As the Curzon Group gears up for its August airport tour (sounds very rock 'n' roll doesn't it?) it got me thinking about holiday reads in general. They say that people are less inhibited when they go on holiday - in ways that has given us quite a stigma abroad - I wonder if the same applies to our reading habits.
A lot of people read escapist fiction to relieve the monotony of their daily lives, to transport themselves to exotic locations while they sit on public transport. So, if they've already transplanted themselves to somewhere exotic what to read then? A lot of people will make sure their favourite author is with them irrespective of the subject matter but does having the time and a relaxed frame of mind make people willing to give a new author a try?
Personally, I usually take some dependables with me but there are always some impulse purchases that go into my suitcase. Holidays are the one time of the year I don't mind taking a gamble and it very often pays off. It's a great opportunity to broaden your reading range.
This is the purpose of our signing tours. We want holiday readers to take a gamble on some names they may not have encountered before and to take a signed copy away with them that will always be a souvenir of (we hope) an enjoyably escapist holiday.
Manchester airport has been confirmed for Friday the 14th August (time to be confirmed), we're in East Midlands airport from 5.30 am (!) until 10.30 am on the 15th August and an August date and time for Heathrow Terminal 5 will be confirmed very soon.
Should be a unique experience and hopefully you'll all be in a holiday mood.
Richard Jay Parker
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While at home - I read 'the dependables' mainly because I know I have a tendency to read them quickly.
ReplyDeleteDepending on author and genre, I have a 1 to 3 day turn around time with a 300-500 page book. Yes, I do make my way through a lot of books.
While on vacation, though, I usually take a chance on a new author, or on a book that I've heard a bit about, that I want to try. Sometimes, I will take a book that is, in some way, research related (like a book of myths, or something historically related). The main reason for this is that my caveat for vacation reading is that it has to be one (two at the most) book that (say, due to airline weight restrictions) it has to be something that I know will take me the week (or two) to read.
Have wound up with some keepers that way, have also wound up with some tossers and also some in betweens (all of which are dependent on the mood as much as subject matter).