Many years ago, Sevda and I went through a stage where we couldn't get enough of John Irving.  It was during this time that we read Setting Free the Bears, part of which takes place in Vienna.  Within two years, both Sevda and I had traveled to Vienna, making sure to see the Opera House that felt so familiar after it's place in Irving's book.

A few years ago, Coleen told me that she was moving to Singapore, and asked if I knew of any books that were set there that she should read.  I couldn't think of one, and turned to Jill (who was born there) to see if she had any thoughts.  She didn't either, and for the first time realized how familiar a place can feel just by reading about a place that is a setting in a story.  It's like a snapshot of life - past or present - a feeling that you get that is different than just reading about a place, or pouring over a travel guide.

In my mind, a lot of books and locations are linked together, for example:
South Carolina - Prince of Tides by Pat Conroy
Afghanistan - Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
Minnesota - Angry Housewives Eating Bon-Bons by Lorna Landvik, On the Banks of Plum Creek by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Prince Edward Island - Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

Do you like to read fictional books that take place in places where you're traveling?  Do you like to read them before you go, or while on the trip?  Have the settings of any books made you want to travel to a location?

If I had to guess, I'd bet that all of you are vacation readers.  And this summer, members of our book club are traveling to some fantastic locations.
In the States:
Oregon beaches
Texas Hill Country
Minnesota lakes
North Dakota plains
Florida coast
Las Vegas
NYC
Washington, DC
San Francisco
Sonoma

Around the World (other than the previously mentioned States):
Ireland
Estonia
South Africa
St. Petersburg, Russia
Ankara, Turkey
Barcelona, Spain


Do you know of any good books that are set in any of these locations that you'd recommend?