Tried reading a 'classic' on a road trip and it backfired big time

So last month I decided to finally read Moby Dick during a 10 hour drive from Austin to Amarillo. I figured, hey, it's a classic, I'll look smart at book club. By hour three I was fighting to stay awake with all the whale blubber details. My buddy in the passenger seat started reading over my shoulder and fell asleep too. We missed the exit for a rest stop because we were both zoning out. When I got to book club, I couldn't even explain the plot because I'd skimmed half the chapters. Has anyone else picked the wrong book for a road trip and regretted it?

2 comments

2 Comments

julia_hayes1d agoTop Commenter

Dude, Moby Dick on a road trip? That's like bringing a cinder block to a swimming pool. I made the mistake of trying to read War and Peace on a flight to Denver once and almost missed my connecting flight because my brain was completely fried from all the Russian names. Stick to something with short chapters and a fast plot for long drives. You want a book that makes you laugh or keeps you guessing, not one that describes whale anatomy for 50 pages.

henry_martin561d ago

Ngl you're totally right about the short chapters thing. I tried reading Infinite Jest on a bus tour through Scotland once and ended up having to read the same page like four times because of all the footnotes. You need something that moves quick when you're in a car, otherwise you'll just zone out and miss your exit or something. Fast paced thrillers or funny memoirs are the way to go for sure.