my comrade, when asked in the summer, where he spent his vacation, always responds, shrugging his shoulders as the important thing is not where we are going, but what we're going to read. He's part of this clique of forcenés of the reading that, when they do their bag, always start by drag of the books, they do not have the time to read, for fear of missing out ; this is only once their library has decimated that they are thinking of the swimsuit, cream and the short ; and still, many remain concerned about their books until the start, anxious to know if they have made the right choice, if they should not take Flaubert, rather than Proust, or of the philosophy rather than novels.
Their greatest fear is to discover on the spot that their choices were not good ; this is also why they take so many books, to decrease the risk. Also, they often focus on books they have already read, sure not to be disappointed ; or classics, which, by definition, does not disappoint as it has, regardless of what happens, the satisfaction to have read.
note to editors
Choose books for vacation is a subject that is serious and important, that justifies this chronic summer ; I incline also to think that it interests more people we cannot imagine, in spite of alarming information on the repudiation of reading among our contemporaries. I am certain that a manual to cover How to choose good books for the holidays would be a huge success, provided, of course, it is published a few weeks before the summer, at the crucial moment where the question arises, as otherwise a flop.
We could give the task to write to Peter Bayard, the excellent author of How to talk about books we haven't read ?, famous jewel of zaniness clever ; the illustrations are signed Tignous, co-author, with Pascal Gros, of the very useful of How to miss his vacation, except that it would be successful. I regret that this book does not already exist. It would be helpful for me these days.
ereader, or how procrastiner
The modern, who swear by the kindle, pretend to ignore this dilemma of the estivant literary. I don't have to choose, they say, my entire library fits in my pocket. This is not fake ; at the same time, they will have to choose on the spot, among the hundreds of books on their ereader. They don't actually do that move the problem in time, increasing the rest the chances of getting it wrong on arrival : have not thought through carefully before the start exposes them to the risk of choosing the fast and lightly, without hindsight or wisdom, in the euphoria of the stay begins.
Choose her books for the holidays is not a thing that can be improvised ; it is a matter of reflection, discernment, circumspection ; there must be a sense of smell, taste, and a certain self-knowledge. In fact, it is an art ; also, How to choose good books for the holidays, it would be necessary to entitle our manual : The Art of choosing her books for the holidays.
Match his books at his place resort
A possible method to decide is to match books to the resort. In Venice, read Venises of Morand. In Deauville, the Deauville from Pierre de Régnier, etc (I cite two examples to chic, but involuntarily ; so much the worse if I sound snobby.) Method reversed : first choose the book, then match the destination – the beach of Scheveningen for Gadenne, etc., If the set is too difficult, choose at least one writer in the region where you are going, or who has written on it : in Normandy Maupassant ; in Provence, Giono, Pagnol, Mistral, and so on. As the French are obliged to because of virus moving this year to their holiday home, it is a way to put our letters to honor.
I suggest, moreover, that the ministers of the government Castex, who in a few days will take a deserved rest after the huge work that has been done in three weeks, communicate less on the place where they go, and more about the writers that they read. Booksellers will be grateful for this support, and my friend will be proud to see this principle applied to the top of the State. I do obviously think that it will reconcile the French with politics, but hey, the holidays are not there for that.
