Book Pilgrimage 2012!

Take the Book Pilgrimage 2012! I wanted to get this up in time for those of you who are now planning summer vacations, summer camps, etc. It is the Book Pilgrimage 2012 Challenge! Basically, the challenge is to read a book, or books, and then visit (make a pilgrimage!) to either the location where the book is set or to the author's home (or grave). Then, blog about the book and the book pilgrimage! There is a Mr. Linky below.

Here is an example that includes one of my plans for this summer. I am going to re-read that best seller of the 1800s - "Uncle Tom's Cabin." Then, I am going to visit the Harriet Beecher Stowe House in Cincinnati, AND I am going to Ripley, Ohio, BECAUSE there really was an Eliza and she really crossed the semi-frozen Ohio River at Ripley and went to John Rankin's house, a stop on the underground railway! So, I am going there and I am going to stand at the spot where she crossed and take pictures. And, I am going to visit the Rankin House.

The thing is, this is convenient for me because all of these locations are less than an hour away.

I will also be in Florida and time permitting, I will read "Cross Creek," and visit the Cross Creek State Park.

The point that I am trying to make is that you do not have to make a long pilgrimage - unless you want to do that. There are great sites to visit in every state and country! As a matter of fact, I am hoping to hear from book lovers in other countries to learn about places and authors that I have never heard about. So, if you do not plan to go anywhere, find something local! And, if you are planning a vacation, see whether you can include a book pilgrimage. Or, go all out and plan a pilgrimage as a stand alone trip. I know a lot of Twilight fans have made special trips to Forks, Washington, the setting for the books, and I would love to read about one of those trips!

Here is a link that has a lot of ideas - Europe is at the beginning, scroll down for South America, and then the United States. You can also google the park or historic societies in your state or country.

Also, please keep checking back here by hitting the "Pilgrim's Badge" on the top of my right column. I am going to share book pilgrimage ideas as I find them, or as people share them with me. One of the things that I am going to look into is the fact that I have heard that there are big plans at some of the Laura Ingalls Wilder sites around the country! Also, I do not know much about this, but I heard that there is a big push to save Edgar Allen Poe's house, which is, or was, facing demolition(?) Here is a list of American authors' homes I recently found. Stay tuned!!! I'm so excited!!