This one was surprisingly easy because I have a lot of strong memories of reading quite a few different books. I decided to go with ones that have stuck out to me the most, whether because of what was going on while I was reading them, perfect matching weather, or any other random reason. It was fun to go back and remember all of these different times. Let me know what books you have strong memories with!
When I was in college, I commuted to my university where parking was horrible. There were days when I spent over an hour continuously driving around trying to find a spot (goodbye, good gas mileage), but that's a topic for another day. As a result of this, I always left my house extremely early to get to class to give myself time to find a spot, and this usually meant that I often ended having a lot of extra time before class. I generally liked to just chill in my car until it got closer to the time of my class, so I used this time to either go over notes/etc. before class or, if I felt sufficiently prepared, I read! I distinctly remember reading Strange the Dreamer in my car the winter quarter of my final year of university. It pretty much took me the entire ten weeks which seems like a long time, but it fit with the slow, leisurely pace of the novel so well and I have such fond memories of reading that book in my old '96 Tahoe. Those were some good times.
This one stands out to me because I took it traveling with me! You might be think, 'isn't it crazy to take a 1,000+ page book in your backpack while traveling?' Well I'm here to tell you that yes, yes it is. But I was flying up again to northern California for a bit of time and I really wanted to finish (or make progress, at least) Oathbringer, so what better way to get some good time in than in an airport and on a plane? It may have been painful, but I'd say it was worth it.
The only reason this stands out to me so much is because I read it during a super dreary, rainy bout of (rare) days we had and it could not have fit the atmosphere and setting of this creepy gothic ghost story any more perfectly. I love when books match the weather, so I have some really fantastic memories of reading this book.
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle brings back memories of sitting huddled in our extra bedroom that was full of random crap because our house had had a huge water leak and we didn't have much access to one bedroom, our kitchen, and our living room (and that's pretty much the entire house minus two bedrooms because this house is small). It was a super stressful time and we had so much stuff piled into that extra bedroom, but relaxing with Murakami in spare moments of reprieve were so wonderful and make me think of this book fondly. His books can really make me feel content no matter what the situation is.
Stoner is another book I read entirely at my university! I had a lot of gaps between classes in different quarters (who doesn't?), so when I wasn't studying... surprise, surprise--I read! I wholeheartedly believe that there is a better to place to read this than sitting on a nice bench in between academic buildings in a lovely little courtyard at a university, which is exactly where I read this one. It was the perfect setting and this book also became one of my favorites. That was probably one of my best outdoor reading experiences.
To keep things short, I discovered this book back at a time when I was having some of my worst physical health and anxiety issues that I've had in most of my life and it was the best escape I could have ever asked for. I fell so hard for this world, Kvothe, Patrick Rothfuss' writing--everything. I love this series and it will always have a special place in my heart for many reasons. I'm also one of the seemingly rare few that doesn't seem to totally hate Rothfuss by this point, so I'm pretty content to keep waiting for the third book if it means it'll be as perfect as it can be.
I read a lot of these graphic novels in a car while commuting home (I wasn't driving) from work and they made traffic so much easier to handle. This was also the first graphic novel series I ever really read and got into, so I have really fond memories of it for that as well.
This book took me ages to get through because I started it pretty much right when I moved into my dorm for the start of my freshman year of college. I didn't have a great college experience (I mean, I ended up transferring and going to a school where I could commute from home, so 'not great' might be an understatement, but bear with me), and I remember grabbing my Kindle and just spending some time with this book at night before I went to bed. Once again, Murakami's beautiful prose came to the rescue and left me with fantastic memories.
I didn't realize before now how much I've read while commuting, but here's another one I read while commuting. I specifically remember this one because I read it on long drives home during my senior year of high school (we lived ~forty-five minutes or so away) and it just blew my mind. I remember taking a step back from it every once in a while and just staring at the other cars on the freeway while I tried to make sense of what I was reading. Really hoping to re-read this one sometime!
Okay, to close out this list here's a sappy one for you. I was vaguely aware of Ginsberg's work and had read a few of his poems before reading this, but when I first met my boyfriend as a junior in high school and we were getting to know each other he told me how much he enjoyed Ginsberg's poems, "Howl" in particular. So one day we grabbed his copy of Ginsberg's work, went down to a local park, sat on the grass under a nice shady tree, and read some of his poems together. It didn't seem to cliche at the time, but it sure does now. Still, it was a fun time (and we've been together over six years now, so I'd say it worked out alright).
I am not one who stays up all night reading. I'm oddly strict about adhering to whatever time I want to go to sleep and not being able to be tempted away by a book, no matter how good it is. It's partly because I like a little suspense, and partly because I'm just increddibly focused on the fact that I like to get up early, so I can't stay up. However, back when I was younger (high school maybe?) I wasn't like this, and The Secret History is one of the few books that I have ever specifically stayed up late into the night to read. I have some good memories of sitting in my bed with only a small little lamp illuminating the pages of this incredible, suspenseful book. The Secret History is also one of my favorites.
Have you read any of these books? What books do you have strong memories with?
I know what you mean about parking on campus!!! I also spent A LOT of time reading in my car when I commuted to college!
I remember devouring the French Lt Woman in English in college. I thought "I Love this author" I rushed out and bought the Magus and almost cried. I now understand that authors often change up what they right, but at 18 I was so upset that it wasn't just like the FLW!! How fun to remember all that--thank you!! Interesting list--many I didn't know.
I love that the weather was such a perfect fit for your read of The Silent Companions! I have memories of getting to my college classes really early, too, and reading beforehand.
I always love it when certain weather or music or something like that reminds me of a book. I used to read in my car too sometimes waiting for class- that's a great story about Strange the dreamer!
Oh oh I really want to read The Secret History!! And also I LOVE Name of the Wind but haven't read the sequel yet because I feel like it'll just make me want book 3 and that probably isn't coming for another billion years.😂And Strange the Dreamer is such a good book. :') I listened via audio with an excellent narrator, so it's definitely stayed with me all this time ahh!
I love your "outdoor" experience with Stoner, I rarely read outdoors so I love that idea. I do have memories of reading during mountain vacations during my childhood, however, outside in the forest, but that seems so long ago now. I'd love to do that again!
I remember, one time when I was ten-ish, visiting the bank with my mom. I brought a book with me and an older gentleman saw it and started telling me this story about how somebody he knew got a job because he had read more than the other applicants. Unfortunately, I don't remember what book I was reading at the time.
I never stayed up super late reading, but I James Herriot's books did make me stay up a little later than I had meant to a couple times.