Book Club
 

What is the best book you have read while on a long flight or on vacation in Europe?

Two Pat Conroy novels (I just like his writing): Lords of Discipline (nothing to do with Europe) and Beach Music (lots of Italy scenes).

I have two. I hope that's okay.
1) Big Sur and the Oranges of Hieronymus Bosch - Henry Miller. I alway find it interesting to read about the US when traveling elsewhere.
2) Jitterbug Perfume - Tom Robbins. I have read this book so many times but I always come back for more. I love the fact that it takes place in many locations, including Bohemia, Paris, New Orleans, India, Tibet and my lovely hometown of Seattle.

I read "Italian Affair" by Laura Fraser on long-haul from London to Australia. A lovely book, describing her real-life affair with a French professor in places like Florence, San Francisco, Ischia (off the coast of Naples), Marrakech and the Aeolian Islands. Part travel book, part romance - a very poignant read as she travelled to get over the breakdown of her marriage. Anyone who has been through such an experience (unfortunately, I have) will appreciate the story of her journey to make sense of her life. I read it straight though!

That would be: Perfume - the Story of a Murderer by Patrick Sueskind.
A truly fascinating book set in France.
A fable about an 18th-century foundling, Jean Baptiste Grenouille - a monster, a murderer - obsessed with smell.

Hi,

I liked "Innocents Abroad" - an excellent travel guide.

Great airplane book since it's an easy read, funny, yet poignant--"Rachel's Holiday" by Marian Keyes. It's about a 27-year old Irish woman living in NYC. She's a drug addict who doesn't know she is. When she nearly kills herself with an overdose, her sister comes from Ireland at the behest of her family, hauls her back to the mother country and puts her in a rehab center. Rachel goes because she's thinks it's a spa where she'll meet famous rock stars. This is a wonderful book of Rachel's bumpy and hilarious journey back to the land of the living.

ALlyPally- I agree "Italian Affiar" was a very good book. I also could relate to her situation (divorce) and I even took an Italian class but it wasn't nearly as romantic. However, I don't think I have tohenerve to have an affair with a French professor ( But I haven't ruled it out, although I might prefer an Italian);0

I almost forgot, I will be traveling to Sicily the end of this month. I am taking along a book titled "a House in Sicily". Its about an English woman who lives in Sicily in a Home she inherited and she takes in 'renters' to help pay for the upkeep. Some of these being writers and the like. I am going to try to read stories that take place at the location I travel to , to enhance my experience & my visit.(like in the book "Italian Affiar" HAPPY READING

I am far too busy not getting any sleep to have time to read on the flight... I-)

Thanks everyone for those book titles. I'll be going to Barnes & Noble today to check them out. Cheers.

Digital_Traveler, a book for you.
Henry Miller's "Air-conditioned Nightmare"

Cigalechanta,
I have a New Directions 1st. ed Air-Conditioned Nightmare. It may be the most influential piece of literature I have read. I even have the published notebooks from his journey...The Red Notebook.
I just didn't know if that would be a good book to recommend to the general populace as it can illict a negitve reaction. But now that you mention it...maybe that is a good thing. By the way, if anyone has any interest in Henry Miller, please check out this site and contribute.
http://www.henrymiller.org/

thanks for the site, DT it brought back alot of Memories, me sitting on the cool deck of Nepanthe. I had never been to California and two friends ogf mine(guys) were visiting their girl friends at school in Santa Barbara and I invited myself to share expences if they would drop me off after S.F so I could see Big Sur. I stayed at Ventura and met people around the fire after dinner who ran Esalon. My friends picked me up the next day before we headed for La and flew back. Then I knew why Henry loved it.

Cigalechanta,
There is certainly something special about Big Sur. I go every chance I get.
Also, I am headed to Paris next month and am wondering if you or anyone else may have some HM sites (other than 18 villa seurat and the Dome, I done those) that maybe worth a look-see. Thanks

I returned recently from an European trip and read several books. I would highly recommend one by Alexandra Fuller "Don't lets go to the dogs tonight". It's her story of growing up in Africa (non-fiction).Most interesting !

I really enjoyed reading "Don't let's go to the dogs..." recently.

Honestly though, for travel I prefer a good mystery that has nothing to do with travel in Europe, my home life &/or the type of books I usually read. Barbara Vine/Ruth Rendell or Nicci French are my favorites. Also good short stories so you can complete one in an evening in bed at the hotel, on a train ride, whatever.

I like mysteries, too, Suze, and try to choose one set in the place I'm visiting, like Powerpuff71.

I just read The year of Wonders flying to Poland last month. Not too long and fascinating. Its about a village in England in the 1600s that is infected with the plague and how the entire town decides to quarintine themselves so they don't spread it to other towns and villages. Its based on a true story.

If you like to read mysteries while traveling, I loved The Da Vinci Code, by Dan Brown. Great read!

I've heard that it's very similar to another book called Daughter of God, by Lewis Perdue. I'm on a waiting list at the library for that one.