People pack all sorts of things when they head off on summer vacation. Most of these are standard for traveling: clothing suited to the destination and the weather, toiletries, food and drink, the wagonload of paraphernalia required for toddlers, and other necessities. Next come the specialty items. Some vacationers carefully select special treats—chocolates, wine, cheeses. Others bring along gifts if they’re staying with a host or celebrating some occasion. Some carry talismans and charms for good luck, such as a coin, bracelet, or horse chestnut.
And bibliophiles bring books.
Some of us take great care in choosing these companions of print-and-paper. We may throw shorts, T-shirts, and swimwear helter-skelter into a suitcase for our stay at the beach or in the mountains, but we’ll brood over which books to bring like a miser counting his coins. If bound for the shore, for example, experienced book folks will favor paperbacks, preferably bought secondhand, that can weather the sun and sand, absorb the drops of perspiration and tanning oil that will inevitably dot the pages oceanside, and will hold up well after being jammed into a carry-all bag containing juice boxes, buckets, and sand shovels for the kids….