Books on the Brain tagged me for a reading meme because she wanted book recommendations for an upcoming road-trip. Unfortunately, it’s been such a crazy week and this is my first chance to reply. She’s probably already completed the trip ~
I haven’t been reading a lot. Who knew we would move to the North Country and have a great social schedule. There’s always something going on and the people here like to get out to do things. Reminds me of Germany where the weather doesn’t hold anyone back ~ I’ll never forget the 80+ woman in Mantel (Bavaria) riding her bike, while the snow fell and all the while with a cigarette in her mouth. As I drove by her, I thought to myself, I’ll never complain about being out in the snow. If she can get out and ride a bike, I can get out in the snow as well!
Back to the meme:
(1) What book are you reading right now? Garlic and Sapphires by Ruth Reichl This book was reviewed on Books on the Brain and, even though the review was mixed, I decided to give it a try since I’m a “foodie”. It’s about a food critic who disguises herself when she goes to a restaurant so she won’t get better treatment. Having worked at resorts, I remember the travel writers and the all important quest to be a “FIVE” star. There was one travel writer from a well respected newspaper who not only told us she was coming to review the hotel but, her assistant called to let us know the writer was a big fan of the TV show Twin Peaks (yes, this was back in early 90’s). Seeing as I lived on the small island Lanai in Hawaii, worked 7 days a week, 18 hour-days for several months in order to open the resort and had very little time for TV, I was clueless about the show. I laugh just thinking about the conversation my boss and I had over the writer’s arrival. We couldn’t figure out why’d we would want to serve her cherry pie in Hawaii. There was something big about cherry pie in the plotline but seeing as we were in a TV vacuum and remember, this was before the internet, we had no idea what the fuss was all about.
Bottom line, we decided to do nothing out of the ordinary ~ she would experience the hotel just like every other guest. That resort “The Lodge at Koele” was a big hit, was rated #1 for years on the Conde Nast Travelers list and is now a “Four Seasons” resort. Hey, maybe instead of reading a book about a reviewer, I should write a book about being on the other side of those reviews. There are very few travel writers I would trust and prefer the everyday traveler reviews at sites such as Tripadvisor.
2) What was the last book you read on an airplane? Years ago, when FG was still small enough to fall asleep in her own seat, I read John Adams by David McCullough. I no longer read novels on planes because FG spreads herself across my seat/lap and I end up reading magazines because it’s too uncomfortable to concentrate. Back to the book, I highly recommend it. It is a fascinating story of John and Abigail Adams and I was in awe of both of their contributions to our country. Both of the Adams were so smart and selfless. Always thinking of the good of the country. It was also in the book that I found out both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson died on 4 July, 1826. So ironic.
3) What was the last book you read on a road-trip? Can’t remember. I’m usually driving or reading newspapers/magazines.
4) Where is the most unusual place you found yourself reading? Palau ~ it was such an exotic locale.
5) What books would you take to keep you occupied on a 2 week vacation to the beach? I would take the following books for a two week vacation: The Time Traveler’s Wife, The Zookeeper’s Wife, The Street of a Thousand Blossoms.
Displaced Beachbums 