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Budd Par recently published his heavy vacation reading list. He confessed that his summer reading is anything but fluffy, since vacation is the only time he can dedicate to reading a big book straight through.

His dilemma will seem familiar to all writers with a day job:

"I’m auditioning some decently chunky books to read while on vacation. I guess this is what’s called summer reading, which for me is the opposite of what most think of because it’s a time when I get to do some relatively uninterrupted and in depth reading."

I heartily agree, and I've been pondering books for my own summer vacation in August. So here are my favorite 'Opposite of Summer Reading' books. Add your own favorites in the comments section...

1- William T. Vollmann's The Atlas--A book of literary, travel-themed bedtime stories from one of our best writers, blending fiction, journalism, and hallucinations in short sections you can read while traveling.

2- Julio Cortazar’s Hopscotch--I read this book in a dreamy haze earlier this summer. Easily the best book I've read all year, full of narrative tricks and writing stunts to keep you inspired the rest of the year. Continue reading...

3- Roberto Bolano’s Savage Detectives-- I read this book in the spring, it's the perfect companion to Hopscotch, following the adventures of a couple poets in Central America during one tumultuous lifetime.

4- Cormac McCarthy's No Country for Old Men--A hardboiled noir tale from one of our strongest writers, it also contains my Favorite Literary Shootout with Automatic Weapons.

5-Philip Roth's Portnoy's Complaint--Don't ask questions, just read this dirty, beautiful book.