Travel Reading

Whenever I travel, one of my biggest struggles is what reading material to pack. I like to travel carry-on only, which sometimes limits my options for books. (I've only checked bags once since 1998 for a backpacking trip my brother and I took up in the Adirondacks and have successfully made it to each of the 7 continents with carry-on only.) My toughest packing decisions always come down to what books to bring.

It looks like I'm not the only one who struggles with this. I think the difference is I often don't get through all the books I pack. Something tells me Tyler Cowen doesn't have that problem...

For people like me who like to travel light, one other tip I've found helpful is to download audiobooks on my iPod. This is especially nice if you expect to have any driving time on the trip. Here are a few other ways to use your iPod when you travel.

I'm waiting for the day when eBook readers are good enough to substitute for some of the books (and articles) I carry. I don't expect them to ever replace my books, but rather compliment them. I think they'd be great for storing many travel guides in a small form factor and on the margin let me bring a library of just-in-case-I-have-time reading material. There is definitely something nice about holding a nice tome in your hands and the feel of turning pages, but there's also something nice about keeping hundreds of books on hand with the option of downloading even more while on the go. (If they perfect the technology, it might mean my last minute trips to Borders can happen while on the road -- just like when I download audiobooks while traveling.)

Here are some great tips for traveling carry-on only.