Because I'm always looking to add to the list of books I'm in the middle of reading or hope to finally crack open, I was excited to see this news release in my inbox. NPR Books has put together a summer reading collection titled Book Your Trip:

NPR HELPS ‘BOOK YOUR TRIP’ THIS SUMMER  

BECAUSE READING IS ALL ABOUT THE JOURNEY; REPORTS, CRITICS’ LISTS & MORE AT NPR.ORG/BOOKYOURTRIP  

June 17, 2014; Washington, D.C. – Who needs destinations? This summer, NPR Books focuses on the journey. Tales of travel and transit inspire this year’s Summer Books package, an annual recommendation of literature and reading centered around a select theme. “Book Your Trip” launches today with an introductory story airing during Morning Edition and a dozen online lists from notable critics, librarians and tastemakers. Start exploring now at npr.org/bookyourtrip.  

The 12 “Book Your Trip” reading lists collect favorite books about incredible journeys, and can be browsed by mode of transportation: Train, Plane, Car, Bike, Boat, Foot, City Transit, Horse, Balloon, Rocketship, Time, and even Dragons, Drugs and Giant Peaches. The lists feature selections from NPR staff, including Michele Norris, Lynn Neary, Neda Ulaby and Mandalit del Barco, as well as book critics Nancy Pearl, Maureen Corrigan, Ellah Allfrey, Alan Cheuse and Jane Ciabattari. Audiences can share personal favorites in the comments section of the lists or in social media using the hashtag #bookyourtrip.  

In complementary reports airing across NPR newsmagazines, NPR’s Arts and Entertainment desk explores how the way people get from place to place connects to larger human issues – women’s rights, race, loss, citizenship, peace and freedom. Expected coverage includes NPR TV critic Eric Deggans examining the travel experience of whites and blacks through The Watsons Go to Birmingham 1963; Neda Ulaby following the journey of Snowpiercer from graphic novel to the big screen; pieces revealing the gender issues surrounding The Little Engine That Could and revving up literature with motorcycles; and NPR film critic Bob Mondello sharing some journey-inspired show tunes.  

NPR Books helps a busy audience find great reads. Recently redesigned to better serve those on-the-go, the site brings together news about books and authors with original interviews, reviews and recommendations from every genre and non-genre. It also compiles popular recurring series such as the "This Week’s Must Read,” "My Guilty Pleasure” and “Crime in the City,” which begins its 2014 summer run in late June with crime fiction stories about Melbourne, Australia; Shetland Islands, Scotland; Natchez, Miss.; Los Angeles, Calif.; and for the first time ever, New York, N.Y. In December 2013, NPR Books took its year-end “best of” list to a new level with the launch of the NPR's Book Concierge, an app that allows readers to sort, shuffle and surf their way through more than 200 of the year’s best reads. “Book Your Trip” is the latest addition to this expanding library of outstanding books coverage at www.npr/books.

Where are your books taking you this summer?