Reading on the Road: Until then, we'll have to muddle through somehow

This is my 2,300th post on this blog! So it seems a fitting platform to announce that today I'm flying to Wisconsin where I will go into a cabin in the woods with no WiFi and never come out again, seriously. Okay, my parents' house is not that remote, but I am facing major burnout and lucky to be looking forward to a little unplugged time over the holidays.

I'm bringing Lionel Shriver's SO MUCH FOR THAT, Sara Paretsky's BREAKDOWN and Maria Semple's WHERE'D YOU GO, BERNADETTE, recently picked for Tournament of Books '13. These seem too cheerful so I'll pack this Kurt Vonnegut bio AND SO IT GOES that I got from my grandparents last Christmas. Seems like the perfect thing to read in the warm glow of my parents' flatscreen while my brother plays video games, one sister grades papers and the other one dozes off. My family is just so crazy this time of year.

Whether you are going away or celebrating at home, holidays or not, I hope you are happy and among those you love.

Reading on the Road: Washington D.C.

I'm off to our nation's capital to see my brother compete in a high school tournament, and I couldn't be prouder. Good luck, Max! (He thinks blogs are silly, but that's okay.)

By the time you read this I will already be on the train and probably deep into a chapter. This is where the Goodreads system of having a rankable to-do list breaks down a bit, because I don't want to lug any library books or hardcovers, and maybe a 96-pager is not the best use of my book-space. But here's what I'm bringing:

Candace Bushnell, 4 BLONDES -- for the forthcoming Candace Bushnell week.
Elizabeth Noble, THINGS I WANT MY DAUGHTERS TO KNOW -- One of my book party finds (in advance review copy form). I have two sisters and I'm meeting my mom in D.C., so it may be a bittersweet read.
Jonathan Coe, THE RAIN BEFORE IT FALLS (also an ARC) -- Marjorie lent this to me! Hey, Marjorie! I haven't forgotten.
Review book for EDGE New York: Lewis DeSimone's CHEMISTRY.

I'm also bringing my mom's belated Mother's Day gift of two books, so I'm just 2 volumes away from being a Tom Stoppard. And I'll only be gone Saturday and Sunday... sheesh.