Best eBooks to Bring With You When You Travel

Yes, you CAN take it with you! / Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/edvvc/

People taking a trip, whether it’s overseas or not, when confronted with whether or not to bring the laptop with them. With the introduction of tablets and eReaders these last two or three years, now the choice is already made. “No” to the laptop, “Yes” to the tablet or eReader.

Taking the tablet or eReader means carrying with you several books you might not have brought in the past, due to the weight and encumbrance of so many books.

Here are a list of books travelers might consider taking with them on their travels, if not for light reading then to help traverse and understand am unfamiliar location.

1. Dictionary for Air Travel and Tourism Activities (Homero E. Martinez): ( 631 pages, Publisher: iUniverse)  Every industry has its own lingo and the travel/tourism industry is no different.  It’s very easy to fall into that lingo when talking while not giving deference to the fact the person to whom you’re talking has no idea what it is you’re saying.  It’s not rudeness that makes this happen, it’s that language being second nature.  Talk the talk before you get there! ($3.03 on Google Play,)
2. Dictionary of Leisure, Travel & Tourism (A&C Black Publishers Ltd, 384 Pages): When dealing with the tourism industry, knowing the lingo means having an edge.  This book has a great deal of information in it when it comes to understanding the travel and tourism industry.  It’s published in the UK (Scotland) so it’s lacking a bit with regard to US travel/industry.  ($9.99 on Google Play)
3. 1,000 Places to See Before You Die (Patricia Schultz, 1,287 pages, Publisher: Workman Publishing) Pretty much everyone loves to travel but with the world being so large, it’s hard to decide where to start.  This book helps you do that but putting them best 1,000 places in a list.  Once you’ve seen these, you will have probably started another side list on your own. ($9.18 on Google Play)
4. Anything by Fodor – Fodor’s is the leading publisher of location specific travel books. No matter where you’re going, Fodor’s has a book for that.  And with so many choices, no matter where you go, there you are.  ($9.99 to $12.99 on Google Play)
5. The Travel Detective: How to Get the Best Service & the Best Deals… (Peter Greenberg):(481 pages, Publisher: Random House) I really like Peter Greenberg as a travel writer. He pushes voluntourism a little too hard but it’s easy to forgive that given he shares travel so incredibly well. ($11.99 on Google Play)
6. Travel Yoga: Stretches for Planes, Trains, Automobiles & More (Darrin Zeer): (102 pages, Publisher: Chronicle Books) Travel can be painful, under the right (or wrong) conditions.  Work out those kinks and stay in shape at the same time.  ($6.15 on Google Play)
7. The Everything Kids’ Travel Activity Book (Erik A. & Jeanne Hanson):(161 pages, Publisher: Everything Books) Travel with kids? Need something to do?  Need to keep them from driving you nuts?  ’Nuff said – get the book. ($5.25 on Google Play and this is a bargain at any price)
8. The Everything Photography Book (Melissa Martin Ellis):(323 pages, Publisher: Everything Books) Step #1 should always be: A cell phone is not a camera (but I’m a bit of a photography snob)  Take the camera with you and look through this book for taking the best photos you can take.  Who knows?  You might find a second career as a stock photography buff.  ($9.99 on Google Play)
9. Language phrase books (assorted publishers, assorted page counts, assorted prices) – Always find a bathroom, no matter what country you’re visiting.  Berlitz full  line of phrase books will help you get around and the people of the country will be charmed you’re at least making the attempt to speak their language, even if you’re butchering it.  As a last resort, you can point to the phrase and get the help you need. The link given at the beginning of this paragraph is for eBooks.com.  They also have a wider selection using a different search.  LonelyPlanet.com has a nice range of eBooks for not just travel but phrasebooks.