Traveling Light: Stories & Drawings for a Quiet Mind

by Brian Andreas

Traveling Light is a book unlike any other. With gentle humor & quirky insight, Brian Andreas helps us remember the quiet world behind the often frantic one we inhabit.

Genres: Poetry, Art, Nonfiction, Philosophy

80 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 2003

About the author

Brian Andreas is the pen name of Kai Skye, the internationally recognized American writer and artist known for his simple short stories of 50 to 100 words.

He's published 13 books incorporating his signature work of pen and ink drawings, and gouache watercolors with original hand-written stories.

His latest writing & art is available exclusively at Flying Edna. He also has a substack for longer pieces of his writing. That's at flyingedna.substack.com

He continues to use the pen name Brian Andreas in his published work.

Reviews

[Cate Tedford]

Needed this to revive me after being obliterated by my constitutional law exam yesterday. Success!

"& I wake the next day remembering nothing & I gather the stack of paper & a pen of black on the desk in front of me & the words begin to dance over the page like long legged insects across a still lake & the words in white whisper behind & underneath the new day

If there is any secret to this life I live, this is it: the sound of what cannot be seen sings within everything that can.

& there is nothing more to it than that."

[Rachel]

This is a book I read all the time. it is a book of short poems and sayings that are enlightening and quixotic and utterly delightful. You will find yourself laughing at how they describe people you know. My favorite one that describes my husband:
"I like animals in the abstract," he said.
"What does that mean?" she asked.
"It means that animal hair makes me queasy", he answered

I'm might be paraphrasing - but that's close. and that perfectly describes my husband - in so many ways, not just about animals!

[Vanessa]

Fun and thought provoking.

[Amy]

An excellent and enjoyable read that makes one think about the snippets of conversations they have, the questions that are raised, and the small moments of life.

[AKShuman]

I can't say enough about how beautiful Brian's writing is. This collection of musings, ramblings, and poetry is full of the sort of simple, profound,and slap-you-in-the-face-accurate observations on life with the purity of a child's voice or a sage's experience. This is not a book to be read in an hour, though you certainly could. It should be savored on the tongue, chewed slowly, and swallowed only after you have enjoyed thoroughly.

[Jackie]

Great fun to read with the whimsy childlike art: inspiring both artistically and idealogically. Quote: carries a lot of suitcases - but all of them are empty - because she's expecting - to completely fill them - with life by the end of - this trip -- & then she'll come home - & sort everything out - & do it all again - Veteran Traveller.

[Angie]

This short book is full of quirky poems and drawings. I first came across this artist/author on the internet years ago, and loved his work. So when I saw a few books by him in my used book store, I snapped them right up. They do make me smile.

I’m not sure
how it’s going
to turn out,
except I’ll die
in the end,
she said.

So, really, what
could go wrong?

[Rob Hermanowski]

This wonderful book of Brian Andreas' short poems and artwork was a gift from my very good friend (and Goodreads author) Brandice Schnabel. For me, these poems and drawings evoke John Lennon's similarly quirky humor in his books "In His Own Write" and "A Spaniard in the Works," though Andreas' work is less absurdist than Lennon's.

One of my favorites from this collection is called "Western Mysticism":

It's much easier,
he told me, if
you like the parts
you like & you like
the parts you don't
like

Is that some Eastern
thing? I said

& he said not really
since he was from Idaho
& it worked there
just fine.

[Kara]

I saw this little book in an eclectic local shop in Colorado, but it's been a while since then and I actually didn't like it as much as I'd hoped. There are some cute fun poems and I had a bit of a chuckle at a couple but overall it's a bit generic. Alas. I did really enjoy the drawings, though.

[Anne]

Delightful food for thought.

[Um mar de fogueirinhas]

Love it as much as the first time I laid eyes on it.

[Margaret]

A small treasure of thoughts to lighten our burdens.

[Sam]

Brian Andreas has a quiet voice that really complements the book's message. The main theme is that there is a soul that can not be seen, yet it hums through our bodies and in the earth. Unlike a song, our souls are like lights, and that is why it is called "Traveling Lights": he's referring to people. To flesh out his book, Brian analyzes our deepest, resonating thoughts in a most humanistic method: through poetry and doodles splattered with mix-matched water colors. Each little passage pulses with the fear, the courage, and the insight of being human all for the hopes and the ideals which drive him forward.

The characters throughout the story are often named only by a pronoun. The main speaker could possibly be many people, yet we can only recognize him as "I." This pronoun allows us to both empathize and also transcend the character. We become that "I," and Brian is no longer the writer. I think this is what Brian does the best as a poet and a musician. He totally disappears!

I'm not sure if I would define this book as "modern art" since it has many themes that are raised by the author. He talks about how it must feel to corporate with people -- to wake up in the morning and decide that you love the world with the first breath of the day. He talks about being an adult, a parent, a previous child, a person who doesn't go the extra mile only because he realizes it's too much to handle alone. He writes about selfishness and trials, love and pleasure, discovery and shame.

Brian writes about the quiet soul. He does it very well too. If an alien were to come down to earth and to ask me for a textbook to study humans of the 21th century, I'd give him this book.

[Kara Lane]

Brian Andreas does a delightful job of conveying wisdom in a witty way. I first learned of him when my sister bought me one of his pictures when I was her maid of honor. Since then, I've bought 6 more pictures and several of his books.

In "Traveling Light," he provides wonderful illustrations and stories reflecting his outlook on life. To give you an idea of his writing style, here are a few quotes from the book:

"How many people can you love before it's too much? she said. & I said I didn't think there was any real limit as long as you didn't care if they loved you back." ....and....

"I don't think of it as working for world peace, he said. I think of it as just trying to get along in a really big strange family." ...and...

"I know I promised I wouldn't complain, she said, but I'm not ready to start just yet."

The book will make you think...and make you smile.

[Joan Campbell]

This was the first Andreas writing I've been exposed to, and I think I am completely smitten. One of those rush-out-and-buy-everything-he's-ever-written kind of smittens.
His poems are funny, simple and wise and the words ring truer than true. It made me slow down and think about life and about my own use of words. Smitten, I tell you!
PS: I'm not quite as taken by his art accompanying the poems, but who cares--it's still a 5 star read!

[Kimberly]

I love this little book. I met Brian at the LA Book Expo back in 2003 and I have been reading, gifting, and rereading this book ever since. The short quotes and poems are all insightful and amusing. I also love his Story People and have his Flying Woman hanging in my kitchen. "For a long time, she flew only when she thought no one else was watching."

[Tiffany]

I have 5 Brian Andreas books sitting on one of my nightstands. I got them shortly after I bought my first house. I was so inspired by them I also got 7 pieces of his watercolors framed. These books are AMAZING for a quick note or burst of inspiration.

[Charles Dean]

I've found that shorter poetry keeps my attention. Maybe I'm just an amateur trade of poetry, but oh well.

I found the drawings a little distracting, but the poetry is good. At least I really liked it.

[Jackie]

This is the only book of his that didn't just shine at me right away. But a few years and several readings later, I love it as much as the rest.

[Sue]

Love it, love it.

[Angie (Bussen) Siedell]

"Finally realizes that all the chaos is what makes tea worth it." Final Reward- Brian Andreas

[Amethyst]

My find in a second hand book store. Love the tiny stories and drawings and full of great quotes.

[Becky]

I love these stories, poems, and drawings! I have one of their paintings in my house!!!! I also get their daily stories via e-mail ;)

[Erin Tuzuner]

Incredibly insightful little wonder recommended by a kind and wonderful person.

[Xa]

I love Storypeople. I forgot I even purchased this book (years ago) until I found it the other day, in a pile of other books.

[Samantha Venter]

I simply loved this. It was so sweet and made me wander in my own way.

[Jacqueline Cocklin]

Love it!