Driving Over Lemons: An Optimist in Andalucia by Chris Stewart. Not so much a travelogue as a transition-longue. Stewart and his wife move to Spain from England after he is replaced by Phil Collins in the band Genesis. It's hilarious and poignant.
Bryson's A Walk in the Woods is terrific. Harkening back to movie adaptations, it was a terrible movie adaptation (though not a terrible movie - just far from great).
I have a penchant for reading travel guides as literature. I live in France and really enjoy reading the Michelin Guides on Europe (currently reading the guide to Provence). Also the Blue Book series and even Rick Steves can be very informative and entertaining to read.
Rick Steves! It's not an exaggeration to say that without the inspiration of Rick Steves, my husband and I would not live in Prague. He's always our first choice, and we always start our stay in a new city with his walking tours.
I read it in college and it made me realize I could do a similar journey and really sparked a travel/adventure bug in me. I am very thankful I found it.
And then all the Peter Heller books are fantastic. I've read all his China books and the latest one on Egypt as well -> https://shepherd.com/search/author/2643
Some good ones mentioned here! I recently finished Paris to the Moon by Adam Gopnik. I loved it! It is about Gopnik, a journalist, who moves with his wife and young son to Paris from New York. It’s quite funny and an enjoyable read. Another favorite is A Year in Provence.
Hobo by Eddy Joe Cotton. This is a book about riding the rails starting in the early nineties.
Rolling Nowhere by Ted Conover. More hobo adventures...
Blue Highways by William Least-Heat Moon. This is my favorite, "never actually finished the book" travelogue. I love the idea of it and in it, even if I have never actually finished, despite trying a few times.
Maybe I should just read it in chunks instead of straight through.
I have Alastair Humphrey's new book "Local: A Search for Nearby Nature and Wildness" sitting on my to-be-read stack. I enjoyed hearing him talk about his travels around the world on bicycle. This one is about exploring a single, local, map. I rather enjoyed his Microadventures book, though it is more of a how-to with examples, and less travelogue.
Dharma Bums is probably my favorite Kerouac novel, but it is based on his experience.
I like my travelogues in fiction — my husband Dave prefers nonfiction, so our recommendations on our Strong Sense of Place podcast always include both. If a novel has food/weather/architecture/culture as a character, I am IN. My two favorites are both by Elizabeth Kostova: The Historian (so many European countries in three time periods) and The Shadow Land (Bulgaria!).
But I also love some nonfiction. London: A Travel Guide Through Time by Matthew Green is written as a guidebook, rather than a history book. It presents ‘tours’ of neighborhoods and times — the age of Shakespeare, medieval city life, plague, coffee houses, the reign of Victoria, and the Blitz — with writing that engages all five senses.
Driving Over Lemons: An Optimist in Andalucia by Chris Stewart. Not so much a travelogue as a transition-longue. Stewart and his wife move to Spain from England after he is replaced by Phil Collins in the band Genesis. It's hilarious and poignant.
Bryson's A Walk in the Woods is terrific. Harkening back to movie adaptations, it was a terrible movie adaptation (though not a terrible movie - just far from great).
Never heard of Driving Over Lemons — I'll add to my list!
I love both of those :), Driving Over Lemons taught me a lot about Andalucia as well.
I haven’t read too many, but Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert was really good!
I've only ever mentally ridiculed that book, TBH, but I've read "Big Magic" and really enjoyed it. I should perhaps give EPL a shot!
If that’s where the mental ridicule is stemming from lol
I love Julia Roberts but I read the book first & realized it was not a great adaptation 😭
Such a great book. Huge inspiration to me as a memoir writer.
Riding the Iron Rooster by Paul Theroux! Began my lifelong interest in China.
Great book that was my first thought for an answer!
Theroux is a travelogue legend for a reason.
I have a penchant for reading travel guides as literature. I live in France and really enjoy reading the Michelin Guides on Europe (currently reading the guide to Provence). Also the Blue Book series and even Rick Steves can be very informative and entertaining to read.
Rick Steves! It's not an exaggeration to say that without the inspiration of Rick Steves, my husband and I would not live in Prague. He's always our first choice, and we always start our stay in a new city with his walking tours.
Same here! He’s definitely number one for new places!
I've only watched Rick Steves on PBS.. I'll have to give the books a shot. :)
Let them paddle by Alan Kesselheim.
Dangerous River by R.M. Patterson.
John Colter - His years in the Rockies by Byron Harris.
The Sun is a Compass by Caroline Van Hemert.
I haven't heard of any of those — I'll add 'em all to my list! Thanks!
I have to go From the Holy Mountain by William Dalrymple -> https://shepherd.com/book/from-the-holy-mountain
I read it in college and it made me realize I could do a similar journey and really sparked a travel/adventure bug in me. I am very thankful I found it.
And then all the Peter Heller books are fantastic. I've read all his China books and the latest one on Egypt as well -> https://shepherd.com/search/author/2643
Those Hessler books look fantastic — haven't heard of him! Thanks for sharing, Ben.
Ya they are fantastic! I wish he was still in China as I want a new one :). His wife has one called Factory Girls that is quite good too.
Some good ones mentioned here! I recently finished Paris to the Moon by Adam Gopnik. I loved it! It is about Gopnik, a journalist, who moves with his wife and young son to Paris from New York. It’s quite funny and an enjoyable read. Another favorite is A Year in Provence.
Haven't heard of it — thanks!
William Least Heat-Moon’s Blue Highways, PrairyErth (more of a deep map of a single county), and River-Horse
Lots of recs for Blue Highways! I'll have to check it out.
Blue Highways - William Least Heat Moon
McCarthy's Bar - Pete McCarthy
Travels With My Donkey - Tim Moore
Round Ireland With A Fridge - Tony Hawks
Last of the Donkey Pilgrims - Kevin O'Hara
I've not read any of those! Thanks for sharing!
So many great books here... I have to add my memoir, which, though not solely a travelogue, is, among other things, also a travelogue of sailing around Baja California's Sea of Cortez for a year in 1990. https://www.amazon.com/Honeymoon-Sea-Jennifer-Silva-Redmond-ebook/dp/B0CGDJ5ZN3/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_bdcrb_top?ie=UTF8
Oh how wonderful! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for this group!
Hobo by Eddy Joe Cotton. This is a book about riding the rails starting in the early nineties.
Rolling Nowhere by Ted Conover. More hobo adventures...
Blue Highways by William Least-Heat Moon. This is my favorite, "never actually finished the book" travelogue. I love the idea of it and in it, even if I have never actually finished, despite trying a few times.
Maybe I should just read it in chunks instead of straight through.
I have Alastair Humphrey's new book "Local: A Search for Nearby Nature and Wildness" sitting on my to-be-read stack. I enjoyed hearing him talk about his travels around the world on bicycle. This one is about exploring a single, local, map. I rather enjoyed his Microadventures book, though it is more of a how-to with examples, and less travelogue.
Dharma Bums is probably my favorite Kerouac novel, but it is based on his experience.
Happy rails & trails.
Great stuff, thanks Justin! I've read some Conover, but not that one. And I've read some Humphreys, but not that one. :)
Oh one more I read recently that I loved, Adam Shoalts did Beyond The Trees (https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Trees-Journey-Across-Canadas/dp/0735236836). Amazing story of him solo canoeing across Canada, the descriptions were amazing.
Awesome, I haven't heard of it!
I like my travelogues in fiction — my husband Dave prefers nonfiction, so our recommendations on our Strong Sense of Place podcast always include both. If a novel has food/weather/architecture/culture as a character, I am IN. My two favorites are both by Elizabeth Kostova: The Historian (so many European countries in three time periods) and The Shadow Land (Bulgaria!).
But I also love some nonfiction. London: A Travel Guide Through Time by Matthew Green is written as a guidebook, rather than a history book. It presents ‘tours’ of neighborhoods and times — the age of Shakespeare, medieval city life, plague, coffee houses, the reign of Victoria, and the Blitz — with writing that engages all five senses.
I knew you'd have a couple of good recommendations. :)
I had to reel myself in before it got too weird ;-) I could share such a ridiculously long list.
The Old Patagonian Express and the Great Indian Railway Bazaar by Paul Theroux were an unforgettable joy to read.
I’ve read a few travelogues; it’s been a while and looking at the comments I now want to get back to the genre.
Danziger’s Travels by Nick Danziger
Iron & Silk by Mark Salzman
One for the Road by Tony Horowitz
The Vintage Departures series of books has a vast array of travelogues.
Great recs, thank you!
It's hard to beat Bill Bryson. Modern classic.