The Journal
From The Wordy Traveler
The gift guide
The Gift for the Woman Who Has Read Everything
Why we quit buying books for the readers in our family, and what we give them now.
By Joe & Carmen
Written and curated by a husband-and-wife duo · 3 min read
Every family has one. She reads before bed every night, and she can still tell you what she ate on her last trip. Every December she ends up last on your list, because you never quite know what to get her. A book feels like a guess. A gift card feels like you gave up.
Why we give places now
We’re Joe and Carmen. Somewhere along the way we noticed the gifts we actually remember weren’t things. They were places. So we started putting places in a box.
The gifts people remember are usually places.
That’s The Wordy Traveler. It’s a box for women who love to read and travel, and every season it goes somewhere new. Right now it’s Japan.
Books chosen for the place
Every box is written and curated by a husband-and-wife duo, which is us: some books we write together, others we hand-pick for the destination. Our novels are love stories set in places we’ve been, or want to go. The nonfiction comes from research and from talking with people who actually live there. She also gets tea, a bookmark and a little charm.
$200 in free gifts with the year
Order A Year of Travel and she gets our gold paperclip necklace and bracelet, free, in their own jewelry bag. Here’s the part we love: the charm from each box clips onto the ring on the necklace, so by next fall it’s carrying four countries.
She gets a Blind Date with a Book too. It’s wrapped, so no peeking. There’s a free souvenir and insured shipping on every box, on us.
It keeps showing up
Most presents are done by the 26th. This one comes back in January, then April, then July. Her first box gets there in about 5 days, so you’re fine for Christmas. And don’t be surprised if she texts you a photo of the charm.
What readers say
We’re biased, obviously. So here’s what a few readers said when theirs showed up.
4.8 from 10,000+ readers since 2019
“The perfect gift to make a book-loving traveler in your life feel loved and seen.”
Becky F.Opened her box on camera
“They’re not just people trying to sell a box, they really want you to have an experience.”
Elise C.Opened her box on camera
Quotes from readers we sent a box to, in their own words.
Best deal of the year · Ends 11.30
Save up to
50%
Plus $200 in Free Gifts
With A Year of Travel
Free
Paperclip necklace
$45 value
Free
Paperclip bracelet
$37 value
Free
Blind Date with a Book
$49 value
Free
Jewelry bag
$15 value
Free
A free souvenir
From this season’s box
Free
Free insured shipping
On every box, all year
Gifts are added automatically. No code needed.
Order during the sale for a chance to win your money back. Each week we refund one quarterly and one annual order. No purchase necessary.
Best gift
A Year of Travel
$235 $276 a year
$59 a box1 Fiction + 1 Nonfiction, shipping included. Quarterly is $78 a box.
- 4 boxes, one each season
- $200 in free gifts (necklace, bracelet, Blind Date, jewelry bag, souvenir)
- Free insured shipping on every box
- Want more books? 2 Fiction or 2 Nonfiction is $276 a year
First box arrives in about 5 days. No code needed.
One season at a time
Quarterly
$69 a box
$78 a box$69 for 1 Fiction + 1 Nonfiction, plus $9 shipping
- Free Blind Date with a Book ($49 value)
- $9 shipping · skip or cancel anytime
Give Her a Year Away
Up to 50% off, $200 in free gifts and free insured shipping. It all ends 11.30.
with love, from elsewhere
Joe & Carmen
P.S. Her first box has a 90-day guarantee. If something’s off, tell us and we’ll fix it. She can choose fiction, nonfiction or one of each. A Year of Travel is paid once a year and renews yearly. Cancel anytime before renewal, no fees.