There is only ONE book that meets your requirements. 'Swan Song' by Robert McKammon(?). I can't tell you how many people I have suggested it to, and ALL of them said they hated me because they couldn't put it down and made them stay up late at night. On the other hand, I don't want you to miss your vacation so maybe you should wait until you get home. Enjoy!

Dina, Ender's Game is one of my favorites. I know a lot of folks that also love it, sorry you did not! It won a lot of awards and they are currently making the movie. Mean Spirited? Yes, it was, but it set up for the next books, all of which were great too (in my opinion of course.) All the following books addressed the ethics of the actions in the first book. However, if you didn't like Ender, you certainly would not like the rest of them.

Just discovered Philippa Gregory, readFallen Skies picked it up in Bermuda. <BR>Could someone recommend some of her other books-Thanks

Kay, I sure did not mean any implied criticism of your taste. I'm a voracious reader and opinionated, have strong emotional reactions to literature and film (even architecture---did you see my hyberbolic travelogue entry about Sagrada Familia?). Often I'm in the minority. In fact, several of the highly recommended books on this thread are on my least-liked list, but I've resisted putting my 2 cents in until now. No offense!

Did anyone mention "The Corrections" by Jonathan Franzen? I am 250 pages into the 560 and I am loving it. Also, "The Miracle Life of Edgar Mint" comes highly recommended by my husband.

I cannot belive its not metioned-and I forgot to list<BR>Herman Wouk's-The Winds of War!!

Dina, Thanks for the note. I was not offended by your remarks. We obviously don't like the same books, but I assume we both enjoy travel. Take Care. Kay

Life is too short to be wasting it by reading fiction books. ONLY NON-FICTION FOR ME.

Thanks for sharing that, Tom. We're all very interested. Now go away.

One serious read that you'll never forget:<BR><BR>"The Journeyer"<BR>by Gary Jennings<BR><BR>Just excellent

<BR>I remember being totally mesmerized by <BR>"A prayer for Owen Meany" by John Irving, nothing to do with the film version "Simon Birch".<BR><BR>Also, if you are a woman, I have to be obvious and corny and say "Gone with the wind". I read it twice in a row and cried at the end both times.<BR>

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A really good book I would recommend would be Exterminance Cometh by Robert Segarra. It kept me so engrossed that I didn't even think about much else. Similar books with that same effect are Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier, and almost anything by Stephen King!<BR><BR>http://hometown.aol.com/brooklynboy59/index.html<BR>http://hometown.aol.com/brooklynboy5...ge/poetry.html

"how to stay celibate" by Joan Collins

Ditto on THE WINDS OF WAR plus the next book WAR AND REMEMBRANCE. I read the Winds of War when it was first published and then had to wait about 5 years for the next book. WINDS takes you up to WWII start and WAR takes the same characters through WWII. Now you can read them back to back and really enjoy the story told by Herman Wolk. Forget the TV version. These are great books with a lot of Europe in them.

If you're a femme, on your way to London, and love to shop, read Sophie Kinsley's two books "Confessions of a Shophaholic" and "A Shopaholic Takes Manhattan". "Confessions" immediately continues into "Manhattan". Two absolutely hysterical books.

ttt

When I went to Asia, I wished I hadn't have read Memories of a Geisha already, it is a wonderful book and would really get you in the mood for going there.

The Secret History by Susan Tartt - an incredible read....has anyone read it??????? The hours will fly by.

Fast Food Nation, The Dark Side to the All American Meal<BR><BR><BR>I only wish it was fiction. This expose on the fast food industry and the meat industry is enthralling and scary.