Armchair Traveler Reading Challenge

That's right - another challenge! This one is hosted by "A Life in Books" and it's called The Armchair Traveler Reading Challenge. It runs from July - December 2007, and the goal is to read six books in which location is a central part of the book.




Here are my books:

• John Burdett. Bangkok Tattoo. (Bangkok, Thailand) -- finished 7/15/2007
  
• Peter Mayle. Anything Considered. (French countryside) -- finished 8/23/2007
  
• Elizabeth Peters. Curse of the Pharaohs. (Egypt) -- finished 10/2/2007
  
• Louis L'Amour. The Haunted Mesa. (American West) -- finished 11/13/2007
  
• Tom Cole. Hell West and Crooked. (Australian Outback)
• Jon Krakauer. Into Thin Air. (Mt. Everest)
  

The Haunted Mesa by Louis L'Amour

First sentence:

"It was night, and he was alone upon the desert."

Description:

"The Navajo called them the Anasazi: an enigmatic race of southwestern cliff dwellers. For centuries, the sudden disappearance of this proud and noble people has baffled historians. Summoned to a dark desert plateau by a desperate letter form an old friend, renowned investigator Mike Raglan is drawn into a world of mystery, violence, and explosive revaltion. Crossing the border beyond the laws of man and nature, he will learn the astonishing legacy of the Anasazi -- but not without a price. Set in the contemporary Southwest, The Haunted Mesa draws on Louis L'Amour's extensive knowledge of Indian lore and mysticism. In this extraordinary book L'Amour tells a tale of epic adventure that takes his readers across the most extraordinary frontier they have ever encountered."

My thoughts:

This book was a good mix of western and science fiction as it looked at southwest Native American culture and offered a parallel world explanation on the disappearance of the Anasazi people. I liked the characters and the story, but I sometimes found the plot repetitive, especially Mike's indecision about what he should do. I also would have liked more storyline set in the other world.

Date read: 11/13/2007
Book #: 98
Rating: 3* = good
Genre: Western/SF

ISBN-10: 0553051822
ISBN-13: 978-0553051827
Publisher: Bantam
Year: 1987
# of Pages: 357
Binding: Hardcover
LibraryThing Page

The Curse of the Pharaohs by Elizabeth Peters

First sentence:

"The events I am about to relate began on a December afternoon, when I had invited Lady Harold Carrington and certain of her friends to tea."

Description:

"The joys of home and hearth are about to drive Victorian gentlewoman Amelia Peabody Emerson mad. While she and her husband, the renowned archaeologist Radcliffe Emerson, dutifully go about raising their young son Ramses, she dreams only of the dust and detritus of ancient civilizations. Providentially, a damsel in distress - coupled with a promising archaeological site - demands their immediate presence in Egypt.

The damsel is Lady Baskerville, and the site is a tomb in Luxor recently discovered by Sir Henry Baskerville - who promptly died under bizarre circumstances. The tabloids immediately scream "The Curse of the Pharaohs!"

Amelia and Radcliffe arrive to find the camp in disarray, the workers terrified, and a most eccentric group of guests. A ghost even appears. This is not at all what Amelia considers an atmosphere conducive to scientific discovery. Never one to deny others the benefit of her advice and example, the indomitable Victorian sets about bringing order to chaos and herself that much closer to danger. How Amelia triumphs over the forces of evil - and those who would stand between her and her beloved antiquities makes for a delightfully spirited adventure."

My thoughts:

This was a good historical mystery. I liked the interaction between Peabody and Emerson as they both try to solve the string of murders surrounding the archaeological dig. I look forward to reading third book in the series, The Mummy Case.

Date read: 10/2/2007
Book #: 88
Rating: 3* = good
Series: Amelia Peabody, #2
Genre: Mystery

ISBN-10: 0445406488
ISBN-13: 9780445406483
Publisher: Mysterious Press
Year: 1988
# of Pages: 285
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
LibraryThing Page

Anything Considered by Peter Mayle

First sentence:

"Something good would turn up, Bennett kept telling himself."

Description:

"A joyous return to Peter Mayle country, a rollicking caper set on the Cote d'Azur and in the luscious landscape of Provence.

Bennett, an English expatriate living in France, has champagne tastes and a vin ordinaire bankroll. He has abandoned a successful career and found an ideal village in which to idle. But when a business scheme fails to work out, he finds himself broke.

Not a man to be downhearted, he places an advertisement in the International Herald Tribune volunteering his services-anything considered. The most attractive response comes from a rich Englishman named Julian Poe, who has developed a means of producing superb truffles and is close to cornering the lucrative truffle market.

Bennett signs on and -- bliss! -- he finds himself in Monaco and able to live in a style to which he has wished to become accustomed. But soon -- sniffing the financial potential of the truffle -- Sicilian and Corsican Mafiosi intrude. Life gets somewhat hectic. Ham-fisted goons, gendarmes working at cross-purposes, French village busybodies, and an order of Monks dedicated to the god Bacchus all play a role in a surprising and satisfying denouement.

A generous, delicious serving of vintage Mayle."

My thoughts:

Maybe it was the setting - southern France, palm trees, Monaco. Or maybe the characters - roguish Bennett, confident Anna, mysterious Poe, etc. Yes, there's lots of adventure and close calls, but it reminded me of the movie It Takes a Thief and I could imagine the 1960s soundtrack as our heroes try to stay one step ahead of the bad guys.

Date read: 8/23/2007
Book #: 77
Rating: 3* = good
Genre: Fiction

ISBN-10: 0140259708
ISBN-13: 9780140259704
Publisher: Penguin Putnam
Year: 1997
# of Pages: 256
Binding: Paperback
LibraryThing Page

Bangkok Tattoo by John Burdett

First sentence:

"'Killing customers just isn't good for business.'"

Description:

"Detective Sonchai Jitpleecheep of the Royal Thai Police returns in his riveting and smokily atmospheric new thriller.

A farang–a foreigner–has been murdered, his body horribly mutilated, at the Bangkok brothel co-owned by Sonchai’s mother and his boss. The dead man was a CIA agent. To make matters worse, the apparent culprit is sweet-natured Chanya, the brothel’s top earner and a woman whom the devoutly Buddhist sleuth has loved for several lifetimes.

How can Sonchai solve this crime without sending Chanya to prison? How can he engage in a cover-up without endangering his karma? And how will he ever get to the bottom of a case whose interested parties include American spooks, Muslim fundamentalists, and gangsters from three countries?

As addictive as opium, as hot as Sriracha chili sauce, and bursting with surprises, Bangkok Tattoo will leave its mark on you."

My thoughts:

I enjoyed this second book in the Sonchai Jitpleecheep series. What's the mystery? Well, there are several and Sonchai's descriptions engaged me and made me want to learn more about his life as a Thai policeman, a devout Buddhist, and a sardonic observer of American life. I look forward to reading the next book, Bangkok Haunts.

Date read: 7/15/2007
Book #: 60
Rating: 3* = good
Series: Sonchai Jitpleecheep #2
Genre: Mystery

ISBN-10: 1400032911
ISBN-13: 9781400032914
Publisher: Vintage
Year: 2006
# of Pages: 320
LibraryThing Page