I've been having this recurring fantasy of traveling to the seaside (not tropical, however, somewhere more temperate) and spending a month living in a little house all by myself with just a big pile of books and the sound of the surf to keep me company. Unfortunately it's just going to have to remain a fantasy, but I know there is a book out there (lots probably) that is as close to wish fulfillment as I'm going to get.
In the past I've come up with a Seafaring Tales list, but this time I'm in the mood to stay firmly grounded on land, just close to the sea. I've read most of these books, and the rest are on my TBR pile. They are partially or wholly set in a seaside town.
- The Enchanted April, Elizabeth von Arnim - My ultimate sunny, seaside book.
- The Sleeping Beauty, Elizabeth Taylor
- Lighthousekeeping, Jeanette Winterson
- Frenchman's Creek and Jamaica Inn, Daphne du Maurier
- Sea Glass, Anita Shreve
- The Bookshop, Penelope Fitzgerald
- The Season of Open Water and Moon Tide, Dawn Clifton Tripp - I really like her work and wish she would write more.
- The Lighthouse, P.D. James
- Persuasion, Jane Austen
- The Country of Pointed Firs, Sarah Orne Jewett
- Sylvia's Lovers, Elizabeth Gaskell
- Snow Island, Katherine Towler
- The Ripening Seed, Colette
I'm always happy to take suggestions. I'm sure there are many books set in coastal towns. If you have a favorite please share.