Best Travel Books

Humans don’t travel out of their locations except when they have a business to do at the other end. Over the years, many people picked up inspiration from books and made use of this to their advantage. It is not out of place to crave adventure and some sight-seeing. How can that be feasible when the anticipated location is alien to you?

Get a travel book! Yes, get your hands on one and discover the thrills of the country/region you have in mind. It is worth noting that reading and traveling cohabit as a couple, and that trend is not ending anytime soon. If you have some money on you, enough clothes to last for a vacation and the urge to go to new places of interest, then, let a guidebook take along with you. You will not just find it easy to explore the new location after reading the book but will also find the motivation to pay a visit.

Adventure is about to come to life, and these are travel books to ignite your passion for exploration.

Shantaram

(By: Gregory David Roberts )

This is a story of the underworld in the Indian society. The main act, Lin, escapes from an Australian prison to avoid the completion of his sentence as a bank robber in the region. With no other “safe” location in mind, he heads for India, where he settled as a worker for the Bombay mafia. In his desperation to avoid unusual suspicion that may reveal his identity, Lin had to open a clinic in one of the slums in the city. The quest to elude arrest and deportation to Australia where he has to finish his jail term forced him to seek refuge in other locations, such as Afghanistan. Shantaram is a thriller that interwove love, compassion, and betrayal into one. Without leaving anything to chance, you may get the inclination to head to India to see things for yourself.

On the Road

(By: Jack Kerouac )

Published in 1957, On the Road is a semi-autobiography that reflected the life experiences of the author as he sojourned in the company of friends across New York and San Francisco. The book highlighted the societal decay based on drugs, poetry and writers, and jazz, which were prevalent in America in the ‘50s. Out of youthful exuberance, the author took to the road to seek sex, drugs, adventure and to cause mischief. The book reflects the quest for wild adventures, which is prevalent in the society and common among youths.

The Beach

(By: Alex Garland )

Many tourists leave their home countries with the mindset that the “new location” is paradise. Only a few get to savor the pleasant experiences they crave, as others lick their wounds after spending much to embark on tourism. Alex Garland captured the adverse effects of seeking succor in another man’s land. His 1996 travel book, The Beach, criticized Thailand’s tourism for purportedly painting a picture of what it is not. However, this is not the exact reflection of things but Alex’s anger for not meeting the idyllic beach he formed in his mind. The book is an admonition to intending travelers to be open to any trend they come across in the tourist location. This is better rather than anticipating amazing sights and sounds, which they may not get to see.

The Alchemist

(By: Paulo Coelho )

“Dreams only become a reality when you take the right steps”. That is the picture painted by Paulo Coelho’s 1986 classic – The Alchemist. This storyline revolves around Santiago, a shepherd boy who took the cue from his recurring dreams to embark on a journey to the Pyramids of Egypt. His quest was to find treasure at this location, but restrictions were on the way to stop him. Many people blocked his path, but this did not deter him, as he continued to press on to chase his dreams. The Alchemist should not only pass for a travel book but an inspirational text, as it motivates readers to keep the flames burning until they actualize their dreams.

Into the Wild

(By: Jon Krakauer )

It takes courage to break out of the status quo and change the story. It demands extra strength to give away all you have to exert your belief. That is the story of Christopher McCandless who out of disgust of the society he found himself, donated his wealth to charity. His quest to build a society where his ideology will come alive took his across Alaska to the West Coast of America. Christopher may have done the “wildest” thing by giving away all head. Nevertheless, it takes personal conviction to exert such confidence. Into the Wild is far away from the corridors of a travel book. It ignites the spirit of confidence and “go-getting” into readers.

Love with a Chance of Drowning

(By: Torre DeRoche )

This is a “one for the road” travel book for anyone who seeks self-discovery. The book is a memoir of the author who gave up her fear of the ocean and classic lifestyle and set sail across the South Pacific with her boyfriend. It is love with a chance of drowning as her phobia for sails and many other challenges put Torre and her companion in harm’s way. Yet, they triumphed over these and completed their adventure. We may not be able to understand our ingenuity until we take risks – this is the message to take out of this book.

By Bill Bryson

(By: Bill Bryson )

Do you crave a visit to the sun-baked deserts of Australia? Let Bill Bryson’s In a Sunburned Country by your guide. He highlights his interesting sojourn in the coastal cities and beaten-path forests in the coastlines. The book took an interesting turn as Bill narrates his trivia with hints of his fear of deadly wildlife, which he supposed would kill him.

First They Killed My Father

(By: Loung Ung )

This travel book is a personal recount of the tragic state of affairs in Cambodia under the Khmer Rouge regime. The storyline, despite coming from the perception of a five-year-old, aptly captures the horrifying effect of the regime at the time, which claimed over 1.7 million lives. On a lighter note, you can embark on tourism to Cambodia as the country has outgrown the horrific effects of these past events and has relative peace.

Worldwalk

(By: Steven M. Newman )

Many decades ago, no one envisaged a man walking the moon. Steven Newman, a newspaper writer, decided to take a walk around the world. As encapsulated in his book, World Walk, he traversed 22 countries in five continents within a four-year period. The book covers his tales of arrests, attacks by wildlife, wars, and the different classes of people that came his way.

Marching Powder

(By: Thomas McFadden, Rusty Young )

This travel book highlights the real-life experiences of a British drug dealer who served his jail-term in an “awkward” Bolivian prison. The prison had groups shared spaces with inmates in luxury apartments. This is in addition to the manufacture of drugs within the premise.

Final Thoughts

Travel books trigger a euphoric mood in readers. You will discover more about the destination in mind after going through some of these books. Are you itchy for adventure? We hope you draw inspiration from the travel books on the list. Start packing your backpack and get set for a thrilling sojourn.

My name is Erica Fleming. I support the effective adoption of new technologies or ways of working within writing by communicating complex information in an informative and inspiring way. My works you can at freebooksummary.com. I’m fond of writing articles for students, helping with essays.