GREAT TRAVEL BOOKS BY GREAT WRITERS

Travel writing is a broad category, but it is interesting to see how many of the world's most recognized authors have written inspirational and amazing travel books.  And why not, what topic better provides a setting for the challenge and beauty of the human condition?  Here below is a list of some recommended travel books from some absolutely great writers.  

Ernest Hemingway

Mark Twain

John Steinbeck

Graham Greene (links to his book Journey Without Maps)

Dave Eggers

Robert Louis Stevenson (links to his book)

Michael Crichton (links to his book Travels)

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A5 TRAVEL BOOKS' RECOMMENDATIONS

Travels With Charley, by John Steinbeck

In 1960, John Steinbeck, one of America’s most celebrated authors, took a long road trip across the United States, accompanied by his illustrious French poodle Charley.  This was his chance to get back in touch with America, to explore the true breadth of landscapes and cultures, and to rediscover some of himself along the way.  It is an entertaining read, a great insight into the mind of a great American writer, and an interesting view into American life at that time.  Steinbeck's travel memoir is one of our top recommendations; click here to read our review of Travels with Charley.

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Green Hills of Africa, by Ernest Hemingway

Green Hills of Africa (1935) is a travelogue from Ernest Hemingway recounting a trip he took big-game hunting safari in East Africa.  The book is not his most famous or popular, but it does provide some real insight into the legendary writer’s character and personality, and into the motivations behind big game hunting.  Click here for our review of Green Hills of Africa.

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The Innocents Abroad, by Mark Twain

Mark Twain wrote several travel books including one of the most famous of all time, The Innocents Abroad, an extremely funny narrative of his 1869 voyage to Europe and the Middle East.  It was a long trip around the Mediterranean including an excursion by train to Paris and then back down through Italy.  Twain is at his best, making fun of the local people he meets and his fellow American travelers alike.  Highly recommended both for admirers of travel literature and of this amazing writer.  Click here for our review of The Innocents Abroad.

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Journey Without Maps, by Graham Greene

In 1935, the English novelist Graham Greene journeyed to Liberia to make a 350 mile walk into this remote part of Africa virtually untouched by Western civilization.  His travelogue provides a unique view into this hazardous region characterized by poverty and disease, but also of a native spirit of pride and tradition.  It was a treacherous trip; Greene got very sick along the way and almost died.  Click here to read our review of Journey Without Maps, one of the classics of travel writing. 

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Travels, by Michael Crichton

Michael Crichton is one of the most popular writers of all time, with many best-selling fictional novels, and several adaptations to television and movies.  Travel inspired him, as described in his memoir, appropriately named Travels.  The book details both his journey of self-discovery of his time as a medical student at Harvard and several of his trips to remote places around the world.  Click here for our review of Travels.

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What is the What, by Dave Eggers

What is the What is the “fictional autobiography” written by Dave Eggers telling the story of a Sudanese child refugee named Valentino Achak Deng who escapes to live in the United States.  Eggers chose to try to write the book on Deng’s behalf, in Deng’s voice.  It is a powerful depiction of what it really is like to be an immigrant, and a very hard book to put down.  Click here for our review of What is the What.

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Travels with a Donkey in the Cevennes, by Robert Louis Stevenson

While better known for adventurous fiction like Treasure Island and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Robert Louis Stevenson earlier his writing career wrote a travelogue called Travels with a Donkey in the Cevennes.  In a quest for adventure and new writing material, Stevenson took a 12 day hike through the Cevennes region in France, camping along the way.  It is a funny book, still suitable for modern readers.  Click here for our review of Travels with a Donkey in the Cevennes.  

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