Crusin' for Books

This morning I finished reading Hornblower and the Atropos. I had high hopes for this book, and it didn’t fail to disappoint – I think that knowing I would be reading this book made reading To the Lighthouse much more tedious. However, I think I might have read this Hornblower too quickly – sometimes, you need to take time over a book. I found that the action didn’t really pick up until the last hundred pages or so. Heart racing drama there, all right. Reading Hornblower books reminds me of the tall ship cruise I will be taking in summer, and how I will have to learn, like the midshipmen, my way around a three master. Although not as exciting as Hornblower and the Hotspur, I give this book a four star rating. I kept on thinking when reading this book about how intelligent officers at sea had to be. Not only have you got the math, but all the sea-faring terminology, and the manners they must remember. It’s hard to imagine that level of intelligence today, which is a shame, as they were true gentlemen.

So next on my self-dictated reading list is Lolita, by Vladimir Nabokov. I have heard great things about this book, and I absolutely loved his auto-biographical Speak, Memory. Obviously I am a little anxious as to all the peculiar elements I will encounter when reading it. I’m also concerned about the length. I’ll need to finish it before I go away on Tuesday. That with the Fiction Project I have to finish this weekend, I am incredibly busy.

At least I’ll be able to eat chocolate again.

I thought about setting up an individual travel blog for when I go with my parents on our boat next week. I thought that I couldn’t really justify keeping a travel blog if I was only going to write in it for two weeks out of the whole year, and even then the two weeks would be separated by about two months. How could I incorporate my travels into my blog that’s about books?

Good ship Three C's

So I thought – bookshops. My mother has written out an itinerary of the places we’re hoping to dock. I can’t remember where I’ll be leaving them, but I have eight possible locations where I might still be with them. The general plan is to leave early in the morning and get to the place early afternoon. Some quick searches on the web, and I have produced my own ‘bookshop’ itinerary.

(From Yarmouth, IOW) Weymouth

·         Red Books, 22 Trinity Street

·         Bourne’s Bookworld, 5A East Street

·         Books Afloat, 66 Park Street

·         Imagine Books, St. Alban Street

      We've been to Weymouth several times on the boat, and it’s one of my favourite holiday locations. I like especially to look for the mice at Nothe Fort, and visit the Sea-Life Centre. Alas, I will have to miss out on these if I’m going bookshop hunting.  

Fowey

·         Bookends of Fowey, 4 South Street

·         Bookends Too, 25a Fore Street

Again, Fowey is a place we go often – we have relatives here. It’s a beautiful place to stay, and the huge ships that come up the picturesque river look out of place.

Falmouth

·         Falmouth Bookseller, 21 Church Street

They have a fantastic boat museum, with underwater viewing windows, so you can see into the harbour – never expected there to be such huge fish (mullet) in a harbour! There was a seal in the harbour at the time; it swam right by us...

Ilfracombe

·         Ilfracombe Bookshop, 99 High Street

This is a little place, as is Newlyn and Padstow, and the internet wasn't all that informative. Let's hope the locals know their bookshops.

Plymouth (Not on list, but I want to go!)

·         Book Cupboard, The Parade 18

I really, really hope we’ll go to Plymouth – I love love love Plymouth, they have an INCREDIBLE aquarium. Not even kidding. They showed Jaws on a big screen in front of the shark tank last time we were there.

Of course, this whole bookshop plan is a terrible idea; I’ll probably end up buying lots of books and sink the boat with them.