I, too, loved the book "A Trip to the Beach" by the Blanchards. I read it before my trip to the Carribean. Also enjoyed "On Mexican Time" by Tony Cohan before a trip to Mexico. I'm looking for more books about the Carribean, particularily the Bahamas as I'm off to The Abacos in a few weeks. Any ideas? Thanks!

Chuckster--I like to reread Terry McMillan's 'How Stella Got Her Groove Back' before going to the Caribbean--portions of the book are based in Negril.

Bennie--yay on the new Fannie Flagg book--thanks for the tip!

Anything one of Terry Pratchett's hilarious novels. They're funny sci fi novels, gender neutral.

topping

All Ann Rule's are worth reading, but some are outstanding.

Her books are quite like case studies from my Grad school Psychologist training.

She is a realist- and don't read these unless you want to know details, oftentimes quite nasty.

She does know of what she speaks as well. She actually worked in a office with handsome and likeable Ted Bundy.

I lead two book discussion groups and can list lots of favorites, but a timely one is An Unfinished Life by Mark Spragg. The movie is coming out in September with Robert Redford, Morgan Freeman, and -- try not to think about this as you read -- J Lo.

Better yet, Spragg's mentor, Kent Haruf, has written one of the most exquisite books I've ever had the honor of reading: Plainsong. Do not, under any circumstances, be influenced by the saccharine version that came out as a Hallmark special last year.

The two books are very similar, but the mentor definitely comes out on top.