cruisemuse27 Posted July 9, 2014 #1 Share Posted July 9, 2014 (edited) Can anyone recommend books that make visiting ports more meaningful? I always find that when I have read a book especially Historical Fiction, the port comes alive for me..I want to see the places that are in the books.... here is one for Barcelona....Cathedral by the Sea......by Ildefonso Falcones...great book...anyone else read it? so how about for other ports? Edited July 9, 2014 by cruisemuse27 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wvufan Posted July 9, 2014 #2 Share Posted July 9, 2014 Caribbean by Michener is a great read and has some good background for that area. Happy Sails to You OOOEEE :D:D Bob and Phyl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoelover536 Posted July 9, 2014 #3 Share Posted July 9, 2014 Great topic!! City of Falling Angels - Venice Shadow of the Wind trilogy - Barcelona Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atb Posted July 9, 2014 #4 Share Posted July 9, 2014 David McCullough's book "The Path Between the Seas: The creation of the Panama Canal 1870-1914" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rufferto Posted July 9, 2014 #5 Share Posted July 9, 2014 I currently have this one in my "to read" pile. I am thinking of saving it for my Med cruise later this year: Sword and Scimitar, by Simon Scarrow. It is about the siege of Malta in 1565. Bernard Cornwell is also a great historical fiction writer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbappel Posted July 9, 2014 #6 Share Posted July 9, 2014 Venice: The World Before Her, Deborah Weisgall and A Stopover in Venice, Kathryn Walker; Venice. Pure City, Peter Akroyd. Donna Leon's Guido Brunetti mysteries. Malta: Empires of the Sea: The Siege of Malta, the Battle of Lepanto, and the Contest for the Center of the World. Roger Crowley. History Rome: City of the Soul: A Walk in Rome, William Murray Mediterranean: Traveling with Pomegranates, Sue Monk Kidd and Ann Kidd Taylor. Memoir (particularly for mother-daughter trips) Panama: Path Between the Seas, David McCullough Quebec: Louise Penny's Armand Gamache novels Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rnrcruzin Posted July 9, 2014 #7 Share Posted July 9, 2014 Alaska by Michener Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Essiesmom Posted July 9, 2014 #8 Share Posted July 9, 2014 Hawaii by Michener. Second the Donna Leon Guido Brunetti mysteries for Venice. If you are into historical fiction with a lot of factual events and characters thrown in, Dorothy Dunnett's two series The Lymond Chronicles (six thick volumes set in 1500's) and the House of Niccolo series (8 fat volumes set in 1400's). Very intricate political intrigue, little romance. EM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EvelynAlexa Posted July 9, 2014 #9 Share Posted July 9, 2014 We read rick steves. THANKS for suggestions posted. Alex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pearl64 Posted July 9, 2014 #10 Share Posted July 9, 2014 Books we have read in connections with our cruises: Australia: Destiny in Sydney. Gives history of the colony. Was recommended here on CC Amsterdam: rereading Diary of Anne Frank. Before visiting the Anne Frank Haus France: AYear in Provence by Peter Mayle A Greater Journey by David McCullough. Great history of Paris We would have liked something before our TA from Barcelona to Rio. We learned so much on that cruise from the lecturer onboard and our private guides. Great thread! Pearl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
We're The Groupnors Posted July 9, 2014 #11 Share Posted July 9, 2014 Livorno - The Reluctant Tuscan Valparaiso - Daughter of Fortune San Francisco - Portrait in Sepia St. Petersburg - Fall of Giants Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sue58 Posted July 9, 2014 #12 Share Posted July 9, 2014 (edited) Another high recommendation for the Donna Leon Inspector Brunetti series of books set in Venice. I think I read all 22 of this series in about a year thanks to our public library....oh, I just googled this and see there is a new one...will have to put a hold on it. :) Stockholm - Girl With the Dragon Tattoo series Iceland - Detective Erlendur series by Arnaldur Indriðason - mostly set in Reykjavik but give some insight to the rest of the country too. Panama Canal - The Path Between the Seas by David McCullough (nonfiction)* this has been mentioned several times already - it is a bit tough going at points but overall it is very interesting. Edited July 9, 2014 by sue58 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scrappytraveller Posted July 9, 2014 #13 Share Posted July 9, 2014 great topic! 3 off the top of my head: Trinity for Ireland posts, Pompeii for Naples, DaVinci Code for Rome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare hcat Posted July 9, 2014 #14 Share Posted July 9, 2014 David McCullough's book "The Path Between the Seas: The creation of the Panama Canal 1870-1914" Great choice...very long so start early. Barcelona: Barcelona the Great Enchantress, Gaudi, An Introduction to His Architecture, Juan -Eduardo Cirlot...Triangle Postals Gaudi, a Biography, Gijs Van Hensbergen Colombia by Alexandra Rosen Dublin The Book of Kells, Thames & Hudson... thanks for all the ideas posted here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4774Papa Posted July 9, 2014 #15 Share Posted July 9, 2014 David McCullough's book "The Path Between the Seas: The creation of the Panama Canal 1870-1914" Ditto, that is a great one. Also, for Ushuaia, Argentina, The Uttermost Part of the Earth. For Normandy, if you go to see the Bayeux Tapestry, the book 1066, http://www.amazon.com/1066-Hidden-History-Bayeux-Tapestry/dp/0802777422 For St. Petersburg, Russia, The Russian Chronicles as well as St. Petersburg: Architecture of the Tsars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare sunluva7 Posted July 9, 2014 #16 Share Posted July 9, 2014 Guernsey: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruisemuse27 Posted July 9, 2014 Author #17 Share Posted July 9, 2014 thank you everyone.... lots of amazing reading here... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snookie1 Posted July 10, 2014 #18 Share Posted July 10, 2014 Cruismuse27: I also read "Cathedral by the Sea" several years ago and have had this desire to visit Barcelona ever since. We are going on a Mediterranean cruise this fall, and opted for the Eastern Med instead so we could visit Dubrovnik and Slovenia instead, but Barcelona is still on my bucket list! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dkjretired Posted July 10, 2014 #19 Share Posted July 10, 2014 (edited) Honolulu "Three Hour Tour" by Gilligan France, Spain and England, Napoleonic wars...Any of the Sharpe Books by Bernard Cornwell Edited July 10, 2014 by dkjretired Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kartgv Posted July 10, 2014 #20 Share Posted July 10, 2014 Great suggestions so far! Also.... Hawaii - Mark Twain's "Letters From Hawaii", Kianna Davenport "Song of Exile" Michener's "South Pacific" (seems to have a book for just about everywhere!) Australia - Bill Bryson's "In A Sunburned Country" Caribbean - any of the Rick Murcer mysteries, such as "Caribbean Moon" Florida - Any of the Carl Hiassen books - "Skinny Dip", "Bad Monkey", "Nature Girl", many others Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare OzKiwiJJ Posted July 10, 2014 #21 Share Posted July 10, 2014 great topic!3 off the top of my head: Trinity for Ireland posts, Pompeii for Naples, DaVinci Code for Rome. The Da Vinci Code is set in Paris and the UK. Angels & Demons is the one for Rome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5326jan Posted July 10, 2014 #22 Share Posted July 10, 2014 Alaska: Sue Henry has a series of books. In each there is a different aspect of Alaskan history. The stories of the Iditarod, gold rush, inside passage, year round living, etc are all woven into mysteries. The books are clean and would be appropriate for even a young adult. I learned a lot about Alaska by reading the series and got a murder mystery at the same time. There are about 8 books and they can be read in a couple days each. I recommend reading in order if possible. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruisemuse27 Posted July 10, 2014 Author #23 Share Posted July 10, 2014 Cruismuse27: I also read "Cathedral by the Sea" several years ago and have had this desire to visit Barcelona ever since. We are going on a Mediterranean cruise this fall, and opted for the Eastern Med instead so we could visit Dubrovnik and Slovenia instead, but Barcelona is still on my bucket list! when in barcelona, I had to go to the cathedral and touch the stone blocks...Im sure you understand the reason....and when in the narrow cobblestone streets, I could feel the people trying to run from the danger of their persecutors....great book... tourist type books have their place obviously...but a good historical fiction...ah there is nothing like it...IMHO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlfntx Posted July 14, 2014 #24 Share Posted July 14, 2014 Thank you all for a wonderful reading list. Does anyone have suggestions for Costa Rica and Cartagena? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdsqrl Posted July 14, 2014 #25 Share Posted July 14, 2014 (edited) Berlin: In the Garden of Beasts, Erik Larson [nonfiction] Caribbean: Finding Maubee. A.H.Z. Carr Colombia [really all of Latin America]: One Hundred Years of Solitude, Gabriel Garcia ******* England: nearly any Agatha Christie; the Richard Jury series by Martha Grimes Rome: the Marcus Didius Falco mysteries by Lindsey Davis [definitely read in order!]; Blood and Beauty: The Borgias, a Novel, Sarah Dunant Madeira: Past Caring, Robert Goddard Norway: Death of a Shipowner, Thomas Henege; Death in a Cold Climate, Robert Barnard Pompei: Pompeii, Robert Harris South of France: Peter Mayle's Provence books, memoirs plus a few novels *** I have no idea why Cruise Critic is censoring the last name of a Nobel-prizewinning author. However, I'm sure y'all can figure out the name. Edited July 14, 2014 by rdsqrl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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