A Literary Vacation–Go somewhere while staying at home.

I know what you might be thinking. A book vacation is when you read a book, and it feels like you went somewhere new while never leaving the comfort of your couch, or bed, or bathroom, or wherever you like to read your books (I don’t judge). And while this is an excellent point, and definitely not wrong, I’m going to introduce you to a different meaning. Here is a different kind of book vacation.

First, choose a book (or a series works really well too) that you really like. Especially focus on the setting. So, if you love Harry Potter, choose that. Maybe you like Lord of the Rings. Or perhaps you like Star Wars (Most people think of the movies, but there are many great books in that universe too). It can be whatever you want. These are all fantasy or SciFi examples, but you could do it with other books too, especially if they take place in a spot or time period you don’t actually live in, for example, a book that takes place in Paris, or maybe a book that takes place in the Regency era (any Pride and Prejudice fans?). I could probably have some fun with Sherlock Holmes, which would work because it takes place in England (somewhere I’d like to go) and the Victorian era.

Next, do some research about this book’s setting. We are looking at what they might wear, what they might eat, activities they might do, etc. If you are doing a book set in the real world, this might be easy. If you are doing a book set in a fantasy or scifi world, it might be a little harder, but you should be able to find some things in the book if nothing else. Most of the examples I gave are popular enough that you can still find a plethera of things online anyhow.

Use your research results to set up an itinerary. Find something that looks or feels like robes you can wear (even if its just a bathrobe). For example, if you picked Harry Potter, make some food from Harry Potter (Pumpkin Pasties, Butterbear, or any other food it mentions in the books. They feast enough it shouldn’t be hard to find and there are recipes everywhere). Play some quidditch (You can find instructions for the muggle version online), and make a wand. Practice some spells. Brew some potions. Go on a horcrux scavenger hunt. Use your imagination. Same with LOTR. Make some lembas bread. Have some mushrooms and taters. Practice your sword fighting skills. Go on a long walk or hike. Do a ringbearer relay race. If Pride and Prejudice is your thing, wear fancy hats, have some tea and crumpets, learn the Minuet (yes, you can find a tutorial on YouTube), and try some embroidery or something.

This might not be a long vacation, but you can get a day of book-themed fun. Don’t take it too seriously. The point of a vacation is to relax and not stress about too much. Use your imagination, try some new things, and just have a good time.

What book would you choose to use for your literary vacation?