Finding the Perfect Read for Your Next Escape
Reading is something of a lost art, lost to an endless sea of content available to stream from the devices in our pockets. Daily commutes don’t look the same anymore; there’s a handful of us between the smartphones and tablets, smatterings across train carriages and bus aisles, with a paperback or e-reader in hand and a world in our hearts. And it feels wonderful.
To be a reader is to be an explorer, every book a new destination and culture to understand. In this way, it’s easy to see the powerful synergy between travel and reading. They are similar things in very different guises – and go very well together too, for that matter. Choosing the right book can elevate any holiday experience, just as any holiday can enhance your reading of a good book. How can you make the most of this synergy on your next getaway?
Why Books and Holidays Go Hand in Hand
Reading and travelling really do go hand in hand. On a base level, there’s something about giving yourself time to immerse yourself in a good book; be it downtime as you travel to and from your destination, quiet mornings with breakfast or a slow afternoon somewhere.
The holiday is also a powerful tool for relaxation, which puts your brain in a much better place to receive the wisdom in your book of choice. In this way, the holiday and the book can elevate each other; the book’s wisdom is revealed to you through relaxation and, in turn, informs how you feel about the rest of your trip. It’s magic in action.
Choosing the Perfect Book for Your Getaway
Of course, there’s an art to picking the right book for your trip. You can’t bring any old pulp; you must consider the setting of your holiday and the overall mood of your trip. Are you angling for a week at the seaside and in need of some easy beach reads? Or are you rural, inland, and ready for something a little meatier? Maybe you want your book to literally reflect your destination!
If you do, you might use climate as something of a shibboleth. A Lanzarote holiday is prime sun-lounging time, and the perfect opportunity to read something similarly sun-infused: be it Hunter S. Thompson’s The Rum Diary or Michel Houellebecq’s self-referential satire Lanzarote. Likewise, if you’re heading somewhere mountainous, do you want to spook yourself with At the Mountains of Madness, or calm yourself with the works of Keats?
Making the Most of Your Reading Time
Whatever you choose to take on your trip, you shouldn’t be afraid to break it out at any point. Your holiday is yours to enjoy, and that includes burying your nose in a book when you feel like it; at cafes, in restaurants, at the beach or otherwise.
