Posted: 10/19/2018 | October 19th, 2018
I’ve been terrible this year when it comes to books. I started off with a reading bang, but writing my own book and planning TravelCon took up so much time that I must admit that I haven’t read a lot this year. By the end of the day, I just didn’t have the energy to process words. I used to read a book every week or so; this year, it’s sometimes taken me months to finish one.
I broke a habit — and now getting back into the flow again is proving tougher than I thought (though I am setting a specific time during my day to read again, so that’s good).
And that is why it’s been a long time since we had a “best travel books of the year” list. I’ve been asked for recommendations, but I just haven’t had many to give. However, I finished a few books in the last couple of weeks, so I finally feel I have enough suggestions to warrant a new post!
So here is a new post on my favorite books of 2018 (so far). There are a lot of non-travel books on this list, as I’m trying to expand my reading genres!
Dune, by Frank Herbert
I love the cheesy Syfy channel movies based on this book and finally decided to pick up this massive 800-page tome. The story centers around Paul Atreides and the desert planet Arrakis, one of the most important planets in the cosmos because it produces the “spice.” I couldn’t put this book down. It had character depth, intrigue, and action mixed in with philosophy and what it means to have power and lead a good life. I was hooked from the start.
Souvenir (Object Lessons), by Rolf Potts
From the author of the backpacking bible Vagabonding, this new book by Rolf Potts explores the hidden lives of ordinary things. Potts goes back several millennia to examine the relic-driven journeys of Christians as well as the gimmicky souvenirs you’ll find at any shop in any tourist destination. It’s a small, easy read that is a great treatise on why we buy the things we do when we travel.
Conspiracy, by Ryan Holiday
This is a real-life story of how Gawker outed PayPal founder and billionaire investor Peter Thiel as gay and how, seeking revenge, Thiel helped fund the Hulk Hogan lawsuit that, in the end, brought down the Gawker empire. Featuring interviews with all the key players, this book is a fascinating and sometimes scary read about how one man can bring down an empire, ego, and the nature of conspiracies.
Tip of the Iceberg, by Mark Adams
Back in 1899, Edward H. Harriman (a rich railroad magnate) converted a steamship into a luxury cruise for some of America’s best scientists and writers and embarked on a summer voyage around Alaska. Now, author Mark Adams retraces that expedition, traveling over 3,000 miles along the coast of the state. Mark is one of my favorite writers, and this book is very reminiscent of Turn Right at Machu Picchu. Mark brings insight into the people, history, and culture of the state in a way he did with his other book.
The Black Penguin, by Andrew Evans
Andrew Evans’s life was laid out for him: church, mission, university, marriage, and children. But as a gay kid stuck in rural Ohio, he escaped to the pages of Nat Geo (which he now works for). After being shunned by his family, Evans set out on an overland journey halfway around the world. This is the story about his 12,000-mile journey over mountains and through deserts and jungles until he eventually reaches his ultimate goal: Antarctica. This is a really beautiful read that touches on faith, family, and self.
Atomic Habits, by James Clear
Not travel related, but Atomic Habits gives you a solid framework for improving yourself every single day. In this book, Clear discusses habit formation and reveals strategies that will teach you how forming good new habits will break the bad ones. As he says: “If you’re having trouble changing your habits, the problem isn’t you. The problem is your system.” James is an amazing writer and person, and I was super excited to get my hands on his book when it came out!
The Fish That Ate the Whale, by Rich Cohen
This is the true story of Samuel Zemurray, a self-made banana seller who went from a roadside peddler to kingmaker and capitalist revolutionary. When Zemurray showed up in America in 1891, he was penniless. By the time he died 69 years later, he was one of the richest men in the world. It’s a fascinating story of the kind of Gilded Age capitalism that doesn’t exist anymore (for good reason) and will give you a new look at the whole sordid nature of the banana industry.
Why the Dutch Are Different, by Ben Coates
Ben Coates got stranded at Schiphol Airport, where he called a Dutch girl he’d met a few months earlier and asked if he could stay over the night. He never left. Fascinated by his adopted home, this is a travel book wrapped in a history book wrapped in a memoir. It’s also a look at modern Dutch culture and society, as well as how it got that way and what the future holds for the country. It’s one of the better books on the Netherlands I’ve read!
Rediscovering Travel, by Seth Kugel
Former New York Times Frugal Traveler columnist Seth Kugel is one of the world’s best travel writers. In this book, Kugel challenges the lack of spontaneity in adventure in today’s world because of all the websites (like this one) out there that allow people to plan everything down to a T instead of letting travel just happen. It’s a collection of amusing stories designed to inspire you to be a little less shackled to technology on your next trip! I got to read it before it came out. It’s good! Pre-order it!
The Dutch Wife, by Ellen Keith
In 1943, Marijke de Graaf is sent from Amsterdam to a concentration camp in Germany with her husband, where she faces a choice: death, or join the camp’s brothel. It is there she encounters SS officer Karl Müller. Keith’s ability to seamlessly combine different timelines and narratives as well as paint the emotions that come from tough choices is superb (and why this book topped the Canadian best-seller lists when it came out!).
Blackout, by Sarah Hepola
Ever blacked out so hard from drinking that you forgot hours of your evening? This was Sarah Hepola’s life, during a time where she spent most evenings at fancy parties and dark bars until last call. This self-reflective and poignant book about the causes of her alcoholism, the effect it had on her life and the lives of her friends, and Hepola’s rediscovery of herself is a touching book that will make you think about the negative habits in your life — and how you might be able to break them.
So there you are! Those are my favorite books of the year so far. I know there are a few months left to go before the year is over. But for now, enjoy these good reads. I’m hoping to go on vacation later this month with a pile of books, so leave your suggestions in the comments, as I’m always looking for a good travel book!
For more of my favorite books, check out these other posts:
There’s nothing more inspirational than a well-written travel book. It can fill you with awe, wonder, and wanderlust. Books make those 10-hour bus rides through Laos more bearable. They get us excited for new destinations and can change our world view.
This book tells the true story of Thomas McFadden and his time in Bolivia’s San Pedro prison. McFadden was an English drug trafficker who ended up in jail after an official he was bribing double-crossed him. In the book, you learn about life in a prison where inmates bought their own cells (which created a huge class system), made their own drugs (to be sold on the streets), bribed cops, and developed an economy filled with shops, elected officials, and neighborhoods. Rich prisoners were even allowed to leave with a prison escort. McFadden also started leading tours through the prison during his incarceration (they even ended up in Lonely Planet) to backpackers (who for the right price could also stay the night).
Before Anthony Bourdain roamed the world without reservations or to places unknown, he was a chef clawing his way through the kitchens of New York City. This book (his first) is a very well written insider’s account of the restaurant industry. True to form, Bourdain is crass and vulgar, and he doesn’t hold anything back. You learn about the drug use in kitchens, the fast pace and dog-eat-dog world of the restaurant business, staff loyalty to chefs (kitchen staff follow the chefs they like), and why there are some foods you should just never order. I’m a huge fan of Anthony Bourdain and I always enjoy his work, so it was nice to read about his rise to fame. This book was a very fun and interesting read. You’ll never look at restaurants the same way again.
While this book has nothing to do with travel, it is a wonderfully researched account of how we form habits. Why do we do what we do? Are we hard-wired to repeat habits, even when they are bad? How do we break bad habits and form good ones? This best-selling book discusses how we form habits and gives specific strategies about how to break bad habits and start good ones. This book definitely made me rethink many of my habits and is part of the reason why I decided to read more. (For example, I replaced my before-bed TV catch-up time with reading time!)
I became friends with James Altucher a few years ago at a mastermind conference I was speaking at in Toronto. His book is about how the new economy has made it easier for people to become their own bosses and put their happiness first. The old economy is rigged, he says. Companies treat workers like an expense, won’t rehire in the new era since the financial crisis, and provide very little opportunity for financial independence. From tips on starting your own business to advice on picking up a new skill or just figuring out what makes you happy and doing more of that, Choose Yourself is an uplifting book with practical resources for taking control of your life.
This book recounts Adams’s tale of roughing it through Peru in search of little-visited Inca ruins and ancient cities with a surly Indiana Jones-type Australian guide. While most tourists stick to Machu Picchu and the Inca Trail, Adams goes everywhere else, tracing the Incas’ flight into the Andes Mountains after the Spanish invaded their empire. He discovers just how much there is to see in Peru that tourists never visit. In a country filled with Inca ruins, many are still unexcavated and have few tourists. It’s one of best-written tales I read last year and opened me up to a whole new understanding of the Incas. There was a lot about Peru I didn’t know, and now I’m even more excited to visit the country someday, follow Adams’s footsteps, and get off the beaten path! I highly recommend you pick this book up.
Journalist Sarah MacDonald writes about her experience moving to India to follow her boyfriend, despite vowing never to return after a visit a few years before (she hated India after her first visit). The book is well written and funny, and features amazing insights into Indian culture and its differences from the West. From family, marriage, and dating to class breakdowns, Sarah shares a lot about her time in the country. In a way, it’s the classic fish-out-of-water tale, but it reminded me of my own experience living in Thailand and having to adapt to Thai culture. I couldn’t put this book down and enjoyed her account of culture shock and how India broke down her preconceived notions of Western versus Indian values. It allowed her to appreciate the best of both worlds.
I first read this book when it came out in 2003, but after recently rummaging through my book collection at my parents’ house, I picked it up again. The book follows the story of Amir, a wealthy Afghan kid who escapes with his family during the Soviet invasion, grows up in America, and eventually goes back to Afghanistan during Taliban rule to save his friend’s son. Though I read it many years ago, it remains one of my favorite books of all time. Re-reading it made me realize why it was such a phenomenon — it’s beautifully and vividly written with strong characters and a powerful story about grief, guilt, and redemption. Hosseini’s follow up, A Thousand Splendid Suns, is just as powerful. If you’ve never read his works, do so.
While dense, this book was surprisingly incredibly fascinating. It traces the history of salt and its importance to civilization, ancient empires, and world exploration. It’s filled with quirky facts that make you realize how much of our world was influenced by salt. For example, to be “worth one’s salt” means to be worth one’s pay: the word “salary” comes from the Latin word for salt (sal). Ancient Romans and soldiers were often paid in salt since it was so valuable. Salt was recommended to me by a number of my friends, and it was one of the most fascinating books I read last year. It’s important to know about the world — you can’t understand a place if you don’t understand its past, and this book will explain a lot of the past to you.
This book is always on my “top reads” list. A story about following your dreams, this is one of the most widely read books in recent history. It follows a young shepherd boy traveling from Spain to Egypt after he has a dream telling him he needs to get to Egypt. Along the way, he meets interesting people, learns to follow his heart, go with the flow, and discovers love and the meaning of life. The book is filled with wonderful and inspirational quotes. My favorite is, “If you can concentrate always on the present, you’ll be a happy man…Life will be a party for you, a grand festival, because life is the moment we’re living right now.” A book about following your dreams is perfect for travelers because we certainly are dreamers. I’ve read this book multiple times — it always inspires me to enjoy life and dream more.
Originally published in 1974, this book has been a classic hit since its release and was a long overdue read for me. I’ve heard people talk about it for years, and it’s highly recommended by Tim Ferriss, another voracious reader I respect. The book follows a father and his young son during a summer motorcycle trip across America’s Northwest. The tale addresses love, growth, discovery, and the meaning of existence. It is one of those deep books that uses travel as a backdrop to make us question why we do what we do, what makes us happy, and how we can be happier. Like The Alchemist, this is an uplifting and inspirational story that makes you want to turn your dreams into a reality. It makes you want to get out there and explore the world, and that’s a message I can always get behind!
This book (which inspired the excellent movie of the same name) follows Christopher McCandless after he graduates from college, donates his savings to charity, and sets off across the United States in search of a deeper meaning to life. Sadly, he was found dead by hikers in Alaska after mistakenly eating the wrong type of berries. Not much is known is about his time on the road as McCandless used an alias (Alexander Supertramp) while traveling. Krakauer tries to fill in the blanks by using McCandless’s diary and interviewing the few people he met on the road. Despite the tragic ending, I find this an inspirational story about breaking the mold, following your dreams, and trying to live a more meaningful life.
I like all books about people who fall in love with Paris, so when this came up in Amazon as a suggested read, I immediately bought it and wasn’t disappointed. Sarah Turnbull’s visit to the City of Light was supposed to last a week, but she ends up staying permanently with the guy she had traveled to Paris to visit (Paris has that effect on people). This book follows Turnbull’s life in the city as she navigates the highs and lows of trying to fit into a foreign culture while slowly falling more and more in love with it. Its a fish-out-of-water tale and clichéd at many times, but it offers lessons on embracing life in a foreign culture that will never really accept you as one of its own. Funny and witty, I found it to be a fun pager turner.