Love: Books About Travel

One of the best parts of summer is vacation. Whether for a long weekend or a whole week, there is nothing that compares with taking time off. The only thing that makes a vacation better, is if you have the chance to getaway. Whether to the beach, a new city, or some faraway land, there is something about traveling that helps us unplug from our lives. It gives our brains a break, and offers us a new perspective on life and the world.

To me, traveling is the best.

But, it isn’t every summer that we can getaway. Sometimes it is our job, other times it is the season our life is in. Whatever the reason, there are times we’re left to spend the hot days of summer, sitting in air conditioning, and scrolling through Instagram on our lunch break, looking at other people’s vacations. It is the worst.

Ironically though, I have found that one of my favorite ways of “getting away” when I can’t actually leave town, is through reading stories about other people’s travels. Even though it is vicarious and temporary, reading about other people’s experiences helps transport me to new places. And, helps me dream about where I’d like to go in the future.

For this reason, this month on the blog, I will be sharing with you some meaningful stories about places I have been in the past—as well as some affordable ideas for how to get away, even if only for a day. Today, to kick off our Month of Travel, I am sharing three books I LOVE that make me feel like I have been on vacation. So whether you are looking for a book to get lost in, or you’re actually away and looking for a beach read, here are a few ideas:

At Home In the World

If you’ve been following the blog for a few months, you know this book was on my summer reading list. It is one of the few I have gotten to, and it is fabulous. In At Home In the World, Tsh Oxenreider takes us on her nine-month trip around the world with her husband and three kids. From snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef, to walking on the Great Wall of China, to going on an African safari—reading this book will make you feel like you have been on a trip without having to deal with airport security. I highly recommend it!

Called Again

If you are missing the outdoors this summer, and you are looking for an adventure somewhat off the beaten path, Called Again by Jennifer Pharr Davis is just the book. Recounting her 46-day hike of the Appalachian Trail (2,181 miles)—in which she became the first woman to break the overall record of days to complete the trail—Davis takes us on her journey. With each page, you feel like you are on the AT—at times battling the weather, other times dealing with exhaustion, and even handling run-ins with the occasional wild animal. Never have I felt so riveted while reading a nonfiction book, and so inspired. It is fantastic.

A House In Fez

Not the typical travel memoir, A House In Fez shares the story of how Suzanna Clarke and her husband fell in love with the city of Fez, in Morocco—so much so that they decided to buy an old house there, and to restore it to its former glory. Though this book centers on the renovation of the house, it gives the reader so much more. Clarke takes us through the old streets of Fez, shares the history of the city, and gives an up close and personal look at what life is like for those living in Morocco today. This book is a beautiful sneak peak into a culture very different from our own.