Possible Travelling Companions
As you can see, I’ve been collecting again. Oh, that’ll do nicely for my German trip … and that … and that … oh, that too. If I packed them all, there’d be no room left for clothing. What is a bookworm to do?
The good news is the problem has been solved with bookworm and suitcase now on their way to Berlin. 5 days from now I’ll be landing in Frankfurt am Main and a few days after that to a 3rd undisclosed destination. Rather than tell you where it is and which books eventually became my travelling companions, I thought it was time for a competition. There will be a prize for the most correct (or the closest) answers when I return. A souvenir from Germany – hopefully book related. A surprise for you and me both!
So, without further ado:
1) How many books in the bookstack did I take with me? No further clues other than I’ll be away for 12 days in total.
The candidates stack up from the bottom as follows: 98 Reasons for Being – Clare Dudman; Cecile – Theodor Fontane; A Most Wanted Man – John Le Carre; Berlin Tales – Short Story Anthology; Inkheart – Cornelia Funke; What I Saw – Joseph Roth; Funeral In Berlin – Len Deighton; Top 10 Berlin; CitySpots Frankfurt; Grimm’s Fairy Tales; Die Leiden des Jungen Werther (The Sufferings of Young Werther) – Johann Wolfgang Goethe.
2) Which were they? Have you any idea why?
3) How many of the books did I actually read – in whole or in part?
4) How many book purchases did I make while I was away?
5) From the bookstack can you identify the mystery third destination?
(Competition open worldwide. One entry per entrant.)
Of course, you’ll have to guess at most, if not all, of this. I don’t know all the answers myself at this moment. To be revealed in two weeks time. Happy reading until then!
Should you be stuck for something to read in the meantime, I recommend one of these – Lizzy’s Top 5 Reads of 2009 to-date. (In no particular order).
Grace - Alex Pheby
Dear Everybody – Michael Kimball
No Word From Gurb – Eduardo Mendoza
Home – Marilynne Robinson
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie – Alan Bradley
The Assassin's Song - M G Vassanji
The White Castle - Orhan Pamuk
Hysteria - Andrew Scull
The File - Tim Garton Ash
Ordinary Thunderstorms - William Boyd
Fighting It - Regi Claire
Foolish Mortals - Jennifer Johnston
The Bethlehem Murders - Matt Rees
Basil - Wilkie Collins
The Suspicions of Mr Whicher
Adam Gould - Julia O'Faolain
The House at Riverton - Kate Morton
Der Struwwelpeter auf Englisch - Translated by Mark Twain
Three Bags Full - Leonie Swann
Mystic Pig - Richard Katrovas
The Blue Fox - Sjon
The Latin American Challenge
1. The Blue Fox 
Inkheart - Cornelia Funke
The Enchanted April - Elizabeth von Arnim
Oooh I do this when I go away too, and did a comp and no ones guessed mine as of yet. I would guess…
1) 6
2) A Most Wanted Man – John Le Carre; Berlin Tales – Short Story Anthology; Funeral In Berlin – Len Deighton; Top 10 Berlin; CitySpots Frankfurt; Grimm’s Fairy Tales;
3) I think you’ll read three as we never read the amount we take away as there is so much to do on holiday.
4) Maybe two?
5) The Black Forest (if so have a gateau)
1. I think you took them all (I would have…lol) you should have had a carry on as well as your purse to hold the smaller ones.
2. all
3. I would guess 4 in part, you want to look over the ones about the areas you are in and maybe attempt to read a little for fun as well, but you wont get a lot of reading in as you will be so busy and then so tired at night.
4. Thats a tuffy… we are back to the no roomin the suitcase again…. of course these are books and if you are like me, you will find a way. I am going with 3.
5. No idea….
have fun though!
Fascinating collection there – have a great trip won’t you. We were supposed to be in Germany in June but I did my knee in. Next year perhaps.
Question 5 I agree with savidgereads
This is my second attempt to answer this – the last one disappeared.
1. You will take 8 books.
2. The books are:
Die Leiden des Jungen Werther – because it is in German and you don’t want to look like a tourist the whole time
Grimm’s Fairy Tales – because you are going to Kassel (see question 5)
Top 10 Berlin + CitySpots Frankfurt – to remind you where things are
What I Saw – for some nonfiction other than guidebooks
Inkheart – because you want to read it before you see the author at EdBookFest
Berlin Tales – because short stories are easier to read on holiday
98 Reasons for Being – because you are going to visit an asylum in Frankfurt?
3. You will read all or part of 6 of these.
4. You will purchase 4 books. You will intend to only buy 3 because you left three at home, but there will be one you cannot resist.
5. Your third destination is Kassel.
Have fun!
1. I think you will take 6 books with you.
2. They will be the following because they relate to Germany and you will exclude Le Carre and Inkheart because of their size (and weight)
Die Leiden des Jungen Werther
Funeral In Berlin
Top 10 Berlin
CitySpots Frankfurt
A Most Wanted Man
98 Reasons for Being
3. you will read 4 of them
4. you will buy an additional 4 books
5. Kassel (or possibly Hamburg)
I’m back. Competition closed. The next Sunday Salon post will reveal all …. and the winner.
First impressions on comments made – it’s scary how well you know me.