We had so many books in DS11's carry on when we flew to visit family recently that security had to hand search it. On the way back we knew that would happen so he removed his books and put them in several bins, which avoided the wait which a hand search would have entailed. I really understand about the reading thing - my son has tried on numerous times to take books to read at a restaurant. That would be okay except they are huge hardbacks so they take up too much space…