Are the kind of person to bring a book (or two) on vacation? If you’re like me, you’re rarely without a book. Even if I don’t have plans to read, say, during my lunch break, I keep a book with me at all times just in case I have some unexpected down time. I want to share four short books that would be great additions to your luggage on your next vacay.
My Name is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout
This book has been on my tbr list for a while. I have never read anything about Elizabeth Strout, but the rave reviews I’ve read of her books convinced me to try this one. The story follows Lucy Barton as she recovers from a surgery in the hospital. Her mother, whom she hasn’t seen in years, comes to visit. They slowly reconnect and the tension between them slowly rises to the surface. That is literally all I know about the story. It seems like the type of story that’s better going into it with little knowledge of the plot, so I will leave it at that!
The Whole Brain Child by Daniel J. Siegel, MD
Yes, I am the kind of person who would bring a nonfiction book on vacation. I’ve had this on my shelf for a while, and the premise sounds interesting. My kids’ teachers have mentioned whole brain teaching over the years. This book uncovers the ‘mysteries’ of kids’ brains and their stages of development. As a parent, I think this will be invaluable to our everyday struggles.
Some Girls, Some Hats, and Hitler by Trudi Kanter
One of my favorite genres is historical fiction, and I tend to gravitate towards WWII-era stories. Only… this is a true story! This story is set in Vienna in the 1930s, as Trudi recants her life in Nazi-occupied Europe. She was a renowned hat maker whose world was crushed when Hitler came into power. This is the story of her famiy’s journey across Europe during that time.
From 221B Baker Street to The Old Curiosity Shop by Stephen Halliday
I received this as a gift a few years ago, and I still haven’t finished it! This is the book I throw in my bag when we’re about to drive a long distance. This book travels through London, visiting all of London’s fictional landmarks. There are so many locations from classic literature, and it’s incredibly interesting. I read about one landmark each time I take this on a trip, so hopefully I will actually finish it one day!
I hope you found something to throw in your bag the next time you take a vacation! Our little weekend trip got rained out (thanks, Hurricane Hermine), so I’ll be curling up on the couch with one of these this weekend.
Happy reading!