CURRENCY on the road
Some of the books most ingrained in my mind are those I read while traveling, perhaps because of the large chunks of time I had, or the way my senses were already working overtime, or because often I was reading to escape uncomfortable conditions—ten hours on a chicken bus with no where to pee but the side of the road. Many of these books were serendipitous finds, handed to me by someone I crossed paths with just I had finished everything I had with me or found in a small book stall or hostel library.
It’s one of my great hopes for CURRENCY that people will discover it while on the road. To that end, I’m sending some free copies to traveler-types and asking them to leave the books, when they’re through, where other travelers can find them. Perhaps they’ll pass the copy to someone they meet, or trade it at a book stall, or set it in the lobby of their hotel or guest house. I hope that the leaver and the finder will both post a comment at this page and tell me where they left or found CURRENCY. I realize that might not always happen, but let’s see if it does.
The first two recipients of traveling copies of CURRENCY were the winners of a contest run by Nomadic Chick. But there are more books that are free to roam. If you’re reading this, and are going on a trip, leave me a comment at this page and I’ll send you a copy (if it’s within the U.S. or Canada) and you can be part of the experiment.
Cheers!
Zoe Zolbrod 
OK, I already bought a copy, so perhaps I don’t qualify, but I’m on the road….We dropped off Triana at Country School Farm in Ohio today for her week with animals and farm chores, then drove up to Detroit for a visit with family here. I have Currency with me, and was just showing the trailer to my in-laws. I can’t wait for the time to read it here, and am then going to leave it with my mother-in-law who is a huge reader and has huge reader friends. Then I want another copy, to have, likely read again, and leave on Rock Island, off the tip of Door County, Wisconsin in August. We’ll be there with other backpacking camper couples and friends and families, who come here to see some really starry night skies and feel very FAR away from it all. In the boathouse there, there is a reading library and I’d love to leave a copy there.
You got it, Karen! I would love there to be a copy in the boat house on Rock Island.
I travel regularly for work, and have several coworkers that do as well, would love a copy!! What do I have to do?
I’ll email you, get your address, and get one off to you.
I had a copy of Currency, which I recently dropped in a hostel in Hanoi, Vietnam. Here’s hoping a backpacker picks it up and checks in!
Before dropping the book, I reviewed it and interviewed Zoe about her travels for my blog, Kaleidoscopic Wandering. Feel free to check it out here: http://kaleidoscopicwandering.com/2010/09/16/six-questions-with-zoe-zolbrod-author-of-currency/
I won a copy of Currency in the Nomadic Chick giveaway this summer. I saved it to read on a trip, so I could pass it on to another traveler. That finally happened last week. I finished it (and quite enjoyed it!) in Paris and left it at Hotel Porte Doree in the hands of the owner, Christine, who has been to Thailand. She has a large collection of books in the hotel for travelers to borrow and read, so I’m sure it will pass into another traveler’s hands once she’s done with it.
This is a terrific book, Zoe.
Thanks so much, Gray! I loved getting the news that Currency is in Paris. (I wish I could say the same about myself.) I hope you had a great time on your trip.
I came across a traveling copy of Currency at guest house in Sihanoukville, Cambodia. It was such a sweet surprise to find a note from the author within the book, and even more fitting being the only book written in the English language at this exchange. I have to mention that this particular book and writing style were greatly appreciated after reading all the English language books that existed on Bamboo island while stranded there due to poor weather conditions for 4 days.
I enjoyed every moment of this story while en route to Bangkok, Thailand where I passed the book to the man sitting next to me after finishing it on the bus (this occurred mid October 2010). It was my understanding that he was on his way to Nepal with his wife.
Thanks for the great insights, and I loved that you could sense Thailand through the novel. All the best ~
Tanya, you made my day! It makes me so happy that you found the book when you needed that kind of reading material, and that you were headed to Bangkok, and that you passed the book along. Thanks so much for taking the time to comment.
Hi Zoe,
I left a copy of CURRENCY on St. Barths in January. I was transfixed reading it on the beach and felt that it needed to be passed along so I left it there. I seldom leave behind the books I read (especially the ones I love) but this one begged to be passed along to fellow travelers.
I love that, Julie! Thanks for letting me know.