As a general rule I vastly prefer paper books to an e-reader, but when it comes to travel, I am devoted to my Kobo. It’s just so brilliant; I can take many books with me, without taking up any luggage space. I had been happily curating my library hold list so that my Kobo would be populated with books with a variety of expiry dates. I had it perfectly planned.
One week before we left there was a huge cybersecurity breach at the Calgary Public Library. My Kobo is linked to my old Calgary card, and suddenly I couldn’t access the account. To this day, the library hasn’t recovered; apparently all the CPL branches are currently analog, with old-school paper due date slips and stamps, and the online system remains down.
Fortunately, Libby was still working and I was still – eventually – able to download books, but I learned something important: my Kobo will work with one library card and one library card only. Since I already had several books downloaded from the Calgary system, I nervously kept things as-is, and hoped for the best.
Another thing I learned about travelling with a Kobo: if there is a problem, you’re fucked. Well, “fucked.” We were at the Rome airport, ready to return home, and my Kobo froze. I couldn’t select books. I couldn’t change screens. I couldn’t even power it down. I was looking down the barrel of five hours of airport time plus eleven hours of air travel with no reading material.
My husband pried my Kobo out of my panicking hands and, looking down the barrel of dealing with me with no reading material for sixteen hours, bossily told me to just go buy a goddamn book! I grumpily went to the little airport kiosk, found their English section, and spent fifteen euro on a book I didn’t really want but was the best available option. WASTED fifteen euro, I should say, because by the time I returned to my husband with the book, he had somehow managed to power it off and back on. I stared at the blinking screen, manifesting, and ended up with a perfectly functioning Kobo for the remainder of the trip, along with a book that is currently sitting on my bookshelf, unread.
My husband told me it was not a waste at all, instead, it was an insurance policy against such a thing happening on the flight.
The tl;dr of this is that I managed to read a lot of books while in transit. Some were great! Some, not so much.
The Books I Read On Vacation
Three Apples Fell From The Sky. I did enjoy this fable about a tiny Armenian village, with all the friendships and foes and interesting lives, but I think it could have really benefited from a listing of the characters. There were so many characters and they were all intertwined in a complicated way – I kept getting confused as to who was who and how they were related. It also jumps into a lot of flashbacks, so I wasn’t totally clear on what time period I was reading about at any given time. Still, a charming and sweet read.
Summer of ’79. Okay, I got this on my Kobo so I don’t even know if this is a proper book or not. This short, cute, quick read is an addendum to the book Summer of 69, which I haven’t read, but that didn’t really matter. It wasn’t hard to follow, but I probably would have enjoyed it more had I read the first. It’s a fun read filled with 70s fashion and pop culture references, which sealed the deal for me.
In Love. This was a very sad memoir, about a woman whose husband wanted to die by medically assisted suicide after his Alzheimer’s diagnosis. It was a very sad description of the search to do so as well as an exploration of his decline. Woof. It was rough to read, and it really made me think we need to do better for people in this situation, on every level.
The Authenticity Project. “Everyone lies about their lives. What would happen if you shared the truth instead?” So asks The Authenticity Project, a little notebook that makes its way around a group of people leaving friendship, love, and self-acceptance in its wake. This is a truly charming and heart warming story about friendship and love, bringing together an unlikely cast of characters. What a good read! Thanks to my dear friend Nicole (HI NICOLE) who always knows what I like to read.
Under The Tuscan Sun. What could be more appropriate, I thought, than reading this book while I’m in Tuscany? I thought this would be a wonderful romance, and then on discovering it’s basically a memoir, I imagined it would be similar to the very delightful A Year In Provence. Friends, how wrong I was. This book about a couple buying and renovating a property in Tuscany, though lyrically written, is incredibly boring. I desperately wanted to DNF but I forced myself to finish because I AM IN TUSCANY DAMMIT. But alas. There are some good food descriptions but otherwise this was a snore. I did enjoy reading about flying in the 90s, when you could bring whole bottles of olive oil in your carryon. That, my friends, was the highlight of this book. If you’re going to tell me the movie is great, I will believe you, because I looked up the film description and it wasn’t anything at all like the snoozefest I read.
Here After. This author is from Calgary! It is so fun to read about little landmarks and spaces around my old hometown. However, this is not a FUN book, it’s a very sad and vulnerable memoir about a woman whose husband literally dropped dead at age 32. This is a book about grieving and dealing with the shock of a sudden, horrible loss. It is also a tough read, and no, I don’t know why I was reading grief memoirs on a trip of a lifetime to Italy. Well, yes I do, it’s because that’s when the holds came in.
One Of Us Is Lying. Speaking of library holds, I was getting perilously low on reading material, and I still had several train rides and 16 hours of airport and plane transit to get through, so I delved desperately into the “skip the line” loans. This was available, so I downloaded it. But I’m so glad I did. This is a very fun, Agatha Christie meets Breakfast Club story about five teens in detention – and then one of them dies. The remaining teens are under suspicion! But who did it? This was just super fun, and I really enjoyed it.
Abide With Me. I love Elizabeth Strout and how she perfectly captures a certain theme and feeling. This is about a small town minister in the late 50s, who is grieving the sudden loss of his young wife (related: yes, this is a surprising number of books on death and widowhood to be reading). Anyway, as with all Strout’s books there are so many layers to these seemingly simple lives. “This kind of thing gave the women something to look forward to, especially now that the days were shorter and darker, and the boredom of changing sheets or cleaning a bathroom could sometimes mushroom into a private despair before noontime even arrived.” I MEAN. Also, wisdom: “But he thought of George telling him that the ability to receive was as great as the ability to give, and so he simply said thank you.”
Instructions For A Heatwave. It’s the UK heatwave of 1976 and everyone’s losing it a little…especially the recently retired man who just leaves for the day and doesn’t come back. I enjoyed this story of an Irish family living in England, who have secrets and alliances and grudges, but come together to deal with their father’s disappearance.
In notable news, I watched an entire movie on one of my flights (No you didn’t! my son said. Wait, did you really?). It was a French-Canadian production with subtitles, called Une Femme Respectable. It was not what one might call an action packed movie, and yet I was so invested in it that I GASPED and said “NO, don’t do it!” out loud at one part. I may have been the only person on the entire flight, and maybe on any flight ever, watching it, but I did really enjoy it. This week I started a long-anticipated book and it does NOT disappoint. But I’ll tell you about it next week. xo
The Kobo glitch would have threw me into a panic. But I have to know what book you bought! I am glad your husband got it working again! I exclusively read on my kindle and would be lost without it. But gah, that poor library system that has been thrown back into the dark ages!! That sounds so terrible!
Abide By Me is one 2 Strout books I have left to read! I know you don’t care for Gretchen Ruben but they read ‘tell me everything’ and had strout on the podcast recently. Once you’ve read that book, I highly recommend listening. She talks about her writing process which was fascinating for me!
My book club read ‘in love’ last year and it was one of our favorite books which probably sounds odd to say. But everyone in our club was touched by someone with Alzheimer’s. One had last a parent to it, and I lost my FIL to it, although I never got to meet him because his disease had progressed too far when Phil and I met so it didn’t make sense to introduce me to him. Reading that book prompted a ‘what would you do?’ convo with Phil. He would make the same choice as the man in the book. 🙁 That disease is so God awful so I understand why he feels that way. I just hope and pray he isn’t impacted by the disease or that we have better treatment options by then.
Oh gosh, I really hope that it does not affect you, because it is such a terrifying and sad disease.
The book I bought was The List, it seemed to be the best of the options that were there. Well, maybe I should just give it a try!
I love ebooks for reading but I try to bring a physical book or at least a magazine with me for the flight, because what a nightmare! I mean, I was more worried about a low battery situation, but the app freezing like that would be so awful. I’m glad your husband got it working again. At least buying the book was a charm against needing it.
I also read In Love and thought it was amazing, though of course not light at all. But I was very moved by her writing.
Oh, the low battery situation! I always think it’s going to be okay because our seats had outlets, but WHAT IF THAT DIDN’T WORK. Lesson learned for me!
My Kindle DIED completely the weekend of my sister’s wedding. FOR DAYS I did not have a book. I have since learned to always pack two or three physical books with me, even if I’m going to bring my Kindle. Once bitten, twice shy, you know? I don’t completely trust my Kindle, even thought I love it so much.
Engie. ENGIE!!! That is a nightmare of epic proportions and believe me, I have now learned my lesson – ALWAYS BRING A BOOK.
I’ve never read an entire book on a vacation. I’m too excited to look around 🤣 You already know I love Strout and Hilderbrand. Tuscan Sun and Eat, Pray, Love fall into the same category for me: sounds good, but epic fail. Your olive oil description, sigh. We traveled with a case of wine on board on our first trip from Napa, circa 2006. Those were the days!
Don’t worry Bijoux, I did a lot of looking around too! But we had a ton of transit time, so I read then. Travel back in the day was so easy, wasn’t it!!! You could bring a bottle of hairspray and no one thought it was a bomb.
I would have slightly panicked at the Kobo mishap, except that I have backups on my phone of my Kindle books, and also emergency YouTube videos just in case (and audiobooks and podcasts). As you may see now, one of my greatest fears is not having entertainment on a flight (or campground or in the middle of nowhere somewhere). I am so glad it was resuscitated.
I really liked In Love; I thought it was sad, but she did a great job telling the story and I am pretty sure it was one of my favorite reads last year. I also liked One of Us Is Lying and there is a sequel One of Us is Next and it was also entertaining.
See this is the problem – I cannot really read a lot on my phone! I have the Libby app so technically I could read a book on my phone, but it’s so small, I don’t like reading that way. I did have podcasts but I didn’t really want to spend 16 hours just listening…
That’s a lot of books for two weeks! Incredible. Did you read in the morning? At night? At dinner?
Daria, I mostly read while in transit, so on trains and on the plane. I also read a bit whenever we had some downtime.
OMG, that Kobo crisis… I was about to cry for you! Lucky you had a glitch-solver for a travel companion!
I was going skip, skip, skip for most of the list Nicole–were you not so enthused about the books because you were on this fantabulous vacation? Am I just in a grumpy mood? (VERY LIKELY!) The last two books–I’ll look out for them. Thanks for the book update. It’s just as important to know what to avoid, right? Eager to hear about the book you’re enjoying right now…
Oh Maya, I just finished Long Island Compromise and it was one of the best books I’ve ever read! I’ll talk more about it later but WOW WOW WOW. It’s a social commentary without being a Social Commentary, if you know what I mean!
Nicole, “WOW WOW WOW” ???!!!!
I have to go look for this RIGHT AWAY!!!
I think that’s such an insightful way to view the 15 euro book – an insurance policy.
The only book you mention that I’ve actually read is In Love (you know I’m a predominantly non-fiction gal). Very thought provoking to be sure. I just looked up my review and it was Meh. I think I was quite distracted by the flip-flopping timelines. But I can see if being a very valuable and healing book for people in similar situations.
I hate slogging through a book but sometimes it feels like a must. Sigh. So I get why you finished the book about Tuscany WHEN YOU WERE IN TUSCANY.
Elisabeth, this year I vowed to be quicker to DNF but I was IN TUSCANY. Also I was worried I’d run out of reading material!
Thanks for warning re under the Tuscan Sun. I do often choose something related to the place when I travel and at least now I know that if I do get back to Tuscany, do not make the book Under the Tuscan Sun.
I hardly ever get even one book finished when I travel overseas. You would think I would with at least 24 hours travel time to get anywhere but I have to take travel sickness tablets and they make me drowsy so it’s hard to read and on trains I can’t read. I generally resort to podcasts and movies/TV, plus a fair bit of napping.
Oh I’m sorry you have motion sickness! I only have that if I’m in a car – I can’t read in a car. But planes and trains are fine for me.
I recently read The Authenticity Project and loved it! I thought it was a great read too.
A couple of these have piqued my interest and will add them to my hold list.
I’m glad you liked it too! It was really sweet!
Thanks for the great book list (as if I don’t have enough books on hold!) I will be adding most of them to my list. This trip to the southern US has been so busy with golf & socializing (we have friends staying here) I have only read 1.5 books in a week! When the Kobo freezes it’s a nightmare. I find that I keep pressing and hold the power button and finally it will turn off. But it’s not quick. I really wanted to comment on your “people I met” post but I kept getting a “not acceptable” error message. I wasn’t being rude, I promise!
Oh Pat, for some reason it makes me feel better you have also had that issue with Kobo. It’s not just me! But eeeeee imagine being on a ten hour flight with no reading material! I guess it’s good I was able to buy a book and it didn’t happen, I don’t know, when we got on the plane. Hope your trip is going well!
The Kobo glitch is too scary! The library being hacked is too scary! Who would do such an awful thing? Sometimes I do miss the good old days of everything analog! Traveling in the 1990s was so awesome. My husband and I went on our honeymoon to Victoria and I didn’t take ANY ID!! In all the rush and excitement I completely forgot about it. And guess what – I didn’t have any problems at all. No one cared that I got on the airplane. No one cared that I entered or left Canada or the US. It was such an innocent time.
Michelle, the library hack is still being worked on. It has been over a month now! They had to shut the entire library down and they still aren’t allowing people to return the books they had pre-hack, which gives me massive early pandemic-vibes.
Hahaha travel was so easy back then. Remember people could go with you to your GATE?? You didn’t have any ID at all!!! Wow!
I also thought Under the Tuscan Sun was a yawn. What a fantastic trip! If you wish to armchair travel back again you might enjoy mysteries by Donna Leon or the Montalbano series by Camilleri. The latter are probably more authentic, but Leon is easy to get into, entertaining and the stories are set in Venice.
Thanks Tamara! I’m glad I’m not the only one to be super bored by Under the Tuscan Sun. I could not believe it was such a hit and made into a movie (albeit the movie sounds VERY different!)
Just when I was thinking of getting Kobo, you tell me this horror story! I read In Love and it was so upsetting. I agree, we absolutely need to do better for the patients and their families.
Ooops sorry! Usually it works?
It was SO upsetting!
I only took my ipad when we went to Charlotte, no books, thinking I was finally breaking my too-many-books-in-a-suitcase habit, and I will never again go without at least one.
I’m so happy you liked One of Us Is Lying! I saw it and thought wait, what Nicole? The second one is also fun but the third was dumb and boring, I thought.
I’m always a little wary of books that have Project in the title, but I loved The Rosie Project, so sometimes they’re great. This one sounds really good.
I a reading a book set in India right now and two very different characters are both named Sardar. Like, why do this to me?
I know! I know! I was like “fine, it’s available, I’m desperate” and I loved it! The Authenticity Project was just lovely and feel-good, I really enjoyed it for that.
Wait, two characters with the same name?
You read Under the Tuscan Sun in Tuscany, and found it meh. I had Salade Nicoise in Nice, with a similar experience. Oh well, we tried. I am team physical book or audio book, I don’t read much on an e-reader (I don’t even own one, I just use the kindle app on my iPad if I decide I have to do it. And I would NEVER travel without a physical book, JUST IN CASE. One splurge I sometimes do is at the airport before a flight, I will buy a People Magazine AND a book, though usually I bring the book. And usually I end up watching Seinfeld or a movie on the flight and not reading, but I have to have that insurance policy for sure.
Actually, I do have a kindle, now that I think of it. My brother gave it to my Grandma probably 15 years ago, and she couldn’t figure it out so it came to me. I wonder if it would still work, assuming I could find a way to charge it? Hmmm.
Good to know about Salad Nicoise! I haven’t stepped into the audio book realm yet – I usually like to listen to podcasts, but haven’t listened to a book that way. Now that I’ve had this issue I will definitely slip a physical book into my bag! I love that you buy People. I was just thinking of all the magazines I used to enjoy! It was a treat to read them at the hair salon, etc.
so many great books! I always load up my kindle before trips, not always manage to read them but feel safe if I have them. Same for my girls.
which one was your favorite? also, do you have any specific theme for vacation read? do you read books about your travel destination?
Coco, I usually try to go light with vacation reads but a lot of the library holds that came in were kind of heavy and grim. So it was a little strange. I loved The Authenticity Project, it was a very sweet read. Just a nice feel good book.
Well, it did strike me that you read a lot of very sad books on your vacation! I’m glad there were some lighter ones thrown in there as well. And, this post convinced me that my decision to avoid e-readers is correct (I can just picture everyone screaming at me, “No, that usually doesn’t happen, e-readers are amazing!!!” Nope! I’m not risking it!
It never once occurred to me that something could go wrong with my ereader! I guess it’s good it happened while we were in the airport, instead of on the plane when I would have been really stuck.
I loved The Authenticity Project, too. Such a sweet, heartwarming read. I never read Under the Tuscan Sun but I did watch the movie and was underwhelmed.
I’m a Kindle user on trips, too, and now I’m going to make sure to always bring 1-2 books with me as an insurance policy. That sounded TRAGIC but I’m glad it had a happy ending. Whew.
Wasn’t it a lovely read? I wasn’t expecting it to be so sweet.
My favorite part is your husband reassuring you that you spent 15 Euro on an insurance policy against your Kobo failing. What a kind and comforting thought. Also, WHAT BOOK DID YOU BUY?!?!
I too am surprised that you watched a movie on your flight. I am giggling, thinking of you gasping and talking to your screen.
Hahaha you know me so well! “YOU watched a movie???” I bought The List, which I haven’t even cracked to read a sentence of yet!
Wait… Nicole, now I’m dying to know … WHAT WAS THE BOOK YOU BOUGHT????
My 12 year old insisted that I read One of Us is Lying – I still haven’t yet – it’s sitting on my bookshelf, so maybe I should bump it up to the top of my list.
I like having paper books to read on trips – I’ll usually go to the library’s used bookstore and pick up one or two books to bring along and then leave behind. I used to LOVE buying magazines for flights. It was one of those things I’d only ever do when travelling – I’d buy one fashion magazine, one news/long form article magazine, and one gossip rag. I don’t do it anymore though because magazines have gotten so expensive that sometimes I just don’t feel like spending the money. But maybe I’ll do it for the next trip.
Diane, the book I bought was The List. If I ever read it I will let you know! Right now I’m aggressively ignoring it.
One of Us Is Lying was actually really good! I don’t typically read YA or murder mysteries, but this was really fun.
Okay, how does the KOBO work? Don’t download the Libby app to it? I have been thinking about one for my trips, even though I have a hard time reading books on a screen. Is it better than reading them on your phone??
Anna, yes, the Libby app is linked to the Kobo via something called OverDrive. Unfortunately my Kobo won’t allow more than one library card, so my Calgary one is linked to the Kobo. I also cannot read on my phone, I hate it, but I don’t have a problem on the Kobo. Mind you, I do greatly prefer paper, because it’s hard to flip back and forth unless you have the foresight to “bookmark” a page on the Kobo.
I am so impressed that you managed to read so much on your trip. When I travel and when I am with people, I usually don’t get to read at all.