We leave for the beach this Saturday and want to do nothing but chill all week - reading is at the top of my list. I love travel narratives, but have read most of the usuals - Bill Bryson, Peter Mayle,etc. Any thoughts on some good reading material?

I am reading a great travel book right now, called "Honeymoon with my Brother". One brother left at the altar decides to take his honeymoon anyway with his brother, and the success of that trip leads to a life altering decision and some great travel adventures. I can't put it down.

I just finished a book called "Almost French" written by an Australian woman who marries a Frenchman and her struggle with assimilating to the french lifestyle. I enjoyed it! I also love Adam Gopnik's "Paris to the Moon." My friend is reading "eat pray love" and recommends it. (Italy, India and...?Indonesia?) I have read good reviews about Linda Ellerbee's book but don't remember the title. Have a great beach vacation!

Laura147~ the one you are reading reminds me of the Nicholas Sparks book(can't remember the title), a great true story of a journey with his brother. J.

I just finished reading "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen. I really enjoyed it. Great happy ending.

I second eat pray and love, definetly a god quick read.

I'm currently enjoying Julia Child's My Life in France. Fascinating how little Paris has changed, but yet have much it has changed.

That book Jetset is referring to my Nicholas Sparks is Three Weeks with my Brother. Revisiting the classics can work at the beach. Have you read To Kill a Mockingbird lately? I'm reading Empire Falls, I know - everyone else has already read that one, but it's very good if you haven't gotten to it yet.

Tony Howritz' One for the Road about travelling through the Australian Outback was wonderful - and it would be good to read at the beach because you can taste the dust of the Outback in your throat!

Also, Herman Wouk's Don't Stop the Carnival is a great beach read.

If you like food as much as traveling, you just may love Ruth Reichl's Garlic and Sapphires. Good read by world reknowned food critic and editor and chief of Gourmet magazine.

I've recently enjoyed Amy Tan's Saving Fish From Drowning about a group of tourists on an ill-fated trip to Burma, and Mark Twain's Letters From Hawaii.

A wonderful fiction book to read on the beach because it's about a beach is "The Highest Tide" by Jim Lynch. It's a coming of age story about a boy who notices some very special things happening in the water near his home. Very beautifully written, and you'll learn something, too.

Joanne
http://www.vacationing-with-kids.com

I will have to give the Nicholas Sparks book a try. Thanks for the tip.

I've just finished James Lee Burke's new book, Pegasus Descending. His writing is wonderful.

Not new, but I just discovered "On Rue Tatin" by Susan Herrmann Loomis.

The usual: American falls in love with France, American marries and returns to France with husband and child, American restores lovely old house. Haven't finished yet, but it seems likely that American will continue to love France.
But it's well written and enjoyable. A pleasant book--certainly right for the beach.

If you're a dog lover- Marley and Me!

I don't know why the type of reading "beach reading" is significant .. I just enjoy reading ... and a book I am re-reading is "Miles from Nowhere", a round the world bicycling adventure by Barbara Savage. "Honeymoon ..." sounds like a good read too, a "when dealt lemons make lemonade" type story.

A Trip to the Beach by Melinda Blanchard
...great book about a couple that gives up their business to start a place of their own on an island.

Learning to Float....A story about a Girl, a dog and just enough men. Lili Wright (sp) excellent story about a girl who takes a trip along the East coast to FL by herself.

An Embarassment of Mangoe's...travel journal by Canadian couple who sold it all to buy a boat and sail the world.

I have read them all on the beach.

Laura147

Oprah Winfery had that man on her show a while back. It is a true story. I wonder if it is the same exact story.

Well I have read 5 books this summer by the beach/pool. My latest was Daniel Steel "Answered Prayers." It was very good.

The Namesake (can't remember the author, but it is easy to find)is an excellent book that I just finished reading. My parents were not immigrants,but my husband's parents were. I think it is an excellent view into the kids of immigrant parents in the 70's time period. I really enjoyed this book.
Oh it is about an indian family and it was neat because I knew very little of that culture.
Another good one that is older is Eight by Katherine Neville. It takes place in the 1800's in Europe and in the 1970's. It involves a chess set with great power that is spread all over and certain people are chosen to piece it back together. Very neat book.