What's in my bookbag?

My trip to Texas is fast approaching, so needless to say I've spent the past few days agonizing over which books to take with me. It's an especially big decision this time out because I'm committed to carry-on items only. That means I had to scale back my typical "book per day of trip" equation to a "books that fit in tote bag" scenario.

The Help by Kathryn Stockett was a shoo-in because it's been so highly recommended by many of my work friends. I'm currently on page 46 and will withhold commentary until I really get farther into its 440+ pages. No surprises here: I'm also taking Eclipse by Stephenie "About Three Things I Was Absolutely Positive" Meyer because (a) Debi and I will be watching Twilight and New Moon on DVD, (b) it's a plum opportunity to read the book in the presence of Pocket Edward, and (c) Eclipse will hit theaters in June! Gotta be ready for every sparkling moment. A dark horse in the running edged out A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick, my book group's latest selection. My Leftist sensibilities and fondness for graphic adaptations of books I'll never read led to a surprise pick: A People's History of American Empire by Howard Zinn. Plus, I like books with covers that are red.
I am looking forward to paging through this depiction of "trouble in the soul of an imperial nation" with newfound respect for comics as civil disobedience. Oh, and I can't wait to hit up Chuy's, the H.E.B., and Taco Cabana!

P.S. Entertainment Weekly had somethin' to say about A.N.T.M.'s upcoming vampire-themed photo shoot. And that somethin' was, "[It's] either a commentary on how the modeling industry can suck the life out of you or a pathetic attempt to get Twilight fans to watch." Um, if they would just replace pathetic with mind-bogglingly effective, and every known synonym for mind-bogglingly effective, I could get on board.