Vacation Booklist

As is always the case, vacation seems like it was a million years ago. Every year we leave early Christmas morning, and we stay on our favorite little island just long enough to celebrate Junkanoo, the quirky Bahamian New Year’s Day celebration. We’ve been spending Christmas and New Year’s there almost every year since I was in college, so arriving there feels familiar in the best possible way. A perfect exhale after a  busy fall and a very full Christmas season.

For the first few days, the seas were rough and the wind was whipping and blustery: perfect weather to wrap up in a few beach towels on the deck and read. So that’s what we did…for hours. Bliss.

About halfway through the week, the wind died down and the sun came out, just in time for a few good boat trips and beach days. We saw old friends, visited all the familiar haunts, walked and ran and made dinner together. Low key.

The tiny grocery store in town always has fresh raisin bread in the mornings, still warm, so breakfast is  raisin toast with extra sharp cheddar and black tea. Every beach bar serves conch fritters and Goombay Smash, but we make it a point to stop in to Miss Emily’s Blue Bee Bar for the real thing. Miss Emily passed away several years ago, but her family still maintains the tiny bar, the place where the real Goombay Smash originated. 

It was one of my favorite vacations, for all sorts of reasons. I’m working on resting a little more effectively--I find that sometimes even on vacation I find myself racing to the market, racing back to the kitchen, chopping furiously, refilling drinks, staying up way too late and getting up way too early.

This trip I made a conscious effort to listen to what my body and my soul wanted…and they wanted to go to bed really early and be super lazy about the cooking. They told me loud and clear, and I listened. I read a lot, I looked out at the water a lot. I took a few walks. I made really elaborate meals…like fried egg sandwiches. And I came back feeling great: rested, filled up, ready for a new year.

The booklist:

The Imperfectionists  Tom Rachman

Great first book of the trip. I love books set in Europe, and I found his characters quirky in an enjoyable way.

Kaaterskill Falls   Allegra Goodman

I was fascinated by this story about several families within an Orthodox Jewish community—it was like entering a new world. She's such a good writer.

Life is Meals  James and Kay Salter

Interesting and fun to read, but I did find myself wanting to hear more about their parties and menus and less broad trivia.

A Visit from the Goon Squad   Jennifer Egan

I like Jennifer Egan’s books. I think she’s a great writer. I felt like this one ended abruptly, but I guess that’s a good sign, that I didn’t want it to end.

The Brightest Star in the Sky   Marian Keyes

I’m making it official: Marian Keyes is my favorite chick-lit writer. This may not have been my very favorite of her, but I still found it funny & charming.

One odd thing: several of the books I read this trip, including this one, do that thing where all the characters' plotlines connect only at the end. What are the chances?

Setting the Table  Danny Meyer

Surprise hit of the week. I love this book. Fascinating story about restaurant life in New York, and I really love Meyer’s focus on hospitality—connection, personal touch. Some of the things his team has done for their restaurant's guests literally made me a little weepy.

Cooking for Mr. Latte  Amanda Hesser

Hesser is, admittedly, a very finicky foodie—strong opinions, high standards. I think she’d die if knew how much I love fake cheese product or how many things we deep fried on New Year's. But her experiences we interesting to me, and I enjoyed the book.

In the Kitchen with a Good Appetite  Melissa Clark

Love. Loved this one. Maybe my highest recommendation of the bunch. Well titled, actually, because it feels like sitting in the kitchen with someone who loves to eat and wants to share her meals with you. If Hesser seemed a little hard to please, Clark seemed like someone I’d love to cook and eat with.

Confession: I have given up, officially, on both The Life of Pi and Everything is Illuminated—I love Jonathan Safran Foer’s Eating Animals, and I find Everything is Illuminated to be clever and charming…but I just don’t end up picking it up often enough to make any progress on it. Another confession: I’m still trying to finish The Elegance of the Hedgehog…

So many of the great books I've read recently have been your recommendations--thank you! Again, happy new year!



Comments

[Literacygirl]

Mindfully Eating by Susan Albers (still working on it)
The 19th Wife by David Eberhoff (read)
Memoirs of a Geisha (amazing)

[Jenny P]

I totally agree about Everything is Illuminated! It took me several tries to make it all the way through. I really loved Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close - much clearer and such an interesting story. And Eating Animals basically changed my life...

[Sheila J]

Your vacation sounds FABULOUS. I think I too need to listen to my body...and the Holy Spirit, these days. Have you read Cutting for Stone? I am now, and cannot put it down. I am with you on the Life of Pi, that blasted book has been by my beside table for a year, and I can't get past the 1st chapter, UGh! Good idea on giving it up, think I will follow. Happy New Year!

[Lesley Miller]

I love your vacation philosophy, and I'm also impressed you got through so many books. I just got back from vacation too and only finished one: The Wednesday Sisters about a group of women in the 1960s who write together. It was a good quick read. I tried to get into The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and I gave up. I feel bad about it because it's gotten good reviews but life's too short to read books I don't like so I'm happy to hear someone else feels the same way.

[Laura Barringer]

Thanks for the book recommendations! I read Loving Frank on vacation last week per your recommendation, and was surprised how much I enjoyed it. My book group recently read The Elegance of the Hedgehog. I think the reason I finished it is because of the book club, but all in all, it really is a quality piece of literature. I fell in love with some of the characters. I am now plowing my way through The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series. Cannot put them down and am staying up WAY too late reading!!!! :)

[Jaime]

Your holiday sounds spectacular and I, too, am impressed by the number of pages you ploughed. We're trying to plan a multi-family vacation right now, and my darling husband is the only one who has a really difficult time just sitting for 7 days. Last year we did exactly that and nap time each day involved three hours of quiet when I drank good wine and read awesome books. Maybe my favorite vacation ever.

[abby]

I'm glad you enjoyed your trip!! Thanks for the book suggestions. When you mentioned that your books's characters all came together in the end it reminded me of my favorite fiction book of all time: A Fine Balance. Have you read?
hugs,
abby

[Gina]

Wondering if your vacation reading was done on an iPad/Kindle or did you take along the physical books?

[tahni]

i love that you have posted recommendations, that what i really need. i went to the library and loving frank was all they had but i am glad it is, because i actually studied FLW in a college art class. it is fascinating and completely heart-wrenching to read about another aspect of his life. like you said- i have so many thoughts whirling around because of it. though i believe adultery is wrong and sinful, i can't help completely wanting mamah to "win" because she is fighting for the freedom of women that i sometimes feel myself wanting to fight for. just so good.

[Sara]

"Tuesday" by David Wiesner.

http://www.hmhbooks.com/wiesner/tuesday.html

Makes me smile every time

[jennifer lindsay]

"Half Broke Horses" by Jeanette Walls (author of the "Glass Castle")

beautiful story- fierce and inspiring

[caroline]

hi shauna, i recently discovered your blog in a round-a-bout way, and i feel i've made a new friend with whom i can relate in so many areas. love your style, and thoughts about books & food... keep posting! thanks from canada :)