Top 19 Travel Books to Read This Year
Reading in Halong Bay, Vietnam. Credit: Jonathan Lin, Flickr
1. Wild – Cheryl Strayed
(recommended by: Nicola, editor of www.anewtraveller.com)
“Simultaneously a physical and an emotional journey, this autobiography traces each painful, liberating step the author takes hiking the Pacific Crest Trail to find herself again after a series of tumultuous events leaves her scrambling for a way forward. While Cheryl’s character is hardened and at times challenging to sympathize with, she is honest, and brings us face to face with the harsh realities and profound revelations of the wilderness and solo journeys.”
2. You Are Here – Chris Hadfield
(recommended by: Nicola)
“You Are Here is a collection of the photographs Chris Hadfield took of the earth from the ISS during his time as Commander. The beautiful, unusual shots of our diverse landscapes give cause to reflect on the planet humanity calls home. Flipping through this unprecedented collection of photos I found myself contemplating the power of new perspectives in cultivating a sense of passion and responsibility for our earth. We’ve only got the one.”
Pacific Crest Trail south of Cutthroat Pass. Credit: Miguel Vieira, Flickr
3. The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry – Rachel Joyce
(recommended by: Caitlin, author at anewtraveller.com/author/caitlin-boros)
“In this delightfully different tale of travel, we are introduced to 65-year-old Harold, an Englishman who has led a quiet and orderly life. However one day, after going out to get the mail, he begins walking. And he doesn’t stop. Harold begins a trek across England, meeting new people, partaking in both difficult and exciting experiences, and all the while reflecting on the lifetime that has lead to this pilgrimage. It seems something as simple as a letter is often enough to inspire even the most timid to embark on a new journey, not knowing exactly where the road ahead will lead.”
4. Sky Crystals: Unraveling the Mysteries of Snowflakes – Don Komarechka
(recommended by: Caitlin)
“As schoolchildren, we learn that each snowflake has a unique shape unlike any other (this notion inspired many a craft-time cutout…). However, as adults, the rationale behind one of nature’s most curious mysteries still eludes us: why is every snowflake different? Sky Crystals helps to answer this question through hundreds of beautiful images that capture the essence of individually photographed snowflakes. The book also delves into the science and physics that guide snowflake formation and movement (without getting too complicated!). In the end, the book aims to answer the question: why do we find snowflakes so beautiful?”
5. The Kite Runner – Khaled Hosseini
(recommended by: Caitlin)
“Poetic descriptions of the streets, marketplaces, and landscapes of 1970s Afghanistan are enough to draw the reader in from the very start. Amidst this context, The Kite Runner is an artfully woven tale that intersects family, politics, culture, social class, religion, and escape. A moving book about journeys, both physical and emotional. And more than anything, the power of friendship.”
Ruins of Darul Aman Palace outside Kabul in Afghanistan. Credit: Bruce MacRae, Flickr
6. A Fortune Teller Told Me: Earth Bound Travels in the Far East – Tiziano Terzani
(recommended by: Victoria, author at anewtraveller.com/author/victoria-boyd)
“In 1967 Tiziano Terzani was told by an old fortuneteller in Hong Kong that there was a grave risk he could die in 1993. The fortuneteller told him: ‘You must not fly that year… Not even once.’ Sixteen years later, Terzani had not forgotten what he’d been told. Despite his jet-setting lifestyle as an international journalist, Terzani accepted the prophecy. He remained earthbound for all of 1993. A Fortune Teller Told Me recounts Terzani’s 20,000-kilometer journey across 11 countries by train, including Cambodia, Vietnam, China, Mongolia, and Siberia. This humbling story weaves together Terzani’s encounters with individuals from all walks of life.”
If you’re interested in immersive journeys and meeting locals, check out a first-hand tale of A Journey to the Heart of Siberia.
7. Marco Polo: A Photographer’s Journey – Michael Yamashita
(recommended by: Victoria)
“This captivating collection of photographs shot by National Geographic photographer Michael Yamashita re-traces Marco Polo’s journey along the Silk Road between 1271 and 1295. Through Yamashita’s camera lens, readers witness the raw beauty of a journey from Venice to Beijing through Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and India. His compelling photographs intimately capture the people, cultures, and traditions that Marco Polo described in his travel journals as he traversed this historical trading route.”
Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Credit: Christian Junker, Flickr
8. The Alchemist – Paulo Coelho
(recommended by: Victoria)
“Paulo Coelho’s novel follows the journey of a young Andalusian shepherd travelling from Spain to the Egyptian desert in search of alleged treasure buried beneath the Pyramids. Throughout his quest, Santiago is guided by the characters he encounters: a mysterious gypsy, a man who claims to be a king, and a wise alchemist. Yet Santiago’s journey soon becomes more than just a search for treasure; the novel reveals the transforming power of understanding signs sent by the universe, listening to one’s heart, and following one’s dreams.”
9. Notes From a Small Island – Bill Bryson
(recommended by: Jack, editor of www.halifolks.com)
“One of the less-enthused qualities of a successful traveller and a happy travel partner is a sense of humour, and it is in that regard that Bill Bryson’s accounts of travel and living abroad excel. What they lack in tangible travel advice they tend to make up for in relatable moments of cultural absurdity all-too-familiar to any fresh-off-the-boat traveller in a strange and foreign land.”
10. Paris in Mind – Jennifer Lee
(recommended by: Emily, owner of www.compasscontent.ca)
“Paris in Mind is a collection of short stories about the City of Light. Written by famed American writers including Ernest Hemingway, Gertrude Stein, Langston Hughes and Dave Barry, each story provides a snapshot into a different era in the rich history of Paris. The book is a literary exploration of love and seduction, gastronomy, the art of living, and the love-hate Franco-American relationship. The stories span 200 years, giving me a special insight into the most visited city in the world.”
For an insider’s perspective on what it’s like to move to Paris, check out My Great Escape: Forging a New Path in Paris.
Cafe au lait in Place de la Sorbonne, Paris. Credit: Julia Janßen, Flickr
11. Into Thin Air – Jon Krakauer
(recommended by: Veronica, author of “Malta and Toronto Share More than a ‘t’”)
“Most travel books push us to take hold of every opportunity that presents itself. Into Thin Air instead questions: just because we can do something, does that mean we should? John Krakauer was assigned to document the impact of the influx of individuals hiring commercial companies to take them to the Everest summit. During his summit push, lack of communication and disregard for scheduling within and across companies resulted in deaths among multiple expeditions. John’s account of the disaster questions the ethics of Everest tourism, both in regard to loss of life as well as the effects on Sherpa culture.”
12. A Walk in the Woods – Bill Bryson
(recommended by: Tammy, content marketing specialist for Urban Adventures)
“I’ve always believed that the greatest travel moments don’t come from the biggest experiences. Sure, there’s something to be said for iconic sites and grand adventures, but often the bits that live on within you come from something much more intimate—the characters you meet, the conversations you have, and the simple moments that take you far outside your comfort zone. That’s why I adore Bill Bryson as a travel writer and, in particular, his book A Walk in the Woods—despite the fact that nothing really happens in it. Bryson doesn’t even complete his attempt to hike the Appalachian Trail, which is the entire plot. But therein lays the charm: it’s not so much an adventure as it is a mishmash of characters whose personalities set a scene that, when told with Bryson’s sometimes biting, often silly, humour, paints a weird and wonderful portrait of wild America.”
Appalachian Trail. Credit: Eric Christensen, Flickr
13. The Other Side of Paradise: Life in the New Cuba – Julia Cooke
(recommended by: Tammy)
“Like most travellers to Cuba, my first visit to Havana was aboard a tour bus with the obligatory stops at La Bodeguita del Medio and the tourist market. It was a rushed day trip from the beaches of Varadero. Just the slightest taste of the city behind a filtered window. And yet even then, Havana slid under my skin; I was in love. But despite my adoration, I never felt I could truly ‘get’ Cuba. Government regulations don’t make it easy for tourists to escape the well-trodden streets of la Habana Vieja.
“But Julia Cooke took me into Havana’s real neighbourhoods in The Other Side of Paradise. Embedding herself in the city, the American journalist set out to share the tales of the Habañeros living in post-Fidel Cuba. Her sources ranged from prostitutes to well-to-dos, fretting parents to hope-filled students—all of them with a take on Cuba far from what I could ever see behind the window of a tour bus.”
14. Beyond the Sky and the Earth: A Journey Into Bhutan – Jamie Zeppa
(recommended by: Jaclyn, editor of jaclynlaw.com/wordpress)
“In this beautifully written memoir, Jamie Zeppa recounts her first few years of living and working in the remote country of Bhutan. She arrived in the Himalayan kingdom in 1988, an inexperienced but adventurous 24-year-old, committed to teaching in a tiny village for the next two years. What followed was intense culture shock. Zeppa struggled to adjust to a new language, unfamiliar foods, and living quarters infested with vermin. (Prior to Bhutan, she had travelled outside of Canada only once—to a Caribbean beach.) But Beyond the Sky and the Earth is much more than a fish-out-of-water story. Over time, Zeppa adapts to her surroundings, gains insight into Bhutan’s history and politics, and even falls in love. The book is surprising, moving and often hilarious. You won’t forget this intimate journey into an isolated culture, nor the author’s brave and candid story of self-discovery.”
Dzong of Punakha, Bhutan. Credit: Marina & Enrique, Flickr
15. Video Night in Kathmandu: And Other Reports From The Not-so-far East – Pico Iyer
(recommended by: Jaclyn)
“A life-long traveller and celebrated author, Pico Iyer has written extensively about cultures around the world, as well as his own physical and psychological statelessness. (His writing includes meditations on airports.) He’s been describing the amusing, peculiar and often jarring ways that cultures smash into one another since well before the Internet and social media made that a routine occurrence. His travelogues have become classics of the genre.
“If you’re new to Iyer’s work, start with his first book, Video Night in Kathmandu. He offers detailed observations about how Western culture and commercialism have seeped into Asian countries such as Bali, India, Japan and Nepal. Follow that up with 2001’s The Global Soul: Jet Lag, Shopping Malls, and the Search for Home. It includes his thoughts on Canadian culture, the Atlanta Olympics and the east-meets-west microcosm of Hong Kong. He also discusses globalization and what it’s meant for him personally. Fast-forward another dozen years and you’ll find his latest, The Art of Stillness. In this he argues—surprise!—that going nowhere might be the best adventure of all.”
16. Baggage – Emily Barr
(recommended by: Amanda, freelance writer, amandalee.contently.com)
“Emily Barr is a novelist who manages to spin a compelling yarn and convey such a sense of place. Be it Cuba, an idyllic island in Malaysia or in Baggage, the Australian outback—that the location feels like an additional character in the novel. If the location is another character, it’s a well-rounded one in Barr’s hands. Many of Barr’s characters escape real life and travel to other lands looking for salvation. However, her novels don’t read like fluffy travel stories; often belying the idyllic is a sense of menace and danger.”
Symphony of Lights in Hong Kong. Credit: Steve Webel, Flickr
17. House in the Sky – Amanda Lindhout
(recommended by: Cristina, editor of www.chasingtravel.com)
“It’s a dark memoir about a world traveller turned freelance journalist held in captivity in the middle of a civil war in Somalia. The journey is a grim one and torturous to say the least. But Amanda’s story is something much greater. It’s one of hope, resilience, and seeing the good in people. Even after all the abuse and trauma she endured, what I found most inspiring was her decision to return to Somalia. The same place where her captors once held her—starved her, even physically and sexually abused her. She returned to help the community out of poverty and desperation. Her book had a major impact on me, and on my views of humanity. It reaffirmed my own personal purpose to help others. She shows it is better to forgive and use our experiences to empower change as much as possible.”
For an insider’s perspective of volunteering in Africa, check out The Year I Spent Christmas in Tanzania.
18. A Year in Provence – Peter Mayle
(recommended by Parm, editor of www.planetblueadventure.com)
“When I was growing up we rarely took vacations or visited far off places. We did take day trips to the seaside, museums and public gardens in London. My father had a bit of wanderlust left over from his youth. At school, history was always my best subject because it took me to far away lands. That’s probably why I was drawn to reading books, at a young age, set in far-off places. The first book to inspire me to plan a holiday in France was Peter Mayle’s A Year in Provence. I simply fell in love with all things French. I literally could taste the croissants and visualize the Provencal countryside.
A day in Provence. Credit: Daniel Horacio Agostini, Flickr
19. Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil – John Berend
(recommended by Parm)
“John Berend’s Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil forever imprinted Savannah, Georgia on my mind. Mint Juleps, murder and the confederate south wait to be discovered. I haven’t been there yet, but it’s definitely on my list and will never be forgotten.”
Know a great travel book that’s not on this list? Let us know what you think should be #20 on our list in the comments below!
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