Fourteen hours from DC to Tokyo. Seven hours from Tokyo to Bangkok. Sixteen days or so in Asia, including seven on a beach, then another 21 hours to get home. Not to mention all the time in airports.
I need some books to read.
Leo Tolstoy: War and Peace – Since meaty books like The Mill on the Floss and Portrait of a Lady worked well for me traveling this summer I thought, what could be meatier than finishinng the final 1,256 pages of War and Peace (I’m only a hundred pages in)?
Beryl Bainbridge: A Weekend with Claude – Close readers of my porch will know that I took this one to France this summer and didn’t read it.
Colette: Cheri and the Last of Cheri – This is another one I took to France this summer and didn’t read. I liked Colette’s The Ripening Seed. I hope I like this one. I recently saw the flim Cheri with Michelle Pfeiffer and I hated it.
Marge Piercy: Gone to Soldiers – I like Piercy a lot and the one I took with me this summer was about the same time and provided many enjoyable hours reading while John was in bed with a rumbly tummy.
William Haggard: The Arena – I generally don’t read crime fiction, but finding this green covered Penguin tempted me.
Kate Chopin: The Awakening – A classic just waiting to be read.
I tabbed the reference materials so I could keep track of what is going on.
I know my audience, you need to see covers. With the exception of Tolstoy and the green Penguin and possibly the Chopin, the rest will stay in Asia as I finsh them.
hogglestock 
Ooh, when do you leave?! Have an AMAZING time (as I am sure you will).
I adore The Awakening and read Cheri earlier this year and intend to read The Last of Cheri early '10; I love Colette's writing.
Gone to Soldiers is a book that I've had on my shelves unread for some time and would love a push into reading it – look forward (hopefully) to your thoughts.
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16 days? I think you'll need more books Thomas!
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Thomas, you know us so well. We do love covers. I think you picked some good ones here and I am very impressed with your packing skills. I am a horrible packer. I pack for every possible scenario and you know how that ends up.
I just bought The Awakening and I plan to read it very soon.
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I love the traveller's leaving of books and perhaps picking up one or two in their place – I did the same in Greece this year!
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Have an amazing time away you lucky lucky things.
Great selection of books. Though being the worrier that I am, I would be concerned about hating the Tolstoy (I know, I know no one should hate him but just in case) and then lugging that all around the world.
I am so jealous of your trip. Good thing is there are book swap shops, Novel Insights is the girl to ask she made use fo them earlier this year!
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Paperback: We go at the new year.
LitStew: Always worry I won't have the *right* thiing to read.
Ti: I hope I found the right combo.
Mary: I do too. I have found a few good ones that way.
Simon S: I am far enough into W&P to know that I will be happy with it. Plus I liked Anna K. I am unfamiliar with the swap shops.
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“War and Peace” is great. Really. I know it's long, I know sometimes Tolstoy's philosophical chapters (once every about 100 pages…) get obnoxious, but it really is a classic for a reason. I hope you enjoy the books (and the vacation!).
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