Books: Another way to see the world!

It seems as if every few months I have to write "absent" posts here at Novel Spaces. Once again, I'm not here here. I'm smack dab in the middle of a ten-day tour of China's Golden Triangle, and according to the itinerary, I'm currently touring the Hutongs and Temple of Heaven in magnificent Beijing. I'm even supposed to visit a local kindergarten class today! Sweet!

I've always dreamed of traveling, but for this girl who grew up surrounded by sugar cane in South Louisiana, I first toured the world through books. The book that piqued my interest about China was Pa Chin's Family. It is a fascinating portrayal of the structure of Chinese families and the struggles between the generations. It has remained with me for years.

I'm sure I'm not the only person who first saw the world through books. Share some of your favorite exotic locales, and the books where you first discovered them!

Stop in at my personal blog later where I promise to post pictures of my trip!