Chaos Reading discussion

Since I moved to a completely different climate and landscape (well two actually), I'm finding I want to read books set in the same landscape to really absorb the sense of place.

For example, my job is located south of the Gulf of Carpentaria, which is very flat, hot and dry with huge open skies and vivid red light at sunset. I've picked up a copy of Carpentaria, which i would never choose to read otherwise, purely to see what it's like to read the book from within the landscape it describes.

Where I live, on the other hand, is tropical, sunny and humid, with palm trees, reddish sandy earth, high rounded hills and lumpy islands on the ocean's horizon. When I first arrived I was reading Lord of the Flies which could easily have been set here. Sadly, I didn't enjoy that book, but I'm keen to read something that captures the sense of........ tropicality.

Has anyone tried this sort of place-based reading?

I enjoy doing this as well and enjoy picturing the locations as I know them and as they are described in the book. Historical novels set in Vancouver are particularly interesting as I try to compare the descriptions with what's in that location today.

Ruby, have you read Beside a Burning Sea. IIRC, it's set on a tropical island. For a more humorous book, I'd recommend Island of the Sequined Love Nun.

I don't think I've ever done this while traveling, though I'd like to sometime. I do really like reading books set in New York City though, since that's where I live (Brooklyn born and raised!) and hey, there are a LOT of books set here. It's fun to recognize places mentioned in the text.

Bird Brian wrote: "Riona wrote: "I don't think I've ever done this while traveling, though I'd like to sometime. I do really like reading books set in New York City though, since that's where I live (Brooklyn born an..."

I actually haven't read Breakfast at Tiffany's. Or even seen the movie. Soon, I hope! I have a whole shelf, though.

Petra wrote: "For a more humorous book, I'd recommend Island of the Sequined Love Nun. ..."

LOL. Oddly enough, I did read some of Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal up here!

I actually ordered a bunch of César Aira books to read up here, and they arrived (finally) the other day. I felt that a latin american vibe might work here at a pinch.

Ruby wrote: "LOL. Oddly enough, I did read some of Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal up here!"

Lamb is my favorite book by Christopher Moore to date.

The Uluru one is a little fraught for me. I got into a fight with an Alice Springs tour operator for running tours out there without telling the tourists that the traditional owners prefer people NOT walk on the rock itself (it's considered extremely sacred). They're supposed to tell people that these days (by law I believe), but they don't. A lot of those tour operators cash in on the Indigenous culture, while simultaneously being ignorant or disdainful of it, in some cases just outright racist. Don't get me started.... !

That's good to hear that people told you about it.

There is a great essay by Anne Fadiman (Clifton's daughter) about people that like to travel to the places mentioned in books and reread them on the spot. The essay is called "You are There" from Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader.

I have a different reaction. Since I've moved to the American South (which has no proper winters), every year around this time I always get a hankering to read about blizzards. I usually end up reading parts of Stephen King's The Shining or Stephen King's Misery.

Mickey wrote: "There is a great essay by Anne Fadiman (Clifton's daughter) about people that like to travel to the places mentioned in books and reread them on the spot. The essay is called "You are There" from E..."

Yes, I had that essay in the back of my mind while I was posting this. Derek challenged me to read that book as part of a Bossy Book Challenge. I was not a fan: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Bossy book challenges sound interesting. Personally, I don't have a problem with "privileged" readers who grew up in highly literate homes as long as they are not snobs about it. I don't like people who use books as a way to make distinctions between themselves and others. (Example: A.S. Byatt saying that readers of Harry Potter are the sort of people who watch soap operas.) I never got that impression from Anne Fadiman. She seemed to genuinely love reading (although I hadn't considered her referring to science fiction as "junk" before).

You might have better luck with her other book of essays At Large and at Small: Familiar Essays, which isn't all about her reading.

I've tried before, reading Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil when passing through Georgia, then reading Big Trouble while visiting the in-laws in Florida. Finished the Barry book. It was a hoot. I get distracted travelling so humor helps.

Since I grew up in Kentucky, and never really lived anyplace else, I enjoy local authors ... Maybe I'm still trying to find my sense of place, how my environment has shaped me. At any rate, if you ever find yourself here - or want a truer sense of Appalachian culture - may I suggest you try Silas House books.

Ruby wrote: "The Uluru one is a little fraught for me. I got into a fight with an Alice Springs tour operator for running tours out there without telling the tourists that the traditional owners prefer people N..."

Did not know of this issue, but have learned a lot since it was brought up (and thanks to Google). Reminds me of the "hillbilly" tours near my home and in some other states - not nearly as serious as being disdainful or outright exploiting one's religious beliefs, though.

Was wondering, are there any books on the history of Uluru, a collection of the stories told? I was fascinated by the idea that one site referred to ... aborginal guides telling stories as you walk around it?

I just booked plane tickets to Colombia for the end of January. I think it will be the perfect time to finally try some Gabriel Garcí­a Márquez!

Allen wrote: "Ruby wrote: "The Uluru one is a little fraught for me. I got into a fight with an Alice Springs tour operator for running tours out there without telling the tourists that the traditional owners pr..."

A lot of central Australian communities (and other remote places in Aus) run cultural tours these days. It's really important if you do one to make sure it's actually approved by, and profiting, the traditional owners of that particular place. There are a lot of rip-off artists out there, and others who just don't understand the traditional protocols. That said, Central Australia has more authentic cultural tours, and a more conspicuous acknowledgement of Indigenous cultures, than most other regions of Australia. There's also cultural accreditation these days, which helps a lot: http://www.wayoutback.com.au/getdoc/0...

A lot of the books of Aboriginal stories that are around aren't written by the keepers of those stories also, and are often a mish-mash of different bits and pieces of cultures. A lot of them are written by non-Indigenous people who don't have the right to share certain knowledge, or who don't really understand it. That said, because Uluru is one of the most well-known Aboriginal sacred places, misappropriation of culture there is fairly well policed.
You can find quite a lot of authentic Uluru stories online that are approved by Pitjantjatjara and/or Yankunytjatjara Elders. The Wikipedia entry is probably a good start. Also, this tourism company have some good info on their website: http://www.wayoutback.com.au/Uluru-(A...

Riona wrote: "I just booked plane tickets to Colombia for the end of January. I think it will be the perfect time to finally try some Gabriel Garcí­a Márquez!"

SO jealous! Take me with you? *flutters eyelashes*

Ruby wrote: "Riona wrote: "I just booked plane tickets to Colombia for the end of January. I think it will be the perfect time to finally try some Gabriel Garcí­a Márquez!"

SO jealous! Take me with you? *flutters eyelashes*"

I'm so excited! I can't wait.

When I've intentionally read books set in locations I'm visiting I haven't found it's added much, but I did have two great reading experiences when place and text meshed accidentally.

One was soon after I moved to Seattle. I walked downtown and bought a copy of Calvino's Invisible Cities in a used bookstore. I decided to stop in Denny Park on the way back and read a chapter. Denny Park is a triangle of trees and greenery surrounded by three very busy streets and I had it to myself. It was the perfect setting for the book and I was in just the right mood being in a still strange city. I stayed and read it through.

The second time was when I happened to be reading the 'Town of Cats' part of 1Q84 late at night while waiting for a bus that didn't seem like it was ever going to come. Anyone who's read it will know how appropriate this was for this part of the book.

I wouldn't trade either of those experiences for anything, they were both completely amazing.

Which just reminded me that the 'Town of Cats' section is available on The New Yorker website. Here it is: Murakami's Town of Cats. Worth a read in its own right, and probably a good indication of whether you'll like the rest of 1Q84.

50 Places Every Literary Fan Should Visit, apparently:
http://flavorwire.com/403319/50-place...
via flavorwire