With all this talk about e-Books on the web these days I figure I’ll talk about a few books that I am reading/have read recently. None are e-Books, by the way. Just good ol bound paper, two from the public library.
Blue Latitudes by Tony Horwitz
I really like reading travel narratives, especially humorous ones like Bill Bryson’s. I came across Blue Latitudes at the library and it looked great. It even has some praise from Bryson on the back cover. Plus, old sailing ships and adventure are always attractive! Tony Horwitz is fascinated by Captain James Cook, and follows the path Cook took in the late 1700’s when Cook explored the Pacific. The story goes back and forth between describing the adventures Cook and his crew had, and the hilarious adventures Horwitz and his friend Roger had following Cook’s trail. I learned so much in Blue Latitudes: about life aboard Cook’s ship, the contact and interaction of his crew with the natives of the lands he traveled to, and what these lands are like in the present day. Horwitz interviews many native people and gets their thoughts and varying opinions about Cook. What is neat is that the people Horwitz talks to are real. I’ve even done some googling to find out more about some of the scholars and artists Horwitz interviews. I guess that’s part of the appeal of non-fiction.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
This is the final book of the Harry Potter story, but it’s my first book to read. I’ve seen (and enjoyed) the movies, so I’m pretty excited to find out how it all ends. I’m about half way through, but I realize there are so many details, especially about the supporting characters, that I have missed since I haven’t read the previous books. My plan is to finish Deathly Hallows, then go back and read the series from the beginning. It’s pretty easy to get through a book since it was written for younger readers, so I’m not put off by the page count (each book is about 600-800 pages long). I’m enjoying this last book a lot, and will hopefully finish it in a couple days.
Long Way Round by Charley Boorman and Ewan McGregor
I love the Long Way Down and Long Way Round videos, and the books are the perfect complement to them. The writing isn’t too deep, but you do gain some insights as to what was going through Charley and Ewan’s minds during the scenes in the TV show. For instance, the one scene where the two are taken in by Igor, and spend the night at his house and party with his friends is much more interesting if you read the chapter to get the full story about their apprehension, fear, and eventual guilt at being so suspicious of their host. It’s sort of like the commentary extra feature of a DVD or Blu-ray disc. If you are a fan of the TV series, I’d recommend picking up the book to go along with it, but I don’t think the book would stand on its own very well.