Reading with Style discussion

Charles Darwin (b.Feb 12, 1809): Read a work that involves a grand adventure, such as his Voyage of the Beagle, Moby-Dick or, The Whale, or Robinson Crusoe. The book must involve travel.

Please post any questions about task 20.7 in this thread.

Would this one work? Solace of the Road

This task is more travel adventure than a coming of age venture, so that doesn't really fit. Here are some ideas, most of which would fit the task perfectly:

https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
https://www.cntraveler.com/stories/20...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Travel_... (many of the books in this article would fit)

How bout Burke and Wills: The triumph and tragedy of Australia's most famous explorers?

Or does it have to involve the sea (task doesn't specify but examples all have sea travel)?

Tien wrote: "How bout Burke and Wills: The triumph and tragedy of Australia's most famous explorers?

Or does it have to involve the sea (task doesn't specify but examples all have sea travel)?"

Yes, that would work. No, as to a sea voyage requirement - those were just ones I thought of at the time, probably influenced by the Darwin title. For myself, I have penciled in King Solomon's Mines, an overland adventure as is your Australian explorer title.

Does The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey work for this task?

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Yes, that would work. No, as to a sea voyage requirement - those were just ones I thought of at the time, probably influenced by the Darwin title."

Excellent! Thanks, Elizabeth! Thought I'd just check :)

Megan wrote: "Does The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey work for this task?"

Yes, indeed! Such an adventure that was! And Millard writes wonderfully!

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Megan wrote: "Does The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey work for this task?"

Yes, indeed! Such an adventure that was! And Millard writes wonderfully!"

The Candice Millard website says the book won the William Rockhill Nelson award. Is it an award that GR includes?
http://www.candicemillard.com/index.html

Owlette wrote: "The Candice Millard website says the book won the William Rockhill Nelson award. Is it an award that GR includes?"

It isn't one that is currently on the website and a google search finds little about it. We'll have to forgo it for now, but if I find something more and more recipients, I'll do what I can.

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Owlette wrote: "The Candice Millard website says the book won the William Rockhill Nelson award. Is it an award that GR includes?"

It isn't one that is currently on the website and a google search..."
Great-thanks!

would this work?
Failure is Not an Option: Mission Control From Mercury to Apollo 13 and Beyond

Rebekah wrote: "would this work?
Failure is Not an Option: Mission Control From Mercury to Apollo 13 and Beyond"

Yes, certainly a grand adventure!

A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson?

itpdx wrote: "A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson?"

Yes!

Would Endurance: A Year in Space, A Lifetime of Discovery by Scott Kelly be OK? (He's got a February birthday too.)

I'm thinking that this one should work (On the Road).

Connie wrote: "Would Endurance: A Year in Space, A Lifetime of Discovery by Scott Kelly be OK? (He's got a February birthday too.)"

This will work.

Bea wrote: "I'm thinking that this one should work (On the Road)."

It certainly does.

Does Melmoth the Wanderer fit here? I can't really tell from the description whether there are any adventures involved;)

Karen Michele wrote: "Does Melmoth the Wanderer fit here? I can't really tell from the description whether there are any adventures involved;)"

Yes. It looks as if his entire extended life is an adventure, and yes he travels the world. Enjoy!

Thanks, Elizabeth— I’ve forgotten where your exact location is in Alaska. Are you ok from the earthquake?

Would Inferno by Dante Alighieri work here?

Karen Michele wrote: "Thanks, Elizabeth— I’ve forgotten where your exact location is in Alaska. Are you ok from the earthquake?"

Yes, fine, thanks. We're about as far from Anchorage as we are from Seattle - about 700 miles. Seeing the damage same as everyone else!

Anika wrote: "Would Inferno by Dante Alighieri work here?"

Yes!

I love the take you all are having with this task!

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Anika wrote: "Would Inferno by Dante Alighieri work here?"

Yes!

I love the take you all are having with this task!"

Yay! I'm torn between re-reading Inferno (which I read YEARS ago) or branching out into something I've not yet read. I'm also trying to use this task to reach my personal reading goal of reading a book from each of Bloom's four "Ages" in his Canon...
with that in mind, I wanted to see if perhaps Le Morte d'Arthur: King Arthur and the Legends of the Round Table might fit here? Or if perchance you could see somewhere that it would fit that I'm not seeing...

Also: relieved to hear that you're safe and sound!

Anika wrote: "Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Anika wrote: "Would Inferno by Dante Alighieri work here?"

Yes!

I love the take you all are having with this task!"

Yay! I'm torn between..."

Yes, we believe Le Morte d'Arthur should work for this task, but also that it should work for 20.6 Edith Wharton. Kings certainly count among the wealthy/leisure class.

How about these?

The Hunt for Red October
The Interesting Narrative and Other Writings
The Floating Brothel: The Extraordinary True Story of an Eighteenth-Century Ship and Its Cargo of Female Convicts

Rosemary wrote: "How about these?

The Hunt for Red October
The Interesting Narrative and Other Writings
[book:The Floating Brothel: The Extraordinary True Story of an Eighteenth-Century..."

The Hunt for Red October brushes up against the edges, but yes, and yes to the other two also.

Thank you! I'll try to prioritise one of the second two :)

I'm still working on my Square Peg and have started Jayber Crow. It does not take place in Appalacia, but Jayber is traveling all over northwest Kentucky. He's trying different schools and jobs, but he often walks many miles and he even was (view spoiler)[caught in a flood area at one point. (hide spoiler)] Should I place it here, or is it ok for a Square Peg?

Karen Michele wrote: "I'm still working on my Square Peg and have started Jayber Crow. It does not take place in Appalacia, but Jayber is traveling all over northwest Kentucky. He's trying different schools..."

I think it does not fit this task. I didn't thoroughly look at any other tasks to verify the square peg.

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Karen Michele wrote: "I'm still working on my Square Peg and have started Jayber Crow. It does not take place in Appalacia, but Jayber is traveling all over northwest Kentucky. He's tr..."

Great, Elizabeth, thanks. It doesn't "feel" like a fit, but I wanted to confirm. I think I've checked everything else pretty thoroughly.

I have a great recommendation for this task. Tales of a Female Nomad: Living at Large in the World by Rita Golden Gelman and Female Nomad and Friends: Tales of Breaking Free and Breaking Bread Around the World by same author. and she's 80 years old!

I met her in India when she came to the American School to talk to the elementary grades about her children's books. an amazing lady! As part of the PTA, I gave her accommodations at our guest house. We have remained friends, she spoke at my oldest daughter's Quaker boarding school in Iowa in exchange for me letting her stay in our cabin on the Hiwassee River in Tennessee one summer. She was basically homeless, just going where fate would take her anywhere around the world, staying with royalty in Thailand or a tiny village in Mexico, or with naked tribes of Papua New Guinea. We've met up in Houston as well, wherever her her wanderings and my traveling take us when we happen to be in the same part of the map! I did tell her about Goodreads some time back but saw she never became a member. Maybe I'll contact her and see if she will become one now. (smile)

some articles about her
https://seniorplanet.org/on-the-road-...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rita_Go...
https://travelfreak.net/rita-golden-g...

her official website
http://www.ritagoldengelman.com

a you tube video where she speaks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2tij...

How about these two sailing adventures? Both were shelved more than 100 times as "adventure."
Swallows and Amazons
Treasure Island

Owlette wrote: "How about these two sailing adventures? Both were shelved more than 100 times as "adventure."
Swallows and Amazons
Treasure Island"

Treasure Island works, but I think Swallows and Amazons does not.

How about adventures to fictional lands? Down Among the Sticks and Bones has the main characters traveling down a staircase they find in a trunk and into another world. Probably a stretch haha.

Sam wrote: "How about adventures to fictional lands? Down Among the Sticks and Bones has the main characters traveling down a staircase they find in a trunk and into another world. Probably a s..."

Actually, I think that does work. Certainly sci-fi space adventures would work also.

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Sam wrote: "How about adventures to fictional lands? Down Among the Sticks and Bones has the main characters traveling down a staircase they find in a trunk and into another world. ..."

Great! Thanks Elizabeth!

Does In Morocco by Edith Wharton work?

Ed wrote: "Does In Morocco by Edith Wharton work?"

Yes!

Hi, can I get a ruling on Among the Believers : An Islamic Journey by V.S. Naipaul. From Amazon's website, "Naipaul's controversial account of his travels through the Islamic world was hailed by The New Republic as "the most notable work on contemporary Islam to have appeared in a very long time." I think it fits but I'm new so who knows?

April wrote: "Hi, can I get a ruling on Among the Believers : An Islamic Journey by V.S. Naipaul. From Amazon's website, "Naipaul's controversial account of his travels through the Isl..."

Yes, that works for this task. Always feel free to ask - we have plenty of long-time members who ask such questions.

Might this one work? Travel adventure on Yangtze river, China in 1922

On A Chinese Screen by W. Somerset Maugham

Owlette wrote: "Might this one work? Travel adventure on Yangtze river, China in 1922

On A Chinese Screen by W. Somerset Maugham"

I don't think this one works. It sounds more like a fish out of water experience, than a grand travel adventure. In order to work for this task, there needs to be some actual travel involved.

The Enigma of Arrival: A Novel in Five Sections

Will this qualify in the Charles Darwin category

From the book cover: "The story of a writer's singular journey - from one place to another, from the British colony of Trinidad to to ancient countryside of England, and from one state of mind to another. . .

Kate S wrote: "Owlette wrote: "Might this one work? Travel adventure on Yangtze river, China in 1922

On A Chinese Screen by W. Somerset Maugham"

I don't think this one works. It s..."

Okay. GR summary says he traveled over 1,000 miles on the river, though.

A Supremely Bad Idea: Three Mad Birders and Their Quest to See It All

Another possibility for Charles Darwin -- From book jacket
One mans account of an epic journey around America in search of the rarest and most beautiful birds the country has to offer

Owlette wrote: "Okay. GR summary says he traveled over 1,000 miles on the river, though.."

I think this is not about that travel, but that he used that travel to reflect others' experiences.

Mary wrote: "The Enigma of Arrival: A Novel in Five Sections

Will this qualify in the Charles Darwin category

From the book cover: "The story of a writer's singular journey - from one place to an..."

This may have less travel than we intended for this task, but I think it works. I had to look at a few reviews to be sure.

In fact, what emerges in the book is the story of a journey of a traveler from Trinidad who ends up living in Wiltshire near Stonehenge, the journey that Naipaul took himself.