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About Booked & Ready

Booked and Ready features destinations both real and literary.

This blog focuses on adventure wherever it can be found, whether across the globe or in the pages of a book. Browse destinations or check out what's popular.

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Recent Blogs

  • Eating My Way Through New Orleans
  • Books Going Places: The Starbound Trilogy
  • Visiting The Poe Museum
  • Another End of the Year Post: Goodbye, 2015!
  • A Light in the Darkness (#12DaysOfTravel, Day 12)

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“But time is life itself, and life resides in the human heart. And the more people saved, the less they had.” — Momo by Michael Ende • • A few weeks ago, I mentioned I’m taking a class on information society (it’s an ethics/philosophy class) for grad school, and as if the class couldn’t get better (seriously, it’s been so interesting), our professor assigned a children’s book as required reading recently. First of all, bless him, because my brain can only take so much dense reading by mid-quarter. Second of all, this book was beautiful. What seemed like just a simple fantasy story—with a sassy talking turtle, I might add—at first revealed itself to be a much more complex tale about how we try to “save” time and whether it’s worth it to prioritize success over enjoying life. And though technology is not explicitly referenced in the book, to the astute adult reader, it has valid criticisms against the devices that can rule our lives these days. Interestingly, I reread Ende’s much more famous children’s book, The Neverending Story, last year and didn’t love it. I honestly feel like this is his real gem, though much lesser known. If you’re looking for a magical story with rich undertones, for young or for old readers, this might do. • • Q: What’s a children’s book you still draw wisdom from as an adult? • • #michaelende #michaelendemomo #childrensbooks #childrensliterature #bookstagram #booksbooksbooks #bookish #gradschool #librarylife
Light and shadow. Work and play. Art and science. Faith and reason. Balance is beautiful. Here’s to more balance in my life. Today I got to read a chapter of Steinbeck, put in some productive hours on a work project, make some headway on schoolwork, have drinks and dinner with a friend, and visit this gorgeous museum. To more days like this one! • • Q: What are you reading today? And tell me: what’s your favorite museum? • • (Thanks to @booksandthebigcities / @ehusting for modeling for this photo! 😘) #bookstagram #lightandshadow #booksinmuseums #museum #booksandart #instabook #booksbooksbooks #bookish #read #seattleartmuseum #firstthursday #thursday #balance #booksandmuseums
Just stopping by for a second to say independent bookstore day was a blast. I made it out to three shops, two of which I hadn’t visited before, @adason15th and @island.books, as well as to an old favorite, @elliottbaybookco. Scored some great deals (and getting The Bookshop on the Corner seemed very apropos!) and had a lot of fun! Next year: all the bookstores! • • Q: Did you visit any bookstores this weekend? • • P.S. I’m so close to the halfway point of being done with school!! Fingers crossed I’ll be back to posting over the summer.🤞🏼Hugs and love to all my #bookstagram people! 😘 #seabookstoreday #independentbookstore #independentbookstoreday #booksbooksbooks #allthebooks #bookstore #bookshop #bookshoponthecorner
Take me back to this dock, this moment... This time last quarter, I was here. Basking in a gloriously sunny and beautifully clear winter’s day, the kind of day where Lake Washington looks smooth as glass and Mount Rainier floats in the distance, pure white and magnificent. And this time a few months ago, I was pretty blissful. Fresh off a hard, but rewarding first quarter of school (and a vacation), I felt prepared to tackle the new year. Now I’m just exhausted. Spring allergies have me in a fog, and with just ten weeks to summer, I’m ready to put year one of grad school in the books. It’s not that positive of an outlook at the moment, but it’s the truth. I know I’ll get back to moments like these, though. Just a matter of time. • • Q: Anyone else in a spring haze? What do you do when you’re running low on motivation but the to-do list is still endless? • • P.S. @dickens.and.docks this photo makes me think of you, although it’s actually a Wilkie and a dock. 😉 Also, how have you not made #booksondocks a thing? Let’s make it a thing. #throwbackthursday #bookstagram #booksoutofdoors #booksbythewater #booksbooksbooks #unitedbookstagram #motivation #zen #lakewashington #pnwonderland #booksoutside #getoutside #seattle #magnusonpark #read #reader #readeverywhere
I meant to post this earlier today, but it turns out it might’ve been meant to be that I waited until after my grad school class today, which is called ‘Critical & Existential Perspectives on Information Society.’ (Disclaimer: very long and philosophical post ahead.) • Today in class we talked about how humans flourish, how they define virtue, and whether innovation and technology always promote a virtuous ethic of flourishing. We also talked about mortality (and immortality), and whether death can serve to motivate us to live more fulfilling lives. • And as it turns out, most of the novels that have impacted my life and given it meaning revolve around these ideas. What makes life worth living? When are we willing to die for those ideals, and why? Is love worth sacrificing for? How far can we go for love before it becomes selfishness? How far will we go to achieve what we want—and how far should we go? And, how do we keep hoping even when everything seems hopeless? • Steinbeck maybe conveys this sense of urgency in the human life best in East of Eden when he writes: "But if you can bring yourself to face not shadows but real death, described and recognizable, by bullet or saber, arrow or lance, then you need never be afraid again, at least not in the way you were before. Then you will be a man set apart from other men, safe where other men may cry in terror. This is the great reward. Maybe this is the only reward." • This sense of transcendence, of redemption, of meaning beyond death (and life), is what I seek from the books that I truly love. This #bookstack here is a collection of a few favorites that have done that for me. • • Q: What are yours—books that have given your life meaning? Also, if you made it this far, 👏🏼😘. • • #haymeaningoflife — books that have given meaning to my life. I sadly won’t be in Hay for for the in-person events, so this is an online submission from afar. 😊 #bookstagrammy2019 @bookstagramhay @greeninkbooksellers @addymanbooks #bookstagram #unitedbookstagram #eastofeden #wutheringheights #thesecretgarden #tillwehavefaces #thebookthief #meaningoflife #booksbooksbooks #booksandflowers #tulips #spring
Vermicelli bowls, satay, and The Handmaid’s Tale with a good friend? The weekend’s already off to an excellent start. Just got back from another lovely lunch date with @spunkyreads. While I love the entire #bookstagram community, whether near or far, there’s something really special about getting together in person, and I’m so glad Sushma and I live close enough to do this pretty regularly. Always enjoy chatting books, travel, family, and more with you, friend. ❤️ • • #friday #thehandmaidstale #margaretatwood #booksandfood #bookstagrammer #booksbooksbooks #flatlay #unitedbookstagram #bookishfriends #bookish
As promised, here’s my haul from @seattlepubliclibrary’s @friendsofseattlepubliclibrary book sale. Y’all, this sale never disappoints. If you live in or near Seattle and you love books, mark your calendars for next year!! Not only does it support the library, the book selection is amazing, both in terms of popular/recent fiction and in terms of vintage/rare finds. And I got my first Boddington Classic for just $3!!! Oh, and I also got Steinbeck’s The Winter of our Discontent (not pictured) which felt meant to be as I’ve been searching for a hard copy since it was announced as a #steinbecksisters read — now I should finally be able to finish it. 😊 • • Q: What’s your favorite find from a used bookstore or library sale? • • #library #ilovelibraries #seattlepubliclibrary #librarysale #booksale #bookstack #janeeyre #mrboddington #thepower #thefifthseason #internationalcollectorslibrary #booksbooksbooks #unitedbookstagram #bookstagram
“It was my first lesson. Beneath the smooth, familiar face of things is another that waits to tear the world in two.” — Circe, by Madeline Miller Circe is such a beautiful experience so far. I love Miller’s writing, I love the story, I love seeing myths I know well through a new lens. I also love how this story somehow begs me to keep reading, while also feeling slow and rhythmic. It’s a bit of a paradox that way—it’s both a page turner, and a slow burn, which has been exactly what I’ve wanted. Also, fun fact about me, I was assigned Bulfinch’s mythology in school and it was one of the few books I continued to read over and over. I would just pick it up for fun and read a short myth whenever I wanted something to read. Ever since, I have loved anything having to do with ancient mythology. The stories are so rich, and I love how easily, but uniquely, they get retold through the ages—much like Shakespeare. And sometimes you make a really fancy breakfast, and it’s just so #bookstagram, you know? Avocado toast with roasted beets, rosemary, and sea salt...simple, but delicious. • • #circe #madelinemiller #mythology #booksandbreakfast #atmykitchentable #kitchentable #read #reading #reader #booksbooksbooks #unitedbookstagram #wednesday
So far, my spring break is looking a lot like this. Good books, good views, and overall, a good time of rest. I’m currently trying to race through the end of Madeline Miller’s Circe before it’s due back at the library. So far, I really like it. Honestly, it’s rare I don’t like works influenced by mythology—from Lewis’ Till We Have Faces to the Percy Jackson series. • • Q: Where’s your favorite place to read? • • #booksoutofdoors #booksbythebeach #pointdefiance #steinbeck #booksbooksbooks #read #unitedbookstagram #bookstagram #booksinnature #getoutside #pugetsound #monday
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