I recently read Michael Crichton's Travels and John Steinbeck's Travels with Charley. I only read Crichton's book because I'm trying to read all his books, but I loved it so much, I'm exploring this new genre. I picked up Travels with Charley because I kinda like Steinbeck (and ended up loving the book), and just today I bought Paul Theroux's To the Ends of the Earth. I don't know if I'm sold yet on the genre, but we'll see where it goes.

How did the rest of you get into travel lit?

I would add Bill Bryson's travel books and Kerouac's On The Road to your list. I used to teach an English course on "The Great American Road Trip," and come across so many really great books in that genre. If you like Steinbeck and traveling, also take a look at Lamar Herrin's The Lies Boys Tell.

As for your question, two of my interests are literature and travel. After ten years of teaching and traveling, I am now a travel writer specializing in literary-based travel.

Cheers,

Todd Felton
www.redroom.com/author/robert-todd-felto...

like Todd said , Bryson's books on travel especially
A SUNBURNED COUNTRY (Australia) and ON THE ROAD (US) by Kerouac are great but I'm finding books like CITY OF FALLEN ANGELS (VENICE) and MONSTER OF FLORENCE give You a feel for the cities plus are good stories
even though not strictly travel literature

I wonder if I could add a shameless plug for my own travelogue that came out last year, Live from Jordan: Letters Home from My Journey Through the Middle East (www.benjaminorbach.com)?

Less than a year after the 9/11 attacks and during the war with Iraq, I moved to Jordan and then to Egypt to see if I could answer the questions that many Americans were left with after the attacks. I spent a year living in Amman and then Cairo and also traveling around the Middle East -- to Syria, Turkey, Israel, Palestine, Morocco, and Oman. I spoke with anyone who would speak back and tried to learn as much as I could about everyday people, their lives, their hopes, and their problems. At a period of time when anti-American feeling was peaking, I made a concerted effort to find out what people thought about America. My book traces my experiences through the letters that I sent home to family and friends in the United States who were watching the news with great concern and trying to figure out what it all meant.

Check it out, I'd be happy to hear what you think-

best,

Ben Orbach
author of Live from Jordan
www.benjaminorbach.com

Benjamin:

I read your book and LOVED it!!! It was humorous, informative and I could barely put it down. I recommend the book to lots of people.

Thanks, Hope-

I really appreciate the kind words -

Best,
Ben

I just read Round Ireland with a Fridge by Tony Hawks, and I loved it! :) Very funny and enjoyable read.

Larkin About Ireland by John Larkin and Sarah MacDonald's Holy Cow were my first forays into the genre. Amusing and honest, I enjoyed them immensely.

On another level, the Jetlag Travel Guides have been known to give me a good giggle too.

Similar to Benjamin's book, which I will add to my reading list, I'd recommend Rory Stewart's "The Places In Between." It's not a travel book as such, but it chronicles Stewart's walk across Afghanistan just after the overthrow of the Taliban. I know many have found it slow going, but I was engrossed by the narrative and found it a unique insight into today's Afghanistan, a place that most of us will never see.

I have read a few Rory Maclean's, and found them slow but rewarding.

I discovered an interesting book by Emily Post, By Motor to the Golden Gate. The book was written in 1916 and has now been reprinted. The style is somewhat dry but overall it is a fascinating look into the adventure that was automobile travel in the first decades of the past century.

Hello fellow Travel Literature Armchair Travelers!
Am enjoying Hammond's '100 Great Journeys' and think you may too. I know - it's more coffee table genre.
But many of the 100 Journeys will be familiar to Travel Literature and History readers. Those journeys that aren't familiar are food for new reading!
The format highlights a journey with map and photos - the 'Find out more' highlights books written about the journey. Have your heart beat faster when you find tales read and unread!
And for those travelers amongst us; take care wanderlust may set in!
Cheers

This may seem shameless self promotion but a couple of years ago I published a fun filled volume entitled The Big Book of car Culture. The is heavily illustrated book chronicled the rise of American car culture from the Model T to the Ford Mustang, the formation of Holiday Inn to McDonalds, and from the evolution of highway signs to the development of the crash test dummy.
While condcting research for the book I discovered a cornucopia of interesting facts and the history behind fascinating places such as Rock City, Wall Drug, Graceland.
As winter is fast approaching you might find this book an interesting way to while away those winter nights in front of the fire. It might also encourage you to plan some adventures for next spring.

"'Round Ireland with a Fridge" by Tony Hawks introduced me to the world of Travel Narratives, which I read almost exclusively. I used to devour newspapers and magazines and the occasional biography, but never really read books too much. That is until I read "'Round Ireland with a Fridge." Travel Narratives/Essays is the first section I head to in a book store. I still stick mostly to works of non-fiction, but I am ever expanding.

"The Clumsiest People in Europe" by Mrs. Mortimer. She was a Victorian writer of children's religious books and rarely left her home, yet became popular as a travel writer by reading the travel books of other writers and adding in what she pleased-which was mostly stereotypes and prejudices. Seriously, the woman disliked most of the human race to such an extent that it's hilarious.
The book was recently re-published with an introduction/warning about it's un-P.C. content.

Like Todd and Jim mentioned the books by Bryson are great. I also like Solomon Time - Adventures in the South Pacific by Will Randall. And I am interested in travels in former times. Marc Walter and Catherine Donzel published some interesting books but I am not sure whether they were translated into english or not.

I'm new to the group too. I began reading travel lit. because of my studies in 18th century British lit (when travel lit really took off) and also an interest in anything about Africa. But Bill Bryson has become a favorite of mine as well, esp. A Walk in the Woods. I also like Paul Theroux. But I'd have to say Jeff Tayler (yes, that's how it's spelled) and Michael Palin are my favorites. Tayler is sensitive and observant, and Michael Palin is, well, Michael Palin (nudge, nudge, wink, wink say no more). Recently read Fatu-Hiva, Thor Heyerdahl's first book and really liked it. I am looking forward to reading the group discussions.

I don't know that I would start out in travel lit with Theroux. He tends to have a negative perspective and it can get exhausting after awhile. Just my two cents. But if you find that you don't like Theroux's book, don't dismiss the whole genre. Someone else suggested Bryson, and that's where I would start.

I am just wondering if I am the only person in the world who does not care for the works of Bill Bryson. I have never been able to get more than 50 pages into a book of his without wanting to put it down forever. I don't know what it is exactly, but I can't stand his writing. Yet everytime someone asks for a travel narrative recommendation, it never fails that 8 out of 10 people recommend Bill Bryson. Am I the only one who doesn't like his writing?

I don't like all of Bryson. I never got into his travels across the Midwest and I found "Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid" shudderingly boring. I think he has a certain sarcastic sense of humor that can wear thin after a while.

Andrea/John -have either of You read Sunburned Country about Austrailia by Bryson?

I can't stand Ian McEwen who wrote Atonement which was made into a movie and many people like his work but I woulde rather work than read McEwen

I've got a copy of Sunburned Country, which I will try to at least dip into soon. I actually responded because I was one of many people who recommended Bryson, and then after reading John's comment reflected that my liking of him is selective. Haven't ever read Ian McEwen.

Sorry to recomment, but as I said above, I think "Walk In the Woods" ranks with my top ten-fifteen funniest books I've ever read.

John wrote: "I am just wondering if I am the only person in the world who does not care for the works of Bill Bryson. I have never been able to get more than 50 pages into a book of his without wanting to put ..."

I don't like everything he's written, but from my experience, most people find him to be easy to read, so I often suggest him to people who want to read travel lit for the first time. I think he has a nice balance between providing background info and his own observations. When an author does almost exclusively one or the other, it seems more likely that the book will be hit or miss. But a good balance of the two seems to appeal to most people.

A long while ago before he was so well known I read a Bryson book about Europe. I found him to be off-putting and very snobbish. After he became so popular, I've often wondered if I should give him another go. I am envious that there are so many of his books to choose from! Anyway, I've always really liked Tim Cahill. He has quite a selection of short stories, from ridiculous to chilling.

I read Bryson's In a Sunburned Country and Tony Horwitz's Blue Latitudes Boldly Going Where Captain Cook Has Gone Before at the same time and it was illuminating to see the differences in style and approach between the two. (While Horwitz is covering more than just Australia, there are definite points of intersection.)

In the end, I thought Horwitz's views were more perceptive.

Horwitz's newest, A Voyage Long and Strange Rediscovering the New World, is a great combination of travel and history.

I'm currently reading Paul Theroux's "Ghost Train to the Eastern Star." Some people refer to Theroux as "misanthropic" and I guess I don't get it. He doesn't like jerks, and he says so, but he has great sympathy for suffering and investigates the history and politics of the places he visits. Any comments from other Theroux readers?

James wrote: "I read Bryson's In a Sunburned Country and [a:Tony Horwitz|16541|Tony Horwitz|http://w..."

Liked Horwitz book a lot too

I don't know about "misanthropic," but I've only read part of one of his books. The chapter describing his visit to Vietnam I thought was poignant and instructive. I also liked his wry view of a Latin American futbol game.

In Riding the Iron Rooster, Theroux seems to spend an inordinate amount of time at one point denigrating his companions on the train. So, I'd say a little misanthropic--but usually I'm nodding along and laughing, too.

A book that I loved is "The Art of Travel" by Alain de Botton. The essays cover some philosophical aspects of travel and those who love to go.

GG Husak, author of Passeggiata
www.passeggiataitalia.com

GG - I took out the ART OF TRAVEL yesterday and am excited about reading it soon -thanks for the tip

It's amazing how reading about the philosophy/psychological/historical aspects of almost anything opens up a new way of seeing things and that's probably what I appreciate most about books

Books can take us places, and we don't have to get on a plane or in a car.
I wonder if even more people will be reading travel books now, if they are thinking of postponing some of their travel because of the uncertainty in the economy.

GG Husak

Passseggiata: Strolling through Italy
www.PasseggiataItalia.com

I enjoy reading travel books from the turn of the century when traveling seemed more leisurely. They can take you places that no longer exist and you can take your time getting there. I was forturnate that I have travelled a lot and now I enjoy traveling in my back yard with a good book.

Kari, could you suggest some titles?

The last book I read was Denatured Africa which was a humorous book about a Safari to Africa.
My personal favorites are women travellers. A good beginner book is Wilder Shores of Love by Lesley Blanch which includes Isabel Burton, Jane Digby El Mezrab, Aimee Dubucq De Rivery and Isabelle Eberhardt. I have a big long list of these if you are interested.

If you have particluar countries you are interested in I will be happy to recommend more.

I'm particularly interested in Africa (esp. East Africa but any part), as it happens, so I will check out some that you list.

I have not read a lot of African travel books but I did enjoy the one I just read. Most of the turn of century travel books are written about travel in Europe and the near and far east.

You might like Vivienne De Watteville "Speak to the Earth: Wanderings and Reflections Among Elephants and Mountains" written about her trip to Kenya in 1928 to study wildlife. I really liked it.

Thank you. I shall put that on my to read list. I have read all the Osa and Martin Johnson books which I really enjoyed.

GG wrote: "A book that I loved is "The Art of Travel" by Alain de Botton. The essays cover some philosophical aspects of travel and those who love to go.

I just finished THE ART OF TRAVEL and like GG loved it
great book about what we, various artists (Van Gogh, Hopper etc), poets (Wordsworth), writers (Ruskin), philosophers (Pascal, Nietszchie), adventurers can get from travel when it comes to not just seeing but noticing the place we travel as well as art

thanks to GG' recommendation, I find myself trying to notice as well as see the world around me

GG Husak, author of Passeggiata
www.passeggiatait..."

I finished "Musn't Grumble: In Search of England and the English" by Joe Bennett. He is an Englishman who has lived in NZ for 20 years, then returns to spend a couple of months trying to revisit the towns and villages written about by H.V. Morton, a travel writer of the 1920's. Bennett starts out cheerfully but becomes disillusioned as he finds more and more of Morton's Merry England has become run-down or turned into tourist attractions. I recommend the book because it's funny and Bennett takes the reader to parts of the country most visitors have no reason to visit.

Jim wrote: "GG wrote: "A book that I loved is "The Art of Travel" by Alain de Botton. The essays cover some philosophical aspects of travel and those who love to go.

I just finished THE ART OF TRAVEL and l..."

Jim, I'm glad you liked THE ART OF TRAVEL as much as I did.

GG Husak

www.passeggiataitalia.com

A general "armchair traveler" comment:
I wonder if these travel books are even more important in the present economic times of uncertainty.
A good travel book, nonfiction or fiction, can help us feel like we have experienced a foreign country, whether or not we can afford to make the trip.
Books really can take us to faraway places!

GG Husak

Author of Passeggiata
www.passeggiataitalia.com

"Travel Absurdities" is a book I wrote and was recently released. It is a humorous book about my travel and shows how even the most seasoned traveler can run into situations that are only funny later. It has 60 short stories that are light hearted, hopefully funny and showing others how culture shock can affect people, as well as the customs and oddities around the world. I hope my book will instill a desire to travel to widen others horizon. In today's economy one can travel with me through my stories and then recall some fond memorable times of their own or maybe the book will spark them to want to go out and see some interesting places that might be only a short drive away. I wrote it because I feel in today's world we all can use a chuckle or two.
My first, to my worst, air flight, traveling for 9 years in an RV, 26 countries, 23 cruises and 48 states give me a lot of material to share.

Penelope Riley
Author of Travel Absurdities
www.travelabsurdities.com

Just joined today. I'm such a Francophile I can't stop buying books on Provence. Maybe it's becoming a passe topic and or perhaps I've read all there is out there, but would appreciate any suggestions for recently released books that you liked.
Nancy B.

Welcome Nancy,

I was not familiar with Francophile so went to check it out. I have traveled extensively in Europe but not too much in France. I seem to go through there a lot, stay a few nights but Holland, Germany, Switz seem to be where I have my greatest knowledge. My daughter lives in England so I am sure during the next 6 years I will become quite versed in that country as well.
Do you travel or just enjoy reading about it?

I try to go to Europe every two years. Mostly to France and Italy where I have relatives. The rest of the time I read everything I can on travel. I think this will be a good group for me. I've nearly enhausted the travel essay section at Borders. Now I have a Kindle so my scope has widen. Thanks for the welcome, Penelope!

I use to go every two years but now that my daughter lives in England I have to go see her and the grandkids every year and hopefully two times a year. When we go in August we want to go to Scotland. It is only a 4 hour train ride up to Edenbourgh.
Where in France do you go?
My book, I wrote, is on travel but it is short stories about absurdities and mishaps along the way. My brother says if you want entertainment you travel with me and something always happens to amuze you. If you look up above a few comments you will find the name of my book and my webpage.
I am a Nomad, I love to go and see the world and learn new things. I have a book signing in Washington State then I am off to Alaska in June.