It is said that a good book can take us anywhere we would like to go. After all, a well written novel can transport readers to places and times that can be reached in no other way. Some books additionally inspire us by pointing out new and different travel destinations that we might not have considered earlier. With that in mind, here are a few books that you might want to add to your reading list.
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The Lost Girls: This around-the-world odyssey details the travels of three friends who decided to take a break from their lives to go on an epic adventure. The book describes the girls’ many different exploits including preforming volunteer work in Africa, hanging out with Australians, dealing with the effects of a party hostel, and much more. This story is a great tale of friendship that will certainly make solo travelers long for buddies to share in their own adventures. Holly, Amanda, and Jen are an inspiration to travelers everywhere who would like nothing more than to head for the horizon, no matter how much money is in their wallet.
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Lost on Planet China: China may not be a top spot on everybody’s travel list but J. Maarten Troost dutifully chronicles his own trip there in this hilarious book. In doing so, he proceeds to illustrate some of the country’s more luminary spots with his off-beat humor. Whether he is hanging off a holy mountain or trying to decipher the local menus, it’s interesting to see what predicament Maarten will find himself in next. The text is also interspersed with nuggets of historical and cultural information that vary in somewhat their accuracy but the book never loses its’ entertaining edge. The only caveat to this story is that the writer’s perspective and/or sense of humor may not appeal to everyone. However, if they do, his other works, Getting Stoned with Savages and The Sex Lives of Cannibals, are also worth a read as well.
Phantom of the Opera: Despite the fact that it is not a travel book per se, this classic horror story centers largely on events that take place in the heart of Paris. The theatre in the book is fictional but its’ real life counterpart, the Opera Garnier, more than makes up for that minor detail. Indeed, the real opera is home to the local ballet company and a collection of Degas artworks. Fans of the novel or musical will certainly not be disappointed by the lavish settings found there. When performances are not taking place, guests are allowed to pay a small fee and wander about the opera house at their leisure. Just be sure to leave the capes and masks at home.
Sources: author has read all three books multiple times
