I wanted to travel in spite of Innocents Abroad, does that count?

I recently read a couple of books by Marian Keyes, can't remember the titles. That genre of "single British women who get drunk a lot." It was okay beach reading, but I wasn't crazy about them (or maybe I've just read too many "single British women who get drunk a lot" books!).

Nutella, it's funny how books strike us all differently, isn't it? I thought the same about "Bridget Jones Diary." I liked the movie, though. And "A Year in Provence" did not inspire me to Provence; it inspired a big yawn! Even though I like his subsequent books.

I agree with you dln..I did not enjoy the book :A year in Provence" at all.
I am quite familiar with the region and I have found that the author views were exagerated.

Thanks dln for the Jean Plaidy name.
I just could not come up with it.
Also, please don't feel you have to explain the books you read.
As long as people read,I don't care if they read comic books.LOL

bbonz, thanks for saying that. I do feel guilty about my fluff books! Must be the Catholic school upbringing that keeps telling me "read to improve your mind...not turn it to mush." I am gratified to know, however, that my Judith Kranz novel (other post on French reads) has at least a little connection to Picasso (thanks to Cigalechanta for pointing that out). Maybe I was subconsciously improving my myself after all!

dln, nothing wrong with fluff, the challenge is in finding good fluff! I can recommend good fluff that I just finished - The Room-Mating Season by Rona Jaffe - very enjoyable, except for the parts that totally depressed me!

Books! my second-favorite topic!

I'm currently enjoying "Without Reservations" by Alice Steinbach. She's a "woman of a certain age" -- single, kids grown. She takes a sabbatical from her job as a reporter for the Baltimore Sun, and heads to Europe alone. (This sure revs my fantasy buttons, but what would my DH do..?)

Alice starts in Paris, then goes to London, Oxford, and Italy. Might be popular choice for some of us Fodorites!