭randomguy


    Glad you picked one of my recommendations, but you haven't told us if you enjoyed it or not!


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    #38
    Giselle
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,540 ✭✭✭Giselle


    I'd bring the complete Sherlock Holmes collection, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Holmes and Watson will be old friends by the time you come back.:)


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    #39
    dr gonzo
    Registered Users Posts: 1,676 ✭✭✭dr gonzo


    rockmongrel wrote: »
    You can get the entire George Orwell collection for 30 quid, all of his published novels. Fantastic stuff.

    Excellent choice, i concur :D
    biZrb wrote: »
    The Count of Monte Cristo - its long but a great story that keeps you interested all the way through

    I actually came on to recommend CoMC and found every second post suggesting it and for good reason. Its long (probably not 6 weeks long), highly engaging and thoroughly enjoyable... or at least i found it very enjoyable and i have a tendency to put books aside and move on if they dont grab me.

    Best of all i think this books hits a nice middle ground between quality and density, some of the other books suggested might be a bit dense meaning you could end up in a scenario where you have one book for 6 weeks that youve carefully chosen and seems to tick all the boxes except you dont actually enjoy reading it.

    You might not adore CoMC but you definitely wont trudge through it.


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    #40
    Six of One
    Registered Users Posts: 197 ✭✭Six of One


    Yes, I loved A Suitable Boy. Struggled a little at the start but really got into quickly enough. When I finished I really missed my travel companions!

    Thank god I didn't bring The Famished Road though, reading it now and it would have driven me mad!!


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    #41
    Emiko
    Closed Accounts Posts: 449 ✭✭Emiko


    If you don't mind mathematics, and the human condition, I recommend 'Godel, Escher and Bach' by Douglas Hofstadter.

    That'll keep you going.


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    #42
    randomguy
    Registered Users Posts: 282 ✭✭randomguy


    Six of One wrote: »
    Yes, I loved A Suitable Boy. Struggled a little at the start but really got into quickly enough. When I finished I really missed my travel companions!

    Thank god I didn't bring The Famished Road though, reading it now and it would have driven me mad!!

    Glad to hear it. I read A Suitable Boy when travelling, as did a girlfriend, and it is great because it is light enough to dip in and out of, but interesting enough that it'll keep you absorbed for a four hour train journey. I keep recommending Lonesome Dove to people too, for the same reason, few people follow my advice but those that do always come back and thank me.

    There's a reason I was ambivalent about The Famished Road. I like South American magic realism, but I found this African version a bit harder to take - it's very dense and maybe a bit too poetic for travel reading.


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