Books We've Read So Far

Traveling inevitably has quite a bit of downtime. Whether you're on a long bus or car ride or just waitingnout bad weather there is heaps of time to read your eyeballs silly. Here's a list and review of the books we've occupied and entertained ourselves with thus far: 

Taryn

1. A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson. Prepare yourself, Mr. Bryson will come up often in these lists. This book kept me entertained through long flights and Vietnam bus rides. The 2 pound paperback tome I carried with me was worth every ounce. There is something about this man'srun on  sentences and flippant doomsday predictions that I can't put down. 

2. Adrift by Stephen Callahan. A short, fast, easy yet entertaining read about a man lost at sea. I love his relationship and depiction of the dorados. Spoiler alert he survives. And writes a book.  Bill also read this. 

3. The Last King of Scotland by Giles Foden. One of the huts had an old paperback copy of this book that I started reading on a cold night by the fire. I ended up buying it on kindle and couldn't put it down. I will not see the movie because I know it will be too violent for me but the book was great. 

4. All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. I originally heard of this book from the deceased KUER program called Books and Beats. This book, people. Wow. Of all the books I've read this one I'd recommend most highly. The character development and style of timeline is riveting and there is excellent though tragic insight into a time during Nazi Germany and occupied France. 

5. House of Rain by Craig Childs. I think Mr. Childs is overly flowery and bragadocious however any book about native puebloans/Anasazi has my heart. I did learn some new things but it will be a while before I read another of his books. 

6. Sandstone Spine by David Roberts.  Another tale of Southwest ancient art and ruin discovery with historical context and a travel story about old buddies mixed in. Another light easy and fun read but with interesting tidbits too. 

7. Tangerine by Edward Bloor. I read this book in junior high and remembered it very fondly so when we found it in a thrift shop for $3 we bought it and each read it - me for the second time and Bill for the first. It's a fantastic book for a young teen and makes geeks feel hope for their geeky plight. 

Bill

1.Hillbilly Elegy by JD Vance Very interesting depiction of Applalachia and the plight and charm of the hillbillies showcased through one man's history telling of his own family. 

2. A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway. Very dry with little that actually happens. It's saving grace though is a humorous depiction of JD Salinger.

3. Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway. Same style as the book above but with so much action. Such an awesome portrayal of a man's personal struggle with how he fits in with nature. It's the only Hemingway book I like and and I love it. Maybe because it's short.

4. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Too fluffy and seems cliche even though this is the OG that made Christmas what it is today. I would rather watch Scrooged with Bill Murray than read the original "classic." 

5. Your Song Changed My Life by Bob Boilen. I like the idea and many of the stories were good. But even though I love music and history as well as anecdotes of how people got their start, the book is kind of meandering and after a while he starts to lose his thesis.

6. A Tramp Abroad by Mark Twain. I have a love/hate relationship with this book, so much that I can't get through it all even though I want to so badly. Travel writing by classic writers unfortunately doesn't work for me.

7. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. Very well told story with strong characters, profound themes, and intriguing plot twists. Also gives great insight into Afghani culture. 

8. In a Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson. Only a quarter into this one but it has been really good so far and reads a lot like A Walk in the Woods. He gives an interesting history of Australia as a backdrop to his own anecdotes of exploration traveling through the country. He's funny, honest, and self deprecating and the entertainment leaves you informed.

Both of us listened to Shakespeare: The World A Stage by Bill Bryson on audiobook. We haven't finished it yet - Bill's voice, unfortunately, is fabulous at putting you to sleep but the theme is the same as many of his other investigative historical books: all the things we think we know we actually do not and in fact we know very little about anything at all. This is true of Shakespeare as well. 

We have at least 2 more months of travel so send us your recommendations!