When the travel gurus at Lonely Planet asked thirty-two acclaimed fiction writers to share their real-life travel tales, the resulting literary adventures proved even Better Than Fiction! Included in this collection of short essays are Alexander McCall Smith's memories of a trip to Buenos Aires, Isabel Allende's account of finding a new purpose in India, and Frances Mayes's reunion in Nicaragua with a former classmate. And in the follow-up, Better Than Fiction 2, thirty more writers weave tales of their travel experiences, including Jane Smiley's rumination on an eight-month stint in Iceland, Lydia Millet's recollection of an unexpected accident during her honeymoon in Mexico, and Dave Eggers's experience on a road trip in Saudi Arabia. Thoughtful, moving, revealing, by turns sad and humorous…these wonderful anthologies are the perfect travel companions for bibliophiles! (KG)