Everyone laughs awkwardly when you ask them what they’re going to do on their honeymoon. Not me. No matter how amorous you feel, there’s always time to read.
I got to outfit some of my favorite people with books (plural) for their honeymoons. These are my recommendations. I realized now that none of them are romance stories per se, although many involve love and marriage. Instead, these are stories about communities and places, stories that are encouraging and reassuring in their larger perspective and loveliness.
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
This book describes the island of Guernsey which was occupied by Germans in World War II. If that hasn’t put you off, you will love this book which tells the story of an author’s introduction to the island and its wartime history through letters with its inhabitants. Heartwarming and earnest, it has the right amount of romance without it being overly saccharine.
This is a book about a place, which sometimes in the midst of wedding recovery is stabilizing and reassuring. A rector moves to a small town in North Carolina and gets to know the town’s characters. It is a lovely companion book, nothing too exciting or draining, with rich characters and personal development.
Mark Helprin writes with gentleness and a passion for life. These short stories range from a 9/11 widow and her contractor, a rancher and his mute neighbor, an injured pilot in the middle of battle, and a Hasidic Jewish boy poised to help the New York Yankees stage a mid-century comeback. Long enough to get lost in a different world, but short enough to put down between other honeymoon activities, this is a perfect book for post-nuptial travels. And yes, this book is the kind of book that makes me say “nuptials.”
A little girl navigates a crisis in her family when her mom gets tired of suburban drama and runs away. It is funny and surprisingly light with plenty of adventure and absurdity.
Did you read any books on your honeymoon? I’d love to hear your favorites and recommendations.
I see that Shantaram is not on this list 😉