Book It: Spring Reads

Reading while traveling is a tricky business. You want your choice to be relevant, but not too relevant; Henning Mankell might be a bit chilly for a beach in Thailand, but reading Proust in Paris is a little too on-the-nose. We took some inspiration from Idlewild, our favorite travel-themed book shop, and assembled a “suggested reading” list for your springtime travels.

The Exception
by Christian Jungersen
If you …were actually able to book a table at Noma in Copenhagen. It’s the sort of book that makes those big-franchise Nordic thrillers look a bit lightweight by comparison.

The Apprentice: My Life in the Kitchen
by Jacques Pépin
If you …booked a ticket to Charles de Gaulle and a room at Hotel Daniel. Pépin’s story of how he went from working at a hotel kitchen at age 13 to cooking for CDG himself is amusing and also unexpectedly poignant.

Blow-Up And Other Short Stories
by Julio Cortázar
If you …are heading south to Buenos Aires, where you regretfully did not study abroad. Sip a Malbec in Palermo’s Plaza Serrano and take in the virtuosity of the man for whom the square was originally named.

Life
by Keith Richards
If you …are jetting to Switzerland for a blood transfusion to help kick your heroin habit. Kidding — you’ll learn that was only a rumor. Keith’s autobiography tells all: the good, the bad and the Winning Ugly.

Poser: My Life In Twenty-Three Yoga Poses
by Claire Dederer
If you …struck it lucky and have found yourself on a very remote Caribbean island with an oversized pair of sunglasses. Poser has a level of depth that your average beach read can’t deliver. And it will remind you to keep up that Asana practice when you get back to the mainland.

A Fine Balance
by Rohinton Mistry
If you …have finally planned that big trip to India. This book is guaranteed to book is as epic your journey (which ideally includes a stop at the Devi Garh Fort Palace in Rajasthan and Raas in Jodhpur while you’re at it).

Istanbul: Memories and the City
by Orhan Pamuk
If you …are headed to the heart of Byzantium. No one tells Istanbul’s story better than Orhan Pamuk, the city’s native Nobel-winning author.

Swamplandia!
by Karen Russell
If you …are taking your fly new one-piece that’s kind of more like a two-piece to the Florida Keys. With sand (not swamp) under your toes, you’ll be happy you passed on the Everglades, and instead claimed your chaise at Casa Morada.

Men and Gods: Myths and Legends of the Ancient Greeks
by Rex Warner
If you …have some friends in the shipping business and are set to sail the Aegean. Show off your love of Greek mythology by bringing a copy of Men and Gods, illustrated by the legendary Edward Gorey.

Year of The Hare
by Arto Paasilinna
If you …are planning a walkabout. Maybe you’re headed deep into the Outback, or on a meandering road trip across the States. Arto Paasilinna’s classic (with a new foreword by Pico Iyer) feels just as relevant in 2011 as it did in 1975.

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