I'm always guilty of bringing too many books when packing for a trip; being a firm believer in the one-book-per-day rule. (Not that I'm necessarily going to read a book a day — though on a certain kind of vacation I might — but that I worry about running out, about maybe not liking what I brought, about wanting something for a different mood.) For those who, like me, feel like our vacation packing isn't complete unless it's weighed down with novels, here are a handful of reading suggestions for various kinds of journeys — even if you're staying home.
For the beach
Not exactly a fluffy beach read, Ian McEwan's "On Chesil Beach" is a devastating, gorgeous portrait of a young couple on their wedding night at a seaside hotel in Dorset, and of the intricate baggage they carry. Or, if you'd prefer something a bit lighter, Beatriz Williams' novels all suit beach bags well; "The Summer Wives" is an engrossing tale of an actor returning to the island town that changed her life long ago. Even lighter? Consider the best beach read ever (even though I don't remember it actually involving a beach): Kevin Kwan's frothy "Crazy Rich Asians," a tale of love and excess that'll have you giggling on every page.
