Does anyone else choose books by the locales in them?

[Stuart Matthew Davis]

I recently moved to Houston and started reading Galveston by Nic Pizzolatto just because I like to read books that feature places where I've lived or been.  When I lived in SoCal it was super easy to find good (and bad) books that had locales I was familiar with.  Now that I'm in Houston, I want to find books that feature East Texas.  

 

I have a couple questions for yall (See I'm already picking up the Texas vibe).  

 

1.  What locales do you like to read about?

 

2.  Do you know any good books that feature East Texas or The Gulf Coast? 

[Jed Power]

The locale I write about is the locale I'd like to to read about, but can't find anything...Hampton Beach, NH.

[Stacy]

I live in Houston, born and raised. Welcome to the Bayou City AKA Clutch City!

 

No I don't pick books by the locales. Where they are located means nothing to me personally. I just care about the story but of course it makes it more interesting when it takes place in my hometown or home state.

Can't think of any Texas-based books off the top of my head though. I will definitely list some if I think of them.

 

Glad you're picking up that vibe! LOL!

Best Wishes!
http://www.stacy-deanne.net

[Stuart Matthew Davis]

Thanks, you're city has been good to me so far.

 

[John Michael Brantingham]

I do. I get into a London mood or a LA mood or some other mood and read for that place. I love the books of the desert south west.

[Gaile Hughes]

Lee Child had his character Reacher do a stint in Texas - Echo Burning (No five in the series), there may have been more.  Child's locale descriptions are quite well done. IMO

[I. J. Parker]

Yes, Child is very good at catching the flavor of American cities and towns.

[James Fouche]

Hey Stuart!

 

I've read them across the board (or across the map), but I do like books that allow me a frame reference. Having been to a certain country or city gives the benefit of familiarity. Sadly, this backfires at times. I notice things that could not be, flaws, tiny errors the authors manipulated for the sake of convenience or simply to cut corners.

 

Another side of me likes to dabble with the unknown. I enjoy tackling something set in a different country with a different voice. I get to experience a different judicial system, a different caliber of corrupt cops, different mentalities, third world maniacal characters without clear origin for their madness, etc.

 

A perfect example is A Touch of Danger by James Jones. It's a great crime book set in the Greek Islands. I've never been there, but it's on my to-do list.

 

James

[Cammy May Hunnicutt]

I wonder how big a factor this is with people.  Obviously means nothing in James Bond-type international gadding-about stories.

I was just posting to Susan Fleet about Martin Cruz Smith's astrounding in depth depictions of cultures and societies.  He has that whole Renko series in Russia, of course (which sometimes leads to other places, like Alaska and Siberia),  Havana Bay, Rose in Ireland,  December 6 in Japan (and many forget his early work about the gypsy cop).   Thing is, he can evoke a locale as well as anybody out there, but doesn't stick to one.

If yo just want books about Russia or Cuba, you miss a lot.

[Jen Hilborne]

I set my novels in locations I know and love (San Francisco, and Oxfordshire, England). I don't generally pick books to read based on their locale, although I did stumble across one staged in my home county and I loved it for the memories it evoked.