[pdx]

I'm always looking for good books. Would anyone care to trade recommendations? I'm particularly interested in travel, cultures, economics, globalization trends, urban planning and development, science and high-tech (the funner stuff, not tech manuals, of course). I prefer nonfiction but am open to fiction, too.

Right now, I'm reading "My Kind of Place : Travel Stories from a Woman Who's Been Everywhere," by Susan Orlean, and "Confessions of an Economic Hit Man," by John Perkins.

Nonfiction recommendations: Elisabeth Bumiller is a talented journalist who's written about years she's spent in Japan and India. T.R. Reid, Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl Wudunn are other journalists who've written good books about Asia, politics and economics. I also like books by Tracy Kidder and John McPhee.

Among those who write fiction about culture, Indian authors whom I'd recommend: Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, Bharti Kirchner, Anita Desai, Jhumpa Lahiri and Vikram Seth. Japanese authors: Banana Yoshimoto and Haruki Murakami (contemporary writers); Junichiro Tanizaki and Yukio Mishima (older writers). Chinese American authors: Sandra Tsing Loh and Gish Jen (both contemporary).

I'm mentioning more prolific authors, but I've also got recommendations for other great writers if anyone's looking. I also read mysteries.

[smartchap]

Paulo Coelho's "the alchemist",the book i am reading currently is the most simple.satisfying,symbolic masterpiece telling you not to avoid your destiny and urges you to follow your dreams.It sounds like an oversimplified version of new-age philosophy and mysticism, but as the author states "simple things are the most valuable and only wise people appreciate them".

[discobay]

The Downing Street Years - Margaret Thatcher.

[KnowItAll]

Sad .. but I'm reading the latest issue of the T3 magazine.

[discobay]

I've just read February's.

[esque]

I just finished reading Wild Swans by Jung Chang. Somehow I missed it the first time around. It's a really amazing book, you just can't believe the lives that some people have lead in China's recent history.

[jimbo]

Just read Stuff magazine and FHM.

[robg]

Fermat's last theorem by Simon Singh

[Wee Kean]

Our book club is reading "River Town: Two years on the Yangtze" by Peter Hessler which I have finished ... I like it very much...

Now I am reading "The hotel on the roof of the world: Five years in Tibet" by Alec Le Sueur ... very interesting too...

[Mariposita]

For a piece of latin american culture I've been reading some Isabel Allende; 'Freakonomics' is an interesting read (and I had to read it since Steven Levitt had been my professor when I was studying at University of Chicago). "Naked Economics" is another enlightening read with case study style narration.
I like Martha Nassbaum too who writes a lot about law and ethics in a globalizing society (another one of my professors...i know i know but I like to support my profs), just finished 'A year in the merde' as a fun read and currently starting 'The Colour of Law' by Mark Gimenez. Don't know how good that is yet though.