FUNNY TRAVEL BOOKS

The reality of travel often leads to problems: unexpected schedule changes, delays, getting lost, eating strange foods, and facing unfamiliar cultural situations.  Keeping a sense of humor is essential, and it is especially helpful to be able to laugh at one’s self.  Some of our favorite travel writers have a true gift for finding humor in any situation, making funny travel books an important category of travel literature.  Two of the world’s most popular current travel writers, Bill Bryson and Paul Theroux, epitomize this type of writing with a dry, intelligent and often self-deprecating style.  We have read and can recommend almost every travel book ever published by both writers, starting with The Great Railway Bazaar by Theroux and A Walk in the Woods by Bryson.  Other lesser known but similarly funny British authors include Redmond O’Hanlon, A.A. Gill and Richard Grant, all known for not taking themselves seriously even in the most extreme and serious situations.  Grant’s book Dispatches from Pluto, describing his experience living in rural Mississippi is hilarious.  J. Maarten Troost has a couple humorous travel books starting with The Sex Lives of Cannibals, the story of his move with his girlfriend to a remote tropical island. Here are our recommendations on fifteen of the funniest travel books.

THE TRAVEL WRITER MOST LIKELY TO MAKE YOU LAUGH - BILL BRYSON

One of our favorite writers is the hilarious Bill Bryson.  Born in Iowa in the 1950s, Bryson brings a friendly and curious perspective to his observations about the world.  His trip are usually several months long, with a narrative that describes the characters he meets along the way, the history of the region, and usually a trip or three to the local pub.  He is especially funny when grumpy or self-deprecating, and that is most of the time.  His most notable travel books cover trips across Europe, the United Kingdom, Australia, and an attempted hike of the Appalachian Trail.  Learn more here about Bill Bryson.

A5 RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE FUNNIEST TRAVEL BOOKS

Trawler, by Redmond O'Hanlon

While not necessarily a travel book, we highly recommend Scottish professor’s book Trawler, describing his experience as an honorary passenger on a fishing boat in the highly dangerous waters north of Scotland.  See more.

The Sex Lives of Cannibals, by J. Maarten Troost

Sex Lives of Cannibals is a travel book by J. Maarten Troost, a young man who moves with his wife across the world to a remote island in the Pacific, and to a new life that isn’t what the island paradise he expected to find.  See more.

Catfish & Mandala, by Andrew X. Fam

Catfish and Mandala is a touching and sometimes funny memoir of the author’s decision to quit his job, sell his possessions, and set off on bicycle to a journey to visit his native country of Vietnam.  See more.

Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls, by David Sedaris

David Sedaris is a best-selling author and popular speaker, best known for hilarious collections of writing with commentaries on everyday life.  Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls covers several funny stories from his travels.  See more.

Riding the Iron Rooster, by Paul Theroux

Paul Theroux is in our opinion one of the world’s best travel writers, very much for his funny observations on local people and cultures.  We like virtually all his travelogues.  One of our favorite books is Riding the Iron Rooster, the acclaimed account of his train trip across China in the 1980s.  See more.

Holidays in Hell, by P.J. O'Rourke

Holidays in Hell is a collection of funny stories from foreign correspondent P.J. O’Rourke sharing his experience visiting some of the world’s truly worst places, usually in dangerous times of conflict.  See more.

Round Ireland with a Fridge, by Tony Hawks

Round Ireland with a Fridge is exactly what it sounds like, a comedian who upon losing a bet after some drinks at the pub is forced to travel around Ireland carrying a small refrigerator.  The concept sounds a little like a corny way to get attention, but the book grows on you, especially as the Irish people start to get on board to support the endeavor.  See more.

Out of Sheer Rage, by Geoff Dyer

Out of Sheer Rage is a humorous book about Geoff Dyer’s unsuccessful attempt to write a book about the English poet D.H. Lawrence.  His motivation was to travel to various places where Lawrence lived, providing him the distraction he really was looking for.  See more.

AA Gill is away, by AA Gill

The late A.A. Gill was a Scottish writer and critic, known best for his writing on travel, food and popular culture.  His best-known travel book is called A.A. Gill is Away, his witty and perceptive collection of travel writing.  See more.

Road Fever, by Tim Cahill

Road Fever is a funny high-speed travelogue by adventure travel writer on long-distance racing, and the road trip that he and a friend made from the southern tip of South America to the north of Alaska, in a record setting time.  See more.

A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again, by David Foster Wallace

David Foster Wallace was a noted American author and writer, most famous for his celebrated novel Infinite Jest.  We recommend his collection of writing, A Supposedly Fun thing I’ll Never Do Again, primarily for his hilarious essay on his experience cruising.  See more.

By the Seat of My Pants, edited by Don George

By the Seat of My Pants is a collection of humorous travel writing, as selected by Don George on behalf of Lonely Planet.  The book is a light but worthwhile read for those who love to travel  See more.

Around the World in Eighty Days, with Michael Palin

In 1987 the BBC created a television series inspired by Jules Verne’s classic story Around the World in 80 Days, with the show hosted by the comedian Michael Palin who attempted to make the same trip.  The book chronicling his journey.  The accompanying book is both interesting and funny.  See more.

Shopping for Buddhas, by Jeff Greenwald

Shopping for Buddhas is the story of Jeff Greenwald’s funny and relatable pursuit to find the perfect Buddha statue while traveling through in Nepal.  His shopping adventure does introduce him to the real Nepal, making this a compelling travelogue and a good read for anyone visiting this part of the world.  See more.

Westward Ha!, by S.J. Perelman

One of the classics in travel literature is Westward Ha!, the 1948 collection of articles from American humorist S.J. Perelman.  Prepare for an onslaught of clichés and unfiltered accounts of the best and worst of his travel adventures.  See more.

OTHER RELATED RECOMMENDATIONS

Mark Twain

One of the funniest travel writers ever, even when read today, is the celebrated Mark Twain.  Best known for fictional characters like Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn, Twain has written several excellent travelogues.  Our favorite and his best known is The Innocents Abroad, the account of a five month journey along the Mediterranean.  See our list of recommended travel books from Mark Twain.