9 Dreamy, Travel-Themed Books To Transport You Away
With most of the world on lockdown and travel nothing more than a distant dream, why don’t you disappear into these worlds for a little bit?
With most of the world on lockdown, a lot of people’s travel plans have been postponed or canceled. These are fraught times to even think about stepping outside one’s home. From Nick Joaquin and Carmen Nakpil’s beloved Manila, to the cobbled streets of Paris, here are nine travel-themed books and memoirs to transport you to dreamy and wonderful lands and worlds where the threat of a pandemic isn’t waging outside your door.
9 Dreamy, Travel-Themed Books
9 Dreamy, Travel-Themed Books
A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle
Peter Mayle’s ‘A Year in Provence’ is a 1989 bestselling memoir about the author’s first year in the idyllic region of Provence in France. He moves into a 200-year-old stone farmhouse in Lubéron with his wife and their two dogs, and he must deal with the region’s weather and unruly workers, while he indulges and delights in the area’s famed cuisine. ‘A Year in Provence’ allows readers to live “at a tempo governed by seasons, not days,” as the chapters follow months of the year.
Where I Was From by Joan Didion
A native of California, journalist and memoirist Joan Didion writes of Californian soils and cultural movements, from its physicality to the people who inhabit it. ‘Where I Was From’ combines family memoir with social history, and, of course, reportage—it wouldn’t be a Didion book without it—all against the backdrop of sunny, dry California.
Before Ever After by Samantha Sotto
In ‘Before Ever After,’ a widow named Shelley receives word that her husband Max, who has been dead for three years, is actually alive. This revelation brings her all across the cobbled streets of Europe, from France, to Austria, to Italy, as she tries to piece together the story of who her husband was.
Myself, Elsewhere by Carmen Guerrero Nakpil
In the first installment of the late Carmen Guerrero Nakpil’s memoir trilogy, she talks about her early life in pre-war Ermita, during the American occupation. She regales her readers with descriptions of the Manila that once was—the Manila our grandfathers and grandmothers had before its ruination and destruction. She talks of Dewey Boulevard before it became Roxas and her ancestral home on Calle Mabini. Of course, being a memoir, ‘Myself, Elsewhere’ also talks a lot about Carmen’s growing years, her transition from girlhood to adulthood, and the deadly war that had destroyed Manila—and Manileños—for good.
Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trailby Cheryl Strayed
After her mother’s death and the collapse of her marriage, the author, in her mid-20s, hiked the Pacific Crest Trail—alone—in an attempt to find herself. ‘Wild,’ told with equal parts suspense, humor, and warmth, tells the story of a woman determined to heal herself, however long it may take and however hard it may be.
The Art of Travel by Alain de Botton
Rather than where, Alain de Botton talks about how and why we should travel. ‘The Art of Travel’ is a collection of essays, reminding readers of important things to remember when journeying and travelling. He talks about airports, museums, holiday romances, and so much more, daring to ask “what the point of travel might be.”
Twisted Travels by Jessica Zafra
In 2008, Jessica Zafra, the author of the ‘Twisted’ series, came out with a collection of travel essays. But of course, the travel logs of this no-nonsense cat-loving writer are nowhere near typical—nothing about her is, after all. She lets her readers join her in her travels in ways that many travel books don’t: in ‘Twisted Travels,’ she talks about her adventures and misadventures (mostly the latter) in Utah, Venice, and Singapore… and so much more.
A Field Guide To Getting Lost by Rebecca Solnit
In 'A Field Guide to Getting Lost,' Rebecca Solnit draws from her personal life to explore “the issues of wandering, being lost, and the uses of the unknown,” as she takes readers on a journey along with her across deserts, forests, mountains, and cities, examined through literature, music, and—most of all—art.
Manila, My Manila by Nick Joaquin
Nick Joaquin has always loved Manila. Much of his works and masterpieces have his beloved city more than just a setting—they are, more often than not, his protagonists. ‘Manila, My Manila’ is no exception. In it, dear old Nick sings of Manila and captures it heart and soul, written in a way that is entirely accessible to the youth, as its first edition was distributed exclusively to the schools that inhabited the city. If, like me, you’ve always had a fascination and a deep love for Manila, then this book is for you.
Photos from Amazon and artbooks.ph (Myself, Elsewhere).
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