Author: Nancy Pearl
Genre: Adult Non-fiction
Pages: 300
Rating: 4 out of 5
Challenges:
FTC Disclosure: I bought this book with my own money
Summary (from the back of the book): Adventure is just a book away as America's favorite librarian, Nancy Pearl, returns with recommended reading for more than 120 destinations around the world. Book Lust to Go connects the best fiction and non-fiction to particular destinations--whether your bags are packed or your armchair is calling. With stops from Texas to Timbuktu, this informed literary globetrotting guide points readers to the literature of place for destinations near and far. Whatever your port of call, Nancy Pearl's reading recommendations will send you on your way.
Review: This is a book review that won't seem to say much because there is no plot and there are no characters. Chapters are short, ranging from a page to a few pages and each chapter covers a US state, a country, or a type of travel (train, mountain climbing, the high seas, etc). Within each chapter Pearl talks briefly (a paragraph) about the place and then she lists books that she has read that gave her a sense of place or experience. These books are not merely written by someone from that country or state and they do not simply take place in a specific location, rather the book had to give the author (who hates to travel) a sense of the culture, the people, and the experience.
Book suggestions range from travel books to memoirs, to biographies to novels and more typical non-fiction in each chapter. Here's the problem. I have my personal favorite books set in various countries. I want the books I liked to be listed in Nancy Pearl's book. I understand that is unreasonable, but it's how I feel. I do this to myself occasionally: I buy "list books" hoping to find some connection and if it isn't there, or my favorites aren't listed, I get bummed. Don't get me wrong, Pearl has a ton of great books listed in Book Lust to Go. I just need to realize that I am someone who shouldn't buy books of lists.
However, now that I have this book, I will definitely consult it when I want to read a book that is specific to a location. And I do sometimes have that urge.
Book suggestions range from travel books to memoirs, to biographies to novels and more typical non-fiction in each chapter. Here's the problem. I have my personal favorite books set in various countries. I want the books I liked to be listed in Nancy Pearl's book. I understand that is unreasonable, but it's how I feel. I do this to myself occasionally: I buy "list books" hoping to find some connection and if it isn't there, or my favorites aren't listed, I get bummed. Don't get me wrong, Pearl has a ton of great books listed in Book Lust to Go. I just need to realize that I am someone who shouldn't buy books of lists.
However, now that I have this book, I will definitely consult it when I want to read a book that is specific to a location. And I do sometimes have that urge.
How about you? Do you like books of lists? Which ones are your favorites?
Geography Connection:
Click to see my updated Google Map. Nancy Pearl certainly covers the world in this book!
11 comments
I love Nancy Pearl and her book lists. I have every one of her books and consult them often.
Booksnob--I am such a list-maker, I think I want her list to be like mine, which is lame. I need to think of her book as a reference for future reading, not an affirmation of what I've read
OOH I so like this! (And now my eyes are looking to the right and seeing a Middle East reading challenge.... hmmmmm) :)
Sheila--Oh, join us in the Middle East Challenge! It's only one book required
I'll have to read this book, some day. I enjoyed reading Book Lust.
I've tagged you to do a meme, if you are willing and have the time. It was fun for me to do.
http://bonniesbooks.blogspot.com/2011/04/four-things-meme.html
This sounds like the perfect book to browse before going on holidays.
I love book lists. My two favorite ones (probably because they have the most books I've read and loved) are BBC's The Big Read Top 100 and the 100 Favorite Books by librarians (www.the-bookman.com/main/Best.books.html)
Bonnie--This is so good that I am getting good feedback about this book. I'll keep it as a reference. And, I'll do the meme today
Alexandra--I am definitely a list person, but I need to get over wanting my list to match other people's lists
This sounds really interesting. Maybe since I don't ever have a book of book list!
Darlyn--It is interesting to see what someone else (who reads A LOT) pics for each country
I LOVE books full of lists! Sometimes I go to the library just to check out some of those, as if I don't get enough recommendations! :)
Aths--As I said, I am a list-lover so this book appealed to me in theory
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