In celebration of a brand-new Bookly Readathon, we’ve rounded up a list of 10 books about travel that will broaden the gates of your imagination and satisfy your thirst for adventure. 🗺️
These highly recommended books about travel will get you thinking deeply about life and how you see everything. From self-discovery stories in India to love letters to Paris, try out these titles and explore the world from the comfort of your reading nook. 🌎📖
10 Must-Read Books About Travel to Inspire Your Next Adventure
1. Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
“The only thing more unthinkable than leaving was staying; the only thing more impossible than staying was leaving.”
A personal memoir by Elizabeth Gilbert that details her year-long journey through Italy, India, and Indonesia in search of pleasure, spirituality, and balance. Eat, Pray, Love is her most iconic, well-debated, and bestselling book, that touched the world and inspired countless readers to search for their own best selves. 🕊️
If you’re looking for a title that covers both self-discovery and cultural exploration, Eat, Pray, Love is one of those books about travel to check out next time you plan on reading something light and easy that resonates with many!
2. Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts
“And the choice you make, between hating and forgiving, can become the story of your life.”
The novel is based on true events and follows an Australian fugitive who finds a new life in Bombay’s underworld in the early to late 1980s.
Expect a captivating and rich travel story full of vivid descriptions of Bombay’s vibrant culture, diverse inhabitants, and rich characterizations. From living in the slums to dealing with the local mafia, this book about travel portrays life in one of India’s most dynamic cities that will leave you breathless. 🫣
Shantaram is an epic story about one man’s struggle for freedom, friendship, adventure, love, regret, and redemption, and it teaches us valuable life lessons that will truly change how we see the world. 😌
3. Don Quixote by Miguel De Cervantes
“To dream the impossible dream, that is my quest.”
Widely known as one of the greatest works of literature and a quintessential travel narrative, Don Quixote masterfully captures the essence of adventure and the human spirit. The story follows Don Quixote, a delusional nobleman, and his skeptical manservant, Sancho Panza, as they travel across Spain for brave exploits.
This book vividly depicts Spain in the 17th century and combines the protagonists’ courageous and whimsical quests. It is an inspiring read for anyone seeking a story of idealism, reality, and the pursuit of dreams.
It’s a masterful blend of humor and satire that feeds our ceaseless human quest for something larger than ourselves. Will you join their quest? 🧐
4. The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
“Even the smallest person can change the course of the future.”
One of the most famous fantasy epics of our time, J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings remains a classic in the legendary tales. It follows the heroic journey of Frodo Baggins and his companions to Mordor to destroy the One Ring to Rule Them All and stop the Dark Lord Sauron’s plans for dominion. ⚔️
Set in Middle-earth’s richly imagined vivid world, this masterpiece follows hobbits, elves, dwarves, and men as they embark on an epic quest fraught with danger, discovery, and true friendship.
The dynamics between characters are fascinating, creating one of the most meticulously crafted worlds in literature, where good will always battle against evil and where evil is often blind to the power of goodness. An essential read for any lover of travel and adventure. 🎒🗺️
5. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
“One could not count the moons that shimmer on her roofs or the thousand splendid suns that hide behind her walls.”
A New York Times bestseller and one of Khaled Hosseini’s most-acclaimed works, A Thousand Splendid Suns tells the story of the lives of two Afghan women, Mariam and Laila, whose paths cross through hardship and heartache. ❤️🩹
This story is not your traditional travel book but offers readers an epic journey through Afghanistan’s rich cultural and historical landscape. Prepare to be transported to an often misunderstood land full of vivid descriptions and heartfelt narratives that will ignite your desire to understand and explore its beauty and complexity. 😌
6. Seven Years in Tibet by Heinrich Harrer
“We have a saying in Tibet: If a problem can be solved, there is no use worrying about it. If it can’t be solved, worrying will do no good.”
Part autobiography, part travelog, Seven Years in Tibet is a charming, captivating autobiographical travel story of Heinrich Harrer, an Austrian mountain climber and Nazi SS sergeant. It follows the author’s real-life experiences through the Himalayas to the secluded nation of Tibet, where he spends years in the holy city of Lhasa, becoming a close friend and tutor to the young Dalai Lama. ☮️
This astonishing adventure memoir is a landmark in travel writing and offers readers a compelling blend of adventure, breathtaking landscapes, and historical significance.
If you want to immerse yourself in a tale of resilience, friendship, cultural discovery, and meeting a world few have seen, put Seven Years in Tibet at the top of your TBR list. You can thank us later. 😉
7. A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson
“That’s the trouble with losing your mind; by the time it’s gone, it’s too late to get it back.”
With a mix of humor and adventure, A Walk in the Woods is an enjoyable exploration of nature and the challenges of long-distance hiking. This memoir is a hilarious travelogue and a history of the Appalachian Trail and the surrounding region. 🗺️
The story focuses on the interplay and contrasts between the untamed wilderness and civilization, where Bryson humorously recounts his attempt to hike the 2,100-mile Appalachian Trail with his out-of-shape friend, Stephen Katz.
The author truly knows how to tell a story in both an entertaining and thought-provoking way, and the personal anecdotes filled with historical and scientific insights make it the perfect mix of comedy, history, and nature writing. We say it’s an inspiring read to appreciate both the challenges and joys of hiking, but don’t just take our word for it and read it to find out!🌲
8. A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway
“If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life, it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast.”
A Moveable Feast is Ernest Hemingway’s captivating memoir, written in the last years of his life, and it tells the story of his years as a young expat journalist and writer in Paris in the 1920s. Although short, it’s definitely one of those books you can’t put down, as it’s a product of his nostalgia for youth as well as his love letter to Paris. 🗼
The book about travel is a journey that explores the artistic heart of Paris during one of its most creative and dynamic eras—from records of gastronomic experiences in cafés, bars, and hotels to observations on people’s behaviors. An essential read for those who dream of traveling to the iconic ‘City of Love’ and immersing themselves in its rich cultural heritage.
9. The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
“That’s what careless words do. They make people love you a little less.”
Arundhati Roy’s debut novel, The God of Small Things, is set in the vibrant landscape of the small town of Kerala, India. The story portrays a dysfunctional middle-class family and the struggles of seven-year-old twins Estha and Rahel with social discrimination and communism in a turbulent time in the late 1960s.
If you’re an avid explorer of diverse places and stories, this novel perfectly blends culture, traditions, and the deep emotional complexities of human relationships. Roy’s lyrical prose is a must-read, and it holds a powerful message that will leave you wondering why you haven’t read this story yet. 😌
10. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
“Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself. And that no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams.”
Paulo Coelho’s masterpiece tells the mystical story of Santiago, an Andalusian young shepherd boy who feels there is more to life than living in his humble home with his flock of sheep. He has a recurring dream about finding a treasure and yearns to travel in search of it, so he leaves the comfort of home and travels into the African desert to find his ‘destiny’.
The Alchemist is a highly philosophical and thought-provoking novel filled with lots of hidden messages. Nearly all the life lessons that The Boy learns along his quest are metaphors for life and how we can ‘turn our ordinary lives into gold’ by performing the same magic as the alchemist in the story.
This book is a beautifully written piece, acclaimed as the greatest gift to the world. ☀️ Paulo Coelho is one of those contemporary writers you cannot miss!
Get Your Reading Passport Ready! ✈️
Still craving for adventure? Get ready to discover new destinations and epic tales from the comfort of your cozy reading nook. 😌📖
Let your imagination soar for 11 days with the Wanderlust Bookly Readathon, where books are your ticket to explore the world! 🌎
Join us, and read for more than 8 hours between August 1 – 11 for a chance to win one of the four bookish prizes consisting of $25, $50, $100, or $150 gift cards.📚 Ready to feed your wanderlust? ✈️
Don’t Forget to Keep Track of Your Reading Progress With Bookly
Whether you track your reading progress in a spreadsheet, journal, notebook, or app, just remember to do it! Bookly makes it easy to track your progress.
Bookly can help keep you accountable, track books, and improve your reading habits. 😎
And don’t forget that Bloo, your reading assistant, will always be by your side and help you improve by tracking all the books you read.🎏
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