Favorite book that you read on your cruise?

[dixie54]

We are heading out in a few weeks and want to take a good one!!

[Lisakey25]

We are heading out in a few weeks and want to take a good one!!

no book for me, way to much to do other than read. I can read at home I can't enjoy a cruise at home. just my opinion

[Spoiledliz]

no book for me, way to much to do other than read. I can read at home I can't enjoy a cruise at home. just my opinion

 

May I ask why would you purposely come in and make this comment? It is clear you think reading is a waste on vacation, and you are entitled to your opinion, but the title to this post is pretty clear, along with the question. Was it really necessary to go out of your way to make this statement? I just don't get it...

 

 

I'm taking Sophie Kinsella's Mini-Shopoholic with me! It's an easy and most likely funny read!

 

I can not wait to sit on my balcony in my lounge chair with the breeze blowing and a pina colada in my hand! 22 more days!

[BrianAlt]

One cruise I read Life of Pi. Odd choice for a cruise, but a good book.

[Seatravelers]

Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett

[Teeara]

My first cruise I read "Under the Tuscan Sun". On the second cruise they showed the movie in the theater! Very enjoyable. Book is totally different from the movie.

 

This year I'm bringing The Autobiography of Mark Twain. And some puzzle books. Very relaxing for me.

[dixie54]

I just finished Pillars Of the Earth this morning! Did you read the sequel?

[JudyM]

Puzzle books are always quick and casual entertainment (Sudoku for me). Also, the Mark Twain autobiography sounds good.

 

Also, you might like to consider a ship-themed book, like one of Patrick O'Brian's Jack Aubrey series, or something set in a country you are visiting. And don't rule out the ship's library. DH and I have always found a good selection of interesting books available.

[Mary Ellen]

Thank you for the ideas.

[Darkwolfe]

Got a Kindle yet? Take hundreds if you want that way. I have friends going that will literally haul two Kindles for flights and any time we get stuck waiting somewhere.

 

Once on the ship though, reading becomes very secondary to everything else. Still, parked on the balcony with a good book on a sea-day does have its merit!

 

Have a great cruise!

[Robkat]

Well, we just got home from a 2-week cruise and we love reading a couple of good books on a cruise. Here are some specifics:

 

On our most recent cruise, DH read The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo (by Stieg Larssen) and The Associate (by John Grisham).

I read The Pirate (by Ted Bell) and The Appeal (by Grisham).

All really good. It was the first time I'd read Ted Bell and it was a great book.

 

We love anything by Vince Flynn, Daniel Silva, Nelson de Mille (The Lion's Game is one of my all time favorites of his, but they're all really, really good!), and Ken Follett. Whenever we can take books by any of these guys, we know we'll get a good read!!!

 

Have fun!

[LongTimeTvlr]

Sorry couldn't resist when I saw your question.

On my last cruise I read Einstein by Walter Issacson.

 

I was a physics major in college (one of two to graduate in my class of 570).

I wished this book was available while I was in college (class of 69). I gave up on physics because the naturalists were being over powered by the statisticians and it just seemed wrong to me. Turns out so did Einstein.

 

According to this book Einstein was wrong on this issue, but that may be becuase the statisticians still dominate modern day physics.

 

Fascinating read, but maybe you have to be a physics major. In any case if you like biographies, non-fiction, or science in general I highly recommend this well written and historically accruate book.

[Sinusoid]

I'm kind of "on board" with the first reply - I usually can't bring myself to wind down and read on a cruise. I'm too excited to sit still!

 

However, I always bring books, and try to relax - light, relaxing reads are the best, but I like very long books. It's hard to find a good balance between these two, but I'd recommend:

 

Recessional by James Michener - about a Florida retirement community. Not much dramatic tension, not much of anything at stake - a very RELAXING book, in my 28-yo opinion. I suppose if I was closer to retirement age, I might find it a little more unsettling.

 

Time Enough for Love by Robert Heinlein - this is the one I'm bringing on my cruise in two days. Again, not much at stake through the book - all the characters get along, it's heavy on rambling solipsism - Heinlein having playful arguments with himself for 900+ pages. Not for the easily offended, though, it crosses about every taboo there is.

 

Edit: It's not fair to not plug my favorite living author. If you can find a copy of John Varley's collection of stories called Picnic on Nearside (nee The Barbie Murders), there's a great little story about a cruise ship - on a captured asteroid! - called "The Funhouse Effect". The other stories are very much worth reading, too.

[celle]

no book for me, way to much to do other than read. I can read at home I can't enjoy a cruise at home. just my opinion

 

I guess it depends in the type of cruise you take.

 

On a short, port-intensive cruise, I do not do much reading.

 

However, we like to take long cruises with lots of sea days.

 

On a sea day, I find nothing more pleasant than sitting reading a good book, with a a nice drink beside me, and a view of the ocean.

 

I tend to "save" books for cruising - buy them earlier and don't read them until I am on the cruise. That's one more thing I look forward to.

[suezyq50]

I always take some books and read. It IS part of my vacation. For my last cruise, I went to the library website and put in "cruise" and decided from there. I like to be sure it is an easy read.

[Serious Cruisers]

The book that holds the room service menu (sorry had to say it).

[Canuck455]

Brian Alt: Life of Pi is one of my all time favourite books!!! Did you know what it was about before you read it??

 

I am currently reading Stieg Larssens trilogy, and will have my Kindle loaded with a few books for our upcoming cruise on the Oasis. Nothing beats lounging in the Solarium with a drink and a book!!!!