travelin' reading list

Since leaving work and the country, I've had quite a bit of time for reading. Not so much with the consistent electricity or internet access but books, yes. From the list I've embarked on, I have a few recommendations and am always looking for suggestions if you've read anything worthwhile. The magic eight ball sees many hours of train
travel in my future...

The Girl... with the Dragon Tattoo, Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest and Who Played With Fire. By Steig Larson. I think by now everyone with an Amazon account has polished these 3 off, so you know they're perfect, mindless, beach/travel reads. Not very well written, yet strangely addicting.
Sag Harbor: A Novel. By Colson Whitehead. This guy is too smart for the good of this novel. He should relax a little.
The Genghis Trilogy. By Conn Iggulden. These were recommended to me by Pete, a client at my old gig. I thought based on his review that they might not be for me (he gave full disclosure on the war-yness).  Surprise literary hit of my lifetime, I totally loved them and plowed through all three. The story of Genghis Khan is amazing and since these are fictionalized somewhat, you learn the history without feeling like you're studying. Reading the first 2 in Mongolia while sleeping in gers and drinking airag was especially excellent. And
learning about the relationship with China provided a lot of context for our visit to the Great Wall. More on that soon!
A Visit from the Goon Squad. By Jennifer Egan. I found this book depressing, for no particular reason. I think it made me miss New York. There are a lot of unlikeable characters but overall its still totally worth the read.

And now, onto China posts!