I’m not going anywhere. At least, not in the near future. But one thing I love doing when I’m planning a vacation is deciding what book(s) to bring with me. As a matter of fact, whenever I start to think about where I might take my next vacation (or even just fantasize about less reachable vacations I might take on that ineffable *someday*), I always think about what books would best accompany the journey. Do I want to bring something light and engaging? What will keep me entertained on the plane? Will this book give me weird dreams if I’m reading it before bed in an unfamiliar place? (Yes that’s really something I have to consider.) More often, however, I’ve begun to ask myself what books will enhance the sense of place to wherever I’m going.

I wish I could have read a blog that talks about issues like wanderlust, because in the past because I’ve made a few errors in judgment when it came to bringing books on vacation. Some were because I had little choice in the matter, for example bringing books related to homework when I went on vacation while I was in school (the professor who scheduled his midterm the day after spring break will forever have a black mark on my list…). Others were made because I had just started a book and what better time to finish it then on vacation? This led to the somewhat ill-advised (though incredibly memorable) experience of reading Kurt Vonnegut’s Galapagos, the story of an ill-fated cruise ship that crashes and gets stranded, while actually on a cruise. Another less-successful pairing was reading a book about travel mishaps There’s No Toilet Paper on the Road Less Traveled while traveling. I had a lot of laughs reading that book, but I don’t think they were quite as hearty when there was the real possibility of those mishaps actually happening to me.

After these memorable missteps, I started thinking more carefully about what reading material to bring on vacation. With the advent of e-readers and reading apps my choices are no longer as limited as they once were because I’m not limited to physical books. Don’t get me wrong; I love physical books and always make sure at least one “real” book accompanies me when I go away. But I no longer have the oppressive feel of finishing a book too quickly and <horrors!> being stuck without something to read. When it comes to picking that physical book I try to think of something that relates to my destination in some way; something that will make me feel even more immersed in where I am.

Everyone has their own ideas about traveling with books and my strategies are not necessarily the same ones as others who enjoy taking books on vacation. Josie Leavitt of Publishers Weekly writes of the struggle to choose what to bring on vacation and also of her friend who has the incredibly admirable goal of coordinating  reading material among the people who will be vacationing together. Ernest Shackelton ensured he had plenty of material to read on his voyage to Antarctica and took a surprisingly diverse selection with him (though one might question the wisdom of bringing a set of Encyclopedia Britannica; the set I had growing up was heavy!). There is also the much more serendipitous strategy of letting the book you read on vacation find you. The charmingly intriguing Book Crossing website allows you not only to trade books in set, public locations while you’re away, it lets you track whatever book you leave and see where it ends up. Readers can print out a label for books they intend to trade “leave a penny, take a penny” style and they can check the website to see where any books they’ve picked up have been.

While I love a book that has its own backstory, hence my years of trawling library book sales and used book stores all over New England, I like to bring the books I travel with home again. That way, I can use the book as a reminder of my travels and hopefully attach some fond memories whenever I see it on the shelf or go to read it again. For your perusal, here are some books that hold wonderful travel memories for me and have enhanced my sense of place immensely. If you’re going the same places, maybe they’ll do the same for you!

Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

My worn paperback of this book is actually both Alice’s Adventures and Through the Looking Glass and made a delightful accompaniment to an adult trip to Walt Disney World. I would highly recommend this or any story that Disney has adapted as a way of understanding where the movie/park ideas came from and how they differed in order to appeal to a wider audience. Different takes on fairy tales would also work pretty well here.

Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister by Gregory Maguire

This book made a great pairing with a trip to the “low countries,” the Netherlands and Belgium. Maguire’s vivid descriptions of the Netherlands and historical basis for his take on the Cinderella story was transportive, and while it makes a great home-based read, it really enhanced the beauty and culture I found on my trip.

The Falls by Ian Rankin

This book makes modern Edinburgh come to life. You can retrace the steps of Inspector Rebus’s as he hunts down clues across the entire city. This book was recommended to me on a reading list of Edinburgh and I was not disappointed. Rankin has an amazing way of representing his native Edinburgh on the page and writes an engaging, suspenseful mystery while he’s at it.

Shakespeare and Company by Sylvia Beach

Delineates the Parisian art scene as Beach sets up Shakespeare and Company, the English language bookstore and writers’ haven that still has a prominent place in Paris today. Why not Hemingway’s A Moveable Feast, you might ask? Because I wanted to purchase my copy of the Parisian memoir at this beloved bookstore. Mission accomplished.

I hope this week’s entry as given you some food for thought on what to take on your next trip somewhere. For more suggestions about books that have a good sense of place, for wherever you’re going, feel free to stop by the library for suggestions! And for all of you die-hards who refuse to read anything but a physical copy of a book, here are some tips for packing books and fitting them into a suitcase for your next vacation. Till next week, dear readers, I hope whatever you’re reading takes you places.