"That Girl" Picks Five!

Hiya --

Now that my visa application is safely in the hands of the Border Agency, I've secured housing in London, and I'm keeping a close eye on airfare prices, this whole 'moving to a foreign country' thing seems ever so much more real. As such, I really can't put off beginning the arduous packing process, both to pack up the few things that will accompany me, as well as to pack of the majority which shall be left behind.

If you've ever helped me move in the past (and if you HAVE, my deepest apologies), you'll know that my prize possessions are the unenviably heavy books I insist on carting from house to dorm to apartment etc. like my own travelling bookmobile. You know how some people are comfort eaters? Well, That Girl International is a comfort reader. There is nothing that makes me feel more at home than picking up a favorite book, turning to an earmarked chapter, and soothing myself with literati buddy. It's like a cozy written hug. I am aware, however, that the printed word is not easy to cram into a suitcase, especially when one also has clothes, shoes (and only two suitcases!) to consider. As such, I've decided to limit my book selections, outside of those needed for school of course, to five choice tomes for my trip abroad. I put a lot of thought into this list, and though I'd share, for you own interest. Please note that the reason why having my OWN copies of these books is so important is because I am an avid notetaker and highlighter, even in leisure reading, so these volumes are more valuable than library copies of the same text.

1. The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera -- I love and hate this book. I love it because it is sparsely yet clearly rendered. It's philosophical but still amazingly down to earth. I hate this book because it rocks my world every time I read it. I can't go without it.

2. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safron Foer -- This book goes with me because it is not only an incredible vision of a grieving/healing process, but also it's a portrait of, in my opinion, New York City at it's best. It showcases empathetic, loving, charismatic people working together. I love this book. I also love the voice of the narrator, who is a child with a very very old soul.

3. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling -- Of course. Because it's the culmination of a richly drawn adventure series? Because it highlights the growth of an extraordinary character into adulthood? Because it brings about a denouement 10 years in the making? Maybe. But mostly because it is pure magic. And the best bathtub read I've ever found.

4. Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov -- First and foremost, this book must go in my suitcase, because it is my favorite. I wouldn't feel right without my battered edition sitting on any desk I called my own. This book is an odd choice I realize, as it's not technically a comforting text. And yet, personally, it sort of is. I picked up Lolita for the first time at my parents' house when I was far to young to understand it. And it confused me. So I stopped reading. I picked it up again a few years later, read the whole thing, and puzzled over it for a few days. Then in college, I read it as an extra for a class. I found that my earlier readings, although not profound at the time, had stayed with me, and sort of laid the groundwork for my understanding. Every time I read this book (which is a lot), I see something different between its tattered covers. And for that, it goes with me.

5. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy, translated by Pevear and Volokhonsky -- This particular translation is a sheer joy to read. The poetry of the language makes this old Russian novel a complete and utter page turner. I can happily get lost in Vronsky, Levin, Anna etc. for hours at a time.

So that's it. My five travel buddies. I just hope the rest of my collection doesn't get lonely while I'm gone!

Cheers!
That Girl