THE BEST TRAVEL NOVELS

One of our favorite categories of travel books is the travel novel.  The definition of a travel novel can be relatively broad, but the most common form is a fictional book where a location setting is an essential part of the story.  Travel novels are often the perfect inspiration for places to visit someday.  Some of the best examples include Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises (Spain), The Beach (Thailand), Shantaram (India), Memoirs of a Geisha (Japan), and Paul Bowles’ famous novel The Sheltering Sky (North Africa).  Historical fiction is an easy and enjoyable way to learn about the spirit of a place and time.  Books like James Michener’s Hawaii and Edmund Rutherfurd’s London bring an authentic perspective that not even the best guidebooks can.  A travel novel in our definition can also share the story of a life-changing journey, planned or unplanned, like What is the What, Dave Eggers' book about a Sudanese refugee’s experience in the United States.  And sometimes, a travel novel can simply be something entertaining to enjoy while traveling.  A meaningful journey often requires patience, with long flights and train rides, unexpected delays, and long open blocks of free time.  A good book on a good trip is essential, a perfect opportunity to disconnect from the realities of daily pressures and to escape the allure of the television.  It is no surprise that most people who love travel also love to read.  Our selection of the books listed here may not be all be fairly classified as travel literature, but these are all books we love. Here are our recommendations on the best travel novels.

A5 RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE BEST TRAVEL NOVELS

The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho

The Alchemist by Paulo Coehlo is one of the most popular fictional novels ever, capturing the imagination of millions with an uplifting story of a shepherd boy named Santiago who travels to exotic lands to find his fortune, and his fate.  Be swept away by the universal message of hope, love, and the power of following one's heart.

The Sheltering Sky, by Paul Bowles

Paul Bowles’ signature novel The Sheltering Sky is a story about three Americans aimlessly traveling in North Africa, struggling with post-war despair and disillusionment.  It is a captivating story, deeply influenced by the environment of the region.  This story will leave you spellbound with its rich portrayal of the human experience and its visceral connection to the world around us.

Shantaram, by Gregory David Roberts

Looking for an incredibly entertaining book that you can’t put down?  We recommend Shantaram, the epic story of an Australian convict who escapes to the slums of Bombay and creates a whole new world for himself.  Follow his journey through bustling streets, a dangerous world of mafias, and unexpected romances. This action-packed book will have you hooked from the very first page and leave you breathless until the very end. 

The Sun Also Rises, by Ernest Hemingway

Ernest Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises is a classic novel set in post-war Europe about a group of disillusioned American expat friends who travel to Pamplona for the famous San Fermin festival for a few days of adventures – both heartwarming and heartbreaking.  Don't miss out on this unforgettable story that captures a bygone era with stunning artistry.

The Time Traveler's Wife, by Audrey Niffenegger

The Time Traveler’s Wife tells the story of a couple trying to manage a relationship and life, despite the husband’s captivating struggle with Chrono-Displacement Disorder, an affliction that periodically transports him through time, making their love story a saga woven with mystery, uncertainty and a tinge of magic. 

The Martian, by Andy Weir

The Martian is the spell-binding fictional story of Mark Watney, an American astronaut accidentally abandoned on Mars and his quest to stay alive while his crew and country frantically scramble to figure out how to save him.  Yes, it is a good movie, but it was a really great book first.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, by J.K. Rowling

While maybe not a pure travel book, we highly recommend Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone both in general and for someone planning a trip to the United Kingdom.  The now legendary adventures of the most world’s most famous boy wizard are enhanced by the iconic settings of London and the English countryside.

The Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinbeck

John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath is a 1939 Pulitzer Prize winning novel about a desperate family forced to migrate to California to look for food.  The book is a classic in American literature for its powerful depiction of the cruelty of the Great Depression and the impact on migrant farm workers.

The Beach, by Alex Garland

Written by Alex Garland, The Beach is the captivating story of a young backpacker in Thailand who discovers a secret and supposedly idyllic beach, inhabited by a group of international backpackers trying to find a utopian paradise.

Jonathan Livingston Seagull, by Richard Bach

Jonathan Livingston Seagull is a 1970 novella about an ambitious seagull who dreams of flying.  His novel idea to try to soar above and beyond make him an outcast with his community, but he continues to try, ultimately making his way toward a higher plane of existence.

The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien

The Hobbit is a fantasy novel by J.R.R. Tolkien about a home-loving hobbit who is pulled into a grand adventure involving a treasure, a cruel dragon, a partnership with elves and dwarves, and a mysterious and powerful ring.  This is a classic in children’s literature, but the quest can be enjoyed by all.

What is the What, by Dave Eggers

What is the What is a soulful and historically accurate novel by Dave Eggers on the experience of a “Lost Boys of Sudan” child soldier and refugee who migrated to the United States.  This is a great story by an excellent writer.

Memoirs of a Geisha, by Arthur Golden

Memoirs of a Geisha is the superbly written fictional narrative of Chiyo Sakomoto, a Japanese geisha working in Kyoto before and after World War II.  Author Arthur Golden provides an extremely realistic view into this world, at least partially based on the real life of one of the most famous geishas of that time.

The Prince of Tides, by Pat Conroy

The Prince of Tides is best-selling author Pat Conroy’s phenomenal novel about a family growing up in rural South Carolina.  The Low Country setting is almost a character in itself, providing just the right backdrop for this authentic and well-written American drama.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams

How could we not include a story that revolves around the galaxy’s best travel guide?  This silly science fiction book by Douglas Adams was adapted in 1979 from his radio series and is the first of six books in the (purposely misnamed) “trilogy”.

Life of Pi, by Yann Martel

Life of Pi is a simply brilliant fictional novel published in 2001 about a 16-year-old Indian kid who is adrift and lost in the middle of the Pacific Ocean on a small lifeboat, accompanied by some zoo animals including a 450-pound Bengal tiger.  Piscene (“Pi”) Molitor Patel is a curious kid who thinks deeply about religion at an early age, deciding to embrace Christianity, Hindu, and Islam all at once, and that spirituality affects his experience while lost at sea.  It is a symbolically rich story about survival and the ambiguity of truth.  And, the ending is just brilliant.

THE BEST IN HISTORICAL FICTION BOOKS

The Pillars of the Earth, by Ken Follett

Ready for an almost 1,000 page novel that is impossible to put down?  The Pillars of the Earth is a wonderfully suspenseful and action-packed historically accurate story of the building of a majestic Gothic cathedral in an English town in the 12th century.  This is probably Ken Follet’s most celebrated book, and for a good reason.

The Nightingale, by Kristin Hannah

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah is a powerful and inspiring novel that takes readers on a journey through the triumphs and hardships of two sisters living during the horrors of Nazi-occupied France during World War II.  The story is both heart-wrenching and heartwarming, a must-read for anyone who wants to be inspired by the resilience and courage of humanity, even in the darkest of times.

Hawaii, by James Michener

James Michener was a hugely popular American author of more than 40 books, with approximately 75m-100m copies sold, known for epic and meticulously researched novels covering the lives of many generations in a family, focusing on a specific geographic setting and telling the story of that region’s history through that generation.

London, by Edward Rutherfurd

Edward Rutherfurd is also known for historical fiction, with similarly epic novels covering very long periods of time.  James Michener was in fact one of his most important influences.  His first novel, Sarum (1987), covered a ten-thousand-year time span set in the area around Stonehenge and Salisbury, England, where he is from.  His other popular works include London, two books covering the history of Ireland, and several other New York Times best-selling similar novels on Russia, Paris, and New York.

Pompeii, by Robert Harris

Pompeii by Robert Harris is a fascinating fictional account of the few days before the tragic volcanic eruption of Mount Vesuvius that killed thousands in 79 AD.  The story revolves around the engineer Attilus who first senses a crisis with the enormous aqueduct that supports the area, amidst the mysterious rumblings coming from the mountain.  This is simply a remarkable story set in one of the world’s most influential civilizations, the Roman Empire.