Books and Podcasts for Summer Travel

On the highway listening to a good book.

Summer is the time of vacations and visiting family in other cities or states.  Many people make extensive plans for the great summer road trip.  They plan outfits, bring rain jackets, get sunscreen and swim toys.  Coolers get hauled up from the basement or out of the garage. They are cleaned and stocked with all the essentials for the big vacation.  People research the best beach read or book to leave on the porch for lazy days or evenings.

But the drive or flight also means spending time on the road or in small plane seat, faced with potentially hours of fuzzy FM radio stations or nothing at all if the plane's wifi is out. I remember one trip where I neglected to download the book in advance and it kept buffering until I gave up and just skimmed through local stations until I could get a wifi signal. I don't make that mistake anymore!

When we pack our bags and load the dogs into the family vehicle, I never forget to download a couple of good books from Audible along with several of my favorite podcasts.  Below are just a few selections of books and podcasts for your summer travel.  If you have something that you would like to add to this list, please do so in the comments.

Podcasts

• This American Life - Ira Glass hosts this wonderful podcast.  Each episode is divided into 3-4 acts based on a different subject.  The stories in a 60 minute episode range from funny to serious.  Broadcast by NPR stations around the U.S. live on weekends, the episodes are then made available wherever you download your apps.  

• Serial - If you are interested in following a story from start to finish over the course of several episodes then this podcast is worth a listen.  Hosted by Sarah Koenig, each season explores a true story in depth.  The stories covered are wide ranging and will keep you interested until you reach your destination.

• The Midsters - Made by my friends Mary-Anne Lisle and Leslie Ann Gerardo this is an excellent show that is written by, and geared towards, mature women who are searching for adventure and meaning in their lives.  This show sparked my decision to write Adventures in Life so I owe them a huge debt of gratitude.  Each episode is about 30 minutes.

• The Moth Radio Hour - This is a timeless podcast and there are so many episodes to choose from that you cannot go wrong.  Based on open mic events where people stand up and tell a personal and factually correct 3 minute story, The Moth compiles these stories and presents them in groups based on similar themes.  From Father’s Day to over coming fears, the subject matter and the stories told are heartfelt and engaging.  The episodes vary widely in length so make sure to download a number of them.

Audio Books

• Here One Moment by Liane Moriarty

  A plane crowded with travelers experiences a series of strange but correct predictions by an older woman.  As she walks down the aisle of the plane she begins to predict when and how each of the passengers will die in the future.  While mildly disturbing, the passengers deplane without thinking much of the strange older woman, until they began to die as she predicted.

• The Women by Kristen Hannah

  This historical book about the women who served in the Army Nurse Corps in Vietnam was an eye opener for me.  I cannot say enough about how much Brian and I enjoyed listening to Hannah’s retelling of the women's treatment both in Vietnam and when they returned home.  It did not make me proud of the way the American public treated these females returning from war, nor was I pleased by the U.S. military's failure to timely recognize their service as well.

  
  

• The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

  A psychological thriller featuring a woman who refuses to speak after being accused of murdering her husband.  Locked in a sanitarium, one young man tries to unlock her secrets and get her to speak the truth.  But does he really want the truth to come out?  This is another great example of an excellent audio book.

• Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

  This book is both a good read and a good listen.  A lonely woman meets an octopus who is locked in an aquarium enclosure.  What transpires is a touching story of friendship that might leave you crying with joy at the end.

• The Storyteller by Dave Grohl

  Yes, this is that Dave Grohl of Nirvana and the Foo Fighters.  He narrates the book and goes in to depth on what it was like being in a band with Kurt Cobain, raising an amazing daughter, and learning life lessons along the way.  I am not a big fan of either band but found the book to be insightful and enjoyable to listen to.  Bonus feature for fans, he includes some music in the audio book version.

Hopefully this will keep you entertained during long and short drives this summer.  What is great about each of these selections is that they can all be downloaded and listened to wherever you are.

Happy travels!