A quick poll
Before we get started on the list of recommended travel books here’s a quick poll on how your reading habits have changed. It will take only a few seconds to complete.
I co-host a travel chat on Twitter called #travchat (find out more here) and we recently discussed travel books. In the course of the discussion, the following travel books were recommended as great reads. They are listed in no particular order.
Great reads
Down Under – Bill Bryson (£)
In his own particular humorous style Bill Bryson takes a look at everything Australian often poking gentle fun at the stereotypes we have grown up with.
Songlines – Bruce Chatwin (£)
Still on the Australasian continent Chatwin recounts his travels across Australia searching out the ancient songlines of the Aboriginal people seeking to unravel their mysteries.
Into Thin Air – Jon Krakauer (£)
Into thin Air is a journalists eye-view of a 24-hour period on Everest when, tragically, eight from three different expeditions lost their lives on the mountain.
Fifty Miles Wide – Julian Sayarer (£)
Award-winning author and cyclist uses two wheels to cycle through Israel and Palestine. In his encounters with people of all persuasions along the roadside, he discovers in both occupier and occupied a spirit of hope in the darkness.
A Thousand Splendid Suns – Khalid Hosseini (£)
This book, by the author of The Kite Runner (£), is the only fiction book recommended but above and beyond the story reads like a travel book about Afghanistan.
Around Ireland with a Fridge – Tony Hawks (£)
They say “Truth is stranger than fiction…” and if any travel book lives up to that observation it is this one. Why would anyone travel around the circumference of Ireland with a fridge? Let alone hitchhike. The absurd idea and Tony Hawk’s style make for a very readable, light comedy in which he reveals the genuine characters of Ireland.
Revolutionary Ride – Lois Pryce (£)
Seemingly another crazy-things-to-do style book this one is about the adventures of the author motorcycling around Iran on a quest to find the “real” country and its people.
The Land Beyond – Leon McCarron (£)
Only recently published this is another book seeking to unravel the geopolitics, history, culture and various religions of the Middle East. The whole journey, over 1000 miles, is done on foot.
Travel books for the 2021 list
As we move into Lockdown 3.0 I have added several of these to my reading list for 2021. Reviews of some of the above will follow at a later date sometime in 2021.
All the links on this page followed by (£) are Amazon affiliate links. Most of the book links will take you to the paperback edition. However, other editions, including Kindle editions are available.
Other travel books mentioned
Other travel books were also mentioned in passing. The list below is also worth checking out:
Wild – Cheryl Strayed (£); Indonesia etc – Elizabeth Pisani (£); The 8:55 to Baghdad – Andrew Eames (£); A Women Alone (£ )
