There’s nothing quite like reading a book in the setting that it takes place. Cracking open Hemingway while walking in Spain, retiring to your campsite to read about the formation of the national parks, or reading a book about Chicago as your plane heads into O’Hare.
It helps give context to your trip, helps you learn new things about the places you’re going, and makes the stories come to live.
I love books, and I love travel. That’s why I created this site, to help readers find books about the places they’re traveling to make their adventures even more exciting.
A few years ago there was a fantastic online bookstore called Longitude Books that organized book recommendations geographically. Each time I’d plan a trip, I’d start by jumping over to their site to see what books to begin reading about the places I’d be visiting. I let a number of friends know about the site, but when a friend was planning a trip to Rome recently and I excited directed her to Longitude, and it was gone.
So, this site will operate as an opportunity to share my recommendations for some of my favorite books that pair well with travel. Some may be general travel books, some novels in which the setting plays a large role, and some may be interesting nonfiction about the history of the area.
The majority of these recommendations come from my personal library, but I might rely on a few friends opinions along the way. If you have a favorite book, reach out and let me know, and maybe I’ll feature your recommendations.
“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.”
St. Augustine