Book Menage Day 5: The Wrap-up.

Well, and here it is Friday already. Don't you sometimes wish we could all get together after these Menages, and have some afternoon coffee and cake, and REALLY get into discussing these books? I do. I'm trying to tell myself that's what retirement's going to be like--I don't care how poor I am, when I am old I am instituting an afternoon coffee or tea and cake ritual.

But until such time as my cake or retirement dreams come true, I must say this has been a bang-up Menage. Thank you once again to everyone who participated; your comments, of course, are what make the Menages so fun. Anyone got any ideas for the next one?

Just the one question today, and it's another one you know I like to ask:

1. If you could ask these authors one question about their books, what would you ask?

If and when I get my laptop back from the laptop sleep-away camp that is the repair shop, I will try to contact these authors with some of our questions and see if we can get any replies. Until then, please think good thoughts for my poor beleagured laptop; I know it's small potatoes on the scale of problems but man, it's disruptive (and don't forget expensive) to have your computer gone.

Comments

[Beth]

just wanted to take a sec and say that i really regret needing to bow out of this menage. i know it's just a book club, and life gets in the way of fun hobby-like things, and that's what happened this time. the books were great choices, i just ran out of time in the day. hopefully i'll be able to make it next time, especially if it's science related :)

[Citizen Reader]

No worries, Beth,
The discussion always stays up (and I always see new comments), so if you ever do read the books and want to add something, that's great. Just click on the Book Menage category at right and it's always easy to get back to these posts.

I totally know what you mean about life getting in the way of this stuff! Too bad, though. I wish sometimes you could tell life to chill while you take care of the really important things, like reading and sleeping.

[Tripp]

Hmmm, well I can't think of a great one, but given some of the places they went, was there ever a time they felt their lives were truly in danger?

[Ruthiella]

Thank you CR for setting this up. I have really enjoyed it. What I like about the ménage (and this blog) is the opportunity to be exposed to books I would not normally read otherwise. Whatever the theme, I look forward to the next ménage. I don’t really have any lingering questions, although I am still concerned about Roger and his drinking.

[Citizen Reader]

Tripp,
Actually, that's a good question. All I could think about in the Bryson was, what would he do if he had car trouble in the middle of nowhere?

Ruthiella,
Thank YOU for participating. I'm glad we can talk over lots of kinds of books here, and I appreciate everyone getting into the spirit of things and talking them over. I don't know if you've noticed, but it's getting harder to find a good reading (or any) kind of conversation these days--everyone just wants to talk about the new gadgets they just bought (iPad: snore) or the great sales they found at Target over the weekend. Ho-hum. Thank God for you lovely readers!!

I wonder what a nice way to ask Mr. Horwitz how Roger is holding up these days would be. I will think on it.

[Marmota]

I noticed that EVERYONE drank a lot in these books. The sailors on the Endeavor and other voyages, Horwitz and Roger, even Bryson ties it on a lot. Is drinking really that much a part of Australian culture?

I think Horwitz would completely understand a question about the state of Roger's liver. That may be the topic of his next book.

Great books, thanks for the Menage!

[Laura]

Great menage! Thanks for hosting! I would probably not have read Blue Latitudes if not for the menage - so thank you!

I always like to ask all travelers where they'd like to go that they haven't been before. For Horwitz, I'd like to know his other heroes.

[Citizen Reader]

Marmota,
Fine point about everyone drinking quite a bit. Even Bryson's no enemy of a brewski, I notice. I live in a university town known for its binge drinking, so I must say I didn't even notice about everyone (including the sailors, although, if I had their jobs, I'd drink too) drinking. Great point. You're welcome for the Menage--thanks for participating!

Laura,
The "where do you want to go next" question is a GREAT one, and a good standby for many situations (including small talk). I'll see if I can't get a computer working somewhere and track down both Bryson and Horwitz to see if they could answer our questions. And thank YOU for your comments in the Menage, and for being open to "Blue Latitudes"!

[Rick]

I've had such a hard time thinking of a question that I'm a day late. It does occur to me that both writer seem to be great readers. Maybe they could recommend more contemporary travel adventures that they enjoy.

[Donna]

Sorry I couldn't participate in this one. I've got a ton of required reading to do and was on a college trip with my 17 year old all last week.

But I do want to read the Horowitz because of an interesting reading connection. I'm leading a discussion on Doris Lessing's "The Fifth Child" this week and many of the reviews related it to "Frankenstein". Then I stumbled upon the new book "Age of Wonder" about British science in the Romantic Era and the first section of that book was on Joseph Banks who was the doctor/botanist/anthropologist on ... Cook's first voyage on the Endeavor. Quite a reading map, huh?

I do recommend "Age of Wonder" as it is a neat combination of science and poetry (of all things!) and though I'm not particularly fond of either of these reading genres, together they make quite a combination.