Um, no, it is not exactly a vacation. It's my school's annual swimming training trip to a faraway warm place, and this year we are going to Puerto Rico! We swim from 6-8am, then again from 3-5pm, just about every day. In between swimming, we act as lazy and useless as humanly possible: eating, sleeping, beaching, reading, and what have you. It sounds a little grand but I'm telling you, somehow these 10 days last as long as a month, and by the end you're so sore you can barely tell where your limbs end.
But, y'know, it's also nice and warm in Puerto Rico in January. I like that. :)
I'll be bringing the following books with me:
The Help by Kathryn Stockett
Columbine by Dave Cullen
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
On Killing by Dave Grossman
Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey
Fingersmith by Sarah Waters
Yeahhh, would you look at that: no young adult books! I read them too fast to justify carrying them with me. For me, long vacations away from the Internet are for dense readings, often classics that I've wanted to read for a while. I think I have a great balance of books here, from genres that I don't usually read: 2 adult historical fiction, 2 nonfiction (these are actually for research, hehe; not saying any more for the moment), and 2 epic fantasies. Very much looking forward to reading these!
(And just for fun, the runners-up were: Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken, Deerskin by Robin McKinley *sigh*wants*, Incarceron by Catherine Fisher, Dune by Frank Herbert, Boneshaker by Cherie Priest, and The Innocent Man by John Grisham.)
I'll be gone until the 15th, but I have so many posts scheduled that it'll be like I'm hardly gone at all, haha. Wishing you guys a great 10 days, and see you on the 15th!
Have a fantastic time! I loved Outlander as a teen (Cross Stitch it's called here, though either names make little sense to me) and I have Kushiel's Dart sitting on my shelf. I hear it's awesome.
ReplyDeleteHope you have fun! I wish I could go to somewhere warm right now...it's snowing where I am. :)
ReplyDeleteAww hope you have fun!
ReplyDeleteI'm on my school's swimming team, too!
Have fun! I swam for 10 years, then my college didn't have a team so I had to stop! Now that i am out, I should find a Master's team....
ReplyDeleteAs sore as you may be, I'm sure you will still have fun! :)
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen any of those titles EXCEPT for Outlander and I'd like to read that at some point. Anyways, enjoy the books on your trip! Even if it's not a vacation....it's still Puerto Rico!! ;)
ReplyDeleteWow i'm so jealous, Puerto Rico?! Have fun!! And swim well :) I LOVED The Help. Writing a book about school shootings?
ReplyDeleteHave fun:) You have some good books for company :) The Help is great ..
ReplyDeleteHave a great trip and Outlander! One of my favorite books! It's incredible!
ReplyDeleteHave a great trip!
ReplyDeleteSounds like you'll have a good time, and you have some great reading with you. I have Kushiel to read too, hopefully soon!
Have fun there Steph. Happy swimming and reading :D
ReplyDeleteSteph, can't wait to hear your take on The Help. I am the only person I know who felt that even publishing the book in 2010 was an act of tremendous and insidious insitutional racism.
ReplyDeleteFingersmith is a good read, & your hav let yourself in for a lot with Outlander -- I held off on that one for more than a decade, but it is as cringe-worthily good as everyone says....
Have fun down there. I hope you like my book (Columbine).
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed The Help! I have my eye on Columbine, too. Have a safe, happy trip.
ReplyDeleteI loved FINGERSMITH and THE HELP, but I did not like OUTLANDER much. Enjoy the warm weather! We are freezing here in Germany.
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