Last Wednesday I posted “Wanderlust- Movies That Inspire Travel”, and it got a lot of views and let’s face it, as much as I wish I could, I won’t be able to take a trip every week, so this will allow me to blog about travel in a different way! So welcome to week two of “Wanderlust Wednesday”! This week is 5 books that inspire travel!
Holy Cow: An Indian Adventure by Sarah Macdonald.
Ok, this is one of those many instances in life where you do not, I repeat, DO NOT, judge a book by its cover! I have had a desire to travel to India since I was about 16 years old, and when I was 18 I found this book and sat it back down three times before I finally broke down and bought it (because of the cover). I love this book because it gives a real and genuine version of her time in India. It isn’t all happy, pretty things. She has a breakdown or two and I love that about this! It ties in my three loves in life: Anthropology, Religion and Travel. However this book should come with a warning: you will want to go to India!
My Life in France by Julia Child (With Alex Prud’homme)
This book makes me not only want to return to France for the beautiful sites and regions that Julia describes, but it literally makes you want to go back in time and live in Paris in the 40’s. This book, besides being totally adorable because her and her husband were crazy about each other, will draw you into France with her beautiful descriptions and her husband Paul’s beautiful photography!
The Garden of Eden by Ernest Hemmingway
This is my favorite Hemmingway that I’ve read so far. It’s set in Cote d’Azur (or the French Riviera), and it’s a different love-story about a couple honeymooning, when through some strange events end up falling in love with the same woman. During this story they describe the towns, the lifestyle, the food, the drinks, the beaches, and it leaves you wanting to sip absinthe in the French Rivera with the Bournes.
The Little House Series by Laura Ingalls Wilder
This series influenced my childhood a lot. Every time my family took a road trip anywhere my parents would help me look up on maps how close we would be to a Laura Ingalls Wilder home or museum, and if it was an hour or less away we would go. These books are so descriptive of life in the past of my own country, and the way it made my imagination work as a little, little girl is amazing. I would play and daydream about the Big Woods with bears and maple candy, and about Laura walking through the prairies and riding horses. Let’s just say I made it to quite a few Laura Ingalls Wilder sites.
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
I saved the best for last. This book has given me the greatest desire to go anywhere that anything ever has. This book is set in Scotland, and it’s one that when you try to describe it to someone you feel silly, because it involves time-travel, and other mythical-ish things, but I am obsessed with these books, and now Scotland. It’s a little of everything from historical fiction, to fantasy, to romance. My mom and I are planning a long trip to Scotland where we will both be trying to travel through stone circles, and fighting for a sexy Scottish man named Jamie Fraser. Everything about this book will make you fall in love with all things Scottish! Seriously! P.s. It’s part of a series, and they’re all amazing!
Thanks for reading, and as always I would LOVE to hear about books, movies, art or anything else that has made you want to travel! Also, let me know if you have or do read any of these and tell me what you think! Have a great Wednesday!
*All Photos and links are from Amazon.com
8 Comments
bagnidilucca
June 22, 2011 at 4:01 pmI loved Holy Cow. I think I need to read it again. I read it not long after I had been to India and thought her observations were excellent.
ashleypaige4
June 22, 2011 at 4:20 pmI can’t wait to actually get to go and experience it! I’m glad that it’s true to real experiences!
Have you read anything on Italy that made you fall in love with it?
bagnidilucca
June 29, 2011 at 8:24 pmI have read lots of books on Italy that i love. Italian Neighbours and An Italian Education by Tim White (I think) are hilarious accounts of life in Italy. He makes excellent observations in a very funny way. I’m not so keen on the romantic ones as they are generally too fictional. I read Under the Tuscan Sun when it first came out and liked it, but I don’t like her more recent books. I loathed Eat, Pray Love and thought it a load of trash. I have been to Italy, India and Bali and this was just cliched rubbish.
ashleypaige4
June 29, 2011 at 9:21 pmThanks for the comment! I’ll have to check those books out! I thought Under the Tuscan Sun was pretty good, and I also hated Eat, Pray, Love! I didn’t believe much of it, especially since she was paid to go on these trips, they weren’t organic experiences, she knew she was going to be writing a book. I was really disappointed; glad I wasn’t alone. 🙂
abu zar
August 19, 2011 at 4:03 pmneat collection : also check out Motorcycle diaries (the spanish version if you can)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Motorcycle_Diaries_(film)
ashleypaige4
August 20, 2011 at 8:47 amI’ll definitely have to do that! I watched the movie, and wanted to read the book, but kind-of forgot about it! Thanks for the suggestion!
greenpete58
September 26, 2013 at 11:29 amThanks for liking my post about my hike on the Appalachian Trail. I really like your blog. Here are some books that inspired me to travel:
“On the Road” by Jack Kerouac: I read it in college, then after graduation I spent a year and a half traveling America
“Walking With the Wild Wind” by Walkin’ Jim Stoltz: inspired me to throw on a backpack and hike the Appalachian Trail
“Rascal” by Sterling North: about a boy and his pet raccoon, it’s set in 1918 in rural Wisconsin and inspired me to visit both the town and state
Thanks again!
ashleypaige4
September 28, 2013 at 11:54 pmThanks for the recommendations! I just wrote them all down in my journal to check out! I listened to ‘On the Road’ while on a road trip, but I think I need to re-read it. Thanks for returning the favor and checking out my blog!