Reading the States: Fiction Complete!

It took me years, but I've finally completed the fiction portion of my Reading the States challenge. My goal is to read one fiction and one nonfiction book set in each state. I try to pick a book that describes the state or really feels like it in someway. Occasionally I'll settle for a book that is just set there if there aren't a lot of options (I'm looking at you Delaware). It's been so fun getting to know each state a bit better through literature. I still have 14 to go on the nonfiction side.

For some of the states I've read multiple books set there and I included a few of my favorites in this list. If you want to see a more complete list of both fiction and nonfiction books set in the state (plus bookstores and authors who live there) check out the complete list here.

Alabama: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Alaska: The Call of the Wild by Jack London

Arizona: Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

Arkansas: True Grit by Charles Portis (A Painted House by John Grisham) 
California: East of Eden by John Steinbeck (Tales of the City by Armistead Maupin, The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan, The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler) 

Colorado: Plainsong by Kent Haruf 
Connecticut: Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates

Delaware: Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk

Florida: Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neal Hurston

Georgia: Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

Hawaii: The Descendants by Kaui Hart Hemmings

Idaho: Lila by Marilynne Robinson

Illinois: The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger (The Jungle by Upton Sinclair, The House on Mango Street is Sandra Cisneros)

Indiana: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (The Magnificent Ambersons by Booth Tarkington)

Iowa: The Bridges of Madison County by Robert James Walker (Shoeless Joe by W.P. Kinsella)

Kansas: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum (Doc by Mary Dora Russell)

Kentucky: Hannah Coulter by Wendell Berry

Louisiana: A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole (Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams)

Maine: Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout

Maryland: The Accidental Tourist by Anne Tyler

Massachusetts: Mystic River by Dennis Lehane

Michigan: Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides

Minnesota: Peace Like a River by Leif Enger

Mississippi: The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Missouri: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

Montana: Montana 1948 by Larry Watson

Nebraska: O Pioneers! by Willa Cather

Nevada: The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt

New Hampshire: A Prayer for Own Meany by John Irving

New Jersey: The Plot Against America by Philip Roth, American Pastoral by Philip Roth

New Mexico: Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya

New York: Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer (A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald) 
North Carolina: Message in a Bottle by Nicholas Sparks (The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver) 
North Dakota: The Plague of Doves by Louise Erdrich

Ohio: Beloved by Toni Morrison (Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld)

Oklahoma: Where the Heart Is by Billie Letts (August: Osage County)

Oregon: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey (If I Stay by Gayle Forman)

Pennsylvania: Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

Rhode Island: My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult

South Carolina: The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd

South Dakota: Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech

Tennessee: The Firm by John Grisham (An Abundance of Katherines by John Green)

Texas: Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry (11/22/63 by Stephen King)

Utah: When the Emperor was Divine by Julie Otsuka

Vermont: The Secret History by Donna Tartt (Bittersweet by Miranda Beverly-Whittemore)

Virginia: The Known World by Edward P. Jones

Washington: The Last Town on Earth by Thomas Mullen (Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson)

Washington DC: Heartburn by Nora Ephron (Lost Symbol by Dan Brown)

West Virginia: Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

Wisconsin: The Story of Edgar Sawtell by David Wroblewski (Loving Frank by Nancy Horan)

Wyoming: Close Range: Wyoming Stories by Annie Proulx

I'm a Stranger Here Myself

I'm a Stranger Here Myself

Notes on Returning to America After 20 Years Away

by Bill Bryson

★★★★

I love reading Bryson when I’m traveling. His dry wit and thoughts on travel always seem to hit the spot. This book is a compilation of columns he wrote for a British publication when he returned to live in America with his British wife and kids after years in England. He talks about a wide variety of subjects in America, from the postal service to the abundance of great snack food to the lack of sidewalks. Yes he can be condescending, that’s kind of this thing. It was fun to see how our country looks when explained to another culture.

Bryson has written about everything from entomology to Australia in his books and he always makes his subject matter interesting. No matter what random topic he chose for each column, it still worked well because it contained his trademark blend of sarcasm and genuine enthusiasm.

The book was published in 1999 and I’m guessing most of the columns ran in the years preceding that. Because of this, some things are obviously dated. He talks about new technology like computers as if they are brand new. Those dated elements don’t take anything away from the overall book though.

BOTTOM LINE: My favorite Bryson books remain In aSunburned Country and A Walk in the Woods, but this one was a fun addition. It’s easy to dip into because each chapter stands alone.

Packing Tips for Long Trips

 After lots of road trips and overseas backpacking trips I think I've gotten this whole packing thing down to an art. I've learned a lot by trial and error, but there are a few rules that don't seem to change. 

1) You will almost always over pack. Remember that in most countries you can buy a "just in case" item if you really need it. 

2) Pick one color scheme and stick with it! Choose your neutral color (black or brown) and one accent color. I picked black and blue, so that included white, black, gray and any shade of blue. This allows you to mix and match because all of your clothes work together and can be layered in different orders. 

3) Leave the heels at home. I pack one pair of sneakers, one pair of sandals, and one nicer pair of walking shoes (usually skechers like these). No one is looking at your feet when you travel and you are usually walking all day.

4) You can never have enough ziplock bags. Whether they are holding snacks, wet clothes, sandy shells from the beach or accessories, they are so useful! Packing extras takes up almost no space and I always end up using them. 

I'm a visual person, so for our New Zealand, Australia & Fiji trip I decided to try something new. I laid out the outfits I was going to pack and took photos. I mixed and matched, considering what we would be doing each day (beach, hiking, museums, etc.). When I figured out what I would wear it helped me rule out tons of extra items I didn't really need. 

This might be an extreme way to do it, but I packed way less than I originally planned because I knew exactly what I needed and how I could use each item. Two scarves and a couple necklaces helped make each outfit look different.   

When you have to carry everything with you, over packing quickly becomes a thing of the past. I needed enough clothes and toiletries for three weeks. We had a chance to do laundry at a hostel I booked midway through the trip, but we also dealt with vastly different climates. The first half of the trip was in New Zealand and the temperatures ranged from 40 to 60 degrees (Fahrenheit), while Australia was in the 70s and Fiji was closer to 80 degrees. 

So the key was layers! I got a warm black fleece jacket and then packed t-shirts, tank tops and long sleeve shirts that could easily be layers. I packed a pair of leggings for our trip to the glacier and a swimsuit for Fiji. Scarves were essential; they keep you warm and can make the same outfit you wore 5 days earlier look completely different.

My bag (see above) is a Victorinox E-Motion 360 Degree 22" Trek Pack PlusWheeled Backpack with Docking Daypack. The Huz got it for me in 2008 when I did a month backpacking through Europe. It's fantastic for long trips, with side pouches that snap in and out, backpack straps and a roller handle and wheels. It has a front zipper pouch for shoes and a small backpack that zips off for day trips. I named mine Charley as a nod to Steinbeck.

There are a few items I bought specifically for this trip. With each one I researched my options before picking the final item and was happy with all of the purchases. 

Derek Alexander Top Zip Front Organizer: I needed a travel purse that would hold a lot without becoming ridiculously awkward or heavy. I was beyond happy with this one. I got it in black (see above) and it held a kindle, camera, chapstick, journal, passport, etc. with extra space. It was a bit taller, so there was plenty of room. The material was slick, so any time I spilled something on it I could easily wipe it off. I'll be using this one for years whenever I travel. 

Lewis N. Clark Pressure Reducing Ear Plugs: I have serious ear issues. My ear drums have burst on two separate plane rides, which always makes for a fun trip to the ER in a foreign country. These little wonders help prevent that issue. I've also used Earplanes, which you can get at a drug store and have worked well.  

Eddie Bauer Horizon Skort: It looks like a nice skirt, but it has shorts underneath and works well for hiking or long days walking in the city.

Havaianas Women's Freedom Flip Flop: I bought these in black. They look nice enough that you can wear them in a city or on the beach. They are also plastic, so they work in hostel showers and take no time to dry.  

Gillette Venus Snap Women's Razor: This razor is just so tiny! 

Merrell Women's All Out Fuse Trail Running Shoe: Ridiculously light, these sneakers dry quickly and are comfortable. They were wonderful for hiking without weighing down my bag the rest of the time. 

Travelon Jewelry Roll: This was perfect for holding jewelry, q-tips, dental flossers, etc. It took up very little space and was easy to find in my bag.

**Side note: I watched a few of these items for awhile and waited to buy them when they were on sale. Eddie Bauer has a semi-annual sale, Skechers usually has promo code or two available and the purse was on sale for $20 when I got it.

I hope these tips were helpful if you're packing for an upcoming adventure. Feel free to email if you have any questions! 

Trip pics are here, here, here and here.

Brown County Bookstores

 

Whenever I travel I tend to find bookstores. A recent trip to Brown County in southern Indiana introduced me to two new ones. The first, Viewpoint Books, was in Columbus, IN. It's a little corner shop with a decent selection. If you find yourself in the area make sure you head all the way to the back to check out the small section of used books! I found a copy of a Steinbeck travel memoir that I hadn't read yet.

 

 

The second shop was in downtown Nashville, IN. The town is an adorably sweet tourist spot with tons of little shops. We wandered and did some Christmas shopping for an afternoon.

 

 

The best thing about The Book Loft was the excellent selection of antique books by Hoosier authors.  I bought a copy of James Whitcomb Riley's poems from the early 1900s for only $10!

 

Let me know if there are any great bookstores near you! I'd love to visit them if I'm ever in your area.

 

Photos by moi.

Fiji Time!

 

(The view from our back porch) 

The third and final stop on our trip was Fiji! We flew into Nadi and then took a shuttle to our resort. It was a brilliant decision to end the trip with a few days of relaxation. The exchange rate is also strongly in favor of the US dollar there, so it was really affordable!

 (Snorkeling in the coral reefs)

We spent a couple days laying around and relaxing on the beach. One day we went snorkeling in the middle of the coral reefs, which was incredible! We drank from a fresh coconut, saw brilliantly colored fish up close, tried kava, and had an amazing time.

 
I'd never stayed in a resort before, but it was so nice to have everything in one place. We were there to try to slow down and it was just lovely. Everyone refers to it as "Fiji Time" meaning things are going to happen whenever they happen. 

The beaches were clean and beautiful, the people were friendly, the food was good and there were lots of tropical cocktails to enjoy!

(Under water shot of the coral reefs)

All-in-all it was truly the trip of a lifetime. We saw so many unbelievable things, but honestly one of my favorite parts was getting to share my love of international travel with my husband. Other than a mission trip to Mexico, we had never traveled outside of the country together. It was so much fun for me to share that with him. Staying in hostels, eating picnics from the grocery store in small city parks, people watching, exploring, I just loved it.  

(Fiji Beach)

 

If you're ever considering a vacation in Australia, New Zealand or Fiji I hope you'll email me with any questions! I'd love to give you tips or recommendations.

Photos by moi. Please do not use without permission.

New Zealand: Part 2

(Scenic helicopter ride over Franz Josef Glacier) 

Picking up right where we left off yesterday, the Huz and I kept driving down the west coast of New Zealand's South Island. We made it to Franz Josef where we had scheduled a glacier hike. We would take a helicopter to reach part of the glacier. At the last minute the hike was cancelled due to high winds and we were so bummed!

(Franz Josef Glacier)

We decided to see if any of the scenic helicopter rides were still running and they were! We ended up flying over the Franz Josef Glacier and getting to land on top of one of the surrounding mountains! I'd never ridden in a helicopter and it was just amazing! You feel like you are floating and you can see for miles and miles.

(View from the mountain of Franz Josef) 

It ended up being one of our favorite things we did on the whole trip. The helicopter was just tiny, but for some reason it wasn't scary at all. It was thrilling to dip close to the mountain ridges and then see the whole valley open up below the helicopter. 

 (Franz Josef Hot Pools)

We stopped by the Franz Josef Hot Pools to relax before heading out of town. Soon we found out the town we had to get to that night is only accessible by one road... which closes from 4 pm to 8 am every day. It was already after 4 pm when we found this out, so we ended up spending the night in Franz Josef. 

 (Dinner in Franz Josef)

We wandered around the little town and had a long relaxing dinner as we watched the sunset behind the mountains. For a day when so many things went wrong, it worked out in our favor each time. It turned into one of the best days of our whole trip!

 (Lake Wakatipu)

The next day we had an incredibly long drive. We stopped at one of the bluest lake I've ever seen, Lake Wakatipu, and watched the clouds roll in over the mountains like a thick blanket of fog. We stopped at a winery for a tasting and left with a great bottle of Pinot Noir.

 (Lake Te Anau)

We made it to Te Anau with enough time to check into our hostel and grab dinner before taking a ferry cruise across Lake Te Anau. We got to tour the glowworm caves, which you can't take any photos of. You go into a huge cave with waterfalls and low ceiling. Then you climb into a tiny boat and the guide takes you farther into the cave in pitch black. Then you start to see the glowworms, tiny dots of light on the walls and ceiling of the cave all around you. It's like looking into the night sky!

(Kayaking in Milford Sound)

The next morning we drove to the Fjordland National Park. We met our guide and headed out to kayak in Milford Sound. Our group had only four kayaks, including the guide. We paddled around the sound for more than 4 hours, stopping at one point to eat a snack (we stayed in our kayaks) and then heading off again. We went up to a waterfall and our guide told us all about the history of the area.

(Kayaking in Milford Sound)

The are no words that can adequately explain how beautiful Milford Sound was. It was peaceful and the water was so clear! We saw penguins swimming not far from us and then some seals came up and started doing somersaults in the water next to our kayaks. It was a surreal experience and by far my favorite thing we did.

 (Bruce Bay)

That night we did laundry and relaxed at our hostel before grabbing a delicious dinner in downtown Te Anau. The next day we saw two huge rainbows over Lake Te Anau, a sweet way to start our last day in the country.

(Queenstown)



In Queenstown we took the sky gondola up a mountain for a view of the surrounding area. We stood on the viewing deck in awe of the beauty we'd seen throughout the country. I've never seen water so blue or rolling hills so vibrantly green. Parts of the country reminded me of Ireland, others of San Francisco (Wellington), others of Florida (Nelson) and still others of Colorado and Montana (Franz Josef). The country is like a greatest hit album of our favorite vacations.

(Saying goodbye to New Zealand)

Most of our favorite memories from the trip were in New Zealand. We both loved it so much and truly hope that one day we get to go back. Tomorrow I'll tell you about Australia!

Photos by moi. Please do not use without permission.

New Zealand: Part 1

 

(Wellington, New Zealand)

 
The Huz and I went on a huge trip, then I got home and work was crazy and I was playing catch-up with everything and didn't really post about it at all. So here is much belated post! I'm going to post about it all week long, so sorry for bombing you all with pictures!
 

 (Wellington with the Huz)

 
After a couple crazy long flights from the Midwest to the west coast of the United States and then all the way to New Zealand we finally made it to Auckland. We lost one bag, then missed one flight before making it to Wellington. At that point we could have been cranky and too tired, but we were so excited to be there!

(Gollum welcoming us at the airport.)

 
We checked in, dumped our bags and hit the town. Wellington is a gorgeous little city on a bay. Everything is within walking distance and we could have spent two weeks just hanging out there. We took a cable car up for a view of the city and bought lunch from food trucks.
 

(Lovely bridges and art in Wellington)

 
We had perfect blue skies for the entire time we were there. We spent a couple days popping into shops, bookstores, museums, breweries, cafes, etc. They have an espresso style coffee there called a long black that I had every morning.
 

(Te Papa Museum)

 
I took a Lord of the Rings tour, which included some trips to a rain forest and other areas outside the city. It was a fun way to see more out the area surrounding the city.

(Mount Victoria, the best view in Wellington)

 

The city was so dog friendly. One morning we got up early and jogged along the waterfront. I'm not normally an early morning jogger, but I loved seeing the city before it had really woken up. There were pieces of art dotted through every park and walkway too. 

 

(The Huz in the Botanical Gardens)

 

There's also a great walk through the Botanical Garden that gives you a few spots to view the city. Any Lord of the Rings fans, or just movie buffs in general have to go to the Weta Workshop. You can tour it and see real props from LOTR, Avatar, King Kong, District 9 and tons of others. The nerd in me was giddy the day we went!

 

 (Weta Cave)

 

When we finally left Wellington we took a ferry across the Cook Strait and rented a car in Picton. We drove to Nelson and passed vineyards and rolling hills the whole way. Nelson is a quiet little beach town and we had an incredible dinner on the water while we watched the sunset.

 



(Me on the Swing bridge over Bueller Gorge)

 

The next day we drove to Lake Rotoiti for a picnic. There is so much to see along the drive. We drove all down the west coast and the mountains were amazing!

 



(Lake Rotoiti)

 

 Half the fun of the drive was stopping every hour or so to pull over and see another gorgeous view. It's insane how beautiful the whole country of New Zealand is. Since we got home we've talked about what we want to see the next time we go. It's just one of those countries that you can't help wanting to return to.

 

(Crazy mountain roads in New Zealand)

 

In New Zealand you drive on the opposite side of the road, so that was terrifying. I drove for about 20 minutes one day, but the Huz drove the rest of the time. When we got home it took him a minute to switch back to right-side of the road thinking!

(Me at Lake Rotoiti)

We stayed in a few different little hostels down the coast. Each one had a unique feel and new people to talk to. It was pretty chilly, but every day we had great weather. We stopped at the Pancake Rocks before reaching Greymouth for the night. There were half a dozen dolphins swimming the the water around the rocks!

(The Pancake Rocks)

 

It's hard to explain just how much we loved New Zealand. It was beautiful every single day, the people were insanely kind, the food was great, we just wanted to stay longer! I've only ever truly fallen in love with a few countries. I've enjoyed many, but there are just a few that steal a piece of your heart. For me that's England, Italy, Hungary, and now New Zealand.


Photos by moi. Please do not use without permission.

Travel Plans!

So the Huz and I are officially going to New Zealand, Australia and Fiji this fall! We bought our plane tickets and I am over the moon! We have been planning and saving for this trip for years and now it's really happening, just in time for our 5th anniversary.

We are planning on taking a Lord of the Rings tour of spots in New Zealand, camping and road tripping through NZ's south island, seeing the Opera House in Sydney, maybe kayaking at Milford Sound, relaxing in Fiji and so much more. But as we start planning out the details I would love to hear your input. There are two major things I would love to know.

If you've been, what should we make sure we don't miss?

I love reading fiction and nonfiction set in places I'm going to visit.

What books are set in those areas that you would recommend?

Photo of Milford Sound from here.

Reading the States is Updated

 

If you're planning on traveling soon or just want to explore a new state through a book, I've just updated my Reading the States posts (at the tab above.) There is one post for every state and a bonus one for cross country road trips.

 

Each posts includes fiction and nonfiction books set in the state. It also includes authors who live there or frequently write about the state. There are also links to bookstores and literary places to visit in each state. 

 

Feel free to let me know if there's a book, bookstore or literary tourist spot I should add to a post!