The end of the year is the perfect time for favorites lists – and I’ve written numerous times about the best travel books! I enjoy discussing travel literature with others. Why? Because a good book is a necessary component of each traveler’s tool belt. Long bus, train, or aircraft flights can get tedious and provide plenty of “dead” time if you haven’t mastered the 10-hour blank gaze. Additionally, reading travel books educates you about the places you visit. The more information you have about a location, the more you can comprehend it.
How might books assist you when traveling?
The majority of people in today’s modern society enjoy traveling with books. They find it an enjoyable approach to discover new destinations throughout the world. Additionally, it provides information about the location to which you are heading. You’ll learn about the numerous benefits of reading books while traveling, several recommended travel novels, the most important books to read alone, and where to find the best travel books of all time in this blog.
The Advantages of Reading Books Before Traveling:
Assists in language learning
It is critical to understand the language of the country you are visiting, as many locals are only familiar with the local dialect. At times, travelers encounter situations in restaurants when they order incorrect items due to a linguistic barrier. It ruins your mood and your spirit of appreciating that nation’s foods. As a result, by studying the language, you will avoid any language difficulties that may detract from the tour. A language book will assist you in obtaining the optimal solution.
Improve your understanding of culture:
By reading a book or a novel, you can become acquainted with the culture of a particular region. It imparts a precise understanding of the people’s way of life, traditions, and festivals. The characters in the books/novels assist you in comprehending how people interact, the local customs, and how the location views itself. You will fall in love with or find the site more enjoyable when you understand their culture.
Assists in language learning:
It is critical to understand the language of the country you are visiting, as many locals are only familiar with the local dialect. At times, travelers encounter situations in restaurants when they order incorrect items due to a linguistic barrier. It ruins your mood and your spirit of appreciating that nation’s foods. As a result, by studying the language, you will avoid any language difficulties that may detract from the tour. A language book will assist you in obtaining the optimal solution.
The top ten travel books to read before embarking on a journey:
The Rings of Saturn” by W.G. Sebald:
When asked to choose the best travel book, James Kay, editor of Lonely Planet’s website, chose an unclassifiable work. Travelogue? Memoir? Novel? Sebald’s report of a walking tour through Suffolk, England, defies categorization. Although the narrator travels only a few kilometers down the shore, his mental journey feels much longer. This book combines captivating descriptions of the locations and people he encounters with thoughts on topics ranging from herring fishing history to Congo colonialism to the reign of a Chinese empress,” Kay explained. “‘The Rings of Saturn’ embodies a concept for visitors interested in delving deeper into a destination: Take it easy, seek out stories, and aspire to be a more mindful explorer. Take a copy of this one-of-a-kind with you and foster your sense of wonder with each step; who knows where it might lead?”
Beautiful Ruins, by Jess Walter:
Are you yearning for a vacation on the Italian Riviera? Consider Beautiful Ruins, Walter’s great story set in 1950s Italy and current Hollywood. In 1962, Pasquale, the youthful proprietor of a run-down inn on the Ligurian coast, meets Dee Moray, a seductive American starlet. Pasquale quickly discovers that Dee’s stay at the inn is merely a pit stop on her route to Switzerland for medical treatment, but it is more than enough time for them to develop a reflective intimacy. Many decades later, on a Hollywood backlot, a disillusioned development assistant comes into an elderly Italian guy seeking information about an actress he met many years ago. Beautiful Ruins is a fantasia of betrayal and desire, presenting a critical American writer at the height of his talents.
The Art of Travel” by Alain de Botton:
With so much travel literature advising us on where to go, it’s easy to lose sight of why we’re going in the first place. “The Art of Travel” by Alain de Botton provides a reminder of the how and why of traveling, according to Michelle Halpern, travel blogger at Live Like It’s The Weekend.
Love With a Chance of Drowning, by Torre DeRoche:
Torre DeRoche, a travel blogger, wrote this novel, and while I am typically not a fan of “girl travel love stories,” I couldn’t put it down. It’s a lovely book about conquering her fear of the ocean to sail across the Pacific with her partner. I want to follow in her footsteps since she explains the environment, the people, and her experience so well. It is dynamic, colorful, and moving. It is without a doubt the best travel book I have read this year.
The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho:
Most tourists embark on travels to pursue something, whether it’s excellent archaeological sites or the most delectable dinner. However, while you’re searching for something external, you frequently discover a component of yourself you were unaware existed. That is precisely what occurs in Paulo Coelho’s novel, “The Alchemist,” according to Cory Varga, travel expert and founder of the couple’s travel site, You Could Travel.
Rough Magic, by Lara Prior-Palmer:
Prior-Palmer discovered “the world’s longest, toughest horse race” at the age of 19 the Mongol Derby, a frantic thousand-kilometer race over treacherous Mongolian steppe aimed to recreate Genghis Khan’s horse messenger system. The event, which is highly televised, takes competitors through a harsh setting of woodlands, swamps, mountains, dunes, and steppes. In this sensual, spiritual biography, Prior-Palmer tells her arduous journey through enormous physical pain and her surprise metamorphosis from underdog to the race’s first female victor.
Lands of Lost Borders: A Journey on the Silk Road,” by Kate Harris:
The desire to discover the unknown is what motivates many people to travel. However, where do you go when you have the impression that millions of people have already visited every destination on Earth before you? Is there anything else that needs to be discovered? Kate Harris ponders these and other themes in her memoir about cycling the Silk Road for a year.
On the Road, by Jack Kerouac:
Jack Kerouac’s Beat Generation classic, written in 1957, is a timeless travel narrative. The story follows Sal as he travels west from New York City, riding the rails, making friends, and partying the night away. The protagonist’s frustration and yearning to explore the world are universal themes. What I most enjoy about On the Road is how he develops into a better, stronger, and more confident person as a result of his travels.
The Adventures of Tintin” by Hergé:
What could be more exciting for a young traveler (or an older nomad who hasn’t lost their youthful spirit) than the action-packed adventures of a reporter and his small dog as they traverse the world? As a child, the visually stimulating Tintin comic novels instilled in Inma Gregorio, an experienced traveler and founder of the travel site A World to Travel, a sense of wanderlust—which has influenced her subsequent adventures.
Vagabonding, by Rolf Potts:
This book, written by Rolf Potts, the godfather of vagabonding, is a must-read for anyone new to long-term travel. Rolf spent ten years on the road (he even walked across Israel), and his book is filled with insightful observations, amusing quips, and a wealth of practical advice. This is a must-read for newcomers. It covers everything from saving to planning to live on the road. It’s an encouraging book that significantly impacted me as I planned my trip. It dives into the why and philosophy of long-term travel in a way that no other book has.
