18 Comments
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Grace Leuenberger's avatar

East of Eden was already on my packing list for Ireland, but you've confirmed for me that I was definitely right to choose it! So many great books on this list. Based on your criteria, I'd also add Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner. Thanks for this reading guide, very enjoyable!

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A. A. Kostas's avatar

Great picks for the list!

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Mark Casper's avatar

Thanks man!

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Jandy Hardesty's avatar

Such great picks! When you listed all the Steinbecks under Travels with Charley I was railing “but East of Eden!!!” And then there it was, ha. Well played.

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Lydia Blundell's avatar

Nice reccs! The Wind in the Willows is just 👌🏼 I played Mole in a school play…

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Mark Casper's avatar

Haha that's amazing! Would love to see a play version of WitW!

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Kristie Millan's avatar

I am just about to read Hannah Coulter for the first time! Love this list, there are quite a few on here I now have to push higher on my tbr.

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Mark Casper's avatar

I wish I could go back and experience HC again for the first time. It’s incredible

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Bailey Gillespie's avatar

I started Travels with Charley at the end of last summer, and for whatever reason it just wasn’t the bedtime reading I needed. But thanks for the reminder to pick it back up again!

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Mark Casper's avatar

Of course! It's a good one!

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Abby D. Jones's avatar

I'm going to add almost all of these to my pile, but! I always read Watership Down in the autumn. It is autumn book to me. And I'm very much, suddenly, wanting to read Wind in the Willows! Thank you!

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Mark Casper's avatar

Thanks for the comment, Abby! Yes, you must read WitW. And ha! Fair play on Watership Down being an autumn book.

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Abby D. Jones's avatar

😁😁😁

I think I read it as a child, but I haven't as an adult and I have a feeling I'd love it.

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Ross Blankenship's avatar

I love the thought that goes into how you think about pairing reading w season. I try to do the same thing sometimes, and have had some life changing reading experiences as a result. For example, I had the great joy and privilege of reading A Moveable Feast in Paris last spring. We walked from the 1st down to Montparnasse and even slipped into the courtyard of Gertrude Stein's apartment. One of the best reading experiences of my life.

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Mark Casper's avatar

Man, that sounds incredible! Yeah if you can read a book in the actual setting where it takes place, that's a game-changer!

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Robert Lazu Kmita's avatar

An excellent reading guide. Congratulations!

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Mark Casper's avatar

Thanks, Robert!

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Robert Lazu Kmita's avatar

You are very welcome!

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