Psychology books were the theme for this month’s best books to read while traveling list. Malcolm Gladwell is one of my favorite authors and so I went with his new book. Danny Kahneman’s latest book was the second one I knocked out in November.
For my January book list, February book list, and March book list, negotiation was the theme I focused on. There were a number of books that I found useful, so check out the posts if you want to learn more about this topic.
I took on personal finance books in my April book list, May book list, June book list, July book list, and August book list. If this book category is of interest, several books in these blog posts were extremely informative.
Fiction was the theme for my September book list and October book list. The Ian Fleming James Bond books are what I read over these 2 months. Fiction books are not my strength so if you have fiction recommendations, please let me know.
Best Credit Cards to Use to Buy Books
American Express, Chase, and Citi are the transferable point programs that I earn and redeem points in most often. In addition, you can and redeem points for flights with Capital One and Marriott.
The Chase Freedom Unlimited is perfect to use for Amazon book purchases if you want to earn Chase points. You’ll earn 3% cash back as a new cardmember in your first year. In every year thereafter, you’ll earn 1.5% cash back.
Chase Freedom cardmembers can convert cash back earned into Chase points by also holding the Chase Sapphire Reserve or Chase Sapphire Preferred. Chase points can be redeemed to book award flights and hotel stays.
The highest earning personal credit card for Amazon book purchases is the Citi Double Cash. It earns 2% cash back. 1% cash back when make a purchase. 1% cash back when you pay your bill.
Similar to Chase, you’ll want to pair the Citi Double Cash with the Citi Premier or Citi Prestige. Pairing these cards allows you to convert cash back earned into Citi points. These points can then be redeemed to book an award flight.
American Express doesn’t offer a personal credit card that makes sense to use for Amazon purchases. Instead, the American Express Blue Business Plus is the way to go. It earns This 2X points on all transactions. What’s great about this card is that it earns Amex points directly. There’s no need to pair this card with another Amex card.
Chase also had a business credit card option. Freedom Unlimited cardmembers can convert their cash back into Chase points by also holding the Chase Ink Business Preferred. These points can then be redeemed to book award flights and hotel stays.
Top 2 Best Books to Read While Traveling
Talking to Strangers
Fidel Castro and the CIA. Neville Chamberlain and his misread of Hitler. The arrest of Sandra Bland in Texas. Bernie Madoff and his deception of investors. Amanda Knox’s trial. In Talking to Strangers, Gladwell somehow ties all of these topics tighter. He shows that the we have trouble making sense of others and their actions.
Gladwell is one of my favorite authors and once he again be killed it with Talking to Strangers. If you like Gladwell’s books, this one is no different than his others. It’s simply incredible! The only knock I have is that there’s no recommendation on how to fix this problem.
Recommend: Yes
Thinking, Fast and Slow
Thinking, Fast and Slow explains the 2 systems of the mind. The fast and responsive system that is System 1. System 2 is the methodical and logical system. Kahneman uses examples such as the stock market and our happiness to explain how these systems work. Our decision making is driven by Systems 1 and 2.
This book received a ton of reviews and high praise. However, I found the topic hard to follow and the material unapproachable. Kahneman is clearly a bright guy but this book is not one I can get behind.
Recommend: No
Book Ideas for the Best Books to Read While Traveling
In these best books to read while traveling list, I like to save book ideas. This way I can keep tabs on books that peak my interest each month. With that said, let’s see which books I’m currently tracking.
Finance/Investment Books to Read while Traveling
- Happy Money by Elizabeth Dunn
- Unconventional Success by David Swensen
- A Random Walk down Wall Street by Burton Malkiel
- The Automatic Millionaire by David Bach
- Set for Life by Scott Trench
- The Simple Path to Wealth by J L Collins
- The Coffeehouse Investor by Bill Schultheis
- Financial Freedom by Grant Sabatier
- The Bogleheads’ Guide to Investing by Taylor Larimore, Mel Lindauer, Michael LeBoeuf
- The Millionaire Real Estate Investor by Gary Keller, Dave Jenks, Jay Papasan
- The Smartest Investment Book You’ll Ever Read by Daniel Solin
Psychology Books to Read while Traveling
- How to Read a Book by Mortimer Adler, Charles Van Doren
- Tribe of Mentors by Tim Ferriss
- Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport
- Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins
- Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World by David Epstein
History Books to Read while Traveling
- All the President’s Men by Bob Woodward, Carl Bernstein
- Hitler’s Last Days by Bill O’Reilly
- Legends and Lies: The Real West by Bill O’Reilly
- Legends and Lies: The Patriots by Bill O’Reilly
- The World That Made New Orleans by Ned Sublette
- Salt: A World History by Mark Kurlansky
- The Spy and the Traitor by Ben Macintyre
- The Billion Dollar Spy by David Hoffman
- The Cuckoo’s Egg by Cliff Stoll
- A Spy Among Friends by Ben Macintyre
- The Accidental Billionaires: The Founding of Facebook: A Tale of Sex, Money, Genius and Betrayal by Ben Mezrich
- Andrew Jackson and the Miracle of New Orleans by Brian Kilmeade, Don Yaeger
- George Washington’s Secret Six: The Spy Ring That Saved the American Revolution by Brian Kilmeade, Don Yaeger
- Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War by Nathaniel Philbrick
- The Pioneers: The Heroic Story of the Settlers Who Brought the American Ideal West by David McCullough
- The Wright Brothers by David McCullough
- Brave Companions: Portraits In History by David McCullough
- 1776 by David McCullough
Miscellaneous Books to Read while Traveling
- The Grid: The Fraying Wires Between Americans and Our Energy Future by Gretchen Bakke
- Taming the Sun: Innovations to Harness Solar Energy and Power the Planet by Varun Sivaram
- Superpower: One Man’s Quest to Transform American Energy by Russell Gold
- Arnold: The Education of a Bodybuilder by Arnold Schwarzenegger
- Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by J. D. Vance
- Models: Attract Women Through Honesty by Mark Manson
- Date-onomics: How Dating Became a Lopsided Numbers Game by Jon Birger
- On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King
- Deluxe: How Luxury Lost Its Luster by Dana Thomas
- No Hero: The Evolution of a Navy Seal by Mark Owen
- The Red Circle: My Life in the Navy Seal Sniper Corps and How I Trained America’s Deadliest Marksmen by Brandon Webb, John David Mann
- Joker One: A Marine Platoon’s Story of Courage, Leadership, and Brotherhood by Donovan Campbell
- One Bullet Away: The Making of a Marine Officer by Nathaniel C. Fick
- Losing the Signal: The Untold Story Behind the Extraordinary Rise and Spectacular Fall of Blackberry by Jacquie McNish, Sean Silcoff
- Basketball (and Other Things): A Collection of Questions Asked, Answered by Shea Serrano
- Pines (Wayward Pines) by Blake Crouch
- The Martian by Andy Weir
- Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup by John Carreyrou
Entrepreneurship
- Your Move: The Underdog’s Guide to Building Your Business by Ramit Sethi
- Confessions of the Pricing Man: How Price Affects Everything by Hermann Simon
- Playing to Win: How Strategy Really Works by A.G. Lafley, Roger Martin
- Creating Magic: 10 Common Sense Leadership Strategies from a Life at Disney by Lee Cockerell
- Setting the Table: The Transforming Power of Hospitality in Business by Danny Meyer
- Getting Everything You Can Out of All You’ve Got: 21 Ways You Can Out-Think, Out-Perform, and Out-Earn the Competition by Jay Abraham
- Iacocca: An Autobiography by Lee Iacocca
Conclusion on the Best Books to Read While Traveling:
Reading is a skill that I’ve continued to work on by focusing on books that peak my interest at the time. Hopefully my best books to read while traveling list includes books that you’ll find interesting and enjoy too.
What about you? Which books did you read while traveling this month? Do you have any book recommendations? Please let me know in the comments or by sending me an email on my contact page.
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