About Jason
A Creative Life, Just Off the Map
Hola! I'm Jason.
This site was born from a quiet but persistent question: What would I do with my life if time and money weren’t factors? The answer came quickly—I'd read more, write more, learn endlessly, travel deeply. I’d chase meaning, not just milestones.
After a solid career in financial services, I knew I wanted to build something that felt not like work, but like a life well-lived. Money Off the Books is my effort to blend my passions—travel, history, and literature—into something that gives me more creative freedom and hopefully gives readers something lasting too.
The Heart of the Project
This isn’t just a travel blog or a book list. It’s a place for readers, travelers, and thoughtful wanderers who believe that stories can transport us, and that curiosity can replace fear. I want you to feel like you’ve found your people here—like there’s a tribe for those who read The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society to clear their heads, who watch Eat Pray Love or Under the Tuscan Sun and think, What if that could be me?
If you’ve ever wanted to learn about the world without buying a plane ticket—or buy the plane ticket and go—I hope this site nudges you toward wonder, toward movement, toward something new.
“Books are mirrors: you only see in them what you already have inside you.”
— Carlos Ruiz Zafón
What You’ll Find Here
🕰️ Time Traveler’s Library
UNESCO World Heritage Sites paired with historical fiction—each feature explores the cultural and historical depth of a place, alongside a novel that brings it vividly to life. These pairings include travel tips and booking links so you can read about a place and go experience it for yourself.
📖 Bookstore
A full archive of the novels featured in the Time Traveler’s Library, organized by country or search by title—your personal literary passport, with affiliate links to support the site.
✈️ Chasing Jason
My travel journal and creative outlet. Here, I share personal reflections, practical travel tips, philosophical observations, and cultural insights—from Cologne to the grocery store. This is where I get to be fully myself
🎢 Disney
A lighter space filled with helpful, honest, and fun details about the parks. I live near Disney World, and with young kids and frequent visits, I’ve gathered practical info and surprising finds to help others make the most of their park experience.
🛍️ Shop
A growing collection of literary travel merchandise—bookmarks, pins, custom-covered classics, and UNESCO-inspired keepsakes for readers who want to carry the story with them.
Why This Matters
I believe people fear what they don’t understand—and hate what they fear. Travel and story are two of the most powerful tools we have to dissolve that fear. Whether I’m writing about a medieval cathedral or a cultural misstep I made abroad, my goal is always the same: to build connection through knowledge and empathy.
Maybe you’ll read something here that stays with you. Maybe a line will echo at just the right moment. Maybe you'll book the trip. Maybe you’ll stop saying “someday.”.
About The Name
You might be wondering about the title. I wanted something that reflected the shift from the expected to the inspired—from ledgers and meetings to stories and moments that matter. The name is a layered play on words: “Off the books” signals a step away from routine, while “money” in the name is a nod to turning that passion into something sustainable. Yes, it’s a business. It’s also, quite literally, about books. But mostly, it’s about investing in the life you really want to live—just a little off the map.
Let's Connect
Whether you’re here for a book recommendation, a travel tip, or a reminder that it's not too late to reinvent yourself, I’m glad you’re here.
Let’s keep chasing the good stuff—on the page, on the road, and off the books.
