Bookish

Hello, fellow travel obsessors. thanks to this forum, I not only had a fanatastic trip to Paris this summer, I also discovered some new authors/books (result of a great thread <BR>seeking a paper travel companion). Any more suggestions? Can't wait for your replies! <BR>PS I love mysteries,historical fiction. <BR>

lisa

Just finished "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver and absolutely adored it. Actually, I also got the book on tape so I could "read" while exercising, and hearing the language was even better than reading it. It does fall into the "historical fiction" category -- about a white American family from the segregated south in the 1950s who move to the Congo to be missionaries (the colonial/political situation there provides a factual backdrop for a fictional story), but it actually unfolds almost like a mystery since the book opens with a prologue by the mother that foreshadows the events that take place. The story is told through the eyes of the four daughters.

ilisa

I just want to thank everyone for the fabulous suggestions from the last book thread. I'm having knee surgery in a couple of weeks and now have a stack of books to read while I am laid up in my percoset-induced state (inlcuding The Poisonwood Bible). Keep 'em coming!

nancy

Thank you Bookish for doing the SEQUEL! <BR>That thread is wonderful, but was very tiresome to scroll through. <BR>These two books are not novels, but very interesting anyway. <BR>Both by Tim Parks, <BR>Italian Neighbors, and Italian Education. <BR>Both dealing with his life settling into Italy with his Italian wife. <BR>My husband read a book that he loved, called A Carnival Of Saints, by George Herman.It is an historical mystery/thriller, if I can remember correctly. <BR>Books by Pauline Gedge are fictional accounts/stories of the Pharohs of Eygpt. <BR>Both my husband and I have enjoyed them. <BR>More books please! <BR>nancy

Kathryn

We listened to P.D. James' "A Certain Justice" unabridged (15 hours) in the car this summer on our vacation--it is a compelling British mystery! <BR> <BR>Enjoy!

Kris

I'm not sure if I posted these on the last one... <BR> <BR>"The Mystery of the Yellow Room" by Gaston LeRoux, actually a more popular book in its day than his better known novel "Phantom of the Opera" which is also a good read. <BR> <BR>"A Very Long Engagement" by Sebastien Japrisot, historical fiction set in France during WWI. <BR> <BR>"The Scarlet Pimpernel", set during the French Revolution <BR> <BR>For a lighter read, I also enjoy Anne Perry's mysteries featuring Thomas Pitt.

Annette

Read 'The Hacienda', a memoir by Lisa St. Aubin de Teran. In brillant prose she relates her struggles as the English teenage bride of a schizophrenic Venezuelan Hacienda landlord. Also check out her 'Venice: The Four Seasons', a pictorial with text describing her two year stay in Venice. Another is 'A Valley in Italy' about fixing up her villa in Umbria. <BR> <BR>If you have a taste for NASTY & VERY raw writing, try Irvine Welsh's short stories, 'The Acid House'. His first novel was Trainspotting and you perhaps remember the movie. For a Yank to read his writing, the Scottish dialect and slang is priceless, not to mention his extraordianry command of the English. <BR> <BR>BTW, if anyone knows of any historical fiction novel set in Northern Italy or The Netherlands, please post. My husband likes the genre.

Annette

Yes, and if you like mysteries don't overlook Janwillem van de Wetering's Zen spiced Amsterdam cop series.

nancy

Another suggestion for Bookish; <BR>My husband enjoyed this book *very* much. <BR>Daughter of God, by Lewis Perdue. <BR>It is new. <BR>It is a mystery, set in Italy and Switzerland, story is contempory setting,but concerns some ancient 4th century piece of art. <BR>Sounds like it might cover all bases . <BR>Even though this is a travel site,and not a literary site,more suggestions would be wonderful! <BR>More suggestions please! <BR>Nancy

Thyra

I would recommend "the Instance of the Finger Post" A truly gripping and gigantic mystery novel set in the "Age of Enlightenment" in England... unable to put that one down. Anyone got any other big-fat-European history fiction novels out there? I would love a suggestion as well.

edie

not travel related but two good books: <BR> <BR>Isabel Allende <BR>Daughter of Fortune <BR> <BR>Anita Diamant <BR>The Red Tent <BR> <BR>the red tent is an unbelievable read, loved it so much i am actually jealous of people i see reading it, b/c i wish i was reading it for the first time. <BR> <BR>second or third the opinion on Poisonwood Bible, long and satisfying. <BR>also worth it are <BR> <BR>Memoirs of a Geisha (almost as good as Red Tent) and <BR>I know this much is true, by wally lamb <BR>

toppy

Anything bt ruth Rendell, aka, Barbara Vine.

pat

In preparation for a trip next week, any suggestions on historical fiction set in Napoleonic France? <BR> <BR>

e

War & Peace--too big?-- try doing a search on Amazon: amazing search engine!

Kathy

I've been dying to recommend the following books: <BR> <BR>Possession by A.S. Byatt (set in modern England) <BR> <BR>Waiting by Ha Jin <BR> <BR>The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco <BR> <BR>The Pilot's Wife by Anita Shreve <BR> <BR>Emma, Pride and Prejudice and Persuasion, all by Jane Austen <BR> <BR>The Shipping News by Annie Proulx <BR> <BR>Sorry about my eclectic taste. Enjoy! <BR> <BR>

nickie

Pat, this may be old hat, but how about "The Count of Monte Christo" by Dumas - or any of his actually. <BR>For a big, fat historical fiction book, how about Sharon Penman's series about Wales - I believe the first in the series is "Here be Dragons".

Paule

1)The God of Small Things <BR> (sorry, I don't have the author). A beautiful, poignant book. <BR> <BR>2) The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood <BR> (okay, I don't remember the name of this author, either). <BR> <BR>Another vote for <BR>3) The Poisonwood Bible

Maira

Although I had replied to the original thread, two more books come to mind; "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck (my absolute favorite author), and "The Cider House Rules" by John Irving (another favorite). I read both books many years ago and they remain two of the best books I ever read.

marie

The God of Small Things is by Arundhati Roy

heather

Just read "Book of Kings" by James Thakara. Amazing. Not a literary critic, but would highly recommend the novel. Follows 4 main characters through pre- and post-WWII in Europe. All facets ... an Algerian writer, an American abroad, a German baron/soldier, and a German philosopher. <BR> <BR>Also, reading "From Here to Eternity" for the first time and really enjoying it, too. <BR> <BR>If you're into different, try "Geek Love". <BR> <BR>Oh, and I also just finished Bill Bryson's "Neither Here Nor There" about retracing his 60s backpacking trip through Europe, but in his pudgier 40-something years. I laughed through the whole book.