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THE BEST TRAVEL BOOKS

A5 RECOMMENDATIONS - THE BEST TRAVEL BOOKS

When we walk into a bookstore, our first glance always goes to the notecards with special picks from the staff.  After careful consideration, here are our own top picks showcasing recommendations on the absolute best of the best in travel writing.  This selection includes some of the most popular travel books, some from different categories like adventure travel and funny travel books, a few of the ultimate classics in travel literature, some suggestions for kids, and a few rather obscure suggestions that might be hard to find on your own.  We hope you like it - happy reading!
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The Best Women's Travel Writing volume 12

We here at A5 Travel Books are very excited about the latest edition of The Best Women’s Travel Writing: True Stories From Around the World.  Edited by Lavinia Spalding and published by Traveler's Tales, this award-winning series of adventurous and insightful female wanderers is always good.  A great book simply for anyone who loves travel.
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Click here to learn more about The Best Women’s Travel Writing.

OUR TOP PICKS ON THE BEST OF THE BEST

A Walk in the Woods: Bill Bryson's wonderful recap of his hike along the Appalachian Trail.
The Great Railway Bazaar: The best known travel book from one of the best travel writers ever.
Humans of New York: The inspiring blog on everyday people, condensed into a superb book.
Into Thin Air: An amazing, eye-opening recount of the 1996 disaster at Mount Everest.
Travels with Charley: John Steinbeck's epic road trip across America with his poodle Charley.
In Xanadu: A college kid's hilarious quest to retrace the famed trip taken by Marco Polo to Xanadu.
Wild: Cheryl Strayed's life-changing challenge to find herself by hiking the Pacific Crest Trail.
In Patagonia: A masterful collection of stories on Chatwin’s exploration of Patagonia.
Under the Tuscan Sun: The story of an American woman's attempt to restore an old villa in Tuscany.
Catfish and Mandala: A touching and funny memoir of Andrew X Pham's return trip to his native country, post-war Vietnam.
The Innocents Abroad: Mark Twain's travelogue describing his "Great Pleasures Excursion" to Europe.
The Snow Leopard: An account of a two-month search in the Himalayas for the rare snow leopard.
Video Night in Kathmandu: A wonderful collection of stories on Pico Iyer's travels through Asia.
On the Road: Jack Kerouac's classic road trip and defining work of the post-war Beat generation.
Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper: A British woman learns to love China through its unique cuisine.
A Cook's Tour: Anthony Bourdain writes about the importance of food when discovering other cultures
The Geography of Bliss: A tour of the world studying the impact of geography on happiness.
Eat Pray Love: One woman's search for fulfillment across Italy, India and Indonesia.
A Long Way Home: A young boy's incredible journey from India to Australia, and back again.
Venice: ​One of Jan Morris' best travel books - a tribute to the history and beauty of Venice.
Dispatches from Pluto: Richard Grant's experience moving from NYC to a very rural part of Mississippi.
A Time of Gifts: A majestic journey in 1933 by foot from the Hook of Holland to Constantinople.
A Short Walk in the HIndu Kush: Eric Newby's understated adventure in Afghanistan.
Blue Highways: William Least Heat-Moon's road trip across the back roads of the United States.
Great Plains: Ian Frazier shares his love and appreciation for the history and beauty of the Great Plains.
Travels: The best selling author Michael Crichton shares his experiences in travel.
My Life on the Road: Famous activist Gloria Steinem shares the impact travel has had on her life and work.
Turn Right at Machu Picchu: Mark Adams's attempt to recreate the original expedition to find Machu Picchu.
My Life in France: The memoir by famed chef Julia Child, sharing how she discovered her passion for cooking.
Maiden Voyage: A troubled teenage girl becomes the youngest person at the time to sail around the world alone.

OTHER TOP  RECOMMENDED TRAVEL BOOKS


book cover for The Best American Travel Writing 2018

The Best American Travel Writing 2021

Those who love travel literature will love The Best American Travel Writing series,  the longest standing and most read collection of short-form travel writing with a new edition published every year.  Each book has a hand-picked selection of about 25 travel-related essays and short stories.  This year's book's selections are from noted writer Padma Lakshmi.  Previous editors include top travel writers like Bill Bryson and Paul Theroux.   Don't hesitate to read the older editions too; the series started in 2000, and there are some great timeless stories in each.  Click here to learn more about The Best American Travel Writing series.
book cover for The Travel Book by Lonely Planet

The Travel Book, by Lonely Planet

The world's leading publisher of travel guides, Lonely Planet, has published a number of general travel books, and our favorite is The Travel Book: A Journey Through Every Country in the World.  There truly is a section on every country, making this a book that curious readers will come back to again and again.  There are great photos, a few helpful maps, and plenty of interesting facts.  Makes for a perfect gift for someone who loves travel.  Click here to learn more about The Travel Book.
See reviews and prices for The Travel Book on Amazon
book cover for 1000 Places to See Before You Die

1,000 Places to See Before You Die

Your bucket list for travel will grow after reading 1,000 Places to See Before You Die, an amazingly deep list of some of the most interesting, and often hard-to-find, travel spots across the world.  One of the best researched travel book we have ever seen, and another great gift for avid travelers.  Click here to learn more about 1,000 Places.
See reviews and prices for 1,000 Places to See Before You Die on Amazon
three book collection of 36 Hours by the New York Times

36 Hours, from the New York Times

One of the best travel columns comes from the New York Times, a regular weekly feature called “36 Hours”.  Each article explains a recommended itinerary for someone who has a short weekend to explore a location for the first time.  These articles are now summarized into fantastic books, with one for the US & Canada, one for Europe, one for Latin America, and one for Asia & Oceania.  Click here to see our review of 36 Hours.
book cover for Destinations of a Lifetime

Destinations of a Lifetime:  225 of the World's Most Amazing Places

Destinations of a Lifetime is a collection of National Geographic’s most spectacular photography on 225 travel destinations around the world.  The images are both beautiful and inspiring, as one would expect coming from National Geographic.  This book is one of our top recommendations for coffee table books.  Click here to learn more about Destinations of a Lifetime.
book cover Atlas Obscura

Atlas Obscura

One of the latest travel books to appear front and center in many bookstores is Atlas Obscura, an encyclopedic-like list of the world’s most mysterious and marvelous wonders. It first was an online magazine focused on travel and exploration, and the book was very successfully spun off in 2016.  We particularly like the 40-year-old hole of fire in Turkmenistan called the Gates of Hell, the abandoned New York City subway station called City Hall Station, Japan’s amazing “Cat Island”, the bone museums in Italy, and San Francisco’s secret tiled staircase.  Click here to read our review on Atlas Obscura.
book cover for Oh, The Places You'll Go

Oh, the Places You'll Go!

Oh, the Places You'll Go! by Dr. Seuss is just a great children's book.  It is a travel book at heart, filled of course with the original vocabulary of Dr. Seuss at his best, and aimed at those taking off for new adventures and trying new things.  It is a fun and inspirational book, with quotes that will stay with you for a lifetime.  This was the last Dr. Seuss book every published.  Although perhaps best suited for ages 4-10, the book is very popular as a gift for students graduating from high school or college.  Click here to learn more about Oh, the Places You'll Go!
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