Whatever your passion in life, there’s a book out there for you. In the case of traveling and RVing, there are lots! Whether you’re looking for a cozy arm-chair travel story or an educational deep-dive into a topic that internet articles just skim the surface on, you’re guaranteed to find an RV book to get your gears turning and inspired!
In this article, we’ve pulled together the list of the best RV books that should be on every RVer’s summer reading list. We hope they will amp up your desire to get out on the road!
9 Best RV Books To Educate and Inspire You
We’ve rounded up the top 9 RV books to get you started on your education and inspirational journey. Whether you’re a seasoned RVer or a newbie, this list is sure to connect you with some great reads to cozy up with by the campfire.
A Beginner’s Guide to Living in an RV – by Alyssa Padgett
In 2014, Padgett convinced her new husband to take her to all 50 states for their honeymoon, and Heath agreed, as long as it was in an RV. They’ve lived and traveled in an RV since then up until 2020. Heath and Alyssa filmed and produced the documentary “Hourly America” during their honeymoon trip as Heath worked an hourly job in every state. CBS, CNN, Fox, and other media outlets featured the movie.
Heath and Alyssa are founders of The RV Entrepreneur Podcast, the RV Entrepreneur (RVE) Summit, and run a successful blog called www.Heathandalyssa.com. They now have a daughter, Ellie, and are working on opening a campground.
First released in 2017, A Beginner’s Guide to Living in an RV has been a consistent bestseller on Amazon. This RV book walks us through the beginning steps of a new lifestyle – figuring out which rig to buy, how to get internet on the road, what it costs to live full-time in an RV, and so much more. She doesn’t cover only three things in the book: traveling with kids, traveling with pets, and downsizing from a house to an RV.
Amazon Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Jerry Minchey is a very accomplished man who lives full-time in his 34-foot Class A motorhome. He has a degree in electrical engineering and an MBA. He’s worked for NASA, holds five patents, and has a pilot’s license. He started and still runs www.LifeRV.com.
This book is for people of a certain age who receive certain benefits from the government. Secrets of RVing on Social Security is a book about traveling around the country for much less than it would cost to stay in a home.
The book offers step-by-step advice on budgeting the money you receive from the government and how to supplement that money while traveling. Jerry Minchey is honest to a fault about the pros and cons of living on the road.
While published in 2016, this RV book is still a recommended read before you retire and head out of town.
Amazon Rating: 4.4 out of 5 stars
Nomadland – by Jessica Bruder
Jessica Bruder writes about subcultures and the dark side of the economy. She has written for many publications and teaches at the Columbia School of Journalism.
Nomadland is the inspiration for Chloe Zhao’s Golden Globe-winning film starring Frances McDormand. This story recounts challenges that people living in RVs and who travel the country following seasonal work. From the beet harvest to Amazon Camperforce, mobile workers make up a considerable part of the United States workforce. The book also talks about what’s changed since the most recent recession, as more people take to the road to become part of the nomadic movement.
Nomadland was chosen twice as a PBS Newshour-New York Times “Now Read This” Book Club pick of the month. It is a New Your Times Bestseller.
Amazon Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
The RVer’s Ultimate Survival Guide – by Neil W. Lekander
Neil W. Lekander wrote this book in conjunction with Escapees RV Club as a comprehensive guide to understanding your RV. Lekander explains everything from the tires up, literally! The first part is all about weight and tires, as these are critical concepts to know as an RVer.
If you have questions about towing your RV, driving your RV, fueling, electrical, or propane, this guide is for you. This survival guide ensures its readers will hit the road with the knowledge to enjoy RV travel safely.
Amazon Rating: 4.4 out of 5 stars
Mobile Solar Power Made Easy – by William Errol Prowse IV
When William Errol Prowse IV was looking for a resource to simply explain mobile solar power to outfit his RV with solar panels, he didn’t find much. So, he wrote it himself.
With the same patience and thoroughness that helped him figure out how to cure his nerve disease, Prowse has researched and built numerous solar power systems. He wrote this book to make solar system design and installation easy for everyone.
Mobile Solar Power Made Easy will help you with step-by-step directions on the design and installation of solar power for your RV. The tips and tricks are designed to save you money and answer all of your solar questions. It’s a great reference book for those who want to know more about solar power.
Amazon Rating: 4.7 out of 5 start (and 1,900+ ratings!)
Be a Nomad: Change Your Life – by Robin Barrett
Robin Barrett is a nomad and author. Her YouTube channel Creativity RV shares everything that she discusses in her books, including the perks of living in a small RV. Her second book is Work from Home Where You Roam.
This book is a living resource for those who want to travel and have begun traveling. It’s a living book because the author updates it yearly with new links and information based on what is happening in the RV world. The book is only available in Kindle, so each link goes directly to a website from your device. This is the book that talks about health insurance, state of residency, discount clubs, traveling with pets, budgeting, and more.
Amazon Rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars
Chasing Rainbows – by Kay Peterson
Peterson, her husband, and their two school-aged children lived on the road for more than 15 years. They created the Escapees RV Club in 1978 and are still involved with it to this day. She has written five non-fiction books on the RV lifestyle.
Chasing Rainbows is a collection of stories from the road. The vignettes will uplift you and make you wonder who you’ll meet next out on the road. It’s a positive book about her RVing adventures with her family and those she has met while traveling.
Amazon Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Here’s the Amazon Link
Collier had a traditional lifestyle until she woke up one day with the notion to stop. Stop trying to fit in. Stop being in the box. She left town with her family in their RV and never looked back. She now runs a work-life summit each year for those interested in creating their own adventures.
Live Camp Work is one of the best books on Workamping for RVers. Sharee Collier lives the life of a Workamping RVer with her family. She explains that anyone can get out on the road and afford to pay for the lifestyle by working at National Parks, campgrounds, and companies that hire mobile workforces. She answers almost any questions you might have – from how to get the job, what it’s like day to day, top 7 myths and mistakes, and how to find seasonal positions.
Amazon Rating: 4.4 out of 5 stars
Blue Highways – by William Least Heat-Moon
William Least Heat-Moon wrote Blue Highways in 1982 and was on the New York Times bestseller list for 42 weeks. The book is now considered a classic American journey.
Blue Highways is a book about the small towns that might not make it on the map and the blue lines marking the highways between them. It’s about the people on the road and Heat-Moon’s journey to find himself and a new life after he loses his wife and job on the same day. This is the first book in a trilogy about life traveling from coast to coast in a van called Ghost Dancing.
Amazon Rating: 4.6 out of 5 stars
Cozy Up For An Educational And Inspiring RV Read
Reading different types of RV books will give you a sense of what it’s like living in an RV full-time, meeting people, seeing interesting sites, and dealing with the occasional repair and upgrade. There are hundreds of RV books to choose from, but trust us when we say these are a few that you won’t want to miss!
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