Marco Island: A Book Lover's Vacation

Syracuse to Detroit to Fort Myers:

Finished The Amber Spyglass, the last book in Pullman's trilogy Northern Lights (The Golden Compass Series). As a Narnia fan, had to read this series to see what all the hoopla was about. Be glad to discuss with anyone interested. I actually enjoyed the read but thought the ending was weak (and certainly not Narnia quality) (and I highly doubt that this trilogy would turn anyone over to the dark side). A Christmas gift from a daughter.

Coffee, sun, shrimp and grits for breakfast, and beach reading for seven days:

Found Digital Fortress, Dan Brown, on the vacation home bookshelf and thought it was a great read! Much better than The Da Vinci Code or Angels and Demons.
Up to the last minute excitement and never really sure who the bad guy is until the end - I loved it!

Then three John Dunning's I brought with us (out of order but to finish the series - also Christmas gifts from Leah) - Booked to Die, The Bookman's Wake, and Sign of the Book. This is another enjoyable series about a cop who quits to open a used book store and eventually becomes a "book detective" for lack of a better description. Interesting info about the world of book collectors (who would cringe at Sharon's notes in her books - which I love to have for reference when reading after her....) and the book industry. Perfect beach reading.....

Started Garrison Keillor's Pontoon which I bought for myself, but didn't engage so read Gilbert's Eat, Pray, Love, our next Book Club selection; finished it on the flight home and definitely enjoyed it - although I am looking forward to some conversation as it was sometimes difficult to remember that it was non-fiction. (It was non-fiction, wasn't it??)

One book on the vacation shelf that I did not read but would like to find is an edition of short stories by Alexander McCall Smith (The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency) which Marty described as African fairy tales. And I have to get back to Pontoon but right now am re-reading the last two Dunning books to have the story straight in my head (haha! that's a joke because my faulty memory is what makes the same book enjoyable every time I read it!).

Wishing you all a Book Lover's Vacation -
Seshat