I always take a book along on my travels – it helps me get through car, train and plane rides. I’m always told that I’ll never read when I’m on a trip but somehow I find the time, even if it just for a few chapters. In doing so, there are certain books that I can associate with certain trips.
My top 10 ultimate travel books – that have given me serious wanderlust and jerked the emotion within, are:
1. The Time Travelers Wife – Audrey Niffenegger (2003)
This book was gifted to me a few years ago. I re-read it a few times, since i did not get the full gist of the book the first time I read it. However, it has become one of my favorite reads over the years. The scenario is mystifying in which Clare meets Henry, who she has known for many years however, Henry has no idea who Clare is. As the story develops, we begin to understand that Henry time-travels from Clare’s past to her future and vice versa. The pair fall in love in Clare’s past and continue with their love affair in both their futures. The book is a tangled hot mess and warms the cockles of your heart in the sweetest – most nerve wrecking way!
2. The Sun Also Rises – Ernest Hemingway (1926)
The story follows a group of Americans and British who travel from Paris, France to Pamplona, Spain to experience the Festival of San Fermin and watch the running with the bulls. The main plot revolves around a love story with sordid details between Jake Barnes and Lady Brett Ashley, who is also involved with Robert and Romero, while being engaged to Mike. While entertaining the sexual nature of the female lead, the novel also lets you travel with the characters – through Spain and Spanish culture!
3. Under the Tuscan Sun – Frances Mayes (1996)
Frances Mayes wrote a memoir of buying, renovating and living in an old, neglected villa in Cortona, Tuscany. She embarks on a marvelous journey in a new place, discovering a new way of live. She finds unexpected gems but not without unexpected restoration terrors. The story follows the joys and frustrations of investing in a restoration project, and adjusting to live in a new country. It has its share of laughs and emotion and makes for a good, simple read.
4. Eat, Pray, Love – Elizabeth Gilbert (2006)
This memoir chronicles the travels of author, Elizabeth Gilbert, post-divorce. She initiated the divorced and then began a romance which left her devastated. After which, she spends a year travelling through Italy, India and Indonesia. Italy focuses on the Eat, India on the Pray or spirituality and Indonesia focuses on the Love aspect where she falls in love with a businessman. The book gives great detail in what to expect in each of these countries and the struggles of a woman finding some balance in life.
5. The Beach – Alex Garland (1996)
A backpacker escapes live through travel and goes in search of an isolated, untouched beach in Thailand. The book follows his time within a small community of backpackers. Richard befriends many people and makes some enemies during his journey as the story unfolds. He joins the community which is eventually found out with the characters receiving beatings (some to death). It makes for an interesting read with some suspense.
6. Becoming Oydssa – Jennifer Pharr Davis (2010)
Jennifer sets out alone to hike the Appalachian Trail, after graduating from college – against her family’s wishes. She does so in anticipation that it will bring clarity on what she should do next. The subculture of the hiking trail brings about a trail name, hiker dwellings and trail etiquette. The journey is filled with unforeseen compassion, hospitality, and banter. Jennifer also learns that when something goes wrong unexpectedly can rely on other people to help her in times of need.
7. The Art of Travel – Alain de Botton (2002)
This book questions the point and purpose of travel – giving it a deeper meaning than just what it is. It brings about the intelligence of travel dabbling in airports, foreign romance, museums, photographs and hotels. This book is a must-read for anyone even slightly interested in the world of travel!
8. My Life in France – Julia Child (2006)
The book is a detailed chronology of the life of Julia Child, accompanied by monochrome pictures, poems, letters, and sketches. The book is divided into different parts – Part 1 details her life and memories of France including amazing french recipes. Part 2 focuses on French cuisine for American cooks. This book shows the contrast of diverse backgrounds and is filled with wonderful insights into her life. A brilliant read for a travelling foodie!
Happy Reading!
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Oh wow I’m so ashamed I haven’t read any of these! Although this is a perfect reading list to get my wanderlust juices flowing! Thanks for sharing!!
Once you get started, you don’t want to stop!
I will definetely seee all of those movies! They look really inspiring
Not all have been made into movies – the books are brilliant though!
WHY HAVE I NOT READ ANY OF THESE! I started Eat Pray Love, but couldn’t get into it. Hoping to find a mixture of soul finding and travel… maybe Ill write one someday…
Each one is amazing – I’ve read a few twice over and found myself somewhere between those pages and places!
Thank you so much for this blog post, I need a new book and there are a couple on this list I haven’t read.
I have read a few but now I know what to read while traveling! Thanks!
What a lovely ideal wanderlust book list. Eat Pray Love will be great for meditaition, Julia child would be great too refreshen up your mind and get into another world. hopefully I can really the one from Ernest and Mayes next time 🙂
I never manage to read books while travelling. Last time I was having a book with me I just made it to the 3rd chapter or so – usually I tend to read books when at home 😉 “The Art of Travel” is currently on my wishlist… Reading at the moment “Turn right at Machu Picchu” 🙂
I have read four of those already! I will add the other ones to my Kindle; I always like to have a good book queued up.
Thanks for sharing this list. I love reading while I’m travelling, be it on the flight or train or sometimes even while sitting at the beach. I have read a few from this list but there are others I haven’t. Will add them to my reading list, thanks!
Thanks for a nice collection of books. Though i like reading management books but I’ll try a hand at one of these for sure.
Sending love from one book worm to other <3 I also love reading and can't imagine travelling without my kindle. I'm so happy someone invented e-books. I'm familiar with most of the books from your list (number 1 literally made me cry!!!) I would also add
1. The Alchemist by P Coelho
2. Shantaram – apparently very good but I haven't read it yet (it's queuing)
I also try to read non fiction books about the countries I am visiting just to learn more about their history/politics etc.
Definitely The Alchemist! Think I’ll do an update of the post sometime! I haven’t as yet read Shantaram too – let’s put it on our list!
Interesting blog post I liked reading. Though in my travels I usually read destination specific material. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for the list, I think Ernest Hemingway’s book appeals to me the most here. It’s great how they are all about travels and personal journeys.
That’s my summer reading sorted for next year! 🙂 Thank for sharing I read some of those books but some others I have never heard from!
Some good choices there, I have only read the Beach myself. I read it after I watched the movie but just before I went to Maya beach 😀 – Although you can’t stay the night on the beach anymore we were able to spend the night on a boat just outside of the cove and did swim with plankton at night 😀
Ahhh that’s sounds like good fun!
Nice idea to make a list if such books. I will read some of them, for the moment Eat , pray, love is my favorite 🙂
I am actually re-reading Eat Pray Love these days and dream of my month in Italy. It’s going to be a lot of eating involves for sure 🙂 I would like to read Julia Child’s book, Life in France. It’s interesting how where we live influences our lives.
Food! Enjoy your trip <3
The Time Traveler’s Wife is a great read and one of my favourites. The beach did give me serious wanderlust – I just had to visit ‘the beach’! I haven’t read the others but will add them to the list.
Reading and travel, two of my favorite things! I love this post and found 2 books I have yet to read. I will have to add those to my list! Thank you for sharing!
It’s nice to learn that you manage to take time out to do what you like – read! I haven’t read a single book from this list (yikes), but hope to finish at least one per journey. Cheers!!
I often have a hard time falling asleep – reading helps. Also I read to fill my time up in long journeys
These are great! I always want to read when I travel and I never get around to it, but if I do I only read like 2 pages 😦 I’m interested in the time traveler’s wife though! I want to bring that on my next trip and actually try to read a few chapters lol
It’s such a great read – you have to finish it!
I haven’t read any of these! But I’ll probably start with The Art of Travel, that sounds really interesting!
Perfect list! Have read some and adding the rest to my list, thanks! 🙂
I absolutely loved The Time Traveler’s Wife. Great list!
Haven’t seen any of those but definitely will, Just hope i can get the soft copy online.
I haven’t yet had the pleasure of reading any of these books, but reading through your descriptions ‘The Beach – Alex Garland’ really stood out to me. I might just have to see if i can find a copy 🙂
Oh cool list – thanks for sharing!
Thank you for this list. This is perfect. I love to read and am looking for some new suggestions,
I absolutely hate Eat Prey Love lol, you either hate it or love it! But everything else, on the list either I have read and love or it is going on my to-read list such as the Art of Travel
Great selection hello yeshi!
My favourite travel book is Lost Girls – three girls quit their NYC jobs and travel 3 or 4 continents together. It helped inspire me to travel alone!
Ah I love reading and my to read list is way too long already! Now there are even more books on there!
I’ve always wanted to read Eat Pray Love- but I have three books going right now so I need to finish those and then finally go get this book!!
Oh, I’ve read The Art of Travel and I absolutely loved it! I have to try the rest, though for The time traveler’s wife I saw the movie and… I was kind of disappointed. I know a movie will never be as good as the book, but stll..