One more day and I'll be out of this seemingly-endless convention in Orlando (Yippee!!!)
To make these business trips more tolerable, I always bring a book with me to kill time. The Book-of-Choice would be something light-hearted, easy to read, preferably nothing too emotional (nothing's more embarrassing than your fellow flight passenger offering you a Kleenex from the bottom of their purse when you wipe your nose noisily on your sleeves).
So, with that in mind, I picked up this book, Frangipani, before I left home. I've never heard of it nor the author (native Tahitian, Celestine Vaite), but it seems to fit the bill- according to the book jacket, it's about island life in Tahiti told in the perspective of one funny, charming woman. It definitely sounds dreamy and light-hearted, and it doesn't hurt that it has a beautiful cover (OK, that's silly, but I can't resist pretty things).
And what really sold me was the fact that a review compared this book to my beloved "No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" Series by Alexander McCall Smith. This warm, funny, and witty series about a woman detective (Mma Ramotswe)'s life in Botswana sweeps you off your feet and transport you to a simpler and more wholesome life far, far away in Africa. I've read all 8 books (almost as diligently as I devoured the Harry Potter series). All I can say is I've never been to Botswana, but reading these books makes me wish I live there.
But, as you know, things rarely happen as planned. Armed with a copy of Frangipani in my briefcase, I headed to the airport thinking I'm going to sink into Tahitian paradise on my 6-hour flight. Then, as I walked past the bookstore on the way to the gate, the pair of puppy eyes on this book's cover grabbed me and wouldn't let me leave without it (what can I say, I'm a sucker for anything doggie). Walking in Circles Before Lying Down turns out be a surprisingly good read despite of the fact that it was an impulse buy.
If you're a dog lover, how could you not be intrigued by the idea that one day, all of a sudden, you can perfectly understand your dog and you guys can chat like the best friends you always know you are? Throw in a dysfunctional family, colorful LA-type characters and a few complicated relationships and you have a perfect book for a long flight in economy class. I finished this book standing at the Orlando airport baggage claim. (Caution: there is one unexpected tear-jerking moment in the book- have Kleenex handy)
Love to hear what you think about these books if you get a chance to read them. Or better yet, throw in your own recommendation for the economy-class-blues remedy.
