I have not found any books lists that brings a variety of book topics together, so, I made one for all you digital nomads out there! Putting together a selection of books, for those who want to pursue their own dreams on the road, that have been influential for me to design my own life. From the woo-woo to the boring (but helpful) business books to poetry I revisit, this list showcases the variety of reading for a digital nomad who has sore legs and an active mind. In this list you will find a short description following the title and a link to the book if you are interested in grabbing your own copy. In many ways sharing these books, is like sharing my process to becoming who I am today, for the better or the worse. Hopefully, this list can help you where-ever you are at.
Total transparency, I HATED READING! Growing up I had a page quota every summer that I was supposed to read, but we were also rewarded for the time spent reading. There was a simple equation, 1 hour of reading = 30 minutes of video games. The skill I developed here… learn how to not read, stare at a book, turn the page occasionally, and create dream worlds in my head. Maybe I am not proud of that! However, my mindset around reading changed in 2018 after meeting my good friend, Scott, who is a voracious reader. His reading habits rubbed off on me as we spent time in the backcountry, or climbing. Before I talk any more, here is the book list:
1) The Alchemist
This book is the ONLY book I have ever read more than once. Now, that doesn’t make a book good, it just means I liked reading it. The story is simple, elegant, and tells a story of a boy who pursues a dream. Maybe I relate? However, the nuggets about life that are in this short read are the reason this book is on this list!
Grab your copy by clicking HERE
2) Dharma Bums
Andrew Muse and his dog, Kicker, watching the sunrise in Baja, Mexico
My all-time favorite book. This book gave me everything I needed; adventure, a love story, struggle, chaos, and a sense of freedom. Also, this beatnik book showcases the foundation of thinking different, and the author, Jack Kerouac, is accredited for the name of the famous band, The Beatles, and coining the term Beatnik.
Grab your copy by clicking HERE
3) Musashi
If you are as slow as a reader like me, this book will take you about 8 months. Now, those 8 months were well invested! The warriors’ way is laid out in full throughout this novel. Mushashi is a real samurai who follows that path and becomes the best at his craft. All in all, an amazing epic!
Grab your copy by clicking HERE
4) The Tao of Pooh / The Te of Piglet
I love a good allegory. I’m not quite sure how Hoff got the rights to use Winnie the Pooh, but dang he knocked the explanation of Taoism out of the park in these two books! Easy to read and very fun. The humor is light-hearted, there are illustrations, and the concepts are easy to grasp. If you allow the teaching in these books digestion time, you’ll begin to question your ego and consumeristic behaviors.
Grab your copy by clicking HERE
5) Anthem
What a slap to the face! Rand uses her disdain for communism to rip apart any bureaucratic society that slows down the process of ingenuity. In 100 pages, Rand convinced me to follow my own dreams and stop living a life dictated by others.
John Mel surfing a stand up barrel at Mavericks on a “small” day.
6) 20 Love Poems and a Song of Despair
Who doesn’t love a good love poem? Neruda is one of my favorite poets and my introduction to poetry. The way I see it, you can’t live on the road and not have at least a little bit of love and despair in your life! This book eloquently writes about both. If you are in a van, in Bali, or just dreaming of being nomadic, what better tales to inspire you than those of love?
Grab your copy by clicking HERE
7) Siddhartha
A classic novel that takes the teachings of Siddhartha and inspires you to rethink your position in life. We all must walk our own path. Others will guide us, but if we choose to follow, we will not lead our own life. When reading this book, you will see how dogma can/will hold you down. Explore your insides, so you can pursue your own authentic path.
Grab your copy by clicking HERE
8) Brave New World
Some may call this a dystopian, others might call it a utopia. I mean who wouldn’t want to know what their role is society is? Who wouldn't want a predetermined path selected for them? Who wouldn’t want to have endless sex, never feel pain or jealousy, and always be happy? Well, for one, that would be me! I wouldn’t want that. Luckily, I am not one of the characters in this book. Brave New World is on this list because it showcases where our lives can go if we allow others to dictate our life. Make sure to be the author of your own novel!
Grab your copy by clicking HERE
9) The Eragon Cycle
I know, I know, I know. This is a teen novel series, however, if your ego is so great that you won’t watch a Disney movie, or read a book designed for a kid, maybe the time has come! These four books are well written and tell a tale of adventure, imagination, dragons, elves, dwarfs, and so much more. Most of us read Harry Potter, however not enough of us have read this cycle. The most important takeaways for a nomad while reading this book is the idea of commitment and the lifecycle of commitments. By the way, there is a little love story that has an epic twist!
10) The Four Agreements
I was late to the game reading this book. Most of my college buddies swore by it, yet I neglected it until 2022. Why? I just didn’t see the value. However, I was riding a functional burnout after a heavy cycle of traveling in the van through Baja, Mexico for work, and needed a quick read. In no time, this book slapped me in the face and I realized why and how I had been living life incorrectly. Thus, I suggest any digital nomads to pick this up and give it a read to establish a solid foundation before living on the road.
Spearfishing for dinner in Baja Mexico while on a surf trip.
Grab your copy by clicking HERE
11) The Power of Habits
A dense book but full of wisdom. If you can parse down the information provided, you will be able to unlock the “bad” habits you have and modify them into “good” habits that propel you further into your dream life. If you are a digital nomad, your habits will determine your success and how long you can stay on the road, so this read is a must!
Grab your copy by clicking HERE
12) Wayward
If you do NOT know who Chris Burkard is, then you are missing out. Not only is he a kind human in person, but his work is dumbfounding! He is a photographer, best known for surfing in the arctic… aka cold AF, and more recently known for his speaking and writing. As a storyteller, he is on his way to the top!
Grab your copy by clicking HERE
13) The Artist’s Way
I’ll be honest, I haven’t read this one yet, but it is on my bookshelf and I am hoping to dig into soon (I have five more books to read first). If I haven’t read it, why is it here? Well, I might not have read this book cover to cover, but I have picked and pulled creative habits from this book over the last 3 years, many of which have taken my creativity to the next level. I am very excited to dive into this masterpiece cover-to-cover and do workbook along the way,.
Grab your copy by clicking HERE
14) Creative Calling
Chase Jarvis knocked it out of the park on this one. He redefines creativity and speaks from the heart about what it takes to make a life as a creative. Now, don’t be fooled, Creative Calling is not a “How-To” book, but more of a path to self-discovery around your own personal relationship with creativity. This book took his well known podcast and turned it into a process driven book to help individuals find their calling.
Laying in bed and enjoying the view out the back of the van on a cloudy sunrise in Baja, Mexico.
15) Four Hour Work Week
This book was the break-out for Tim Ferris and for good reason. While the title is a gimmick, the concepts and structure are there. In many ways, Tim was a the first to begin the dialogue around life-style design and the work remote movement. In doing so he paved the way for all of us digital nomads. In many ways, this book should be at the top of the list and while it is dense, should be a read by all those traveling and working remotely.
Grab your copy by clicking HERE
16) Vagabonding
Vagabonding’s sub-title; “An Uncommon Guide to the Art of Long-Term World Travel” is exactly that! If you wish to live on the road for a long duration, or keep living on the road, this book will provide a step-by-step guide to achieving that goal. The only place where you’ll need to put in some extra work will be on the selection process of how you want to travel and make money. Rolf Potts lays out several options, but there are many more that need to be updated as we live in different times.
Grab your copy by clicking HERE
17) Starting Your Career as a Freelance Photographer
In many ways, this was my first investment into myself and a career of photography. While the content of this book can be out-dated—especially the social media discussions—this book is a great resource to understand the vast opportunities you have as a photographer to make some money. Heck, this book is good if you want to have a side hustle of photography as well, as it maps out ways to make passive income over the long term. Which, if you are a digital nomad, this will be a great option for you!
Grab your copy by clicking HERE
Conclusion:
Having the mindset to live on the road means you are willing to work through the punches. As a digital nomad, these books will help you find yourself along your travels as well as give you a perspective that showcases how others have done it in the past. In the end, what you read influences your daily life, your thoughts, and eventually your actions, so read the books which will help you get to where you want to go! I hope you enjoy and if you have any other recommendations, please drop your ideas in the comments :-) I would love to hear your thoughts!