Every Tuesday over at the  The Broke and Bookish we all get to look at a particular topic for discussion and use various (or more to the point ten) examples to demonstrate that particular topic.  The topic this week is:

 Top Ten Things Books Have Made Me Want To Do or Learn About After Reading Them

I’ve broken this down into travel/things to see/do, food and drink, educational.

1. I’m going to Prague in December this year, I’ve been wanting to visit there for a while but some of the descriptions in Laini Taylor’s Daughter of Smoke and Bone were so excellent it made me want to visit even more.
2. A few years ago, and pre blog so unfortunately I can’t at the moment recall the name of the book, I read a book set in Florence, we were due to visit Florence later that year and after reading the descriptions of Sienna we took a day trip – it’s an absolutely beautiful place and I seem to remember the book saying it has a lovely square, which is almost feminine – I completely agree!  It is stunning and reached through the most olde world twisting and turning shop lined streets.
3. After reading The Undying by Ethan Reid my interest to visit the catacombs in Paris was definitely piqued – and visit the catacombs we did!  What an experience.  I’ve seen the horror film that was filmed down there since going on the tour – not sure if I’d have visited if I’d seen the film first!
4. Ginger Scald – this sounds like an amazing cocktail doesn’t it – I don’t think I’ve perfected a recipe for this but I’m giving it a go.  Scott Lynch’s Gentlemen Bastard series.
5. Joanne Harris – Chocolat – no explanation necessary.
6. Butterbeer – okay, I haven’t tried this – because where would I find it – answers on a postcard please.  J K Rowlings Harry Potter.
7. Most of the food in Jacqueline Carey’s Kushiel series – usually delicious sounding Mediterranean food with couscous, olives, almonds, goats cheese, flat breads – yum.
8. The Shards of Heaven by Michael Livingston – this book, as soon I’d finished reading it made me want to go out and read up about Cleopatra and, more to the point, her daughter Selene.
9. Masks and Shadows by Stephanie Burgis – this book is based around a number of historical events.  The story really intrigued me and I did go and look up some of the detail – I was also really curious about one of the characters, who was a castrato – and I also went and read up a little about that too.
10. Witch Light by Susan Fletcher – is a book that I absolutely love and put Susan Fletcher firmly on my author wishlist.  Again, I was really intrigued by the historical events portrayed in the story and went to read up a little more after I’d finished reading.