You are not alone. I used to travel for work, before the days of wifi on 'planes. I'm also not a 'plane sleeper as I have to make sure it stays in the air and if I go to sleep it will plummet immediately to earth. So, lots of reading on those 12 hour flights back and forth from UK to Hong Kong, Singapore or Malaysia. I always had two books per flight. A book in the airport lounge is a good way of stopping people wanting to talk (I travelled alone, a lot), and same on the flight. In the lounge something light - too engrossing and I might miss the call. On the plane something deeply immersive so I could ignore everything around me as much as possible - except the route to the emergency exit. For a four day trip I'd have two more books in the baggage.
Just returned from a 3 week trip to Maine, and I could have used your advice before I collected a random assortment of books into shopping bags and stuck them in the car! No matter, I'll add one idea to your recommendations. Husband and I are pursuing visits of presidential houses, so we pick up a biography at each one we tour. On this trip, we made it to Quincy, MA, so I started reading David McCullough's bio, which was a great companion to sitting by the lake. We also made it to Campobello, so now we are proud owners of GE Smith's FDR.
Themed books both before and as part of travel is a great idea. We've done a bunch of nature trips and my wife likes to read related books prior to the trip, while I like them after I've experienced it. Two different styles of engagement.
Two Dollar Radio publishes the prefect books for travel given their small format, and has been one of my favorite publishers since they launched!
I always take physical books with me, this summer on a ten-day trip to the Caribbean I took eight (and still had to stop at a bookstore for replenishment).
The coordination is a good idea. I often make sure to have at least one book that Mrs. Biblioracle will want after I've read it. In a group, the idea is even more powerful.
Hi John, It's Diane Horban from NBJH. Loved your article about traveling with books. I too tried reading on a Kindle and it wasn't for me. I often look back for details and a physical book helps me locate the page. On a device, I don't have the physicality to locate the information. It's comforting at the end of the day when traveling to bring out the comfort of a good book. I'm bringing a Louise Penny book with Inspector Gamache on my next trip. Thanks for expounding on this important topic.
What you say about remembering something from a book because of where it was on the page is very true. There must be some kind of concept to describe this, but I don't know what it is.
Bringing a book from a series you already know you like is a great strategy. I've been doing it with Mick Herron's Slow Horses books, but I've read all the ones produced to date.
I take it one step further and only bring books to reread when I'm traveling. Too risky to bring an untested book! And it's nice to have a chance to reread, which I often don't make time for. On my most recent 5-day trip it was Wild and The Art of Fielding (plus one more that I didn't get to as I am a slow-ish reader).
Totally agree that time spent in transit is among the best reading time. If only I could achieve such concentration and lack of distraction in my normal life. Back when I got the New Yorker I loved to read that while traveling. I had a memorable experience of reading David Grann's The White Darkness on a cross-country flight--an article that I'm sure I would never have read all the way through under other circumstances, but was a gripping read.
From reading this page I think I am the only one of your readers who treasures her Kindle. I bought one of the first ones available before Oprah recommended it. Questioning if I would like it or not, I took the plunge. After buying five to six paperbacks for every trip and leaving them on planes, trains, and hotel rooms, I hoped my investment would pay off. It did. I have Colson Whitehead locked and loaded for my trip to Paris, along with my summer 'lite" reading of War and Peace. And about seven others. Thanks for Percival Everett. Your feelings on kindle align with my feelings on audio books. Tried and tried and tried, nope. How do you rewind to a passage you liked, or review the list of characters? At least with a kindle I can bookmark and highlight. Oh, and the joys of the dictionary!
I've never connected with audio books either for some reason. If they're not good, I lose track of the story. If they're good, I lose track of what else I'm supposed to be doing, like driving. I don't think I have the proper brain for audio books.
Years ago, I got a new job which required a long commute by car, and friends recommended books on tape (it really was "years ago"!). I found that I could concentrate on the book or on my driving, and for the safety of all concerned, I chose driving.
My own reading habits have evolved a lot as technology has made more and more things possible. I used to read exclusively paper books, but I'd read articles online, etc. I am at the point now where I enjoy reading from a bigger screen like my laptop, and I do a fair amount of that every day, mostly shorter form stuff like Substack pieces, articles, news, etc.
I really, really love audiobooks. It took me years to convince myself that listening to a book is okay, and there are still some reads where paper is preferred, but those are fewer and further between today. I became a convert by listening exclusively to nonfiction, and that was enough.
I read my news and current events mostly on screens of various stripes and don't have an issue, but there's something about the immersion I seek in books that makes screens a bad fit. Overall, though, I spend more time per day reading on screens than physical media.
I completely understand, and I have no idea how I got past this stigma... it just sort of happened. Immersion is an incredibly important part of the process! I think that going for walks in nature and listening is one way to do this, at least to a degree I haven't found elsewhere for audio materials.
Like, running water, green stuff, a trail mostly to myself? That's a solid way to learn something new.
I'm in the e-reader camp. When I was 20 (before e-readers were an option) I spent a summer in Fairbanks, I had one of those enormous suitcases that we used to take on trips and it was mostly full of books. 27 books turned out to be too few, but the BLM office had the entire Sackett series and many other westerns. I finished those and was left with nothing to read on the way home. So when I had the opportunity to travel with essentially limitless reading I jumped on the Nook to go with my educator discount at B&N
Some people agonize over what clothes to pack. I spend hours on what books to pack. I now have a kindle and use it as my back up. Handy when I'm reading a night and don't want to disturb my companion or (horrors) run out of physical books. But still prefer actual books. A new Percival Everett!! So excited. I've left my finished books all over but never thought of writing a note. I love buying from local bookstores and have thrown away clothing to have room for my purchases. I still have and treasure a book of poetry I bought from a used bookstore in San Francisco. Have fun on your trip.
I tend to bring a few non-fiction books I want to read, magazines, and one lighter read (plus a kindle!) In the past when I traveled more, I LOVED picking up fiction books at hostels for free and leaving them in another place. I read some great classic books that way!
One of my proudest parenting accomplishments (though maybe it is just genetics) is that my child, now a teen, is also a huge reader - so our combined books for vacations is a sight to behold! She's still mostly into YA, I look forward to the day when our reads overlap and the pile can thus be smaller.
I am in your people in this respect, but your people are getting older and the price of bringing a lot of books is getting harder to handle. That said, if I'm going somewhere on a plane or somewhere longer than an overnight, I'm bringing multiple books and the Kindle.
I also deeply love eating out or going to a bar when travelling by myself with a book in hand. That was one of the better threads on Twitter before the Muskolypse--there was a reviewer who said "what sort of ridiculous fool takes a book to a bar" and he got ratio'd as brutally as anyone in the history of the platform.
I hated the stand-alone kindle too, but I like the phone version. Before I used the kindle app, I used to bring four or five books on every trip too.
You are not alone. I used to travel for work, before the days of wifi on 'planes. I'm also not a 'plane sleeper as I have to make sure it stays in the air and if I go to sleep it will plummet immediately to earth. So, lots of reading on those 12 hour flights back and forth from UK to Hong Kong, Singapore or Malaysia. I always had two books per flight. A book in the airport lounge is a good way of stopping people wanting to talk (I travelled alone, a lot), and same on the flight. In the lounge something light - too engrossing and I might miss the call. On the plane something deeply immersive so I could ignore everything around me as much as possible - except the route to the emergency exit. For a four day trip I'd have two more books in the baggage.
The book as a deflection of people wanting to talk is a good strategy. Paired with noise-cancelling headphones and I'm in a full cone of privacy.
Reading this was like a warm hug. I love the idea of leaving one behind with a note!
Just returned from a 3 week trip to Maine, and I could have used your advice before I collected a random assortment of books into shopping bags and stuck them in the car! No matter, I'll add one idea to your recommendations. Husband and I are pursuing visits of presidential houses, so we pick up a biography at each one we tour. On this trip, we made it to Quincy, MA, so I started reading David McCullough's bio, which was a great companion to sitting by the lake. We also made it to Campobello, so now we are proud owners of GE Smith's FDR.
Themed books both before and as part of travel is a great idea. We've done a bunch of nature trips and my wife likes to read related books prior to the trip, while I like them after I've experienced it. Two different styles of engagement.
I had no idea about the new Percival Everett! Now I have a reason to live!
Two Dollar Radio publishes the prefect books for travel given their small format, and has been one of my favorite publishers since they launched!
I always take physical books with me, this summer on a ten-day trip to the Caribbean I took eight (and still had to stop at a bookstore for replenishment).
I brought one per day plus two….because…you never know…and I made my husband promise that I could buy more if I needed!
When traveling out of the country I thought about what I might leave that would surprise/delight/educate.
When traveling with companions we often coordinated so that the cumulative load was distributed. (My friends are all readers).
I must admit though, I went to a kindle. My husband in particular is most appreciative.
The coordination is a good idea. I often make sure to have at least one book that Mrs. Biblioracle will want after I've read it. In a group, the idea is even more powerful.
Always bring books, find local bookstores and must buy something each. Enjoy looking for works set on the locale. E-books are workable.
I like buying local too when I travel. It's particularly good at used stores where you're likely to see stuff that's particularly to where you are.
Hi John, It's Diane Horban from NBJH. Loved your article about traveling with books. I too tried reading on a Kindle and it wasn't for me. I often look back for details and a physical book helps me locate the page. On a device, I don't have the physicality to locate the information. It's comforting at the end of the day when traveling to bring out the comfort of a good book. I'm bringing a Louise Penny book with Inspector Gamache on my next trip. Thanks for expounding on this important topic.
What you say about remembering something from a book because of where it was on the page is very true. There must be some kind of concept to describe this, but I don't know what it is.
Bringing a book from a series you already know you like is a great strategy. I've been doing it with Mick Herron's Slow Horses books, but I've read all the ones produced to date.
Let's hear it for both Louise Penny and Mick Herron! I devoured each series from the beginning once I read a random one in the middle.
I take it one step further and only bring books to reread when I'm traveling. Too risky to bring an untested book! And it's nice to have a chance to reread, which I often don't make time for. On my most recent 5-day trip it was Wild and The Art of Fielding (plus one more that I didn't get to as I am a slow-ish reader).
Totally agree that time spent in transit is among the best reading time. If only I could achieve such concentration and lack of distraction in my normal life. Back when I got the New Yorker I loved to read that while traveling. I had a memorable experience of reading David Grann's The White Darkness on a cross-country flight--an article that I'm sure I would never have read all the way through under other circumstances, but was a gripping read.
From reading this page I think I am the only one of your readers who treasures her Kindle. I bought one of the first ones available before Oprah recommended it. Questioning if I would like it or not, I took the plunge. After buying five to six paperbacks for every trip and leaving them on planes, trains, and hotel rooms, I hoped my investment would pay off. It did. I have Colson Whitehead locked and loaded for my trip to Paris, along with my summer 'lite" reading of War and Peace. And about seven others. Thanks for Percival Everett. Your feelings on kindle align with my feelings on audio books. Tried and tried and tried, nope. How do you rewind to a passage you liked, or review the list of characters? At least with a kindle I can bookmark and highlight. Oh, and the joys of the dictionary!
Enjoy your travels!
I've never connected with audio books either for some reason. If they're not good, I lose track of the story. If they're good, I lose track of what else I'm supposed to be doing, like driving. I don't think I have the proper brain for audio books.
Years ago, I got a new job which required a long commute by car, and friends recommended books on tape (it really was "years ago"!). I found that I could concentrate on the book or on my driving, and for the safety of all concerned, I chose driving.
I love my kindle! Almost as much as my husband who is thrilled to not transport multiple pounds of books!
My own reading habits have evolved a lot as technology has made more and more things possible. I used to read exclusively paper books, but I'd read articles online, etc. I am at the point now where I enjoy reading from a bigger screen like my laptop, and I do a fair amount of that every day, mostly shorter form stuff like Substack pieces, articles, news, etc.
I really, really love audiobooks. It took me years to convince myself that listening to a book is okay, and there are still some reads where paper is preferred, but those are fewer and further between today. I became a convert by listening exclusively to nonfiction, and that was enough.
I read my news and current events mostly on screens of various stripes and don't have an issue, but there's something about the immersion I seek in books that makes screens a bad fit. Overall, though, I spend more time per day reading on screens than physical media.
I completely understand, and I have no idea how I got past this stigma... it just sort of happened. Immersion is an incredibly important part of the process! I think that going for walks in nature and listening is one way to do this, at least to a degree I haven't found elsewhere for audio materials.
Like, running water, green stuff, a trail mostly to myself? That's a solid way to learn something new.
I'm in the e-reader camp. When I was 20 (before e-readers were an option) I spent a summer in Fairbanks, I had one of those enormous suitcases that we used to take on trips and it was mostly full of books. 27 books turned out to be too few, but the BLM office had the entire Sackett series and many other westerns. I finished those and was left with nothing to read on the way home. So when I had the opportunity to travel with essentially limitless reading I jumped on the Nook to go with my educator discount at B&N
Some people agonize over what clothes to pack. I spend hours on what books to pack. I now have a kindle and use it as my back up. Handy when I'm reading a night and don't want to disturb my companion or (horrors) run out of physical books. But still prefer actual books. A new Percival Everett!! So excited. I've left my finished books all over but never thought of writing a note. I love buying from local bookstores and have thrown away clothing to have room for my purchases. I still have and treasure a book of poetry I bought from a used bookstore in San Francisco. Have fun on your trip.
I tend to bring a few non-fiction books I want to read, magazines, and one lighter read (plus a kindle!) In the past when I traveled more, I LOVED picking up fiction books at hostels for free and leaving them in another place. I read some great classic books that way!
<Raises hand>
One of my proudest parenting accomplishments (though maybe it is just genetics) is that my child, now a teen, is also a huge reader - so our combined books for vacations is a sight to behold! She's still mostly into YA, I look forward to the day when our reads overlap and the pile can thus be smaller.
I am in your people in this respect, but your people are getting older and the price of bringing a lot of books is getting harder to handle. That said, if I'm going somewhere on a plane or somewhere longer than an overnight, I'm bringing multiple books and the Kindle.
I also deeply love eating out or going to a bar when travelling by myself with a book in hand. That was one of the better threads on Twitter before the Muskolypse--there was a reviewer who said "what sort of ridiculous fool takes a book to a bar" and he got ratio'd as brutally as anyone in the history of the platform.
I remember that thread about reading in bars. I wrote a column on it and my own love of bringing a book to a bar and reading, particularly when I'm traveling alone for work. https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/books/ct-ent-biblioracle-reading-books-bar-twitter-20220219-mk6t5kfdfbgqhk2x5d5qyzylty-story.html