When we're on holiday we read in slightly different way. It could be a time to really throw yourself into a classic novel or to read something gloriously trashy without any guilt. We're big fans of 'location reading' or matching your book to the place you're travelling to. The oldest of our collection was published in 1856 Madame Bovary and the newest came out last July Cathi Unsworth's Weirdo. You can follow fish around India and bath toys around the Pacific, take a good long look at Vancouver and Marrakesh or find out how it feels to have your sister elope with a ghost. We'd love to know what you think of these choices and if you do take any on holiday with you. Create and edit your own book list on Stylist Oh, to be kissed in an Italian field of violets… A young Edwardian lady, Lucy Honeychurch, travels to Italy with her cousin and meets a father and son in the same pensione. But does she love George Emmerson. Why is it a holiday read. The Bigtree family run an alligator-themed amusement park deep in the Florida swamp. Mother Hilola has died, grandfather Sawtooth is in a nursing home and father Chief is becoming increasingly erratic. The story is told from the point-of-view of youngest child Ava as she watches her brother run away to the mainland and her sister fall in love with a ghost. Why is it a holiday read. Despite being 17, Cecile initially appears world-weary, but the more adolescent aspects of her character come through Why is it a holiday read. The Riviera sections contain enough glamorous description to leave you starry-eyed whilst the plot gradually winds up the psychological tension. Why is it a holiday read. Why is it a holiday read. Kitchen Confidential lifts the lid of the bad behaviour and the strange characters Adam Real-Last-Name-Unknown stands out for us behind the swinging kitchen doors of most restaurants. Why is it a holiday read. Why is it a holiday read. The three are pacey, female-centric action reads. Plus, once again, you can see what all the fuss is about. You may always take yourself when travelling, but Jake and Brett make for interesting companions. The description of the fiesta is also one of the best descriptions of a large party ever written. Why is it a holiday read. Although you may become more wary about who you talk to in bars. Lots of bed hoping, but done in a wonderfully matter-of-fact way. Why is it a holiday read. Set mostly in Cornwall, The Camomile Lawn will make you yearn for the sound of the sea and parties outdoors. If you are heading south west, the tangled relationships will give you something absorbing to read on your epic English journey. Why is it a holiday read. The Penguin classic edition weighs in at 864 pages. If you want to concentrate and throw yourself into a book take Anna on holiday. Why is it a holiday read. Lush and wonderfully written, Love in the Time of Cholera likens obsessive love to a disease and makes the slightly sinister Florentino seem thoroughly understandable. An interesting side question for those who have read the book: do you think camomile tea tastes like windows. Why is it a holiday read. Heat, midges, obsession and beauty. We then follow Linda Radlett, who has always longed for romance, through a series of unsuitable relationships. Why is it a holiday read. Linda life in Paris is initially the stuff of romantic fantasy, wildly in love, clothed in couture and living in an apartment filled with mirrored art deco furniture. Why is it a holiday read. Who are the locals in your seaside town. A private investigator picks up a cold case, a 15 year-old school girl convicted of murdering a classmate, and Unsworth uses it to look at ideas of belonging, the occult and the strangeness of our flat, eastern counties. Why is it a holiday books to read on holiday. Conjure up dark imaginings about the people around you. Love is powerful, but books to read on holiday it a match for the expectations of 1870s New York society. Wharton won a Pulitzer prize for Age of Innocence, the first ever awarded to a woman. Why is it a holiday read. Newland and Ellen meet again whilst spending August in Newport, Rhode Island. Durrell, as a child, roams all over the Greek island pursuing his interest in natural history. Why is it a holiday read. This is the book the central character in the Charlie Kaufmann film Adaptation fails to adapt. Why is this a holiday read. Orlean is fascinating on most topics, but top notch at describing humidity. But behind the black and white striped tents, a battle between two young magicians, Celia and Marco is heating up — a fight which gets ever more complicated as the pair fall in love. Why is it a holiday read. The magical plot offers the perfect dose of escapism for a holiday — especially if you had to swap a sunny beach for a rainy staycation. A different kind of travel read that truly captures its destination. Why is it a holiday read. Just as books to read on holiday as Pride and Prejudice and Jane Eyre, Sense and Sensibility revolves around lives and loves of the Dashwood sisters — rational Elinor and wildly romantic Marianne. Unsuitable suitors, comic characters, and the ability to see ourselves in each sister show why this classic has been adapted on screen so many times. Why is it a holiday read. If you studied it at school, or read it years ago, reacquaint yourself with the Dashwood sisters — Austen novels are even better the second time around. The ducks and other toys are still floating around the world and have become cult objects for beachcombers. Why is it a holiday read. Moby Duck is a modern adventure story that will make you stare at the sea and marvel. His pursuit of the latter leads him to a motley crew of unusual characters and situations, from two psychic sisters to sleazy politician. Why is it a holiday read. An unsettling and sometimes frustrating book, the bizarre chain of events leave you desperate to keep reading and find a conclusion. But have you read the historical epic that inspired the film. Why is it a holiday read. Why is it a holiday read. A contemporary portrait of San Francisco in the 1970s, Tales of the City serves as a brilliant reminder of the interesting and unexpected people you can meet when you open yourself to travel. Why is it a holiday read. Why is it a holiday read. With intricate prose and three different endings to choose from, this book is perfect for those who like a bit of a challenge from the comfort of their sun-lounger. Why is it a holiday read. Why is it a holiday read. Plus the twists and turns of the crime plot will have you hooked for the whole trip. Why is it a holiday read. First published in 1922, this novel still charms with its descriptive and peaceful, calming prose. A relaxing beach read that proves holidays really are good for us. Why is it a holiday read. Dramatic, full of energy and heart-breaking. This wonderfully-named book is a memoir detailing her bad relationship choices. This is a Norfolk novel through-and-through, starting in the coastal salt marshes and moving through to the fenland. Silent Pip tries to piece together his family history, starting with his grandmother, Goose, reading messages into the clouds. Why is it a holiday read. Take this with you if you go to Norfolk, reading it you can almost taste the samphire. The two central characters are Turkish Asya and Armenian-American Armanoush who explore their intertwined families. Books to read on holiday is it a holiday read. The book is as crammed with life as the city in its title. Why is it a holiday read. He is innocent and inept and eventually ends up in the middle of a civil war stirred up by the British press. Why is it a holiday read. Their coven is shaken up by the arrival of the mysterious and devil-like Darrell Van Horne. Why is it a holiday read. See the beach as a place to conjure storms and mischief. Why is it a holiday read. Manderley was the English stately home owned by her husband Max de Winter, filled with memories of his dead first wife and the sinister, but very-much-living housekeeper, Mrs Danvers. Why is it a holiday read. Most people focus on the central Manderley-set chunk of Rebecca, but the narrator and Max meet on the French Riviera. Death on the Nile follows detective Hercule Poirot and a mixture of socialites, archaeologists and an erotic novelist along an Egyptian river cruise. Yes, books to read on holiday die, but Christie brings her usual sense of glamour to even the most upsetting events. Why is it a holiday read. Why is it a holiday read. Sally tears around France, being young and interested in everything. Perfect for a holiday in mainland Europe. Why is it a holiday read. Mangos, palm trees, quiet backwaters. A middle aged English academic buys a bottle whilst at a conference in Istanbul, unleashing a genie. Why books to read on holiday it a holiday read. A wonderful story, with several smaller stories contained within and a very easy way to pick up on history, myths and legends. Why is it a holiday read. Why is it a holiday read. What is a holiday if not a temporary escape from the society you live in. Why is it a holiday read. Why is it a holiday read. A great way to be transported back to the glamorous hey-day of the French Riviera, but Tender is the Night books to read on holiday a punch with enough psychological depth and tragedy to elevate it beyond a frivolous beach read. Why is it a holiday read. Historical Fiction at its best, the sexual politics, gossip and power struggles of the Tudor Court make for a riveting read. Why is it a holiday read. Why is it a holiday read. The book is mostly set in and around Gatwick airport. Use it to hide behind if you come across a real-life character like Manda. The Accidental drops in on one family in a holiday cottage, as does a wandering stranger, Amber, who somehow manages to stay with them for several weeks and weaves into their lives. Why is it a holiday read. Astrid, aged 12, is a perfect character, switching neatly between boredom, anxiety and pleasure. You probably felt like Astrid on childhood holidays. Why is it a holiday read. Holidays, in Wales and Denmark, provide the settings for some of the books pivotal scenes. They are dark, as you might expect from an existentialist writer, but alive and vivid. Why is it a holiday read. Algeria, Brazil, France: Camus looks squarely at a good range of the world. Why is it a holiday read. Sunramanian covers more of India than you could ever hope to in one trip. By reading this book you can travel with him. They can make somewhat brutal reading and certainly induce a level of fear and thankfulness in the childlessbut Simpson is alert to humour and tenderness throughout. Why is it a holiday read. The final story takes on the family holiday and is both vicious and gentle. Read it with understanding or relief, depending on your situation. Why is it a holiday read. Why is it a holiday read. Most of the Japanese literature translated into English can be categorised as Murakami, geishas or gangsters. Not Kitchen, which is a passionate look at modern Japan. In it a small girl and her grandmother explore their holiday island in the Finnish archipelago and no detail is too small for a story. Why is it a holiday read. A charming account of time spent away. From a place to fish through to holiday destination, Elborough studies what makes the seaside both saucy and seedy. Why is it a holiday read. Sex under the pier, memories of pirate themed restaurants, investigating immigration, seaside boarding houses and the magik of Alistair Crowley: how could you not want to slot it in next to the Kiss-Me-Quick hat. Why is it a holiday read. Greene presents a beautiful and nuanced portrait of pre-war Vietnam and anyone heading for South East Asia will appreciate the historical snap shot. Why is it a holiday read. Why is it a holiday read. Part fairy tale, part coming-of-age, this lyrical tale is infused with the sights and smells of Africa. The results shake their small-town society to the very core. Why is it a holiday read. Combining humour and rage with some brilliant characters, The Help will have you hooked from plane to train and beyond; the perfect antidote to travel boredom. Why is it a holiday read. Why is it a holiday read. Why is it a holiday read. Laugh and then make a good effort to understand the culture around you. Why is it a holiday read. Why is it a holiday read. Why is books to read on holiday a holiday read. Why is it a holiday read. Chevalier did her research while writing the novel, visiting Holland and immersing herself in the work of Vermeer and his contemporaries — and it shows. Like Vermeer before her, Chevalier paints an amazing picture of life in Delft during the golden age of Dutch painting. Why is it a holiday read. Dalrymple is based in Delhi for half the year and has a better chance than most of understanding this old and chaotic city. Who will she choose out of Kabir, Amit and Haresh. Why is it a holiday read. He finds a modern business community, men who hunt with golden eagles and a disappearing sea. Why is it a holiday read. Robbins appetite for travel and discovery are infectious, this is wanderlust bound in paper. Why is it a holiday read. However, things are not quite so clear cut. Why is it a holiday read. With intricate language and detail, it builds up a fascinating picture of Geisha culture, an area surrounded by myth and mystery. Why is it a holiday read. Why is it a holiday read. As well as a fantastically plotted narrative told in a series of enjoyable anecdotes, this book is an interesting insight into the people, history and culture of the Balkan states. Posh girl Rowena Gordon and American Topaz Rossi become the best of friends at Oxford, and stay close as they embark upon careers in Music promotions and journalism. But once a man gets in the way, their friendship turns sour… Why is it a holiday read. Why is it a holiday read. Why is it a holiday read. Half of a Yellow Sun explores how the relationships of the foursome come under pressure as conflict takes hold. Why is it a holiday read. Why is it a holiday read. Got a bit of time to fill at the airport, in a car journey or by the pool. Why is it a holiday read. From leopards on the lawn to thermal baths in a swamp and the struggle for majority black rule, this is an all-encompassing read that can't help but draw you in, with Africa - in all its beauty and might - the true heroine. Isabel Allende's epic family saga unfolds in post-colonial Chile during a period of massive social upheaval, combining enchanting mystical detail with grittier themes of personal rifts and political repression. Why is it a holiday read. The magical realism that abounds in Allende's award-winning read is irresistible and will leave you yearning for the exotic vitality of not just Chile, but South America in general. Why is it a holiday read. Why is it a holiday read. Bryson's affection for a country that - as he points out - is sometimes overlooked, is infectious. We challenge you not to want to visit Australia after reading this. Create and edit your own book list on Stylist.
