I always tell myself that trips are the best time to catch up on all the reading I’ve been neglecting.

Of course, when I actually get to the destination, I’m usually caught up in the sights of the new location, trying to figure out where to go and what to do, and making the micro-decisions associated with being in a new place (cab or metro? Where’s my passport? Cash or card? Eat now or later? Etc).

I’ve taken books on many trips, and I’ve found there’s a formula for books that really enhance a trip—and others that just end up being dead weight in my luggage.

(And before you come for me—I’ve tried Kindles/E-readers, and although I’m really jealous of anyone who uses them, the experience fell a little flat for me! I like flipping back and forth, making notes in margins, and seeing how much is left to go. Paper books all the way, even if they’re heavier in a suitcase).

The Best Types Of Books To Bring On A Trip:

Collections of pieces: Short stories, essays, or vignettes. They’re easy to digest in short bursts, making them ideal for 20-minute train rides or to enjoy over a coffee or meal. You can put down and pick up the book not needing to remember tiny details from previous chapters (back when you were…picking up luggage? Figuring out the metro? It’s hard to remember every moment on a trip). A short story is a great way to feel your way through a narrative with a beginning, middle, and end that wraps up neatly in a short amount of time.

Favourites include: Modern Love, curated by Daniel Jones; Conversations on Love by Natasha Lunn; Harvard Business Review’s On Mental Toughness; Tree Abraham’s Cyclettes.

Books based in wherever you are. I’m not talking about guide books—I’m talking about stories told by people who have walked the streets you’re now perusing. In the featured photo, I’m reading one of the Elena Ferrante My Brilliant Friend series on a trip to Naples and Sorrento. Being there, I got swept up in the story, as I could felt like I was really part o the place. I also got a new perspective—many of the places that I visited felt different to what I’d originally seen.

Favourites include: So many! It really depends on the place you’re in, and what you like to read. You might take a copy of Eat, Pray, Love to Italy and India, or Truman Capote’s Breakfast at Tiffany’s to New York City.

Books that are wildly different to what you normally read. I’d only recommend this if you’re happy to add to your DNF List (“Did Not Finish”; meaning, you’re not someone who feels the need to complete a book once you’ve started). I once heard the really good advice that, when you travel somewhere new, to listen to an album of music you’ve never experienced before. Then when you listen to it later, memories of the trip will come back. I figure the same can be true of the stories we’re told; and if you decide on your trip that it’s not a story you’re interested in, you can always donate it to a charity shop or your hostel’s lending library!

Of course, I’ve also experienced books that I learned while I was on vacation were not the right fit. I’d think twice about bringing the following types of books…

The Worst Type Of Books To Bring On A Trip:

Books that explore multiple possible outcomes. There’s a specific type of book that I call the “Closing Doors” type—where a character makes a decision of either A or B, and then the author develops a story around choice A and choice B. Stories like this include Laura Barnett’s Versions of Us, Jodi Picoult’s The Book of Two Ways, and Ken Grimwood’s Replay. I actually like these books a lot—but the focus they require is staggering! If you’re distracted, as one often is on vacation, it takes too much work to remember the tiny details that define the worlds. It’s too much when you’re taking in the sights—save it for when you get home!

Dark, emotionally volatile books. I read Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates on a train and it was…a lot. Especially when the point of my trip had been to unwind and turn my brain off—suddenly, my anxiety was at an all-time high. I ended up putting it down for the rest of the trip, and when I picked it up again I couldn’t remember why the two characters hated each other and had to go back and re-read it all! If you’re looking to relax on a trip, don’t pick something that will do the opposite for you.

Anything that’s meant to better yourself. Books where you’re pushed to self-analyse, to fill out a survey from 1-10, to figure out what your Meyers-Briggs or Ennegram or Patronus is—put them down. I’ve done this, and the same thing always happens: I start the book, thinking “I’m going to be so smart at the end of the holiday!” and then it feels more like school than a relaxing time. I need a pencil to fill out the exercises, I have to take notes…within minutes I’m looking for something fun to do. Save yourself the hassle!

Is there anything you’d add to this list? Let me know in the comments—and as always, happy travels!