Vacation Books.

Sean and I have recently returned from a week in Washington, DC, and I've been thinking about vacations, and books, and books read on vacation ... you get the picture. Given the nature of the vacation, I didn't pack any books to bring with me, but it didn't take long before I was desperate for something to read. I bought two books while on vacation, and my choice of reading material was definitely influenced by the vacation I was having. Does anyone else find this happens?

The two books I bought were The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara and The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. The first book is a story of the Battle of Gettysburg as seen through the eyes of a number of the participants, and the second is set in Germany during the 1930s. Coincidently, Sean and I spent one day exploring the Gettysburg battlefield and another day at the Holocaust Museum. I highly doubt that I would have chosen either one of those books if we had rented a cottage by the beach or gone to a Caribbean resort. The material would not suit the locale. Does anyone else find themselves doing this?

When I go on vacation, I seem to choose book that fit the trip. A visit to the east coast to visit my parents requires lots of light reading; mysteries and historical romances would be high on the list. A visit to a cottage with Sean, or up to Moosonee like we did last year, requires something a little deeper. With few distractions, I can read something a little more substantial. A trip like that would have literary fiction of some sort. That's when I would read Through Black Spruce or Three Day Road. I haven't actually had a beach or resort vacation in more than a decade, so I don't even know what I would bring; I'm guessing it would be seriously light reading.

I have now now finished Killer Angels, but I haven't started The Book Thief yet. I really enjoyed The Killer Angels and Sean says he wants to read it as well. It tells the story of the Battle of Gettysburg, a pivotal battle in the American Civil War. What is so interesting about The Killer Angels is that Michael Shaara used the journals, letters and diaries of a number of key participants in the battle to craft his story. It is a multi-perspective story that flips between the Union and the Confederacy. The reader gets to see how the battle was seen from the point of view of the generals and the average soldier. If you enjoy history, I would recommend it, but I don't think it's for everyone.

Now, I want to know - am I the only one who chooses their vacation literature based on the type of vacation they are going on? Or am I insane? Let me know your thoughts.