TraveLibrary

 
An excellent book on a wide variety of travel topics, and one that most OneBag.com readers would find valuable, is Rob Sangster's Traveler's Tool Kit: How to Travel Absolutely Anywhere (published by Menasha Ridge Press), with over 500 surprisingly comprehensive pages. It's now in its third edition, and currently out of print, but well worth tracking down.

Were I to own a single book on travel skills, this is the one I'd choose.

 
If you've ever tried to figure out how to get budget airfares on international travel, you're not alone; this is an extremely complex issue. The best book I know of to help sort it all out is Edward Hasbrouck's The Practical Nomad: How to Travel Around the World (fourth edition). As the title suggests, this book has far more than just airfare information: it covers most things you'd want to know about long distance travelling, and makes for an entertaining read besides.

 
Author Paul Otteson brings his significant writing skills to The World Awaits: How to Travel Far and Well (second edition, Avalon Travel Publishing). This book is somewhat "backpack" oriented, but it offers much sage advice to the traveller of any stripe. With a minimalist perspective, informed advice, and a focus on extended, long-distance travel, Mr. Otteson offers plenty of well-considered philosophy on why we travel for pleasure, and how to succeed at doing so.

 
A detailed book on packing technique is Judith Gilford's The Packing Book: Secrets of the Carry-On Traveler, from Ten Speed Press (a company with an uncanny ability to publish interesting books). Now in its fourth edition, it includes an illustrated description of the "bundle wrapping" method, along with enough related information to more than justify its modest price. Ms. Gilford cofounded Easy Going, a (now defunct) travel product company, and this tends to influence her recommendations, but this is a minor defect in an otherwise excellent work.

 
Most of the people in the world don't use the kind of toilets familiar to the residents of North America and much of Europe. If your own experience is confined to same, consider reading Eva Newman's unique Going Abroad (published by Marlor Press), a handy compendium of the toilets of the world, and how to deal with them, presented in lighthearted (and entertaining) fashion. Now in its second inexpensive edition, this is good bathroom reading in all senses of the phrase. Not to mention the perfect gift for the person who has everything. Really!

 
Only the smile is universal. Pouring wine with your left hand, giving a "thumbs up" sign, and exposing the sole of your shoe are rude or insulting gestures in some parts of the world. Even the common American "OK" sign can mean zero, money, or a sexual reference, depending on the country you're in. Arm yourself against committing any such faux pas by reading Roger Axtell's illuminating Gestures: The Do's and Taboos of Body Language Around the World (published by John Wiley & Sons, revised edition) before visiting unfamiliar cultures. You can also find some of this information on Wikipedia.

 
Unless visiting developing countries, most people don't worry too much about medical issues; truth be known, though, any far-from-home travel should have you thinking seriously about what to do in case of an emergency. There are many books on health for travellers, but few qualify as carry-on items; the exception is Dr. Stephen Bezruchka's outstanding The Pocket Doctor: A Passport to Healthy Travel (published by The Mountaineers, and now in its third edition). It's shirt-pocket-sized, densely packed with almost 130 pages of detailed, up-to-date medical information, and a surprising bargain to boot.

 
Women, particularly those on their own, will enjoy (and benefit from) reading Thalia Zepatos' A Journey of One's Own (published by Eighth Mountain Press), now in its third edition. She brings the experience of having visited 29 countries, and is a strong proponent of solo travel (though she addresses travel with a partner or child as well). And it should come as no surprise that she also advocates the carry-on approach.

 
This book (geared to long distance hiking) may seem slightly off-topic here; nonetheless, anyone studying the minimalist approach to travel will find it eye-opening, if not invaluable. Author Ray Jardine & his wife Jenny have lived on the trails (thus carrying shelter, bedding, stove, etc.) with packs weighing an astonishing 8.44 pounds or less! Some 35 years and 20,000 miles of experience are distilled in Beyond Backpacking: Ray Jardine's Guide to Lightweight Hiking. Many walkers claim that this book has changed their lives!

Alas, this privately published (AdventureLore Press, originally $19.95 list) book is currently out of print; this, coupled with its unflagging popularity, means that it can be difficult and/or expensive to obtain. So you might investigate the more available Lighten Up!, by Don Ladigin; this is a more lightweight book in both senses of the term, but the neophyte lightweight hiker will find it a pleasant read, and a good — if simplified — introduction to the topic.