Top 5 Reads on the Road in August
1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling
This book needs no introduction and after those evil wenches leaked it from the printers, it needs no intriguing comments, teasers or spoilers. What it does need however is a tribute to what is arguably one of the finest works of fiction to come out of Britain in the past fifty years. Brand Potter is now synonymous with addictive reading, an escape from the mundane restraints of this world and the emotions that are aroused when the right people get together and do something good. This final instalment keeps that mantra going strong and invites you into a reality that is darker, faster and more involving than the previous six reads. As Mrs Rowling foretold, you may well cry when one of your favourite characters bows out for the last time and maybe, like the rest of us, you will hold out hope that one day Harry will be back in print with an equally enthralling set of new adventures.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling is published by Bloomsbury (hardback; £17.99). It is also available through amazon.co.uk and all good booksellers.
2. Time Out Dubai – Abu Dhabi & the UAE
As backpacking evolves and our off the beaten track mentality expands to include the more luxurious locations, I decided to take a look at the exotic world of Dubai. This former trading post is now one of the world's most popular tourist spots and attracts millions of visitors every year. Further more it's one of the most progressive and integrated regions of the United Arab Emirates. The new age vibe is distinctly preserved and thrives off an exchange of foreign beliefs and investments. I gleamed all that from the first few pages of this font of knowledge. Further in it continues to deliver the goods in the same unbiased, sometimes scathing and highly accurate manor that we've come to know and admire from Time Out. The Sightseeing section usefully warns of the cultural wasteland that grows out of the Five Star Hotel, shopping mall lifestyle. On the flip side however it also offers a guide to ancient crafts and an eye opening understanding about Islam.
Time Out Dubai – Abu Dhabi & the UAE is published by Ebury Publishing (paperback; £12.99). It is also available through rbooks.co.uk, timeout.com/shop and all good booksellers.
3. Rough Guides DIRECTIONS Bruges by Phil Lee and Karoline Densley
There's something quite inspired about the new Directions books from the Rough Guides. They are the perfect size to shove in your pocket and they leave just the right amount poking out for you to grab hold of. Imagine for example arriving in Bruges, sleep deprived, incapable of finding coffee and totally lost, on the way to St Christopher's. What do you do? Grab the guide, flip out the easy access, fold out map at the back and make your way effortlessly to a dorm bed. When you're no longer on the verge of synaptic breakdown, check out page ten for a potent and highly concentrated guide to the big six sights in this delightful Belgian settlement. Further on you'll find information on the best canal side spots, a spot of old and new art, local religion, history and a lots more. Now if you don't believe that one book could be so abounding with crucial backpacker intelligence, then check out this month's travel book. Here you can read the unadulterated, uninterrupted and un-reviewed, 900 word introduction to the guide. Don't say we're not good to you.
Rough Guides DIRECTIONS Bruges by Phil Lee and Karoline Densley is published by Rough Guides (paperback: £6.99). It is also available through roughguides.com and all good booksellers.
4. The Complete Poems by Christina Rosetti
Christina Rosetti has to be one of the best writers ever to have graced the world of poetry. Her words are unguarded, honest and appropriate to any number of situations. Arguably her best work has to Remember Me which poignantly addresses the extreme pain generated by the loss of a loved one and offers literary solace, that is both insightful and comforting. This is a favourite example, taken from the end of the poem:
“For if the darkness and corruption leave
A vestige of the thoughts that once I had,
Better by far you should forget and smile
Than that you should remember and be sad.”
The Complete Poems by Christina Rosetti is published by Penguin Books Ltd (paperback: £8.79). It is also available through amazon.co.uk and all good booksellers.
5. It's Easy Being Green by Mark Mann
This summer is apparently all about going green. Madonna used expletives at Live Earth to express this (much to the comical dismay of the BBC), Al Gore is going back to his environmentally scientific roots, global corporations are jumping on the bandwagon for good PR and everyone else is scratching their head and contemplating helping out. When you get to the point where that scratching gives you dandruff, here is a book that might give you some direction. The pocket size guide covers everything from principles and chemicals to parenting and shopping. Not that many of our backpackers travel with babies, but if you do why not swap toys and baby accessories with your other motherly friends - instead of buying new ones? Another more widely applicable helping hint is to visit freecycle.com. This employs the same principle at the toy tip - why produce a carbon wake buying new junk when you can get it for free from other people? The collections are a bit random but you'd be mad to turn down a free garden shed with two extra windows. Simply mad.
It's Easy Being Green by Mark Mann is published by Summersdale (paperback; £3.99). It is also available through amazon.co.uk and all good booksellers.
- Rob Savage
