One of the must-haves while travelling is a good novel or magazine. I read "Skipping Christmas" by John Grisham in the bus yesterday.
Its a book about a couple who decide to skip Christmas( as in avoid buying gifts, avoid throwing a Christmas eve bash, avoid the all-this-will-go-to-charity salespeople, avoid lighting up the house etc etc) and go on a cruise instead. Its how they remain firm in their decision and how the whole neighbourhood is appalled at this decision of "Skipping Christmas". But what happens finally, is for you to read. Surprisingly, this is one book where I could actually identify with American sentiments :)

For more on good excerpts from books or poems, Bibliophile is the place to go to.