Free Books for Travelers

May 3, 2014 | Updated: October 31, 2014 | By Elizabeth | Reply More

Free books arrive in my mailbox with great regularity. Publishers send them – not because they think I’m terrific or fear they may have missed my birthday – but because they hope I’ll write about them.

Sometimes I do mention their book in a blog post (potentially increasing sales of that title), but lately I haven’t been keeping up with the influx. As you can see from the photo above, the book box in my office is overflowing.

Interested in free books?

I’d love to share my supply of free books with you – and here’s what I propose: Send me a report about a trip you’ve been on recently and I’ll send you a book – on a first come, first served basis until my supplies are depleted.

Your Trip Report should provide useful information for other travelers, such as:

Where you went
Where you stayed
The best place you ate
What fun authentic (un-touristy) things you did
What the best part was
What you would do differently next time
What you wish you’d known before you went
What made the trip luxurious? Sometimes this is the great place you stayed, but it can also be the personal attention you received or the way you connected to the local lifestyle, or the peace, quiet and privacy you enjoyed – or a whole bunch of other things. “Luxury” travel means different things to different people.

Trip Reports are best when they:

Are 500-700 words long
Are accompanied by 4 or more horizontal photos (in jpg format)
Are written in your own words and are about your personal experience

Getting started:

Use the contact form on this site to tell me your idea for a Trip Report. I’ll reply ASAP. Once your report is uploaded to the site, I’ll mail you the book you choose.

Here are some of the free books I have on hand at the moment:

Birds of the Serengeti: And Ngorongoro Conservation Area (Wildlife Explorer Guides)by Adam Scott Kennedy

Animals of the Serengeti: And Ngorongoro Conservation Area (Wildlife Explorer Guides)by Adam Scott Kennedy and Vicki Kennedy

Bhutan: The Land of Serenity by Matthieu Ricard (2012)by Matthieu Ricard

Coral Reefs: Cities Under the Sea (Casebound hardback) by Richard C. Murphy

Journey Around the Island of Hawaii, Ka Huaka'i Ka'apuni Hawai'i photography by Kirk Lee Aedler

Honey, Olives, Octopus: Adventures at the Greek Table by Christopher Bakken

The World of Sicilian Wine by Bill Nesto, MW and Frances Di Savino

My Favorite Burgundies by Clive Coates, MW

Inside the Plaza: An Intimate Portrait of the Ultimate Hotel, Revised and Updated by Ward Morehouse III

The Finest Wines of Rioja and Northwest Spain: A Regional Guide to the Best Producers and Their Wines by Jesus Barquin (Sep 20 2011)by Jesus Barquin, Luis Gutierrez, Victor De La Serna

Wines of the New South Africa: Tradition and Revolution by Tim James

Tibet: An Inner Journey by Matthieu Ricard ( 2012 ) Paperback by Matthieu Ricard

Popes, Peasants, and Shepherds: Recipes and Lore from Rome and Lazioby Oretta Zanini de Vita

Golden Door Cooks at Home: Favorite Recipes from the Celebrated Spaby Dean Rucker

RAMBAGH PALACE, JAIPUR by Dharmendar Kanwar (A beautiful book we acquired in India.)

This is going to be fun! I’m looking forward to reading about your travel experiences and sending you free books. Thanks – in advance – for you contribution to Authentic Luxury Travel.

Cheers,

Elizabeth Hansen