I first discovered The Bookish Princess while searching YouTube for vlogs about visiting Louisa May Alcott’s Orchard House. Since then I have loved watching her literary travel videos and her BookTube chats about her latest reads. I wanted to know more about her so I reached out and happily she agreed to an interview! So let’s meet Emma, The Bookish Princess.
What prompted you to start BookTubing and literary themed travel vlogging?
I first started on YouTube because I’d been enjoying travel vlogs from other creators, and I thought it would be fun to try my hand at sharing live videos from a trip to England and France I had coming up. I visited Tintern Abbey (because of Wordsworth) and Lyme Regis (because of Jane Austen) on that trip, and I knew I would want to share more videos about books once I got home, which is why I made sure to include “Bookish” in my channel name!
Where does your love of books come from?
From a young age, I’ve always loved to read. I love how books can connect the reader and the author across distances and even generations, which is why I love reading classics and older books – it’s like time travel to be able to talk to great thinkers from ages past! I also love that with a good book, you’re not really finished even after you turn the last page – a good book always leads you to another book or another author to check out – or a new place to visit!
Out of all the bookish locations you’ve covered on your vlog so far, do you have a favorite?
It’s hard to pick just one! My visit to Emily Dickinson’s house stands out – it was a perfect blue-sky autumn day, and although visitors aren’t allowed to film inside the house, afterwards it was so fun to explore the grounds and talk about what we’d seen and learned – and of course read a few of Emily’s poems.
Can you tell us about a book you might not have read if not for the vlog? Perhaps a time when you picked a travel destination first and later found a related book?
A few years ago I visited the Grand Canyon and learned that many of the beautiful historic buildings in the village were designed by a woman named Mary Colter. When I spotted a book about her in the gift shop, I couldn’t pass it up, and it was such a delight to get to know Mary’s personality and work! I would never have read that book or learned about her if not for that trip.
You also vlog about your trips to Disney World. Tell us about some bookish connections you’ve made to the Disney parks.
The “Princess” part of my channel name comes from my love of Walt Disney World. 🙂 One of my favorite character conversations I had at the Disney parks was when I visited Belle and asked if she had ever read Pride and Prejudice – she said she had, and that the Beast reminded her of Mr. Darcy.
Because your YouTube channel is named The Bookish Princess, is there a Disney Princess you identify with most? And do you have a favorite literary heroine?
Belle is one of my favorite Disney princesses for obvious reasons (what I wouldn’t give to visit the Beast’s library!), but Snow White also has a very special place in my heart – one of the most frequent comments I get on my channel is that I look like her! When it comes to favorite literary heroines, I love Anne Eliot from Persuasion and Eowyn from Lord of the Rings.
Tell us about a surprising experience you were able to have thanks to your vlogs.
It’s not an experience, but one connection that happened thanks to my booktube/bookstagram was when I posted about a book called I Married Adventure by Osa Johnson. Osa and her husband Martin travelled the world in the 1920s and 30s making documentary films about faraway places. Osa’s book has a fabulous zebra-striped cover and is on display at one of the hotels at Disney World, the Animal Kingdom Lodge, which is where I first saw it, and after seeing it, had to find a used copy online. The curator of the Martin and Osa Safari Museum in Chanute, Kansas (Martin and Osa’s hometown) sent me an email after seeing my post, and it’s been so much fun to keep in touch with the museum and learn more about Martin and Osa’s adventures – they sent me some copies of Osa’s books, and I was able to do a giveaway for my Instagram followers last year!
Are you partial to ereaders, print books, or audio books?
I definitely prefer printed books. I love the feel of turning the pages, being able to mark passages and write in the margins – or have a conversation with a previous reader based on something they wrote in the margins! However, it’s hard to beat an ereader for convenience, so that’s generally what I go with when traveling to save luggage space.
Can you tell us about any exciting upcoming content? Or the top place on your bucket list?
Prince Edward Island is at the top of my yet-to-visit literary destinations list! L.M. Montgomery’s descriptions of the scenery there are so magical and evocative, I would love to see it in person and visit Green Gables. Hopefully someday!
You can find Emma, The Bookish Princess on YouTube or follow her on Instagram
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Thanks for this sweet post! It’s a pick-me up!
What an interesting lady. Thank you for introducing her to me!
You’re welcome!
I love watching Emma’s channel and appreciate her love of books and bringing them to life in her travels. Nice to see her getting some well-deserved attention. Thanks!
I’ve been a fan of Emma for absolutely years! She used to post wonderful trip reports that helped me plan my kids’ first trip to the Disney Parks. As she expanded her content to books and fashion and beyond I have found more and more to admire. She is such an uplifting presence!
I have been missing the Bookish Princess these last two years! Her videos have always been a favorite!