When I’m packing for a trip, I always spend some time working out which books to bring and how many. I typically think I’ll read more than I actually get to. I also usually travel with my family. But this most recent trip, I’d be traveling alone. So the books I was bringing were going to get my full attention. Also, I was going on retreat, so it was important that I was putting the right stuff in. I needed to bring books that were physically lightweight and easy to carry since I was traveling alone and not checking any bags.

In addition, I was super, skin-crawling anxious ahead of this trip, and knew I wouldn’t be able to concentrate on anything too heady or deep, at least on the way there.

Crazy Rich Asians met the criteria on all counts.Crazy Rich Asians, by Kevin Kwan, is a fictional tale about a super-rich class of folks, primarily those of Chinese descent, typically living outside of mainland China, who either have family money or have been enormously successful in business. It takes place in the present, jumping from the States to the Eastern Hemisphere and back again.

I wasn’t sure what to expect with this one, but I truly enjoyed it. It was interesting, different, and as the best books do, created a culture that is new to the reader and sucks you right in. There was the fascinating way the super-rich live, but it was overlaid with cultural, social, and class issues that were foreign to me. As a fictional work, I’m not sure how much of the story was based on any kind of truth – are there really insanely rich people living on the other side of the world, traveling by private jet and regularly featured in Asian gossip rags? I have no idea. It sure made for a fascinating read, though.

While light, the book was long enough to last me a 2-and-a-half hour train ride, a 6-hour flight of intermittent reading. I read late into the night my first night in Amsterdam as I remained on New York time until the wee hours of the morning.

I finished the book leaning on a wall overlooking a canal the next day. The timing was perfect, because I had another book planned for the trip home. Keep an eye out for it soon.

The book is sprinkled with funny, interesting footnotes, either translating slang terms or illuminating cultural mysteries. The characters are relatable and interesting. And it’s a great book for the imagination. There is a little language and content, but it wasn’t overpowering, nor did it take away from the story.

If you’ll be taking a trip or are looking for a light read, this Crazy Rich Asians is a good choice. It’s the perfect, light binge read.

If you’re curious about the trip, please be patient with me! I am trying to be present with my family, and have had some tech issues with getting new posts up on the blog. But I’m planning to start posting about my adventure next week.