{"id":548,"date":"2009-07-19T22:04:16","date_gmt":"2009-07-19T22:04:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.revolutionsf.com\/revblogs\/geekcurmudgeon\/2009\/07\/19\/trip-book-selections\/"},"modified":"2012-08-17T05:19:26","modified_gmt":"2012-08-17T05:19:26","slug":"trip-book-selections","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.revolutionsf.com\/revblogs\/geekcurmudgeon\/2009\/07\/19\/trip-book-selections\/","title":{"rendered":"Trip Book Selections"},"content":{"rendered":"

I imagine when preparing for a trip, most people concern themselves primarily with clothing, money… that sort of thing. Not me, the foremost thing on my mind is what reading material should I bring.<\/p>\n

Sure, I bring the essentials.. change of underwear, clean clothes, toothbrush, etc but I spend a lot of time figuring out the perfect selection of titles for the trip. I live in fear that I will run out of things to read.<\/p>\n

During the nineties when I was traveling a lot to promote Mojo Press<\/a>, I developed a method for determining the optimal selections, which I still use. Several factors include the reason for the trip, where I’m going, and how long I’ll be gone all figure in.<\/p>\n

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\nIf I am going to a science fiction or comic book convention, I never read any sort of fantastical works. By the time my day at a con is finished, the last thing I want is yet more fantastic. No science fiction, no fantasy, no horror, and no comics. For those occasions, I crave westerns, crime and\/or some contemporary fiction.<\/p>\n

When attending a non-genre book show, science fiction and westerns are the best. Preferably nothing that has to do with contemporary issues.<\/p>\n

Vacations have their own set of rules as well. Generally, location plays into it. When we go to West Texas to visit my mother-in-law, westerns are completely out. I’ll get enough of that reality on the drive up and the time we spend in Amarillo. Something urban and gritty–ideally a Hard Case Crime-style story or perhaps the East Coast stylings of Philip Roth– fills the bill.<\/p>\n

For the bi-annual sojourns to Tulsa, almost anything goes. Tulsa gives off a different vibe with its odd combination of middle America, the South, and the West. Thankfully, I am always promised a trip to Gardner’s<\/a>, so no matter what I bring, I can always get more.<\/p>\n

Brandy and I took a trip to New York City last year. That was all about the westerns. Something to get me away from the city and slow the mind down at night.<\/p>\n

\nSeveral rules apply to any trip.<\/p>\n