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06-12-2001, 05:56 AM
|  | Mid-Atlantic Belle | | Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Virginia
Posts: 135
| | Need some mindless reading suggestions... | |
I am going to Greece in a little over a week, and I want to bring along a few fun or rather mindless books for the plane trip. I will read almost anything, but I am not really into sci-fi, fantasy, or romance. Can anyone suggest any interesting fiction or non-fiction for me? (PS: I love art history, language, and working out/nutrition.)
Thanks for any suggestions. |
06-12-2001, 10:00 AM
|  | Rockin', Rollin', Ritin' | | Join Date: Jul 2000
Posts: 5,876
| |
Greece is a place on my must-see list! Have a wonderful time!
I always enjoyed the mysteries of Emma Lathen (the pseudonym of two Wall St. types who liked to write mysteries.) The mysteries all take place in the realm of high finance, and one, that I still have sitting on my shelves, is called, "When in Greece."
I recall that Phyllis Whitney (yes, I know she does historical romances) also wrote a novel with a Grecian setting.
Of course there's Kazantzakis (unsure about spelling) with "Zorba the Greek" and "Last Temptation of Christ." |
06-12-2001, 10:31 AM
|  | Gravitas! | | Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: New Orleans, La. U.S.A.
Posts: 666
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I always go for the funny, so my recommendation are books by Richard Lederer. Anguished English (I haven't read it yet) and The Bride of Anguished English. These are all the mistakes people make in speech. It's hilarious. |
06-12-2001, 11:05 AM
|  | Mom of the Four Men | | Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Canada, sort of
Posts: 17,475
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A Bill Bryson book? Hilarious travelogues, totally mindless.
If you like mysteries, try something by Janet Evanovich. Her series which starts with something- One is hilarious. This is real brain candy with absolutely no redeeming qualities, but if you read all of them (so far, 'Hot Six' is the funniest) you'll laugh hard enough to make sure that your seat mates will not crowd you! 
Cindy |
06-12-2001, 02:42 PM
|  | Epinions Members | | Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Ohio, USA
Posts: 1,362
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Second the vote for Evanovich. The first one, One for the Money, is the weakest, I think, but they are all very very funny.
My favorite mindless read is Dick Francis, by far. Plus Elizabeth Peters (mysteries) and her alter-ego Barbara Michaels (gothic).
Also, if you like anything political, PJ O'Rourke is a hoot.
Julie
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06-12-2001, 06:46 PM
|  | Iron Chef Tex-Mex | | Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Upstate NY
Posts: 79
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Try Pest Control by Bill Fitzhugh. Another really fun book that I'm going to get around to reviewing is Fool on the Hill by Matt Ruff. Absolutely wonderful book....
sampo24
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06-12-2001, 08:03 PM
| | Mom of the Four Men | | Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Canada, sort of
Posts: 17,475
| |
Good choice, Julie. I second the P.J. O'Roarke suggestion. Another one to make you laugh yourself silly. 
Cindy |
06-13-2001, 12:26 AM
|  | Law Talkin' Guy | | Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Trenton, NJ
Posts: 6,338
| |
The O'Rourke book you want for traveling is Holidays in Hell.
Recently enjoyed the living heck out of Carl Hiassen's Lucky You on vacation.
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"Last time I checked, this was a free country."
Curtis Edmonds
curtis@txreviews.com |
06-13-2001, 01:28 AM
| | Mid-Atlantic Belle | | Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Virginia
Posts: 135
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Thanks everyone! And I've read High Five and Hot Six by Evanovich. . . . I totally forgot about other books. |
06-13-2001, 05:32 PM
|  | Epinions Members | | Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: in the palm of your hand
Posts: 12,708
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For reasons that are mysterious to me, one of the funniest writers on the planet (Tom Sharpe) has a hard time keeping his books in print. Blott on the Landscape and the Wilt trilogy are pee-your-pants funny. Shape’s work is often sick and twisted, but anyone who could read Sharpe without laughing out loud would have to be a very dull person. |
06-15-2001, 06:17 AM
| | Ø | | Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Return to sender
Posts: 260
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Quote: Originally posted by CurtisEdmonds
Recently enjoyed the living heck out of Carl Hiassen's Lucky You on vacation. | Two days ago, an unannounced squall forced me to take shelter in a Books-A-Million or however them things're spelled 'cos I'm tired of ridin in the rain...
... started reading Hiassen's Stormy Weather I think it's called... got about 60-70 pages before I left... it does have a traveling theme, sorta... but if you ever wondered about putting one of those invisible fence collars on a human, it's your book...
... will hafta go back and finish it before someone buys the dern thing, last one in the store... 
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