July 24, 2015 
Lauren 
It’s summer time, and you know what that means: vacation. Vacation is one of my favorite things, because I love traveling, but it’s also when I read the most non-DGLM titles in a row. I try to keep up with personal reading throughout the year—as an agent you need to know the market—but it’s hard to do when the metaphorical reading pile is in constant danger of toppling and authors are eagerly awaiting word. If I read a book for pleasure, I have to tackle at least 10 or so work projects before I feel like I can justify dipping into anything else for fun. Otherwise the guilt stifles my enjoyment too much.
But on vacation I can read anything I want. And this year I’m heading to Sorrento to sit on a balcony sipping wine and reading and staring at the Gulf of Naples. Now that everything’s booked, I have to turn to the important decision: what to read. I’m trying to limit the physical books I bring to two, promising myself I can buy more books at the airport or in Italy if I really want.
So I’m welcoming suggestions. The only rules are that they must be available at short notice in trade paperback (my format of choice for personal reading), they should be fiction or highly engaging and easily digestible nonfiction, and they can’t be on the DGLM client list. Ideas?
You’ve probably already read it, but I really loved THE HUSBAND’S SECRET. I also liked THE BOSTON GIRL by Anita Diamant (although it’s really more of a slice of life novel than one with a story arc, it’s very good reading). For YA, I can’t say enough about how much I love Jandy Nelson’s I’LL GIVE YOU THE SUN. And I love everything by Kristina Riggle.
Ooh, thanks for the recommendations, Joelle. I have been looking for the perfect time to read I’LL GIVE YOU THE SUN, in fact, so especially good to have that reminder.
You might consider taking this one onto the plane with you, maybe even as a third book.A few years ago, under similar circumstances, I took with me THE POISONER\”S HANDBOOK, by Deborah Blum. I found it to be not only fascinating, but also useful (no, not in that way!). After 5 minutes of nonstop, lopsided air chat with the passenger seated next to me, I happened to take the book out and set it, cover-side-up, on my tray. The conversation ceased totally and I enjoyed a couple of hours of uninterrupted reading. There may be other titles out there with similar powers, but that book made the rest of my trip much more enjoyable. Bon voyage!
Ha! Amazing. I’m usually good at discouraging chitchatting strangers, but this sounds like a very useful technique.