Travel by Book series – Part 1

I think it’s safe to say we are all going a bit stir-crazy and travel might have shifted from a middle of the pack thought to top of the heap. Unfortunately it’s still not safe yet. BUT I have a solution. Let’s travel through books. Here’s some top destinations you could visit from the comfort of your couch, chair, bed, bath… wherever you read from. You get the picture.

Hawaii

Hawaiian Islands calling your name? Check out these titles to transport yourself. Aloha!
1) The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren : A hilarious romcom about honeymoon trip taken by two unlikely guests
2) Shark Dialogues by Kiana Davenport : Ancient myths, historical fiction, interesting family dynamics; all set in scenic Hawaii. Sounds fascinating doesn’t it?

Paris

Wouldn’t it be nice to explore the streets of Paris, France? Here’s a few ways you can:
1) The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux: A classic for a reason. Get ready to experience the opera like you never have before.
2) All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr: As you may have guessed there is a LOT of historical fiction set in and around Paris, particularly during WWII. This is one of my favourites I have read.

San Francisco

From the Golden Gate Bridge to the cable car system and more… Get your Sanfran fix here:
1) The Bonesetter’s Daughter by Amy Tan: OK this is a 2 for 1 trip because it’s actually set in China AND San Francisco. You’re welcome. Ghosts, tradition, family, and love all come together in this powerful novel.
2) A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore: Being a parent is hard. Parenting while also being Death incarnate well… that’s a whole new level. Check out this witty and bizarre adventure if you’re looking for something a bit different.

Ireland

Dreaming of rolling green hills and history. I got you:
1) Circle of Friends by Maeve Binchy: Journey to 1950’s Ireland and get caught up in the lives of a group of University students. Love, friendship, heartbreak, betrayal – it’s got it all!
2) Milkman by Anna Burns: In a family in Northern Ireland the middle daughter is seen to stand out a bit differently; she’s a bit quirky but nothing wrong there. Until she garners some unwanted attention from another town resident which grows more and more intense. Intrigued yet?

Spain

While you can’t go running with the bulls, you can go reading with them! Terrible pun, I know. But that’s what I do best. That and books. So here’s a few that you may enjoy:
1) Homeland by Fernando Aramburu: Lifetime friends become bitter enemies in this intense novel based on Basque terrorism.
2) The Muse by Jessie Burton: Another two for one, you get to travel to London AND Spain! A story of two young women—a Caribbean immigrant in 1960s London and a bohemian in 1930s Spain—and the powerful mystery that links them together

Japan

This is certainly a destination high on my list for places I’d like to travel to. But in the meantime, reading some of these novels will just have to suffice:
1) The Traveling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa: Ok I’ll be honest, this one made me cry. So prepare for that if you’re going to read it. Which of course I recommend that you do. It’s told from the perspective of the cat – a unique viewpoint into the life of it’s owner who has decided to visit 3 of his lifelong friends for reasons unbeknownst to the cat.
2) A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki: On a remote island in the Pacific Northwest, a Hello Kitty lunchbox washes up on the beach. Tucked inside is a collection of curious items, including the diary of a Japanese girl named Nao Yasutani. And so we follow the story between Ruth, the one who discovers the lunchbox, and Nao, the author of the diary who wants to end it all but before she does she is compelled to tell the story of her Zen Buddhist nun in her diary. A novel of shared humanity and our search for home.

Have I inspired you to pick any of these up? Which ones?

Also, where else would you like to go? Mention it below and I might include it in the next installation of Travel by Book!