Cruise Reading Lists

[callmedeb]

Hello HAL Fam!

 

Because I am a huge nerd (in the best kind of way), I always try to read one fiction selection from each country I visit. I thought I'd share the one for my upcoming baltic cruise. I am looking for a good general book on the history of the area if anyone has any recommendations! To be clear, I read most of these before I go. Saving one or two to come with.

 

Deb's 2018 Baltic Cruise Reading List

Netherlands - Midnight Blue (van der Vlugt)

Denmark - Smilla's Sense of Snow (Hoeg)

Germany - Winter (Deighton)

Finland - Purge (Oksanen)

Russia - Midnight in St. Petersburg (Bennett)

Estonia - The Man Who Spoke Snakish (Kivirahk)

Sweden - Faceless Killers (Mankell)

General - Rick Steves Scandinavian & Northern Cruise Ports

Non-Fiction - The Amber Room (Clarke)

 

Enjoy!

 

Deb

 

X-Posted to Baltics thread

[Krazy Kruizers]

Nice List

Thanks for sharing it.

[*Miss G*]

Thanks for posting. Interesting list. Would you mind sharing what you thought of them once you’re finished reading? Please and thank you.

[Alberta Quilter]

I highly recommend books by Robert K. Massie for Russia. He wrote Peter the Great, Catherine the Great, and Nicholas & Alexandra. They're huge books so I recommend getting them as e-books. I preferred the latter two. It really brought history to life when we toured St. Petersburg.

[OlsSalt]

Hello HAL Fam!

 

Because I am a huge nerd (in the best kind of way), I always try to read one fiction selection from each country I visit. I thought I'd share the one for my upcoming baltic cruise. I am looking for a good general book on the history of the area if anyone has any recommendations! To be clear, I read most of these before I go. Saving one or two to come with.

 

Deb's 2018 Baltic Cruise Reading List

Netherlands - Midnight Blue (van der Vlugt)

Denmark - Smilla's Sense of Snow (Hoeg)

Germany - Winter (Deighton)

Finland - Purge (Oksanen)

Russia - Midnight in St. Petersburg (Bennett)

Estonia - The Man Who Spoke Snakish (Kivirahk)

Sweden - Faceless Killers (Mankell)

General - Rick Steves Scandinavian & Northern Cruise Ports

Non-Fiction - The Amber Room (Clarke)

 

Enjoy!

 

Deb

 

X-Posted to Baltics thread

 

Thank you - reading up ahead of time, or even during the cruise, can make an area come so much more alive during the visit. Thanks for taking the time to offer these selections. This list is a keeper. I hope we see more of them and this a a great list to share with a future roll call too. Wish there was a way to make this a "sticky".

 

Agree also, the recent Catherine The Great biography is a dazzling read since her reach extended into so many countries that are no longer part of the Russian Federation today. There is a little jewel box of a summer palace of hers in Talinin, Estonia that you can reach by public tram.

[bennybear]

I love to do this as well. It really adds to the experience. Wondering if it could be made a sticky?

[Fouremco]

I love to do this as well. It really adds to the experience. Wondering if it could be made a sticky?

If not, you can always start a "cruise books" list over at Goodreads.com.

[IslandThyme]

I'm on the HAL Grand Asia in September and would love to do this. Does anyone have a list for Asia, Australia, and the South Pacific?

[OlsSalt]

I'm on the HAL Grand Asia in September and would love to do this. Does anyone have a list for Asia, Australia, and the South Pacific?

 

Blue Latitudes by Tony Horwitz is a great one for the South Pacific

 

He traces Captain Cook's route across the Pacific and describes what he finds today ( dated now, time of publication). A little cheeky, a little ireverant which makes it a delightful read as you move along some of those same spots today - we used it for the 50 day Tales of the South Pacific HAL cruise. Certainly made that little spot of English sovereign territory in the Hawaiian Islands where Capt Cook was killed and delivered back to his ship mates piece by piece .....come alive as a shrine to the courage as well as the blunt failings of those very early Western explorers.

[POA1]

I love to do this as well. It really adds to the experience. Wondering if it could be made a sticky?

 

While I, like most avid readers appreciate the list, I'd be willing to pat $1 for this post not to be a sticky.

 

Stickies kill.

[rsldonk]

For Russia I suggest Alexandr Solzhenitsyn

 

 

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[cruisersMandW]

Hello HAL Fam!

 

Because I am a huge nerd (in the best kind of way), I always try to read one fiction selection from each country I visit. I thought I'd share the one for my upcoming baltic cruise. I am looking for a good general book on the history of the area if anyone has any recommendations! To be clear, I read most of these before I go. Saving one or two to come with.

 

Deb's 2018 Baltic Cruise Reading List

Netherlands - Midnight Blue (van der Vlugt)

Denmark - Smilla's Sense of Snow (Hoeg)

Germany - Winter (Deighton)

Finland - Purge (Oksanen)

Russia - Midnight in St. Petersburg (Bennett)

Estonia - The Man Who Spoke Snakish (Kivirahk)

Sweden - Faceless Killers (Mankell)

General - Rick Steves Scandinavian & Northern Cruise Ports

Non-Fiction - The Amber Room (Clarke)

 

Enjoy!

 

Deb

 

X-Posted to Baltics thread

Love it! And you have company- I also like to read or bring a book that takes place anywhere I travel. Have a great cruise!!

[durangoscots]

Blue Latitudes by Tony Horwitz is a great one for the South Pacific

 

He traces Captain Cook's route across the Pacific and describes what he finds today ( dated now, time of publication). A little cheeky, a little ireverant which makes it a delightful read as you move along some of those same spots today - we used it for the 50 day Tales of the South Pacific HAL cruise. Certainly made that little spot of English sovereign territory in the Hawaiian Islands where Capt Cook was killed and delivered back to his ship mates piece by piece .....come alive as a shrine to the courage as well as the blunt failings of those very early Western explorers.

 

I like all of Horwitz's books ,,, but for South Pacific and/or Cook, try Captain James Cook by Richard Hough.

[callmedeb]

Thanks all!

 

I've taken your advice (thx foremco) and started a Goodreads bookshelf for this cruise (link in signature). I added the recommended Massie biographies (thx ABQuilter & OlsSalt) and will be adding reviews when I'm done reading (MissG).

 

rsldonk - Am still researching which book, but will definitely add, thx!

 

Cheers,

 

Deb

[cruiseaholic78]

How about finishing with a book set on a cruise ship.

The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware.

Rosalyn

[Fouremco]

How about finishing with a book set on a cruise ship.

The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware.

Rosalyn

Good choice! :)

[rsldonk]

Thanks all!

 

I've taken your advice (thx foremco) and started a Goodreads bookshelf for this cruise (link in signature). I added the recommended Massie biographies (thx ABQuilter & OlsSalt) and will be adding reviews when I'm done reading (MissG).

 

rsldonk - Am still researching which book, but will definitely add, thx!

 

Cheers,

 

Deb

 

 

 

A good one to start with is his One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich. It is fiction but based on his experience in the gulag. Gulag Archipelago is amazing and non fiction but it’s a bit more dense. He wrote a lot of other things but those are the easiest to find and probably the most approachable

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[OlsSalt]

A good one to start with is his One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich. It is fiction but based on his experience in the gulag. Gulag Archipelago is amazing and non fiction but it’s a bit more dense. He wrote a lot of other things but those are the easiest to find and probably the most approachable

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

The Prinsendam cruises over the top of Norway and into the White Sea of Russia included visiting the Solovetsky Islands and the site of where this gulag was located - hauntingly beautiful today, but previously hidden graves were uncovered and now memorialize the many spots where this violence took place.

[Peggy Tuten]

If anyone is doing an excursion to Moscow, would highly recommend "A Gentleman in Moscow" by Amor Towles. Part of it does take place in St. Petersburg. The most delightful read I've had in quite awhile. Just wish I had read it before my land tour in Russia last year. I'm also interested in novels set in Australia and New Zealand ahead of next year's cruise.

[callmedeb]

A good one to start with is his One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich. It is fiction but based on his experience in the gulag. Gulag Archipelago is amazing and non fiction but it’s a bit more dense. He wrote a lot of other things but those are the easiest to find and probably the most approachable

 

Perfect - I really appreciate the recommendations!

 

How about finishing with a book set on a cruise ship.

The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware.

Rosalyn

 

Read this on my last Cruise - enjoyed it very much!

[Storylady]

If anyone is doing an excursion to Moscow, would highly recommend "A Gentleman in Moscow" by Amor Towles. Part of it does take place in St. Petersburg. The most delightful read I've had in quite awhile. Just wish I had read it before my land tour in Russia last year. I'm also interested in novels set in Australia and New Zealand ahead of next year's cruise.

You might enjoy Arthur Upfields Bony series if you like light reading and mysteries. They were written in the 40-60’s and are now available on Kindle. The author was a geologist who traveled all over Australia. So he had his character half-aboriginal Chief Inspector excellent tracker being assigned all over Australia. There was even a mystery in a corner of Australia out of Bony’s comfort zone, the ancient forest in the Valley if the Giants near Albany which we just visited in the World Cruise.

 

Also, you might want to read “In a Sunburned Country” by Bill Bryson.

[IslandThyme]

Second for A Gentleman in Moscow. I loved it!

 

I'm still hoping for Asia itinerary recommendations.

[ellieanne]

I'm also interested in novels set in Australia and New Zealand ahead of next year's cruise.

 

Kerry Green-wood (no hyphen, for some reason CC is starring out the author's name) writes mysteries set in Melbourne. The Phryne Fisher series is historical and the Corinna Chapman series is modern. Shane Maloney has a mystery series set in Melbourne's world of politics.

 

As for non-mysteries, Tim Winton is one of the best Australian writers I've read. David Malouf is quite good as well.

[Turtles06]

How about finishing with a book set on a cruise ship.

The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware.

Rosalyn

 

I found it to be one of the worst things I'd ever read. What a stupid protagonist, and we had to listen to her absurd monologues. I wound up skimming to the end just to find out what happened, but I could not bare that woman's company. I asked friends why they thought this book was on the best seller list, and they were as puzzled as I, having had the same reaction to it.