I’ve
been traveling lately (from Utah to Quebec City by train), and with my world on
my back, I feel that every item I carry must be essential. I am a die-hard
analog reader, so deciding what books to take when traveling takes careful
consideration. There are many factors that come into play. How many books do I
need to get me through the trip? Should I choose smaller/lighter books, even
though they may not be next on my reading list? What if I end up not wanting to
read any of them, and I am stranded at a train station in the middle of nowhere
(Depew, NY) with nothing to do? Taking all these things into consideration, I
chose to bring two books—one, an impractically huge hardcover (and the most
recent installment of a series I am obsessed with), and a small paperback that
is an old favorite. I justified the hardcover to myself, because I will
finish A Feast for Crows before I see
George R.R. Martin at the ALA convention in Anaheim (and have him autograph it,
and my body), and I planned to have a lot of reading time on my trip. The
smaller book, The Tao of Pooh, fell into the “I’ve already read this and loved
it, and if I get cranky on the train it will cheer me up” category. So, a mix
of book lust and practicality ultimately determined my reading choices for my
cross-county adventure. How do you decide what books to take on a trip? How
many is too much? Or, if you have an e-reader, how do you decide between all
your options at hand?
-Emily
I definitely support the 2-book strategy. I try and bring one action, spy, Ludlum-ish book, and then another pseudo-self-help, inspiration-y style book. Unfortunately, one I usually can't put down, and the other ends up helping me sleep on the plane! :)
ReplyDeleteHow about you take a great book about traveling, while you travel? "Drifting on a Headwind" by Jim Harlan is a fabulous, entertaining book, a memoir of the author's travels around the world over the past 30 years. I found it interesting to see an intimate view of what life is like in some of the most remote corners of the world.
ReplyDeletehttp://uncommonadventurespress.com/