Issue 106

Sim

The Christmas Train by David Baldacci

I’ve really enjoyed all of David Baldacci’s books. That is, until I read The Christmas Train.

All his other books are fast-paced, with lots of action, great plots and exciting characters. The Christmas Train was completely different. There were some nice philosophies in it and some of the characters were interesting. But the plot just didn’t do it for me. It was based on a train trip across America during the holiday season, and dealt with a variety of characters with different backgrounds and reasons for catching the train. I expected something different throughout the book. And although the ending wasn’t predictable, it wasn’t incredible either.

Tim

The Bourne Supremacy by Robert Ludlum

There has been plenty of hype surrounding the series of movies about CIA assassin Jason Bourne, but the movies are actually based on a trilogy of books written by Robert Ludlum. My favourite of the three books is The Bourne Supremacy, which I read a few years ago.

The action starts right from the first page and never stops, as Bourne’s wife Marie is kidnapped and he has to fight to save her. The plot of this book is quite different to the movie of the same name, but it’s a thoroughly entertaining read.

Carly

Tales Of A Female Nomad by Rita Golden Gelman

Despite the title, I think the book is suitable for anyone who dreams of escaping the everyday, not just women.

Rita heads off to see the world and quickly discovers her passion for people. After a recent divorce and a life of material glamour, she decides to permanently give up a fixed address and frees herself of possessions. Living in exotic (and not so exotic) locations such as, Mexico, Israel, Borneo and Thailand and documenting her adventures.

The fact that it is written as a true memoir makes Tales Of A Female Nomad all the more enticing.

A great book to read when your next holiday seems ‘so far away.’