I've read every Jackie Collins novel known to mankind, and for those who are unfamiliar with her extensive body of work and would like to sample some of what makes her so fabulous, run - don't walk! - to your nearest computer, click on Amazon, and pick up a copy of "Lovers and Gamblers." "Lovers and Gamblers" is the perfect introduction to classic Jackie. I've never read an author whose characters spring to life from the pages the way Dallas and Al do, and I can't help but love the way Jackie Collins cracks the male mind so perfectly. For your next trip to the beach, be sure to buy "Lovers and Gamblers" before you go, and have some 70's Bobby Womack or Bill Withers and your other fave deep Soul cuts ready in your MP3 player. Once you reach your destination, stretch out under your palapa, frothy drink within reach, and slink back into the complicated, tawdry and delectable world of Dallas and Al. You'll be glad you did.