Keep in mind, now, that you won't exactly find the latest bestseller among the 5,000 or so selections available at any given time. The Traveler Restaurant obtains its books from library discard sales, auctions, flea markets, book fairs and other used book sources. The menu says: "Our hope is that each and every one of our guests finds a book on our shelves," and if you're patient and spend some time browsing, it's almost guaranteed that a volume or two will catch your eye.
My preschooler loved exploring the children's section, and although the hardcover Sesame Street book she selected was a bit worn, she loved having a new story to look at in the car on the rest of our drive. My mother scouted out some paperback romances--the perfect light reading to tuck into a suitcase or beach bag. I went straight to the vintage travel guides, which, though horribly outdated, were fun to flip through for a look at hotel prices that can't be touched nowadays. On my second visit to The Traveler Restaurant, my friend Jessica was thrilled to discover some old cookbooks tucked away on a bottom shelf.
When the price is "free," the quest for the perfect choice becomes a bit of a game. You'll find that the time spent waiting for your meal to arrive flies by as you wander the restaurant in search of a book to call your own.
