I’m going on a long overdue holiday in 3 weeks and I want to take a good Linux book or 2 along for the ride. I’m going for 2 quiet weeks and so I’d like something for the downtime or when I’m not feeling sociable.

Last time I went on a longish holiday I took this copy of Rebel Code by Glynn Moody, though it seems there is a newer edition now. In many ways, it was the most influential Linux book I’ve read. I was on a quiet, near 3 week holiday with plenty of time for for taking stock and making decisions for the future. I was just getting serious with Linux and this book sealed it for me as it matched my level of understanding at the time. It was at that point that I decided I wanted to make my career in the Linux field.

So this time I’m looking for something equally influential and I’m asking you for recommendations. I read the Richard Stallman biography, Free as in Freedom which painted a pretty good portrait and I’ve also read The Cathedral and the Bazaar by Eric S. Raymond and was bored to tears, I never did finish it.

Programming or other real tech books are no use because I don’t think I’ll be taking a laptop with airport security the way it is at the moment and there’s no way I’m putting one in the luggage hold. I don’t think I’ll find Python, PHP, Perl, Bind or Exim in a Cypriot Internet cafe.

What do you recommend?