Holiday Reading

[Darcy101]

I am going on holiday in two weeks and would like to use the time to read some of the many classics i have not tried yet. But do not want anything to heavy (mentally that is) as i will be relaxing by the pool. Any suggestions on classics for holidays, perhaps some comedy!
Thank you in advance.

[dafydd manton]

"Three Men in a Boat" and "Three Men in the Bummel" by Jerome K Jerome, with "Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow" for afters! Great holiday reading, without some the Sturm und Drang that makes you want to drown yourself in the pool.

[janesmith]

"Three Men in a Boat" and "Three Men in the Bummel" by Jerome K Jerome, with "Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow" for afters! Great holiday reading, without some the Sturm und Drang that makes you want to drown yourself in the pool.

Great minds think alike. I was also going to suggest "Three Men in a Boat" because of it's laugh-out-loud humour.

[Scheherazade]

Why don't you check out the Book Club?

http://www.online-literature.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=15

[Darcy101]

"Three Men in a Boat" and "Three Men in the Bummel" by Jerome K Jerome, with "Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow" for afters! Great holiday reading, without some the Sturm und Drang that makes you want to drown yourself in the pool.

Great!! Thank you, was hoping not to drown myself so, result!


Why don't you check out the Book Club?

http://www.online-literature.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=15

Thank you! Have done and am reading Walden at the moment,

[LitNetIsGreat]

Read The Sea, the Sea by Iris Murdoch. I'm going to be reading that one (and something else) on holiday, I've got a good feeling about it - I think? :sosp:

http://www.online-literature.com/forums/showthread.php?t=54386

[JuniperWoolf]

I'd read Watership Down. Can't go wrong with a story about rabbits, it's funny, plus it's not heavy.

Or, some classic kid's books that you've never gotten around to. I'm reading Trumpet of the Swan right now, very relaxing during the summer. Stuart Little, The Secret Garden, Anne of Green Gables, and Charlotte's Web are a few must-reads. You could also look into some collected kid's stories, say by the Brothers Grimm or Hans Christian Anderson.

[IceM]

I never considered reading Siddhartha or Catch-22 as mentally heavy. Siddhartha is a linear story about a man trying to find enlightenment, while Catch-22 is a ridiculously hilarious story of Yossarian trying to bail out of the army. They're both wonderful reads, and I'd recommend them both.

[_Shannon_]

"Three Men in a Boat" and "Three Men in the Bummel" by Jerome K Jerome, with "Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow" for afters! Great holiday reading, without some the Sturm und Drang that makes you want to drown yourself in the pool.


Great minds think alike. I was also going to suggest "Three Men in a Boat" because of it's laugh-out-loud humour.
:idea: Okay...this just means I HAVE to read this next....my 13 yo son was just telling me today, and yesterday, and the day before how I HAD to read 3 Men In a Boat. Finding it not nce, but twice in a thread is like being just hit over the head:smash:

Anything my Kipling or Haggard would be fun on holiday, I think. Or Rafael Sabatini.

[Jive One]

Since you'll be on vacation and may be doing other activities, how about a collection of short stories? These can be collections from specific authors or maybe just a survey of stories from a variety of authors.

Some of my favorites include Hawthorne's Twice Told Tales, and short story collections by Edgar Allen Poe, Herman Melville and Mark Twain, among others. Perhaps read some Sherlock Holmes! Short stories are often neglected, yet still very engaging and creative works so why not use this as an opportunity to explore some of them?

If you're in the mood for adventure, you could always delve into the proto sci-fi of Jules Verne, HG Wells, and Edgar Rice Burroughs. These aren't too long and are more setting-oriented(i.e. fun and adventurous).

[mal4mac]

I'm reading "Emma" by Jane Austen at the moment. It's light & very funny, but it isn't laugh out loud humour, so you won't scare the people by the pool :) I'd avoid Iris Murdoch, she's rather heavy (her day job was philosophy) and she's not a very good novelist, certainly not compared to Austen. Neely - don't you think you should actually read some Murdoch before recommending her (or not...)?

[Darcy101]

loving the suggestions was thinking of trying the brothers Grimm for my daughter and will definitely try sherlock Holmes, think i might try most of them can of course keep reading when i get back from holidays...

[LitNetIsGreat]

I'm reading "Emma" by Jane Austen at the moment. It's light & very funny, but it isn't laugh out loud humour, so you won't scare the people by the pool :) I'd avoid Iris Murdoch, she's rather heavy (her day job was philosophy) and she's not a very good novelist, certainly not compared to Austen. Neely - don't you think you should actually read some Murdoch before recommending her (or not...)?[/

Yes, I suppose that would make sense, but I was going by the title and the imaginary sense I have of her prose - quite charming! I was quite taken by the idea of someone retreating to the sea, using the sea for comfort, sounds good. :cheers2:

[janesmith]

:idea: Okay...this just means I HAVE to read this next....my 13 yo son was just telling me today, and yesterday, and the day before how I HAD to read 3 Men In a Boat. Finding it not nce, but twice in a thread is like being just hit over the head:smash:


Anything my Kipling or Haggard would be fun on holiday, I think. Or Rafael Sabatini.

Your 13 year old obviously has great literary taste

[Darcy101]

have not been on in awhile back from hols and mad busy at work anyway did not get reading any of the books on hols but bought some sherlock stories and three men in a both. got to read them since came home am now in love thank you all for your suggestions!!

[Seasider]

Some of James Thurber's short stories would make ideal holiday reading...esp The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. The Night the Bed Fell or the one about one of his eccentric aunts who went around putting light bulbs in empty sockets to stop the electricity leaking.

[closed.......]

I find that anything by Ron McClarty or Haruki Murakami makes for excellent nostalgic/melancholy holiday reading...