I adore reading but when I travel I substitute my reading for writing.....just notes, observations and only for me really. Have you tried it? <BR>DC

In the cheap thrills category, I suggest anything by Susan Isaacs, especially "After All These Years." <BR>Another Bill Bryson book I really enjoyed was "Notes from a Small Island." I suspect all his books are entertaining, but I haven't read them all, so no promises.

any reading by anyone has to include these classics. anything by <BR>robbins, suzanne, or segal;

Hi all, <BR>A few weeks ago I read a post about a book that took place in Paris and the book mentions quite a few Paris tourist attractions. I read through this post and didn't see it in here. Maybe I missed it or it was in another post. I believe the name of the book is Paris to the moon. Does this sound familiar to anyone? <BR>

Shipping News by Annie Proulx. That and Snow Falling on Cedars are my two favorite books. Also like Elizabeth George books and Dick Francis books.

"Chocolat" (made into a recent movie) for all of you French chocolates lovers (and Juliette Binoche fans). I know you are there.

The Regeneration Trilogy <BR> <BR>Pat Barker

To the top, even if I wasn't traveling...great thread . <BR>I second Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett!

Glad this came up! Just finished immersing myself in London culture, for my trip to London in Feb. FABULOUSLY FUNNY FRIVOLOUS FOLDEROL, called "Making Minty Malone" by Isobel Wolfe. It is LOL funny slice of modern London life. Also, "London Transports" by Maeve Binchy...keen mad for them! Judy

I love lists like these. <BR> <BR>Some of my favorites: <BR>See Under: Love, David Grossman <BR>Midnight's Children, Salman Rushdie <BR>Winter's Tale, Mark Helprin <BR>Tin Drum, Gunter Grass <BR>A Perfect Peace, Amos Oz <BR>Infinite Jest, David Foster Wallace <BR>

Gina: <BR> <BR>Since your going to Paris, I would recommend "French Toast" It is a book written by and american woman who married a French man and raised two sons in Paris. A lot of insite on the French. It is written in the style of Erma Bombeck and it should keep a smile on your face through much of the flight. The following I copied from the Amazon web site: <BR> <BR>French Toast : An American in Paris Celebrates the Maddening Mysteries of the French <BR>by Harriet Welty Rochefort, Harriet Welty-Rochefort (Hardcover - January 1999) <BR>Average Customer Review: 4 stars <BR> <BR>$15.95 <BR>

Pillars of the Earth is indeed a keeper! If you want an old fashioned title, how about Gone with the Wind? Depending on where you're going in Europe, Alison Weir has a new one, Eleanor of Aquataine, but it's non fiction and you've got to love history. Great woman of history though--how did she do it? Good thread. THere's nothing worse than getting on a flight to Europe and discovering that your book is totally boring and a true light hitter. Then you really begin to fidget!

Man, would I love to spend a week or two with all of you people! What great discussions we could have! (Let's charter a plane to nowhere!) <BR> <BR>Although books like "The Shell Seekers," "A Cry To Heaven," "Gone With the Wind," and "Forever Amber" are some of my favorites, my traveling books have to be light and funny. I like to nap in between reading and I don;t want to have to remember major things from the part I've already read! <BR> <BR>As a result, I love the "Florida comedy" Carl Hiaasen books such as Skin Tight, Strip Tease (MUCH better than the movie), Double Whammy, Native Tongue, Tourist Season, etc. Also good is Laurence Shames, who writes the same type of books. Light and funny!

Thanks, all, for the two pages of must-reads I've just scribbled down. I most heartily agree with the nomination of the Eggers book, "A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius." A whole new form of memoir. <BR> <BR>Also suggest "Motherless Brooklyn." (An OCD detective? Rich. <BR> <BR>Finally, re Tom Wolfe: For some fun, pick up his latest collection of essays: "Hooking Up." It contains an amazing piece called "My Three Stooges," in which he attacks John Irving, John Updike and Norman Mailer for slamming his "Man in Full," at the same time that their latest books were going nowhere.

For Americans who love Paris, I would recommend reading Diane Johnson's nove, Le Divorce. It is witty and gets the differences between the US and France out there on the line in a delicious way. She's got a recent sequel, Le Mariage, but I've not read it iyet. <BR>Le Divorce is out in paperback at about 10 bucks on bn.com.

I just read Le Mariage, and while it echoes the same Americans in Paris/culture clash themes, it is NOT a sequel to Le Divorce (totally different characters and setting). It was fun, but not as good as Le Divorce IMO.

It has been a long time since I've seen this list, so I may as well add one that I just finished and really enjoyed: Waiting, by Ha Jin. It won the National Book Award for 2000 I believe. Set in China, it's about a man who tries (unsuccessfully) to divorce his wife every year. It reads almost like a fable. <BR> <BR>Also, I keep reading more and more of Elizabeth Berg's work -- she is terrific.

not that anyone needs another suggestion but...if anyone likes mysteries Sarah Caudwell (spelling?) is great. she has a very british style with great dry humor and she sets her stories in exotic locations.

I'm back again already, but it just occurred to me to mention the Booker Prize-winning Amsterdam, by Ian McEwan, which takes place in London and the title city. It's short and quick, and the most delicious little read...I can't say more, you just have to read it. <BR> <BR>I also enjoyed Waiting.

This list has a life of its own and no longer probably directly responds to the original question of May, 2000 so I will throw in my suggestion: Try the Travis McGee series of mysteries by John D. MacDonald. The movie versions were usually not very good, but the books themselves always had good insights into people and were good reads at the same time. Perfect quick summer reads. I read them all and now MacDonald is dead. Too bad. Travis is missed.