I don’t know about you, but I do love to take a good book with me on holiday, and with the invention of e-readers, you can now take a whole library away with you, whilst taking up barely any space in your suitcase or handbag. Holiday reading should be something which is light but engaging, something which allows you to relax whilst diving into a good story, and as it’s World Book Day today, I thought I’d give you a selection of some of my favourite holiday reads, which might inspire you next time you jet off somewhere nice.
Anything by Bill Bryson
Bill Bryson is one of my favourite authors, so it’s hard for me to narrow it down to just one of his books, however A Walk in the Woods was probably the one which got the most belly-laughs out of me! This might not be one to read if you plan to spend a lot of time lounging around the pool or beach by yourself, as you tend to look like a bit of a loon doing random outbursts of laughter, but if you want something to add to your holiday happiness, I wholeheartedly recommend Mr. Brysons particular brand of wit.
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo – Stieg Larsson
Okay, so this might not be the most light-hearted of books, but Lisbeth Salander is the ultimate feminist hero and The Millennium Trilogy from which this book comes is genuinely some of the most compulsive reading that I’ve ever experienced – you know that feeling of slight disorientation with real life when you put the book down, because you’ve been SO immersed? That’s how addictive these books are!
The Woman Who Went to Bed for a Year – Sue Townsend
Yes, it’s that Sue Townsend, of Adrian Mole fame. This book is a real departure from her early works, but the wit and ability to weave a great tale remains, and this book is a brilliant sun-lounger read. It’s not War and Peace, but it’s on the decent end of the ‘chick-lit’ genre and is very enjoyable.
Billy – Pamela Stephenson
If you like a biography, there’s not many better than Billy Connollys, which is written by his wife, Pamela Stephenson, who is also a noted psychologist. Hysterically funny in places, heartbreaking in others, it’s almost hard to believe that such a troubled life can produce someone with so much humour in their soul, but this book is compulsive reading, nonetheless and gives you a real insight into the man behind the jokes.
A Song of Ice and Fire – George R. R. Martin
If you’ve not heard of this series of books, you’ll no doubt have heard of Game of Thrones, the TV show adaptation of them. I’m still on the first book, whilst Husband has read his way through all of the existing 5 books (and is now patiently waiting for the final two!). Even if you’ve already watched the show, the books are still well worth a read as the stories are so much richer and more in-depth in the novels, and I honestly think you’ll like these books even if you aren’t a fan of the fantasy genre, as the storylines and relationships within the books are about SO much more than dragons and giants.
If you need help choosing your next holiday read, Thomas Cook have put together a fun little World Book Day app which allows you to choose you to input your destination and your favourite genre and it’ll tell you exactly which book you should take with you on your holidays!
