BREAKING NEWS:

New Peter Hessler China book to be published next month!

http://www.amazon.com/Country-Drivin...ef=pd_sim_b_10

Great news! I'll definitely be watching for it.

Yes, I did read, and enjoyed, Gifford's CHINA ROAD, most likely at your suggestion. I think that others here -- Gpanda? -- did as well. In like vein, I wonder if you managed to get ahold of James Fallows' book, POSTCARDS FROM TOMORROW SQUARE, as well and whether you liked it.

If you ever come across any more food memoirs worth recommending such as the ones we talked about last year (e.g., by Jen Liu and Fuschia Dunlop), please share them since I would love to get back to some of that.

This evening's dishy treat is going to be Janice Y. K. Lee's THE PIANO TEACHER, set in Kong Kong just before and after WW2.

Marya: This is a great resource for sharing book tips. We seem to have very similar tastes in reading. I did read the Fallows' book, and also THE PIANO TEACHER. Both excellent! I am really excited about the new Hessler--it would have made terrific trip reading but it is coming out just after I leave. I thought the New Yorker article (s?) about driving in China were great!

You have provided so many good reads here and I can't thank you, and everyone else who contributed ideas, enough--let's keep this going. And I will be sure to post more food-related books when I find them. I have the "new" R.W.Apple book of his collected writings on reserve at the library.


http://www.amazon.com/Far-Flung-Well...4852582&sr=1-1


And, although I did not have such high hopes for the book because the reviews talked about the emphasis on his eating "disorder" I loved Frank Bruni's food memoir, BORN ROUND. Charming.

http://www.amazon.com/Born-Round-Sec...ef=pd_sim_b_10


Also, I read this a long time ago so do not remember much except that I liked it very much:

MY YEAR OF MEATS by Ruth Ozeki


http://www.amazon.com/My-Year-Meats-...4852772&sr=1-1

...also, I probably mentioned this before, but here is a book about a South African journey that I highly recommend:


http://www.amazon.com/Are-We-There-Y...4853000&sr=1-1


This one is nearly not so well written but the journey he took, around the perimeter of Africa on a bike, makes it worth the read:



http://www.amazon.com/Around-Africa-...3&sr=1-2-spell

How much Amazon stock must the OP own?

I love this thread!

Thank you so much. I got a lot of good reading tips for my upcoming trip to china.
sorry i can't contribute much yet!

dina

I signed in to ask/search for good book recommendations about China before we travel there in September. Thanks for this treasure trove. I love memoirs, so it looks like this list will keep me occupied. If there are any especially good traditional "travel" books, I'd also like to know about them. I'm SURE Fodor's is the best, but any other recommendations? Since we'll be on a tour (Beijing, Xian, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Yangtze Riv) we don't need to do research on hotels or even many restaurants. The background info will be most valuable but I like maps and contemporary info too. Thanks!!!

This might not be the right thread to bring this up but with ekscrunchy talking about taking 10 books on a trip -- have any of you considered the kindle? I also like to take a lot of books along when I travel & with restrictions on luggage weight getting stricter every day I'm starting to think about getting one.

I haven't started researching yet - not sure for example if the type of books mentioned about (great suggestions by the way) would be available in that format or if it's more geared to current bestsellers. Or if battery life would be a factor especially on a long flight. Would stink to run out - you'd have to have at least one 'real' book as backup.

I really love books - the physical, tactile experience is part of the joy of reading them and am turned off by reading them electronically but for practical purposes like travel maybe it's something to look into.

I've started loading audio books on my iPod, along with travel podcasts, and taking that. Not my favorite format, but light - and free since I borrow the audio books from the library.

Any suggestion about book only for China Travel Guide , thank you.

Still awaiting a publishing date for CHOLON NEAR FORGOTTEN

www.vincentlam.ca/cholon-near-forgotten.php

There's an interesting chapter on Chinese drivers in Ted Conover's "The Routes of Man" - along with other good chapters on Peru, Ladakh, Kenya, Israel/Palestine and Nigeria.

Ok--I have one more to add to this list:


This is a novel. Many of you have read this already, I am certain, but I read it on the ship in Burma and thought it was excellent so will mention; set in Burma and India, this book tells the story about Burma's last king and his descendants.

http://www.amazon.com/Glass-Palace-N...1590125&sr=1-1



More on North Korea in film--three new films on the subject:



http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/28/movies/28chapel.html



Thursday, I put the Ted Conover book on my library list. I read his book about Sing Sing prison and thought it was excellent.

Peter Hessler has another article in this week's New Yorker, about his move from China back to the US. Much more interesting than I have made it sound here!

Ah yes, that boat in Burma... I know Gpanda is a little preoccupied right now, but don't you think he has the clock ticking on that?

Tick, tick, tick...

Ha Ha. My clock is broken! Not kidding--I just turned on the computer to look for a clock repair place in NYC! Ok, ok...I will get around to this pretty soon.....let me get my internal clock fixed first!

Eks, I'm glad you enjoyed the Glass Palace. A great read for your cruise. I found so many fabulous books on Burma.

By the way, I am awaiting your trip report. I'd say with bated breath, but I'd expire long before the report appears.

Begging for additional time is unbecoming. I note that your computer probably has a clock in the lower right portion. Read. read. read. doesn't anybody write anymore?

Very funny, both of you! I have no shame so I am begging! I will try to get started soon...

And Mr. Smartie Pants, the computer clock is on the UPPER right!

"the computer clock is on the UPPER right!" - do you have a Mac? All my PCs have had it at the bottom right.

Dying to hear how the boat trip went, and whether you got the flight to China, so while not turning blue am considering ordering a coffin.