Books for Taiwan!

[oyceter]

I am now starting to panic somewhat, as I have a midterm next week and will be leaving for Taiwan and have not thought about what to pack or anything, woe. Thank goodness I had the presence of mind to call the rat-sitter weeks ahead, so at least that bit is taken care of.

Anyway, forget the stress! Fun stuff! What books should I bring to Taiwan? Since rachelmanija is coming and will be reading some of these, her vote will be weighted.

Usually while travelling, I look for something that's brainless enough for me to read on the plane (past attempts to read all of Genji on the plane were successful but not so fun), but still interesting enough that I don't get bored midway. And since I probably shouldn't chuck books across an airplane, non-sporky would be good as well. But it should also be something I wouldn't regret leaving behind in Taiwan if need be.

Also, please warn me if something is too depressing! Last vacation, I brought Slammerkin to read and suffered nightmares as it is possibly the most depressing book I have ever read.

Oh! And please make comments on your choices! I don't know much on any of the choices below. (rachelmanija, have you already decided what you're bringing?)

[Poll #921014]

Huh. Apparently my brain thinks pop science is the book equivalent of popcorn.

Comments

[octopedingenue]

Rocket Boys was a terrible movie with terrible "Southern" accents and Jake Gyllenhal looking pretty, if that makes a difference.

Bring the Beagle, as I have not read it and am curious! Also, I request a small cool Taiwan thing in trade for the Bleach volumes. :D

[xwingace]

I know absolutely nothing about any of those books, but I love the title of Waltzing in Ragtime, and the one about Bletchley Park sounds most interesting to me.

If my opinion means anything to you, of course...

XWA

[telophase.livejournal.com]

You have to read Brunelleschi's Dome because I ordered it on Paperback Swap and it got lost in the mail! *cry*

[avrelia.livejournal.com]

First, happy LJ anniversary! I read your LJ much more than I comment. :)

Here I voted for Madeleine Robins since it is the only one I read and can recommend. I don't think it will hold well in multiple rereadings as the best books do, but it (both books) was a smart and entertaining read.

[jinian.livejournal.com]

I don't remember The Folk of the Air well, but it was sweet and not too complex. The Robins is fun and I expect you to like it a lot.

The Prize in the Game is good, all Jo's work is good, but it's probably too depressing for a trip.

[jonquil.livejournal.com]

Rocket Boys is as gripping as a novel, and will make you cry, but in a good way. Highly, highly recommended.
The Madeleine Robins is sensational: great worldbuilding, gritty, engrossing. And a girl! With a sword! Yea!

[kate_nepveu]

I can't remember if you've read the other two books in the same universe as _Prize in the Game_, but regardless it might be a touch dark for a vacation--not soul-crushingly depressing, but.

I've read _Miss Grimsely's Oxford Career_ but that's it of the rest of them.

[rachelmanija.livejournal.com]

I didn't vote for the Boxer Rebellion one on the grounds that it might be depressing, but instead managed to vote for the Walton which is apparently depressing. Oops. Also, I am bringing a Carla Kelly. And the San Francisco romance sounds good, I meant to tick it but seem to have not done so. I will definitely bring the second Robins.

[fmanalyst.livejournal.com]

If you read Rocket Boys, you'll get to learn a bit about my cultural background. :-)

[marykaykare.livejournal.com]

The Robins book is pretty close to a perfect vacation book. Peter Beagle is always good. I voted for Jo's book but as a couple of other people mention, it's kinda dark and depressing.

MKK

[oyceter]

Hee! jonquil is reccing the book highly, so hopefully the movie just did what lots of movies do to good books ;).

Hey, if by "small Taiwan thing" you mean random little anime merchandise, sure thing!! Or I can just find some nifty stuff from the street markets.

[oyceter]

Thanks for the FYI!

I love stuff about WWII codebreaking, so the Bletchley Park one sounds like a lot of fun to me too.

[oyceter]

I know! I bought it after my trip to Florence... over two years ago -_-;;.

Someday....

[oyceter]

Oh, thank you!

Robins has been getting lots of recs; I am looking forward to it.

[oyceter]

Sweet is good. Not too complex is very good too! I remember trying to read the first bits of Dunnett's Game of Kings on the plane, which didn't work so well...

[oyceter]

Ok, Rocket Boys it is. I was curious about it -- my ex recced it, but sometimes our tastes really don't overlap.

[oyceter]

I haven't -- I think I started the first one and never made it through the whole thing.

Hrm. Dark sounds like non-vacation reading.

[oyceter]

Excellent!

I also forgot to put John Le Carre's The Constant Gardener on the list; would you be interested? I liked the movie a lot, and he's been getting recs from the "If you liked Spooks, then..." contingent.

[oyceter]

Hee!

[oyceter]

Oh good, the Beagle and the Robins have been getting good vacation book comments.

[kate_nepveu]

_Prize_ is technically a prequel but I suspect it would read best after the Sulien duology.

[octopedingenue]

I hope so for your sake! (Dear Laura Dern, never attempt a Southern accent again, love, octopedingenue)

Anime or nifty is fine, I love surprises!