I can't live without reading, and generally read about a book a day, possibly a bit less when traveling.

My plan for this trip is to take a few trade paperbacks (I hate regular paperbacks), and download a few ebooks to my laptop. But, based on previous experience, I'm likely to finish my readables extremely quickly and be left with nothing to read for much of the trip.

When we travel the US, we stop at local libraries because many of them have sale books for $1-$2 each. I certainly can't expect such a luxury in Italy

I really don't enjoy reading books on the computer nearly as much as I enjoy reading a real book. Not to mention, I hate to spend a fortune downloading ebooks to read just once. I can't see buying a Kindle or similar. I've tried using a Kindle and don't find it much more satisfying than reading from the laptop.

What do the rest of you do to solve this problem?

I've always found that most of the apartments that we've rented have had paper back books to exchange.

Most were in English, but some were in other languages.

Elly

Here's a recent discussion about Sony Reader and Kindle.

I'm an inveterate reader as well but while traveling, especially in someplace as beautiful as Italy, I hate to bury myself in a book, so the compromise that has worked very well for me is to download audio books to my i-Pod and listen to them while I sit in a piazza and enjoy the view or while I ride in a train looking out the windows at the scenery I'd miss if reading a book. You can either download from sites such as Audible.com or borrow CDs from your local library and download them to your i-Pod for free. I have an i-Pod with 20G of memory and it currently has about 20 books on it and is about 25% full. Admitedly, it's not the same as reading a book, but when you are traveling to see new things, maybe that's a good thing.

The Paperback Exchange in Florence has what you want.

I know there's an English-language used bookstore in Rome too.

I try to take books I won't feel bad about discarding, for the most part.

Thanks for the help.

While actually traveling where there is a view, I agree that looking out the window and conversing with companions beats reading. But the overseas flight is pretty dreary at the best of times. A book helps. And, to me there is nothing so luxurious as sitting outside someplace beautiful, (which I'm hoping our rental at Sant' Antonio will prove to be) and reading a book.

I've actually been looking at bargain books on Amazon and B&N, and it looks like I could add 7 trade paperbacks to read for about $30 net, which would go a long way since I could leave these behind, even in the plane seatback pocket if I finish them.

janjanjan,

If you're leaving books behind, you might consider registering one or two with bookcrossing www.bookcrossing.com. It's free, when you leave your book behind (ie. "set it free")you write a note in it indicating you've left the book to share (& the bookcrossing url) and you register and indicate where you left it. If the following reader also registers you can "watch" your book travel the globe.

Laura

I am also a big reader (and a fast one), so this is a problem for me on European travels. We often go over on extended trips.

I do look for English-language bookshops wherever I can find them, especially if there are used paperbacks available. (That shop in Florence even had some battered freebees...) You will find these in places where there is a large English-speaking ex-pat community. For example, in Aix-en-Provence-- where I was last summer and will be again this year-- there are two English bookshops with big used book sections.

If you meet up with other travelers (especially Slow Travelers), people are very good about offering up or swapping a book they've read.

Many rentals and even B&Bs have libraries of books that have been left behind. I have read some really good books this way. Often there is an informal "take one/leave one" approach.

I definitely agree with buying the used books online. Then you don't feel so badly about leaving them behind-- though I find I can't leave a book I loved behind, even if I only paid $1.00 for it. We have a big used bookstore in our town too where I can stock up before a trip.

Two years ago I decided my solution for a two month trip to Europe was to take a few big, fat paperback books. I got some suggestions in this thread.

Kathy

Hi, Janjanjan.

Good to know that there's someone out there that makes books part of the basic luggage list! I always take a few books with me, even knowing that I’m bound to buy many books in the places I visit, but my friends and family always complain about the luggage space (although they kind of use me as traveling library…)

One good site for used books is www.abebooks.com

Bugsy

In Trastevere in Rome there were at least 2 bookstores that had English Language books. I didn't go to them because I did bring enough paperbacks to last me for my 11 day trip, until I got to Amsterdam on the way back. I picked up another book there for the trans-Atlantic flight.

Last time I bought a bunch of paperbacks on the Amazon 4 for 3 promotion. I abandon the books as I read them in the apartment and hotels that I rent.

If you're a "senior citizen" Goodwill has Sunday senior citizen 50% off almost everything including books. Paperbacks are 50 cents. I stock up throughout the year and leave them as I travel. I still end up buying as I go along, though.

Kathy

Although when at home, I take books out of the library rather than buy them, I splurge when travelling

First, I am usually behind on the few periodicals I subscribe to, so I take these on the plane with me. Also, I usually take a couple of paperbacks in my luggage. But when I get to (say) Italy, and have run out of books, I just go to a bookstore where I can buy English books (after having checked the hotel or apartment for any leavings). After I've read the books, I just leave them in the apartment.

Also ---- if you have any ability to read Italian, it's fun to buy Italian fiction while travelling. I usually find that gialli, detective fiction, are best as the syntax is generally straightforward.

Thanks for the suggestions. I especially like the idea of Goodwill--there is a store near us, and I'm constantly giving to Goodwill, so it's a great idea to buy from them.

Also check your local public library. Ours has a Friend's bookstore, and they sell donated paperbacks for very little $. And the money then goes into buying new books for the library.

(says the librarian )

Maybe we should ressurect the Slow trav book swap?

At my school we all bring in whatever we have read and put it into a basket. You can give or take as much as you want there. Maybe you can start this at your job, janet.

jan

I stay an extended period of time and cannot live without my books. I send a box of books over before I go. Paperbacks whenever possible. We have a bookstore here called Half Price Books where I can get a whole stack for, literally, half price. I put on the packing slip that these are used books (true) so there is no customs fee. It is waiting when I arrive. I have purchased some already for my upcoming trip, but perhaps I should have cheked all the new ST lists I see! Maybe this is an option for you?

I'm glad to see that I'm not alone in the world in needing a lot to read at any time! Depending on the length of the trip, this can be a real problem. If I'm travelling with friends, I try to "sync" with them and make sure we have no duplicates and only books which none of us have read so we can swap. I generally find that I need to put a layer of books on the bottom of the suitcase and carry three in my carry on bag - one of which at least I am willing to ditch in the seat pocket of the airplane after reading. I also try to buy these as cheaply as possible as they will be discarded along the way.

In France you can generally find English books at FNAC chain in limited supply, but they cost a fortune (something like 12 to 18 euro each!) I've also tried to swap with fellow travellers, but that's not always so easy. I also like MCCrae books in Florence - on Via Dei Neri - lots of selection of new bestsellers and cookbooks and everything else under the sun.

This is a great thread and I will keep reading it with interest.

Besides making use of the wonderfully strange things that accumulate in left libraries, I swear by Dover thrift editions: cheap paper, therefore lighter weight, and we leave a string of them as we go, leaving more room for souvenirs. If you find a Dover Moby Dick in Italy, chances are we left it.

Cool, Trish! Thanks for the hot tip!

We are a family of bookaholics and we have been touring Europe for almost two years, so this is a challenge for us too, even though we sent boxes of books before coming and buy plenty as we go.

My child is a voracious reader and we homeschool as we go, so that is a particular problem. We have more books than anything and they mean the world to us, but I am not sure how we will handle them when we head off to Africa next year or so.

We stay all winter in a home and RV in the summer months, so we can carry more books than most, but it is still not enough, especially for the RV leg. Yet, I am at the point that I better not buy any more.

We have discovered free e-books for our computer and e-libraries ( thank goodness I happened to bring my library card by chance!) and I am hoping that will work well this year.

Yes, we would all prefer to cuddle up with a real book, but since we are a three laptop family anyway, it seems to work for us so far. There are some great free audio books as well.

The kindle might be better, but I am not paying that price and I have been very happy with the selection of library e-books that are available for adults and children. It is a good bargain way to go if you do long term travel.

Recently, I have been connecting with innovative educators and librarians involved in classroom 2.0 solutions and I am amazed at how much is available.

Well, I can see that I'm not alone. For readers like myself, there is no crisis quite as extreme as the one that occurs when I have only a single book left to read. What if I don't like it? What if I finish it before I'm ready to go to sleep? What then?!?!?! If you're like me, you totally understand the feeling of almost panic. If you find reading a pleasant past-time which can be left alone for a day or so, you can't possibly understand!

I'm delighted to hear that there are some B&Bs and vacation rentals have a "take one, leave one" library. Often these are great, but you'd be amazed how often the only books which have been left are the equivalent of the Gideon Bible, indispensable, but not really reading. Hopefully the 3 places we're staying that fall into this category will have decent selections.

I went to Goodwill the other day and bought all the trade paperbacks they had which I hadn't already read. The majority of current trade paperbacks and hard cover books they had were ones which I donated. About 6 months ago, I donated about 150 books, all in excellent condition, all either trade paperbacks or hard cover. I also checked our library again, and picked up the 3 mass market paperbacks which weren't of the Harlequin romance variety (which I can't stomach), and weren't young adult.

That gives me a stash of 9 books which I can leave whenever, wherever. I also plan to take about 10 library books. Luckily our library has a 3 renewal policy which effectively allows me to keep books for up to 12 weeks, as long as nobody has reserved the books I have with me. I can't afford the weight of hard backs, but can take trade paperbacks.

That will give me about 20 books to read. Assuming I can't sleep on the plane, I'll read 2 on the trip over. I'll need at least 2 for the trip back, although we have a connecting flight, and if necessary, I could buy a book at the airport bookstore. That leaves me about 15 for the rest of the trip. If I save books for bedtime, and read downloaded books on the pc the rest of the time, I can probably get by.

The big thing I need to be sure of is that I save at least 2 books I expect to enjoy for the flight home. There is absolutely nothing worse than being stuck on an airplane with no books. And, magazines just don't cut it!

Janet,

I enjoyed your post.

Where are you going on your trip? Maybe some of us have some suggestions of where in these places you might be able to find decent used English books-- and save you from lugging quite so many with you.

Kathy