If you could travel to one place you’ve read about in a book, what place would you visit and what book did you read to inspire your sense of adventure?
54 thoughts on “Reader Friday – If you could travel to one place you’ve read about…”
My first thought would be Derry Maine just to see Stephen Kings creations come to life. Then after more then a sip of coffee i would love to travel to Thailand. There is a series of books from author Jhon Burdett taking place there. I think I have reread Bangkok 8 and Bangkok Tattoo a few times
Very exotic, James. Keep enjoying your coffee. Thanks for sharing.
Not sure why my previous comments vanished into the ether–joe, we need you already! I guess I’d be daring and choose Botswana of The First Ladies’ Detectve Club. But only their version would I want to visit. I think the real Botswana might be a tad rough for this city gal…
Hollywood, 1940. Buy Philip Marlowe a drink.
I could’ve picked this one for you, Jim. Nice.
Ooooh, may I crash your party? I’ll buy.
Does fantasy count? I’d love to see Oz. All the evil has been vanquished, but the different lands are brilliant, and all the character types fascinate me.
Of COURSE, Staci. Fantasy is great for this question. I would not elect a Hunger Games future, thank you very much.
I don’t blame you. I don’t think many people would. 🙂
Who wouldn’t want to see flying monkeys?
I’d love to chat with a scarecrow. Well, I mean, I can do that now, but I think it would be fun if it talked back.
*snort*
My own home state of Arizona, But a hundred or more years ago before urban development.
Your comment reminded me of the first books that ever swept me away – Westerns – Louis L’Amour & my love for horses. I’ve often thought about what it would be like to ride a horse across our pristine country before roads, fences, utilities & urban sprawl. Thanks, BK.
While most kids my age would say Hogwarts, I’ll be a rebel and say Chrestomanci Castle. I’d love to meet everybody there. Howl’s Moving Castle would be fun, too.
Rebel.
London, England 1930-1970 to sip tea with Agatha Christie
Oh, good one. I’d love to work a mystery with her. Very enticing.
Tough one. I think I’ve been to 43 states and a good 60-70 or so countries, if I were to count and determine which map to apply (several countries having split or joined since my visit(s)). I’m sure my voracious reading as a child subconsicouly influenced this. I always wanted to go to India. Was it at least partially because of the romantic vision put forth in the The Secret Garden/The Little Princess et al? Maybe. Desperately wanted to go to London. Was it because of books? Maybe a little, but maybe it was the rock and roll. I don’t think Paddington influenced my decision to visit Darkest Peru. Or maybe he did. I can say no book made me want to go to Africa because I never had nay interest in going to Africa. Then one day I found myself there for three months, discovered I loved it, and couldn’t believe I’d been missing it for so many years. The one place I haven’t been that I most want to go is Antarctica. The only book I can think of for there is Who Goes There? (made into movies as The Thing). That’s a book/movie I won’t be taking with me on the voyage. 😉
Very impressive. Books are a great adventure but you’ve lived quite a life. Well done. Thanks, CF.
In honor of Grapes of Wrath, I kicked off my first Route 66 trip in Salisaw Oklahoma and did the entire trip while rereading it for the umptieth time. I really really (really) want to redo that trip over about 10 days so I can stop in ever single map dot town and walk the downtown.
Otherwise, likely New York “in the day” to spy on the Algonquin Round Table before crashing Prof Bell’s party in 1940s Hollywood.
Wow. Very cool.
I’d love to visit the mists of Avalon.
I loved that book…
Paris…both at the turn of the century (19th) and again in the 20s. Woody Allen sort of took me there in “Midnight in Paris.”
My Paris would hsve to be sans Woody Allen.
Hrm…let’s see…
Alaska!
Oh, wait, I live there already.
Erm…Canada!
No…been there, both sides…
Uh, The Faerie Mounds of Tara!
Um, Mr. Basil…you don’t want to go to the Faerie Mounds of Tara.
No? Why not?
It’s not what it used to be.
Yeah, it’s in a bit of a sad state at the moment, apparently they got a hold of some bad enchanted liquor.
They got sick? Do some magic to help them out then.
No, no, no…you don’t quite understand. Bad enchanted liquor doesn’t just make one sick, or eat one’s liver, or kill one directly.
What does it do then?
Remember that movie back a long while back? Gremlins?
Uh…yeah, where the cute fuzzy little bear like Gremlins turn nasty scaly little demon monster Gremlins?
Yeah
That’s what happened there? The Faeries and Leprechauns all turned into monsters?
No, actually, nothing like that at all.
If only it were so innocent a thing as monsters and demons, that’d be no problem.
What then?
Well, the entire mound population was so disgusted with the bad magic that they all swore off liquor and became accountants and stock brokers. They subdivided the mound and sold it to developers who are building a series of Faerie Shopping Malls and fourteen Starbucks shops.
Oh My!! How terrible!
Well then…uh….Mars! I want to go to Mars and join John Carter and his army!
You want to go back to Mars after what happened last time?
That was Boffin’s fault not me!
It was an accident, besides it still mostly looks like a face up there…mostly.
Sigh….guess i’ll just stay home this weekend.
Omg Basil et al. Where to begin? You are a party inside your head. I’m jealous.
LOL, Basil. Can’t top that exchange, but I’d like to go back to Victorian England and the world of Sherlock Holmes. Just for a visit, mind you. The 19th century was no place for women.
Good one, Elaine. Love it.
Alaska with Ryker Townsend. (had to make up for being late somehow!)
I really would love to see Alaska, though.
Ha! You made my day. Alaska is amazing. Hope you go. It can be a real adventure if it’s not too planned. You have to allow for the incredible. Thanks, Sue.
My first thought would be Derry Maine just to see Stephen Kings creations come to life. Then after more then a sip of coffee i would love to travel to Thailand. There is a series of books from author Jhon Burdett taking place there. I think I have reread Bangkok 8 and Bangkok Tattoo a few times
Very exotic, James. Keep enjoying your coffee. Thanks for sharing.
Not sure why my previous comments vanished into the ether–joe, we need you already! I guess I’d be daring and choose Botswana of The First Ladies’ Detectve Club. But only their version would I want to visit. I think the real Botswana might be a tad rough for this city gal…
Hollywood, 1940. Buy Philip Marlowe a drink.
I could’ve picked this one for you, Jim. Nice.
Ooooh, may I crash your party? I’ll buy.
Does fantasy count? I’d love to see Oz. All the evil has been vanquished, but the different lands are brilliant, and all the character types fascinate me.
Of COURSE, Staci. Fantasy is great for this question. I would not elect a Hunger Games future, thank you very much.
I don’t blame you. I don’t think many people would. 🙂
Who wouldn’t want to see flying monkeys?
I’d love to chat with a scarecrow. Well, I mean, I can do that now, but I think it would be fun if it talked back.
*snort*
My own home state of Arizona, But a hundred or more years ago before urban development.
Your comment reminded me of the first books that ever swept me away – Westerns – Louis L’Amour & my love for horses. I’ve often thought about what it would be like to ride a horse across our pristine country before roads, fences, utilities & urban sprawl. Thanks, BK.
While most kids my age would say Hogwarts, I’ll be a rebel and say Chrestomanci Castle. I’d love to meet everybody there. Howl’s Moving Castle would be fun, too.
Rebel.
London, England 1930-1970 to sip tea with Agatha Christie
Oh, good one. I’d love to work a mystery with her. Very enticing.
Tough one. I think I’ve been to 43 states and a good 60-70 or so countries, if I were to count and determine which map to apply (several countries having split or joined since my visit(s)). I’m sure my voracious reading as a child subconsicouly influenced this. I always wanted to go to India. Was it at least partially because of the romantic vision put forth in the The Secret Garden/The Little Princess et al? Maybe. Desperately wanted to go to London. Was it because of books? Maybe a little, but maybe it was the rock and roll. I don’t think Paddington influenced my decision to visit Darkest Peru. Or maybe he did. I can say no book made me want to go to Africa because I never had nay interest in going to Africa. Then one day I found myself there for three months, discovered I loved it, and couldn’t believe I’d been missing it for so many years. The one place I haven’t been that I most want to go is Antarctica. The only book I can think of for there is Who Goes There? (made into movies as The Thing). That’s a book/movie I won’t be taking with me on the voyage. 😉
Very impressive. Books are a great adventure but you’ve lived quite a life. Well done. Thanks, CF.
In honor of Grapes of Wrath, I kicked off my first Route 66 trip in Salisaw Oklahoma and did the entire trip while rereading it for the umptieth time. I really really (really) want to redo that trip over about 10 days so I can stop in ever single map dot town and walk the downtown.
Otherwise, likely New York “in the day” to spy on the Algonquin Round Table before crashing Prof Bell’s party in 1940s Hollywood.
Wow. Very cool.
I’d love to visit the mists of Avalon.
I loved that book…
Paris…both at the turn of the century (19th) and again in the 20s. Woody Allen sort of took me there in “Midnight in Paris.”
My Paris would hsve to be sans Woody Allen.
Hrm…let’s see…
Alaska!
Oh, wait, I live there already.
Erm…Canada!
No…been there, both sides…
Uh, The Faerie Mounds of Tara!
Um, Mr. Basil…you don’t want to go to the Faerie Mounds of Tara.
No? Why not?
It’s not what it used to be.
Yeah, it’s in a bit of a sad state at the moment, apparently they got a hold of some bad enchanted liquor.
They got sick? Do some magic to help them out then.
No, no, no…you don’t quite understand. Bad enchanted liquor doesn’t just make one sick, or eat one’s liver, or kill one directly.
What does it do then?
Remember that movie back a long while back? Gremlins?
Uh…yeah, where the cute fuzzy little bear like Gremlins turn nasty scaly little demon monster Gremlins?
Yeah
That’s what happened there? The Faeries and Leprechauns all turned into monsters?
No, actually, nothing like that at all.
If only it were so innocent a thing as monsters and demons, that’d be no problem.
What then?
Well, the entire mound population was so disgusted with the bad magic that they all swore off liquor and became accountants and stock brokers. They subdivided the mound and sold it to developers who are building a series of Faerie Shopping Malls and fourteen Starbucks shops.
Oh My!! How terrible!
Well then…uh….Mars! I want to go to Mars and join John Carter and his army!
You want to go back to Mars after what happened last time?
That was Boffin’s fault not me!
It was an accident, besides it still mostly looks like a face up there…mostly.
Sigh….guess i’ll just stay home this weekend.
Omg Basil et al. Where to begin? You are a party inside your head. I’m jealous.
LOL, Basil. Can’t top that exchange, but I’d like to go back to Victorian England and the world of Sherlock Holmes. Just for a visit, mind you. The 19th century was no place for women.
Good one, Elaine. Love it.
Alaska with Ryker Townsend. (had to make up for being late somehow!)
I really would love to see Alaska, though.
Ha! You made my day. Alaska is amazing. Hope you go. It can be a real adventure if it’s not too planned. You have to allow for the incredible. Thanks, Sue.