the best journey takes you home author

Or so she says...

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April 10, 2015 by Brooke

The Best Journey Takes You Home {Printable} (she: Brooke)

Happy Friday OSSS readers!  It’s me, Brooke once again from Blissful Roots .  My boys are wrapping up their spring break today.  We spent a lot of fun days at grandpa and grandma’s and then a few nights in a hotel close to home with a fantastic kiddy pool and slide!  As much fun as we always have when my boys are out of school, I do look forward to getting back into our regular routine.

I had a lot of ideas bouncing around in my head for today’s post, but several weeks ago I was strolling through a local craft store ( All That Stuff in the Barn ) and came across a sign that read “The Best Journey Takes You Home.”  I had to pull out my phone and take a picture of it because I immediately fell in love with the words, and I knew I wanted to use it for my guest post here today.  It reminds me of another favorite quote of mine:

A man travels the world over in search of what he needs, and returns home to find it.

-george a. moore.

I don’t know about you, but I’m a bit of a home body.  I love to travel!  I don’t do it very often, but every time I do, I enjoy every minute of it- the sights, the sounds, the food, the people, the beauty.  But, I have to say there’s nothing quite like the feeling of going home.  Going home after a vacation, going home for the holidays, going home after a long day at school or work.  I have yet to find anything that replaces that special, familiar, comforting feeling of returning home.  I want my boys to have that same feeling.  I cannot wait to see what life has in store for each of them.  I know they’ll go out into the world, have many experiences and adventures.  But as a mother, I want nothing more than to create an atmosphere in my home that invites them to return again and again.

I did a post quite some time ago over at Blissful Roots entitled  Finding Reasons to Stay Home .  In that post, I talk several reasons I try to stay home more often than not, and how we can do our best to make our homes (as humble or grand as they may be) a place that people want to be.  It can be a cruel, harsh world at times.  Our families need a safe haven to return to!

“The most important of the Lord’s work you will ever do will be the work you do within the walls of your own home.” ―  Harold B. Lee

I hope you can find a spot for today’s printable in your home somewhere to remind you what a special place a home can, and should be.  Click  here  to print yours today.

I’ll be back in May, but until then feel free to stop over and visit me at Blissful Roots !  Mother’s Day is coming up next month.  I have a fun watercolor art project that’s perfect for mom’s special day, a beautiful version of my DIY gift box to put that special gift in for mom, and of course, some wonderful Mother’s Day printables that are easy to print, frame, and give away.

If you’re looking for more inspiration, check out these posts on OSSS:

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Home » Topics » Travel Quotes » Quotes about Returning Home After Travel – 62 Inspiring Quotes & Sayings

Quotes about Returning Home After Travel – 62 Inspiring Quotes & Sayings

Coming home is something extraordinary and personal for everyone. Whether it’s returning from a trip, a long day, or heading home in general.

The power of words can have a surprisingly powerful effect on our emotions. This is especially true regarding quotes about returning home after travel. Any phrase or word can bring us back to the familiar feelings of home in a matter of seconds – especially after being abroad or in an unfamiliar place for a while.

I am no stranger to coming-home quotes and sayings. As I type these lines, I just returned from a four-month trip to Latin America a few days ago. Since I have this feeling so present, I would like to share the most beautiful quotes about coming home with you here.

What to find out in this post

• 1 The Best Quotes About Returning Home from Travel
• 2 Coming Home Quotes & Sayings
• 3 Funny Coming Home Quotes
• 4 Quotes about Home
• 5.1 About the AuthorVicki

The Best Quotes About Returning Home from Travel

Coming home after a trip is not always easy. And sometimes, it comes with a strange feeling, almost as if you had never been away because everything is somehow the same, yet you have changed somehow.

So sometimes, it’s not so easy to get used to everyday life and the familiar routine again – especially if you’ve been abroad for a long time.

Many things that were so natural and familiar before now feel kind of strange. And it takes time to get used to your time at home again.

Below, we’ll first look at the best coming-home quotes for returning from a trip.

The best journey takes you home.

No one realizes how beautiful it is to travel until he comes home and rests his head on his old, familiar pillow. – Lin Yutang

A man travels the world over in search of what he needs and returns home to find it. — George Moore

The road home is never too long, because the heart makes the journey easy.

Life takes you to unexpected places, love takes you home.

Home is the beginning and the end of all journeys.

Once you’ve seen the world, you appreciate your home even more.

When a traveller returneth home, let him not leave the countries where he hath travelled altogether behind him; but maintain a correspondence by letters with those of his acquaintance which are of most worth; and let his travel appear rather in his discourse than in his apparel or gesture; and in his discourse, let him be rather advised in his answers, than forward to tell stories. – Francis Bacon

There is no path that does not lead home at some point.

It is not the departure from port, but the return home that determines the success of a voyage.

There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered. – Nelson Mandela

Trips do not end when you return home – usually this is the time when in a sense they really begin. – Agnes Benedict & Adele Franklin

Being at home. How all the turmoil of feelings is lost and put in order when one returns home from a foreign land to one’s own four walls. Only at home is a person whole. – Jean Paul

The magic thing about home is that it feels good to leave, and it feels even better to come back. – Wendy Wunder

Maybe that’s the best part of going away for a vacation — coming home again. — Madeleine L’Engle

Perhaps the key to carefree travel is to always find it convenient to be where you are. I think that is a great and useful art. If you can do that, then you will also be one of those who always travel with pleasure, return satisfied, and find it nicer at home again in the end than in the whole rest of the world. -Werner Kuhn

Finding yourself is like coming home after a long journey – you enter rooms that are somehow familiar but smell and feel completely different. You drop your luggage, breathe deeply, and tranquility spreads – you know whatever may come, you are at home within yourself.

Coming Home Quotes & Sayings

Many writers, poets, thinkers, and other famous personalities have shared creative and inspirational words about coming home over the years. Below, you will find an interesting selection of the best quotes about coming home.

I believe wherever dreams dwell, the heart calls it home. So may you untangle yourself from the twist of melancholy and ley your thoughts carry you back to the birthplace of your truth. – Dodinsky

It’s a funny thing coming home. Nothing changes. Everything looks the same, feels the same, even smells the same. You realize what’s changed is you. – F. Scott Fitzgerald

No matter who you are or where you are, instinct tells you to go home. – Laura Marney

I like coming home and sharing things I’ve tasted and seen. – Dianne Reeves

Home is a shelter from storms – all sorts of storms. – William J. Bennett

Those who want to bring home knowledge from their travels must already have knowledge with them when they leave. – James Boswell

Maybe you had to leave in order to miss a place, maybe you had to travel to figure out how beloved your starting point was. – Jodi Picoult

The thrill of coming home has never changed. – Guy Pearce

You can have more than one home. You can carry your roots with you and decide where they grow. – Henning Mankell

I think you travel to search and you come back home to find yourself here. – Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

There’s nothing half as nice as coming home again. – Margaret Elizabeth Sangster

The ache for home lives in all of us. The safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned. — Maya Angelou

When you go somewhere, even to paradise, you will miss your home. – Malala Yousafzai

Funny Coming Home Quotes

Home is where you come to when you have nothing better to do. – Margaret Thatcher

Home is where you can say anything you please, because nobody pays any attention to you anyway. – Joe Moore

Home is where you don’t have to pull in your stomach.

To be an ideal guest, stay at home. — E. W. Howe

Everybody’s always talking about people breaking into houses, ma’am; but there are more people in the world who want to break out of houses. —– Thornton Wilder

Quotes about Home

Home does not necessarily have to be a place or a building. It can also be a synonym for home in general. You will find some inspiring thoughts and sayings about home in the following lines.

Home is where your story begins.

Home isn’t where you’re from, it’s where you find light when all grows dark. – Pierce Brown

Only foreign countries teach us to love our homeland. – Theodor Fontane

The brave man finds his home everywhere. – Friedrich Schiller

Home is not there or thereabouts. Home is inside you, or nowhere. ―Hermann Hesse

In a foreign country, you learn what your homeland is worth. – Ernst Wiechert

Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home. – Edith Sitwell

Home is never more beautiful than when you talk about it in a foreign country. – Horst Wolfram Geißler

Every patch of land is home to the brave. – Ovid

Home is not a place…it is a feeling. – Herbert Grönemeyer

I often found something to delight my eyes and heart, but never something to replace my homeland. – Friedrich von Bodenstedt

Home is wherever you leave everything you love and never question that it will be there when you return. – Leo Christopher

No one should forget their roots. They are the origin of our life. -Federico Fellini

On moving abroad rests the curse of eternal homelessness. – Carmen Sylva

I’m coming Home Quotes and Sayings about being Home

There is no place like home. – L. Frank Baum

Chase your dreams but always know the road that will lead you home again.

With you, I am home.

Everyone needs a somewhere, a place he can go. There comes a time, you see, inevitably there comes a time you have to have a somewhere you can go. — Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Coming home to my family afterward makes the work richer, easier and more fun. – Edie Falco

Seek home for rest, for home is best. — Thomas Tusser

Where could one settle more pleasantly than in one’s home? – Cicero

To know the road ahead, ask those coming back. – Chinesisches Sprichwort

Eventually, we will all come home.

Home is where the heart is.

Every bird loves its own nest.

Interested in Travel Quotes?

About the Author Vicki

Hi, we are Vicki & Eduardo, an international travel couple on a mission to help you save money for priceless travel experience. Follow us through the miracles of this world and you will be rewarded with a bunch of practical travel tips.

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Written by  Shutterfly Community Last Updated: Oct 12, 2023

No matter what ‘home’ means to you, there is surely something nostalgic about the place we call home. It’s the place where we eat, the place with friends and family, where we enjoy our home goods and decor, and it’s the place we make our own. Sometimes in life we could use a little reminder of how it feels to be home, to come home, and to leave home. Whether your loved ones are leaving home, coming home or seem to be missing home, these home sweet home quotes will remind them of all the good things ( think unconditional love and mama’s cooking .) Aside from just a sweet reminder, these inspirational sayings make the perfect addition for home decor that help remind us of special memories. a going away party card, or a welcome home card too.

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Quotes about home.

• “Home is where our story begins…”
• “Home is the starting place of love, hope and dreams.”
• “The magic thing about home is that it feels good to leave, and it feels even better to come back.”
• “Home is where love resides, memories are created, friends always belong, and laughter never ends.”
• “A house is made of bricks and beams. A home is made of hopes and dreams.”
• “Home is not a place…it’s a feeling.”
• “With you, I am home.”
• “What I love most about my home is who I share it with.”
• “There is nothing more important than a good, safe, secure home.”
• “Home is a place you grow up wanting to leave, and grow old wanting to get back to.”
• “There’s no place like home.”
• “Where we love is home- home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts.”
• “In this home… We do second chances. We do real. We do mistakes. We do I’m sorrys. We do loud really well. We do hugs. We do together best of all.”
• “May your home always be too small to hold all of your friends.”
• “The ache for home lives in all of us, the safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned.”
• “You will never be completely at home again, because part of your heart will always be elsewhere. That is the price you pay for the richness of loving and knowing people in more than one place.”
• “Bless out house as we come and go. Bless our home as the children grow. Bless our families as they gather in. Bless our home with love and friends.”
• “Home is a shelter from storms-all sorts of storms.”-William J. Bennett
• “Home is where one starts from.” –T.S. Eliot

Quotes About Coming Home

• “The best journey takes you home.”
• “ Life takes you unexpected places, love brings you home.”
• “ Chase your dreams but always know the road that will lead you home again.”
• “Maybe the reason you can never go home again is that, once you’re back, you can never leave…”
• “It’s a funny thing coming home. Nothing changes. Everything looks the same, feels the same, even smells the same. You realized what’s changed is you.”-F. Scott Fitzgerald
• “I left the light in my heart on in case you ever wanted to come back home.”
• “I believe wherever dreams dwell, the heart calls it home. So may you untangle yourself from the twist of melancholy and ley your thoughts carry you back to the birthplace of your truth.” –Dodinsky
• “I believe that all of our lives we’re looking for home and if we’re really lucky, we find it in someone’s loving arms. I think that’ what life is-coming home.” –Anita Krizzan
• “Coming home to my family afterward makes the work richer, easier and more fun.” –Edie Falco
• “I will be seeing you soon and it will be better than anything else.”
• “It’s like coming home after a long trip. That’s what love is like. It’s like coming home.”
• “To know the road ahead, ask those coming back.”-Chinese Proverb
• “Coming home to friends with wagging tails and loving hearts makes everyday a good day!”
• “No one realizes how beautiful it is to travel until he comes home and rests his head on his old, familiar pillow.”
• “The thrill of coming home has never changed. “
• “No matter who you are or where you are, instinct tells you to go home.”-Laura Marney
• “There is nothing like staying at home for real comfort.”

Quotes About Leaving Home

• “When it’s time for you to venture out, don’t let fear have you looking back at what you’re leaving behind.”
• “Feeling sad to leave doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go.”
• “Love is standing on wet cement. The longer you stay, the harder it is to leave and you can never let go without leaving your footprints.”
• “Everyone will end up leaving you at one point or another, but it’s the ones who come back that are most important.”
• “You leave home to seek your fortune and, when you get it, you go home and share it with your family.”-Anita Baker
• “Art is the only way to run away without leaving home.”
• “Family, like branches on a tree we all grow in different directions yet our roots remain as one.”
• “We might be miles apart, but I’ll always carry you in my heart.”
• “Leave home, leave the country, leave the familiar. Only then can routine experience- buying bread, eating vegetables, even saying hello-become new all over again.”-Anthony Doerr
• “The first step to living the life that you want is leaving the life that you don’t want.”
• “There are far better things ahead than any we leave behind.”
• “Leave the past behind. You may not feel better about it, but it will be better for you.”
• “Never leave home without a kiss, a hug and an I love you.”
• “Don’t leave home without your sword- your intellect.”
• “After you leave home, you may find yourself feeling homesick, even if you have a new home that has nicer wallpaper and a more efficient dishwasher than the home in which you grew up.”-Lemony Snicket

Wrapping Up

Four walls and a roof over your head isn’t the only way we define the word ‘home.’ Home is more than just a shelter, it’s where we love, it’s where we feel, it’s where we can be ourselves and it’s where life happens. Share the feeling that home brings to you with the best quotes and inspirational sayings because there really is no place like home. Any of these quotes can be added to DIY home goods or many home decor gifts we have at Shutterfly.

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The Best Journey Takes You Home: Family Reunion Guest Book: Joyous gatherings that make 'home' an eternal source of happiness for our family. Kindle Edition

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30 Best Travel Books to Inspire The Wanderer in You

Written By: The Planet D

Inspiration

Updated On: January 7, 2024

The best way I know how to spark my wanderlust is to get inspiration from great travel books. My favorite travel books cover everything from a life changing experience to overcoming adversity. They make me laugh out loud and inspire me to explore the world. These books don’t focus on one theme they focus on many. So get your Kindle ready and start downloading today!

Table of Contents

Best Travel Books to Explore the World

In this article, we wanted to share some of the best travel books that made me laugh, made me cry, and inspired me to get out and travel around the world.

Disclosure: If you click the links below and make a purchase from Amazon, we do receive a referral commission at no extra cost to you.

1. Masked Rider by Neil Peart

Many people know him as a massively talented drummer from  Rush . But what they do not realize is that Neil Peart was not only one of the greatest drummers in the history of music , he was also an avid cyclist. Sadly, Peart died of cancer, but through his music and travelogue and travel books his genius lives on. (yes he has more than )

Masked Rider is an honest and undisguised account of his time cycling in West Africa. It’s a must read for anyone who wants to go on a great adventure. Neil Peart lets us see the man behind the rock star and he makes us realize that superstars are people too. Purchase Masked Rider – Neil Peart on Amazon

2. Finding Gobi by Dion Leonard

If you love dogs, this is one of the best adventure travel books you’ll read to make you smile. Ultramarathon runner Dion Leonard traveled to China with one thing on his mind; to finish on the podium of a 155-mile race through the Gobi desert.

Follow the story of Leonard, whose heart is warmed by the persistence of a stray dog that kept pace through heat and exhaustion for 70 miles. See how Leonard is transformed from a focused veteran to a man that gives up what little food he has in his pack to share with the stray dog that he named, Gobi. Buy Finding Gobi – Dion Leonard on Amazon.com to see what happens next

3. American Shaolin by Matthew Polly

A regular American guy, Matthew Polly recounts his time living, studying, and performing with the Shaolin monks in China. This is one bizarre and hilarious travel memoir about fulfilling your dreams. Follow along as Matthew drops out of Princeton to pursue his ambitions of transforming his scrawny physique into that of a kung fu master.

He tells tales of breaking into the secret world of Shaolin Kung Fu which has strange disciplines like “The Iron Crotch” and other various indestructible body parts. I seriously think this is also one of the funnest travel books to read out there. Check out American Shaolin – Matthew Polly today.

4. Crazy Rich Asians – Kevin Kwan

The movie took the world by storm and it is one of the few travel books that translates to screen beautifully. Peek behind the looking glass of the secretive billionaire families that have more money than Vladimir Putin.

Follow along as Rachel joins her boyfriend in Singapore on a summer holiday only to find out that her humble boyfriend is Asia’s most eligible bachelor and everyone (including his mother) is out to tear them apart.

This is one of the best travel books based in Asia depicting the unique culture of Singaore. Read Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan now.

5. White Tiger – Aravind Adiga

White Tiger tells of a dirty and unforgiving India, an India that doesn’t allow people to claw their way out of their Caste. It is now a movie on Netflix. I haven’t watched it yet but if it’s good you can be sure I’ll add it to my favorite travel movies.

This was one of those travel books that neither of us could put down and a book that we feel is a must read for everyone  traveling to India.   Those who have spent their time in an Ashram or driving around the country in an organized tour isolated from the truth won’t like it. But, like one review said, “This is the book that India Tourism doesn’t want you to read.” Get White Tiger by Aravind Adiga on Amazon.

6. The Beach by Alex Garland

Let me set one thing straight, I hated the movie The Beach, but I loved the book by Alex Garland. The Beach captures what travel was like in Thailand way back in the 1990s. (trust me, we were there). This is one of the first travel books we read that really brought us back. toa place we had been to.

The rooms in Thai guesthouses were disgusting, and the streets were filled with backpackers seeking adventure while escaping the world drinking cheap beer. There were still undiscovered coves and beaches that nobody had heard of, and there were probably several drug kingpins running the land.

Visiting Thailand for the first time is still a great adventure and this is a must read anyone going to the land of Smiles for the very first time! The Beach by Alex Garland is available on Amazon.

7. In a Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson

Bill Bryson is the king of writing travel books that make you laugh our loud. Anything by Bill Bryson is a winner, but my personal favorite memoir by Bryson is “In a Sunburned Country”. This was the first book I read by Bryson and it inspired me to read them all! I laughed out loud.

Written at a time when the world was still getting to know Australia, it shows the quirkiness of the island country and makes you want to book a ticket to see it for yourself. If you pick up any book by Bill Bryson, you won’t be sorry but, In a Sunburned Country is our favorite.

Go Around the World with Bill Bryson:

• A Walk in the Woods – Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail spanning the Eastern Coast.
• A Stranger to Myself – Notes on Returning to America After 20 Years Away
• The Best American Travel Writing
• The Road to Little Dribbling – An American in Britain

8. Dave Barry Does Japan

He may be old school when it comes to mentioning travel books and authors, but Dave Barry is hilarious. It was Dave Barry who sparked my love for travel writing and how powerful, funny, and inspiring it could be.

I never thought I’d become a travel writer, but I loved reading about his escapades around the world. He explains Japanese traditions through humor and experiences at karaoke bars, geisha encounters, kabuki theatre, and confusing comedy clubs. Japan is still very confusing even today so it is worth a read. Check out Dave Barry Does Japan and have a great laugh today.

9. Love Africa by Jeffrey Gettleman

Love Africa tells the story of Jeffry Gettleman the East Africa bureau chief for the New York Times. It begins with his first trip to Africa when he volunteered and fell in love with the continent.

But he kept being called back to the United States to his other love, his girlfriend Courtenay who is a criminal defense lawyer. Follow along as he navigates his career as a journalist, to his love for Africa and his true love relationship with Courtenay. We know how Africa can tug at your heart.

Can you have it all? Read and follow along on this travel memoir through Africa, because we’re not giving it away. Buy Love Africa by Jeffrey Gettleman on Amazon.

10. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

It’s an oldie but a goodie. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho is the story of a shepherd boy named Santiago who sells his flock and purchases a ticket to Tangier, where he is robbed and must work at a shop to find his way home.

At the heart of the book lies Santiago who embarks on a quest to find his true purpose in life. As he encounters a series of characters and navigates the challenges of the journey, Santiago learns valuable lessons about faith and perseverance.

“The Alchemist” is a book that invites readers to reflect on their own lives and aspirations. Coelho’s emphasis on listening to one’s heart, embracing the unknown, and overcoming fear resonate deeply, inspiring readers to question their own paths and pursue their personal legends with courage and determination.

He ends up taking a great adventure across the Sahara and after all his adventures, discovers his fortune right back where he started. I read this book before we started traveling full time and it put me in the mood to wander. And to appreciate life.

I think The Alchemist was the catalyst for my dream of becoming a travel writer and taking the leap to explore the world. This book taught me that you don’t need to go far to discover the beauty in life. Buy the Alchemist on Amazon

11. A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah

This no-holds-barred autobiography of a child soldier, Ishmael Beah, is gripping.  A Long Way Gone tells how an innocent child can be forced into savage warfare in Sierra Leone. It may not belong in your typical travel books listing, but it is something that people should read and know about.

Having lost everything including his family, his home, and his soul, Ishmael tells of his journey to evade the military. For three years he hid in the jungle and half-starved to death. It recounts the fear and despair he felt each day until he was finally captured by the government army.

Hopped up on drugs, he was forced to commit unthinkable acts. This is a story of going to hell and back, living a life of revenge and violence. He was rescued by UNICEF but it was a long and painful rehabilitation. Read A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah

12. The Bang Bang Club – Greg Marinovich & Jaoa Silva

Set in Apartheid-Era South Africa, the  Bang Bang Club  is a true account telling the tale of the four photojournalists that dared to enter the townships and document history as it was happening.

It was written by two surviving journalists Greg Marinovich & Jaoa Silva Heartbreaking and shocking, the Bang Bang Club doesn’t hold back when telling of the brutality of that time.

The photographers had to come to terms with their own demons and what they witnessed day in and day out as war correspondence reporters. Their photos made history and set new standards, earning a Pulitzer Prize for two of the photographers. Get Your Copy of The Bang Bang Club – Greg Marinovich & Jaoa Silva

13. The Girl in the Picture – Vietnam

During the Vietnam War, photographer Nick Ut captured the shocking photo of children running from a napalm blast. Kim Phuc was the center of that photograph, with her naked body covered in severe burns. It became known as “the photo of the century” winning the Pulitzer Prize

In her own words, Kim tells her story of what happened to “The Girl in the Picture” Read the fascinating tale as she journeys from Vietnam eventually landing in Canada where she faced many hardships along the way. This book not only showed me what it was like for Phuc, but taught me about communism in Vietnam and what it took to break away. The Girl in the Picture – Vietnam

14. Touching the Void – Joe Simpson

Joe Simpson recalls his harrowing climb of Siula Grande in the Peruvian Andes back in 1985 with Simon Yates. Disaster struck after their summit when Joe fell into a crevasse and broke his leg (very badly).

We love adventure travel, but this is an entirely new level. The book stands the test of time as Joe recalls the three days he spent trying to get down the mountain after a near fatal fall and what he had to endure along the say. It was also  made into a movie  in 2003. Touching the Void – Joe Simpson

15. Into Thin Air – Jon Krakauer

Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer is a gripping and harrowing firsthand account of the tragic 1996 Mount Everest disaster. As an acclaimed travel writer and mountaineer, Krakauer brings his expertise and storytelling prowess to this unforgettable true story that resonates with readers long after the final page.

Krakauer’s ability to convey the physical and emotional challenges faced by climbers on the world’s highest peak is unparalleled. I couldn’t put this book down. Krakauer captures the essence of the mountaineering experience, immersing readers in the awe-inspiring beauty and perilous nature of Everest that inspired us to visit Everest Base Camp.

Krakauer candidly reflects on his own role and decisions during the ill-fated expedition, providing a raw and introspective narrative that adds depth and authenticity to the book. His vulnerability and willingness to share the emotional toll of the tragedy make the story even more compelling.

We’ve been to  Mount Everest Base Camp  and it was exciting to read about a place that we’ve been to and retrace steps through Namche Bazaar, the Tengboche Monks, and the Sherpa monuments to those who have fallen. Into Thin Air – Jon Krakauer

Into the Wild by John Krakauer

We go directly to another John Krakauer. As a travel writer, Krakauer goes beyond mere adventure storytelling and has a knack for delving into the complexities of human nature and Into the Wild certainly does that.

Into the Wild” by Jon Krakauer is a captivating and introspective exploration of the true story of Christopher McCandless, a young man who abandoned civilization to embark on a solitary adventure in the Alaskan wilderness. It begins with a typical road trip across the country and then takes a turn.

Through interviews, personal anecdotes, and McCandless’s own writings, Krakauer pieces together the motivations, struggles, and ideals that led him to seek solace and freedom in the untamed wilderness.examining his desire for self-discovery, his rejection of societal norms, and his yearning for a simpler existence. Krakauer offers insights into the allure of the wild and the inner turmoil of a young man searching for meaning and transcendence.

The book delves into the complexities of McCandless’s character, and Krakauer’s skillful storytelling and introspective analysis allow readers to appreciate the complexities of his subject, even if they do not completely align with McCandless’s actions. Read it now.

16. Dark Star Safari – Paul Theroux

Paul Theroux is one of the Greatest modern travel writers of our time. And he has written many classics such as Mosquito Coast and the Great Railway Bazaar, but our favorite travel book by Paul Theroux is Dark Star Safari.

Dave and I started our travel adventures cycling from Cairo to Cape Town and Dark Star Safari takes Theroux overland as he revisits the continent but he was on a road trip (not bicycle). This book took us back to Africa and brought back all the feelings we had – the good, bad, the ugly, and the depressing parts that we forget.

Through his vivid account, sharp wit, and introspective reflections he brings to life the people, places, and complexities he encounters along the way from Cairo to Cap Town. From bustling cities to remote villages, readers are transported to the heart of Africa, experiencing the triumphs, hardships, beauty and every day life that define the continent.

What we like about Dark Star Safar, is how he shows the less glamorous aspects of travel. He confronts the realities of poverty, political instability, and cultural clashes, providing a nuanced and balanced perspective of Africa. Through his encounters with locals, aid workers, and fellow travelers, he unveils the complexities and contradictions that exist within each country and challenges common stereotypes. See our Cairo to Cape Town adventures at It All Began in Egypt: Cycling a Continent

Get Dark Star Safari – Paul Theroux on Amazon

17. Wild – From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed

Adventure travel can be transformational. When taking on a challenge, it is an emotional roller coaster. I’ve definitely been there with negative and productive thoughts and regrets. But as at the end of any grand adventure, the struggle can be healing and you can come out triumphant.

One of the most successful travel books (it always is when turned into a movie right?) focuses on the journey of the author along the Pacific Crest Trail while she navigates the physical and emotional challenges of hiking over a thousand miles in search of healing and self-discovery.

At the heart of the book lies Strayed’s emotional and psychological journey. As she grapples with grief, loss, and personal demons, she confronts her own vulnerabilities and gradually finds strength and resilience. Her candid exploration and raw honesty of her past mistakes, relationships, and the complexities of human nature is both relatable and inspiring.

Follow along as Cheryl Strayed faces her demons and struggles her way along the way. You can purchase Wild – Lost and Found on The Pacific Crest Trail. On Amazon here.

18. A Woman Alone: Travel Tales from Around the Globe

A Woman Alone: Travel Tales from Around the Globe is an anthology that celebrates the spirit of solo female travel. Edited by Faith Conlon, Ingrid Emerick, and Christina Henry de Tessan, this collection of personal narratives showcases the empowering and transformative experiences of women who have ventured out into the world on their own.

Solo female travelers will love this travel book. The book features a diverse range of stories from women of various backgrounds and destinations, offering a mosaic of perspectives and travel experiences. From exploring bustling cities to traversing remote landscapes, readers are treated to a rich tapestry of cultures, encounters, and adventures.

The anthology captures the essence of travel, going beyond mere descriptions of destinations to delve into the transformative power of exploration. A Woman Alone: Travel Tales from Around the Globe is an empowering and inspirational read for both seasoned travelers and those dreaming of embarking on their first solo adventure.

Get it on Amazon

19. 1,000 Places to See Before You Die by Patricia Schultz

1,000 Places to See Before You Die  is the original brainchild of the talented and wonderful Patricia Schultz. If you have a serious case of wanderlust to travel around the world, buy this travel book by Patricia Schultz. This travel book makes for a great gift!

Many travelers are always looking for inspiration and there is an endless supply here. I’ve taken my Sharpie Marker and gone through all the destinations around the globe that she recommends. 1,000 Places to See Before You Die is the world’s best selling travel book. I wish I had thought of this idea. If you are a collector of travel books, you need to have this in your library.

20. Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

I read Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert while traveling through India, so it certainly reminds me of my travels there. It is the real life story of Elizabeth Gilbert finding herself after divorce.

I didn’t identify with India (pray) part of the book since I was there at the time, but I could definitely get on board with eating through Italy and finding love in Bali. Many travelers love following in the footsteps of Eat Pray Love and why not? Who doesn’t want to run away from it all, find themselves, fall in love and write a book about it?

21. Grand Adventures by Alastair Humphreys

Grand Adventures is written by National Geographic Adventurer of the Year Alastair Humphreys. We first heard of Alastair while he was cycling around the world and were inspired so much by him, we followed his bike peddles to cycling Africa. This book round up the world’s most grand adventures to inspire you to try your own. (We make an appearance or two from one of our adventures around the globe as well.)

22. Concierge Confidential by Michael Fazio

Concierge Confidential by Michael Fazio gives the inside scoop from behind the scenes of the rich and famous. He was New York’s top concierge and he shares stories and secrets from the madness of catering to the elite. From the ridiculous demands to having to get people in to anywhere possible, it’s an at times hilarious read.

I wouldn’t want his job for the world, but it is fun to take a peek inside the secret life of a concierge. One of the more unconventional travel books since it’s from the perspective of the Concierge getting travelers their every whim, it still transports you to another place.

23. Ontario Escapes by Jim Buyers

Ontario Escapes is written by Veteran journalist and top travel writer in Canada, Jim Byers. He shares his personal experiences and tips for traveling around Ontario Canada.

As a native Ontario resident, I found so many hidden gems in this book offering great Ontario travel tips and ideas. I love Jim’s writing style as he shares practical information with inspiring personal stories and recommendations.

24. Ultimate Journeys for Two by Mike and Anne Howard

Ultimate Journeys for Two was written by our friends Mike and Anne Howards Mike who are currently on the world’s longest honeymoon. And you can find us there too talking about Greenland travel!

This travel book is more of an account of a bunch of couples giving advice and snippits about a place. Its more of a travel reference giving people travel ideas to inspire couples to go out and see the world and have a great adventure. There are ideas for couples to travel on every continent!

25. How to Travel the World on $50 a Day – Matt Kepnes

How to Travel the World on $50 a Day by Matt Kepnes shares money-saving tips on transportation, food, beverages, accommodation, and airline tickets, it’s the how-to guide for twenty-something budget travelers. Nomadic Matt has parlayed his highly successful travel blog into a best selling travel book on the New York Times’ best sellers list.

While I’m not sure if you really can travel for $50 a day in today’s world, it is still a good reference for budget travel and budget tips and advice.

26. Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2023

If you are looking for good travel guide books while traveling we recommend Lonely Planet. It is still our go-to travel book to help plan our adventures.

Lonely Planet was once often referenced as “The Bible of Travel.” Dave and I never booked a trip without buying a lonely planet country guide. While travel blogs have taken away a lot of travel guide book revenue, the Lonely Planet is still highly regarded. And you can never Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel series. Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2023 follows the formula of the previous Best in Travel series.

Published annually, Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel showcases the top destinations, experiences, and trends around the world, curated by travel experts. What are the top destinations for 2023? You’ll have to purchase it to find out.

Here’s a cool fact, we named The Planet D after The Lonely Planet in 2007. We were so inspired by the Lonely Planet travel books that when trying to think of a name for our travel blog, we simply took off the lonely, and added a “D” Plus, the Lonely Planet is what inspired me to get into travel writing. It was my dream to write for them one day.

Get the Lonely Planet Best of 2023 on Amazon Here

27. The Innocents Abroad by Mark Twain

Mark Twain’s “Innocents Abroad” takes readers on a delightful through Europe and the Holy Land aboard his voyage in a retired Civil War ship (the USS Quaker City). Why do we love it? Well, this travelogue, first published in 1869, offers a unique perspective on the experiences of American tourists during the mid-19th century.

Twain’s witty and satirical writing style shines throughout the book, making it an enjoyable and entertaining read. While the book is primarily a humorous account of his journey, it also delves into deeper themes and critiques of society. Twain reflects on the idiosyncrasies of human nature, the follies of tourism, and the stark contrasts between cultures.

It is worth noting that Innocents Abroad can be a dense read at times, particularly for readers who are not familiar with the historical context or the locations mentioned. Twain occasionally includes lengthy digressions and references to classical literature, which might require additional effort from the reader to fully appreciate. Get it on Amazon

28. Right Turn at Machu Picchu by Mark Adams

Right Turn at Machu Picchu is a travel memoir by Mark Adams that weaves together history, archaeology, and personal discovery as Adams retraces the footsteps of Hiram Bingham III, the explorer who rediscovered the ancient Inca citadel of Machu Picchu.

Blending his own travel experiences and encounters with informative and fascinating insights into the history and culture of the Incas creates an infectious story where readers will find themselves eagerly turning the pages to uncover the secrets of Machu Picchu.

One of the book’s strengths lies in Adams’ ability to convey the awe-inspiring beauty and mystique of the Peruvian landscape. With a modern travel writing tone, Adams transports readers through the rugged terrain, lush jungles, and awe-inspiring ruins that make up the region surrounding Machu Picchu.

It even provides a wealth of historical and archaeological information, offering a deeper understanding of the site’s significance. See reviews and purchase it on Amazon

29. This Contested Land: The Storied Past and Uncertain Future of America’s National Monuments by McKenzie Long

A new addition to our best travel books article is This Contested Land: by Mckenzie Long delves into the history and complex issues surrounding America’s national monuments. (Shall we talk about Mount Rushmore anyone?)

Long sheds light on America’s national monuments including their creation, significance, and the ongoing debates surrounding their management. Through modern travel writing, Long explores the intertwined narratives of nature conservation, cultural preservation, and the conflicting interests that have shaped these sites.

This Contested Land does not shy away from exploring the controversies and conflicts surrounding national monuments. Long examines the various stakeholders involved, including local communities, indigenous groups, environmentalists, and commercial interests. By presenting multiple perspectives, the book encourages readers to contemplate the intricate balance between preservation, public access, and economic development.

This Contested Land serves as a valuable resource for anyone interested in America’s national monuments and the broader debates surrounding land conservation and cultural heritage. Check it out

30. In The Kingdom of Men by Kim Barnes

Kim Barnes takes readers on a mesmerizing journey into the heart of Arabia with her novel, “In The Kingdom of Men.” Set in 1960s Saudi Arabia, Barnes’ paints vivid prose of the desert landscape, transporting readers to a world of contrasts and contradictions in the Middle East. From the vast expanses of sand dunes to the opulent palaces and bustling markets, the setting becomes as much a character as the individuals who navigate its complexities.

The protagonist, Gin McPhee, a young American woman thrown into the unfamiliar Saudi Arabian culture, brings a fresh perspective to the narrative. As she grapples with the oppressive societal norms and her own desires for independence, readers are drawn into her struggle and resilience.

Barnes skillfully explores the clash between tradition and modernity, particularly through the lens of gender dynamics and the stark divide between the Western expatriates and the local Saudi community of the Middle East. She delves into the intricate web of power, politics, and cultural tensions, illuminating the challenges faced by those who seek to bridge these divides. Get it on Amazon

So have these travel books inspired you to go around the globe? What is the best travel adventure you’ve ever read? If you have other travel books to share, leave them in the comments below, we are always looking for good reads.

Read Next: 

• Best Travel Movies to Inspire Wanderlust 
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• Best Travel Songs to Rock the Long Drive
• 48 Best Travel Movies to Inspire Wanderlust
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About The Planet D

Dave Bouskill and Debra Corbeil are the owners and founders of The Planet D. After traveling to 115 countries, on all 7 continents over the past 13 years they have become one of the foremost experts in travel. Being recognized as top travel bloggers and influencers by the likes of Forbes Magazine , the Society of American Travel Writers and USA Today has allowed them to become leaders in their field.

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65 thoughts on “30 Best Travel Books to Inspire The Wanderer in You”

Doing great job man… Keep it up.

Wonderful list. This is what I was searching for. Thanks for doing the hard research for me.

Awesome list. Thanks for sharing. It’s really very useful.

Thanks for sharing!

These are very interesting books about travel, I had the opportunity to read some of them. very nice

I can’t wait to read more of these books! Reading has always been one way that I keep my wanderlust alive and well.

I was just searching for some good books which can take me into the world of wanderlust. As expected, you are on the internet with your awesome experience. I would love to read all of them. The Alchemist I have done and I am approaching other ones from now onwards. Thanks for sharing this post.

Very useful thing for those who like traveling. Thanks for sharing this with us,

Love those books… thanks for sharing Regards! Thank You!

Michael Palin’s Pole to Pole and Levison Woods Walking the Himalayas!

The only book in this list that I have read (partly) is Eat Pray Love but I also didn’t love it! I was actually in Bali when I started it and it just didn’t grab me, but I’ll definitely be trying out some others on this list! A good book on holiday can do wonders!

I hope to get my hands on Eat, Pray, Love soon. It must be a great read coz it’s on every travel books list.

Wonderful collection. I was in deep search. Thanks a lot to write about these books.

Thanks, Actually I am searching these collection from so many times. Great !!

Thanks for sharing. I was actually not aware about Michael Crichton’s book. Great list of books, I better start reading.

Lot’s of new books for me to add to my list! Thank you! I loved In A Sunburned Country, I consider it one of my favourite travel books and it definitely encouraged me to travel to Australia where I am now!

Thanks, guys some great books there. Think I need to get my hands on Dave does Japan. I am hoping to visit next year.

My all time favourite travel book that I never seen included on any lists is called WorldWalk by Steven Newman. In his early 20s, over a period of 4 years, Steven walked around the world relying on the kindness of strangers. This was the mid-1980s well before the time of internet and mobile phones being common place. His book is inspirational and entertaining and eye-opening all at once. I can’t recommend it enough.

it is very helpful for me like a traveler

An amazing list of books. I watched the film Eat Pray Love (starring Julia Roberts, maybe) but never took the time to read the book. THis list inspired me.

I think one books may be worth adding is Vagabonding.

I just want to say “wow” you have an amazing collection of books.

I was looking for a list like this! I just finished reading a series of books for foodies and Eat Pray Love was one of them. Thanks for sharing yours! Concierge Confidential seems like an interesting read.

thanks for sharing

i have planning to travel 2or3 places.i read this article.it is very helpful it provide great ideas.amazing article thanks for sharing.

Great recommendations! Some of it are already on my list. I just pick some great additions on my list. Thanks!

I think i watched the movie American Shaolin like 20 years ago. I didn’t know it was from a book. Gonna check it for sure. Thanks for great post.

I really love “Into Thin Air” by Jon Krakauer as well as his other book “Into the Wild”, The book and Sean Penn movie are amazing. I also love anything by Bill Bryson with my favorite being “A Walk in the Woods”

For something hot off the press, check out Oblivious; the story of a ride through Africa on a Royal Enfield. Lost teeth, hitchhiking on iron ore trains in the Sahara, romance… Check it out: obliviousthebook.com

Thank you for this! I’ve been into Kerouac lately because I love (and love to hate) his frantic writing style but I needed some other material =)

Hey Awesome List of books, I read eat pray love that is totally awesome and every traveler must read. Now I am going to add The Alchemist and American Shaolin in my bucket list.

Nice post! thanks for sharing.

I was searching for best travel books ad I found this. I have only Paulo Coelho from this list and i am definitely going to get myself a few. Thanks for the wonderful list. Really useful.

This is a great list – most of these I’ve not read so my reading list has just grown! A Long Way Gone is one book, though, that has been on my shelf for years – I’m a bit afraid to read it….

(I don’t admit this too loudly, but I couldn’t stand Eat Pray Love …)

Which is your favorite?? Obviously not Eat Pray Love! lol

The alchemist from the Paulo Coelho is very good book….i´m brazilian and like Paulo Coelho

Whenever I enter a bookstore, I always look for books pertaining travel, whether they are memoirs or a compilation of essays. I also made a post about these books that I have in my shelf. I can spot three of them here in your list. I’m interested in the other books you have cited here and I hope to get my own copies.

I am so happy to read this blog about 21 travel book. it is so much interesting and helpful for every person of the world who travel form one place to another. Canada is consider most visited place in the world. So Hamilton Airport Limo service is well known for Ground transportation medium to or from airport.

This is a great list… there’s also a lot of great poetry (Heights of Machu Picchu- Neruda) and Siddhartha by Herman Hesse really had me thinking Southeast Asia big time! Great post, guys!

I love to read travel books. This is a very resourceful list. I have read some of the books from this list. Very inspiring post. Loved it:)

This post has defiantly inspired me to get reading! please take the time to check out my travel blog: earthsmagicalplaces.com

All of these traveling books look amazing, especially if you’re on a long journey or waiting for your ride and need to kill time! Thank you for sharing these.

Awesome list, thanks for sharing with us

Many read and many added to the list. I’m neither a fan of books that paint a pretty picture of a country nor of the ones that put down a country altogether. But I still read them because there is no such thing as bad book 😉 We all learn a thing or two from a book anyway 🙂

I’m ashamed to admit that, of these, I’ve only read The Alchemist – although White Tiger is sitting waiting patiently on my bookshelf.

I do like to read books about / set in places I’m going to travel to, though. One of the best examples was before I went to Kansas last summer, I read all of the Little House on the Prairie books, and it actually really opened up the history of the area for me, and helped me to understand the formation of the state, and why it looks & is the way it is.

I’m currently reading Alain de Botton’s The Art of Travel, and it’s really making me think about how I write about my own travels, and how I tie together my travel blogging with my other writing (poetry & fiction).

All of Bill Bryson’s travel books make me want to just get off the couch and just go (and record my travels with dry wit and sarcasm), but aside from Bryson’s Road to Little Dribbling, I think my other favorite travel read of the last year was Mo Willems’ You Can Never Find a Rickshaw When it Monsoons: The World on One Cartoon a Day. Not only does one cartoon a day actually create a bizarrely interesting read, but it makes you start noticing the little moments that make your day. I also enjoyed Storybook Travels by Colleen Dunn Bates and Susan La Tempa. It’s a great book for parents traveling with children!

Awesome list, I will definitely be picking up a few of those, and read some of them again. Thank you Dave and Deb 🙂

Ha! I loved The Beach, the movie! Haven’t read the book but maybe I’ll put it on my list. 🙂 I did stopped reading Eat, Pray, Love in the India chapter but I went back to read it a second time and I’m glad I did. Her book, Big Magic, is really great for aspiring creatives so I would recommend that. 🙂

Interesting. I should maybe read Eat Pray Love again. The India chapter might be better for me since I’m no longer in India. Being removed from the location might put her writing into a different perspective

Great recommendations! I can’t wait to check a few of these titles out!

Kate | http://www.petiteadventures.org/

I’m saving this post in Bloglovin’ for as a future shopping reference, haha. I’ve gone through all my books and need more reading material. Thanks so much for sharing! I own and have already read Nomadic Matt’s book. It was super helpful!

Oh lordy my stack of books that I want to read is already sizable but I can see I’m going to add a few more to it….you have some great recommendations here. 🙂 .-= Trisha´s last blog .. PR-Blogger Relations Manifesto =-.

I agree – I loved White Tiger and couldn’t put it down. I read about five or six of the “must reads” that were popular for India travelers at the time and White Tiger and Shantaram were tops!

I have to read Shantaram. I can’t believe I hadn’t heard of it before writing this post. That is what I love about posts like this, you can learn so much from other people.

White Tiger by Aravind Adiga is really cool and also Travels by Michael Crichton…great list D&D! .-= agentcikay´s last blog ..Hokkien Mee and its Cult status =-.

Thanks. I am glad that someone else has read travels. When we tell people that Michael Chricton had a travel book they think we are mistaken. But it is very good.

Hahaha, I am laughing because the two books I can’t stand about India are The White Tiger and Shantaram — and both are mentioned here, in your post and in the comments. I have read a lot of books about India and I think there are far better books, more balanced, more insightful, more honest. I find these two blow a lot of hot air.

I think there is a kind of reactionary response to the “shining” India of economists or the “magical” India of travel writers and spiritual seekers. In fact, India — like life — is all of these things. Magical, poor, spiritual, dirty, friendly, nerve-wracking. A lot depends on your perspective, attitude and perception.

I have said before that India is like the cave that Yoda sends Luke into. When Luke asks, “What will I find there?” Yoda answers, “Only what you bring in with you.”

Mariellen .-= Mariellen Ward´s last blog ..Photo of the Week- Naga Sadhu =-.

Well, we will agree to disagree on this subject. We enjoyed many parts of India and made friends with many wonderful people, but a book that talks about the negatives of any country is important. That is how change is made. The poor need a voice and White Tiger gives them one in a very entertaining way to let people know their side of the story. I would love to know the books that are more balanced and insightful, it would be great if you could list a couple of recommendations and I will check them out. And your Star Wars quote (while very profound) has nothing to do with the book and the point we are making. White Tiger is about the people that are living in India, not about what a tourist is supposed to get out of their spiritual journey to India. Thanks for your comment Mariellen, I know that you love India and this recommendation isn’t meant to offend people that do, it is just a book that we felt hit the nail on the head of a lot of what we saw and read in the papers while we were there.

I’m glad you replied to this Dave, the post made me feel stupid and ignorant when I first read it, but then I thought about it more and my point still stands – I read the book and it made me want to go to India. I will stand with the agreement to disagree – Shantaram is a work of fiction, which is a story with hints of lives and attitudes in India, but through extreme views. It’s like saying you’d never go to Virginia because of Patricia Cornwell’s books. If I wanted earnest travel writing with a true anthropological view, I’d have gone to the travel writing or the history section. Perhaps it’s even more impressive that a work of fiction can open your mind to a country. I get a better view of what it’s really like from Indian friends, but I’m also a literature fan and have many influences in my travel life.

I’m currently struggling through Open Veins of Latin America, which is a socio-historic view of the region, before travelling out to Costa Rica later this year. It’s very worthy and I would really like to understand more of the politics, history and culture before I go but I’m highly unlikely to finish it as history presented in fact is rarely inspirational and certainly more difficult to absorb. My partner bought me Costa Rica: A Traveller’s Literary Companion, which is a series of local, translated short stories and folklore. I’ve whizzed through it because it was enjoyable and accessible – far more inspiring than the worthier tome that will give me a ‘better’ view.

Sorry to rant – apparently I feel quite strongly about this!

Thanks for the comment and don’t be sorry at all. That is what we love about blogging, it encourages discussion. I think that your point is bang on. Books of extremes can make me want to go the a country even more. The Bang Bang Club is very unforgiving and yet, I think that it inspires people to go to South Africa. I read it while I was there and loved it even though it didn’t portray the country is a perfect light. I guess, a lot of the books we mentioned don’t paint a pretty picture of any country, but they all have inspired us to explore them more. And you are right, this is a book of fiction and it is impressive that a book can open your mind to a country and evoke such strong feelings on either side of the coin. That makes for great writing I think, when people feel passionate about it either way…absolutely loving it, or genuinely hating it.

Shantaram is also a very inspiring picture of India. Bittersweet, laugh out loud, exciting book. I’d never wanted to visit before reading this, now it’s definitely on my list.

Laura, I will definitely have to check out Shantaram thanks for the recommendation.

Oops, I replied to Trisha on the wrong post, that is supposed to be on Celebrities that inspire travel post. Taking it off now, but didn’t want you to think that I was a crazy person and going off on a tangent regarding celebrities:) Sorry Laura.

I must say it did confuse me!

Haha, sorry about that. If you didn’t reply back, I would have never known and we would have had an odd message on our books post about celebrities. 🙂

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31 Best Hero’s Journey Books to Add to Your Reading List

Interested in learning more about the hero’s journey stories? Discover the best hero’s journey books to begin your reading adventure!

Writers and readers love hero’s journey stories . From the origin stories of cultures to the twelfth-century poems that make up The Mabinogion (themselves derived from earlier oral traditions) to today’s blockbuster SF-laden movies, the monomyth is a part of our collective, subconscious experience.

These stories feature certain archetypes and follow a set pattern. The hero sets off on a quest from his/her ordinary world (The Departure), subsequently learns a lesson or obtains new knowledge, and uses this to triumph over something, someone, or a set of circumstances (The Initiation).

The hero then returns to his/her own world, transformed or with the tools needed to enact positive change (The Return). Below, we take a look at the 31 best books to add to your reading list if you’re a fan of the genre. This list pairs nicely with our roundup of movies that follow the hero’s journey .

Here Are The Best Hero’s Journey Books

1. the hobbit by jrr tolkien, 2. the odyssey by homer, 3. harry potter and the sorcerer’s stone by jk rowling, 4. the alchemist by paulo coelho, 5. the inferno by dante alighieri, 6. the goose girl by shannon hale, 7. the wizard of oz by l frank baum, 8. the hunger games by suzanne collins, 9. to kill a mockingbird by harper lee, 10. where the mountain meets the moon by grace lin, 11. don quixote by miguel de cervantes, 12. the 5th wave by rick yancey, 13. beowulf, 14. siddhartha: an indian novel by hermann hesse, 15. a separate reality by carlos castaneda, 16. across the universe by beth revis, 17. american gods by neil gaiman, 18. little briar rose (sleeping beauty) by the brothers grimm, 19. jane eyre by charlotte bronte, 20. the pilgrim’s progress by john bunyan, 21. the hound of the baskervilles by arthur conan doyle, 22. treasure island by robert louis stevenson, 23. argonautica by apollonius, 24. the fault in our stars by john green, 25. holes by louis sachar, 26. interstellar by greg keyes, 27. divergent by veronica roth, 28. the buried giant by kazuo ishiguro, 29. alice in wonderland by lewis carroll, 30. the lion, the witch and the wardrobe by c.s. lewis, 31. fight club by chuck palahniuk.

This classic book by J.R.R. Tolkien has featured regularly on best-seller lists since its first publication in 1937 and is widely cited as one of the twentieth century’s most beloved and influential novels. It’s a classic hero’s journey genre tale, too – featuring an unlikely hero in the form of Bilbo Baggins.

This unassuming hobbit is swept off on an adventure when Gandalf the wizard and a company of dwarves appear on his doorstep. He finds himself part of a mission to reclaim a fabulous horde of treasure from under the very nose of the fearsome dragon Smaug the Magnificent. For more, check out our guide to the best fantasy authors. You can also check out our guide on hero’s journey archetypes .

“This is a story of how a Baggins had an adventure, and found himself doing and saying things altogether unexpected.” JRR Tolkien

• Tolkien, J.R.R. (Author)
• English (Publication Language)
• 320 Pages - 08/15/2002 (Publication Date) - Clarion Books (Publisher)

Homer’s story of Odysseus is one of the oldest surviving works of literature that’s still being read by audiences today. This epic story tells the tale of the wandering king, trying to get home to his wife Penelope following the end of the Trojan War . The tale features all the tropes of a hero’s journey story, from its opening.

Odysseus is portrayed in his ordinary life, through to the Crossing the Threshold section, where the Gods become enraged with the hero and his company, summoning a storm to throw their boat off course, to The Return, whereby after completing a final challenge, Odysseus is returned to his royal life with Penelope.

“A man who has been through bitter experiences and traveled far enjoys even his sufferings after a time.” Homer

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JK Rowling’s worldwide best-seller Harry Potter is a prime example of the hero’s journey tale. The book starts with Harry in the ordinary world before moving through all of the typical hero’s journey stages, as detailed by Joseph Campbell in his book The Hero with a Thousand Faces. Harry receives the invitation letter to Hogwarts (The Call to Adventure), struggles to accept this sudden turn of events (Refusal of the Call), and Meets the Mentor – in the first book, this is Hagrid.

The Crossing the Threshold stage is his literal passing through the wall to access Platform 9 3/4 at the station. The Ordeal is represented by the various challenges the young wizard encounters at his new school, culminating in his temporary triumph over Voldemort. At the end of the book, he returns to the world of the muggles for the summer vacation, happy that he’ll be returning to Hogwarts soon (The Return).

“A breeze ruffled the neat hedges of Privet Drive, which lay silent and tidy under an inky sky, the very last place you would expect astonishing things to happen.” JK Rowling

The hero’s journey takes many different forms: it’s not always about defeating villains or finding lost treasure. The genre can also be powerfully deployed in the service of a spiritual quest tale, as in this novel. While the young protagonist, who is a perfect example of the Innocent/Orphan hero archetype, might start his journey looking for real-world riches, what unfolds is a beautiful story of self-discovery. Ultimately, the book is about the importance of heeding our hearts and the transformative power of dreams.

“Remember that wherever your heart is, there you will find your treasure.” Paulo Coelho

• Note: Item has rough Cut edges(Edges are cut improperly intentionally by the manufacturer)
• A special 25th anniversary edition of the extraordinary international bestseller, including a new Foreword by Paulo Coelho.
• Combining magic, mysticism, wisdom and wonder into an inspiring tale of self-discovery,
• Coelho, Paulo (Author)

The first volume of The Divine Comedy is considered a literary masterpiece, following the hero’s journey on a quest through the various Circles of Hell. After meeting Virgil (the Mentor), our narrator progresses, facing numerous trials and tests, always seeking his beloved Beatrice. Although he sometimes has ‘weapons’ with which to face his adversaries, his most potent weapon is his faith in his journey, which is a blend of both a spiritual and a physical mission.

“Soon you will be where your own eyes will see the source and cause and give you their own answer to the mystery.” Dante Alighieri

• Alighieri, Dante (Author)
• 108 Pages - 05/30/2013 (Publication Date) - CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (Publisher)

New York Times bestselling author Shannon Hale has written a book that, although aimed at middle-schoolers, has become much loved by kids and adults alike. Drawing on the tradition of folktales, it’s a heroine’s journey story, recounting the tale of Ani, who’s uncomfortable around people but able to communicate easily with animals. She leaves her world behind. However, when she’s sent away to marry. Despite disaster striking, she finds herself in a job where she can use her unique talents and give voice to her inner self.

If we don’t tell strange stories, when something strange happens we won’t believe it.” Shannon Hale

• Hardcover Book
• Shannon Hale (Author)
• 400 Pages - 06/05/2024 (Publication Date) - Bloomsbury Childrens Books (Publisher)

A key element of the heroine’s journey is, while it maintains recognizable archetype qualities, there is an overcoming or subversion of society’s expectations regarding women. Rather than staying at home in Kanas, Dorothy has the adventure she longs for.

While the hero’s journey stories tend to move from the inner world to the outer (from the darkness to the light), the heroine’s journey is usually the inverse of this, with characters moving from the outer world to a deeper communion with their inner selves and desires.

“The true courage is in facing danger when you are afraid, and that kind of courage you have in plenty.’“ L Frank Baum

• Baum, L. Frank (Author)
• 160 Pages - 12/01/2016 (Publication Date) - Sweet Cherry Publishing (Publisher)

Envisioning a dystopian new world in which each District is compelled to send two children between the ages of twelve and sixteen to compete in the annual Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins’ novels are widely cited as examples of the hero’s journey genre. Now a Hollywood blockbuster series of movies, the story demonstrates how the tropes inherent in Homer’s tale of Odysseus, written nearly 3,000 years ago, are still alive and kicking today. For more, check out our guide to the best books for teenagers .

“I’m more than just a piece in their Games.” Suzanne Collins

Set in 1930s Alabama, Atticus Finch is a lawyer attempting to defend and prove the innocence of Tom Robinson, a black man wrongly accused of raping a white woman. Atticus’s hero’s journey is largely a psychological one, in which he faces his own innermost beliefs, and is forced to confront morality and prejudice in the south of the US, how this manifests, and its impact on the individual and society – as well as the delivery of justice.

“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view. Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.” Harper Lee

Another bestselling novel adored by adults and children alike, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon chronicles Minli’s quest as she journies to find the Old Man on the Moon. Drawing on Chinese folktales, this rich fantasy, accompanied by the author’s beautiful illustrations, follows Minli as she encounters a range of otherworldly characters in her quest to find the answers to some of life’s biggest questions.

“If you make happy those that are near, those that are far will come.” Grace Lin

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• Lin, Grace (Author)

The Spanish masterpiece, first published in 1605, begins in the ordinary world of Alonso Quijano, a middle-aged man who loves nothing more than reading stories about knights and their adventures. Deciding to leave behind his own life to become a knight errant himself, Alonso changes his name to Don Quixote and sets off on a series of heroic deeds – some more successful than others!

“It is by rugged paths like these they go that scale the heights of immortality, unreached by those that falter here below.” Miguel de Cervantes

• Miguel De Cervantes Saavedra (Author)
• English (Subtitle)
• 800 Pages - 09/04/1997 (Publication Date) - Wordsworth Editions Ltd (Publisher)

This Amazon bestseller by Rick Yancey received the Goodreads Choice award. The Fifth Wave focuses on Cassie and Evan, two of the last human survivors on Earth following an alien invasion, dreading the imminent fourth wave. As a hero’s journey tale, Cassie must tackle both a physical, dangerous quest and attempt to understand the truth of the terrifying new world she’s inhabiting.

“Some things you don’t have to promise, you just do.” Rick Yancey

The hero in this Old English epic poem from an unknown author follows precisely the steps outlined by Joseph Campbell in The Hero with a Thousand Faces. From the Call to Adventure and the Refusal of the Call and all the way through to The Return – otherwise known as The Elixir- in which the hero brings something back from his adventure to benefit society. In the case of Beowulf, it’s the insight he has gained, which will keep his people safe going forward, and his blessing of peace,

“In the time I was given I lived in my own land, ruling my people well, never turning to treachery, or swearing to oaths contrary to right.” Beowulf

• Unknown (Author)
• 142 Pages - 11/20/2020 (Publication Date) - East India Publishing Company (Publisher)

A much-loved novel published in 1951 that follows the classic hero’s journey template, Siddhartha concerns the titular character on his quest for self-discovery. Deciding to leave his home in the ancient Nepalese kingdom of Kapilavastu, Siddhartha sets out as a wandering beggar seeking spiritual enlightenment. Through his journeying, the hero learns the importance of loving the world in its entirety and that a single, fixed belief does not constitute truth.

“Knowledge can be communicated, but not wisdom. One can find it, live it, do wonders through it, but one cannot communicate and teach it.” Hermann Hesse

• Hesse, Hermann (Author)
• 224 Pages - 09/19/2023 (Publication Date) - Wellfleet Press (Publisher)

With its mind-bending perspectives and mythic structure, it’s unclear how much of this book is fictional and how much is based on reality. With its clear mentor character (the Yaqui Indian shaman, Don Juan) and the dangerous journey at its heart that the protagonist is compelled to undertake, it’s a clear example of the hero’s journey story – though possibly one that pushes the boundaries of the genre more than any you’ve come across!

“We are men and our lot in life is to learn and be hurled into inconceivable new worlds.” Carols Castaneda

• Carlos Castaneda (Author)
• 263 Pages - 10/01/1972 (Publication Date) - Pocket Books (Publisher)

Awakening fifty years too soon from cryosleep, Amy finds herself aboard the spaceship Godspeed and in a terrifying situation. Realizing that her awakening didn’t happen by accident (The Call to Action), Amy has to accept the truth that someone else on board wants her dead – and that her parents, still in cryosleep, could be the next victims if she doesn’t figure out what’s going on. But meeting Eldest, the future leader of the ship, changes everything.

“Even when you are silent, even when you block out all noise, your body is still a cacophony of life.” Beth Revis

• Beth Revis (Author)
• 416 Pages - 02/02/2011 (Publication Date) - New York: Razor Bill (Publisher)

Blending fantasy and world mythology (both old and new), this novel widely divides its audience: it falls into the love it or loathe it category. But whatever your views on the plot and the writing, it’s an innovative take on the hero’s journey trope that reimagines the genre. Even its archetype, Shadow, is a vivid and disturbing (yet recognizable) hero figure – although, in typical Neil Gaiman style, the name ‘Shadow’ is also one of the character archetypes set out by Christopher Vogler’s author of the influential book, The Writer’s Journey.

“Even nothing cannot last forever.” Nail Gaiman

Fairy tales are great places to look for the hero’s journey stories being themselves, born from ancient folktales, legends, and myths. There are many versions of this tale, many of which feature very dark and disturbing themes, but the Grimms’ version is relatively tame. While reading, consider the extent to which the story is a hero’s or a heroine’s journey tale – thinking about the journey from outer to inner (and vice versa) and how this relates to the narrative of both the prince and Briar Rose herself.

“The pigeons upon the roof pulled out their heads from under their wings, looked round, and flew into the open country; the flies on the wall crept again; the fire in the kitchen burned up and flickered and cooked the meat; the joint began to turn and fizzle again.” Brothers Grimm

• Brothers Grimm (Author)
• 06/05/2024 (Publication Date) - HarperCollins Publishers (Publisher)

In his writings, the renowned psychiatrist and psychoanalyst Carl Jung outlined his ideas about archetypes, including archetypal journies, contending that humans’ unconscious minds are remarkably similar. This is why the hero’s journey stories have always permeated literature and art and continue to do so.

At its heart, the journey of Jane Eyre is the same as that taken by Luke Skywalker in Star Wars, despite the time and genre divide between the two. Just as Luke’s quest is about discovering truth and recognizing potential, so Jane’s journey is concerned with growth and independence – and there’s a disturbing truth in the attic to confront along the way, too.

Just as with Skywalker, Jane emerges at the end of the tale as a strong, loyal, passionate character who has faced a devastating reality and emerged from the ordeal with even greater reserves of tenacity than before. For more, check out our guide to the best British authors .

“I am no bird; and no net ensnares me: I am a free human being with an independent will.” Charlotte Bronte

• Bronte, Charlotte (Author)
• 400 Pages - 06/01/2015 (Publication Date) - Digireads.com (Publisher)

A classic hero’s journey tale and the, at times, the most widely read book in the world, second only to The Bible, Bunyan’s book is concerned with the importance of learning and reading and the innate value of community. The hero, Christian, leaves his home and must face a series of trials – key to the genre. However, each tribulation or challenge must be thoroughly understood if a pilgrim is to progress. There’s even a final trial – a test of faith – which Christians must pass to access the Celestial City.

“The road of denial leads to the precipice of destruction.” John Bunyan

• Bunyan, John (Author)
• 400 Pages - 12/18/2003 (Publication Date) - Oxford University Press (Publisher)

The greatest literary detective of all time, Sherlock Holmes, is a hero archetype: The Researcher (the character of Indiana Jones also falls within this hero category). The Hound of the Baskervilles is one of the most well-known stories featuring Holmes and his trusty sidekick Dr. Watson. This is a great book for those interested in the hero’s journey genre, as the stages are so clearly delineated, from the Call to Action (Holmes’ enlistment to the case) through to The Return, whereby Watson files the case closed.

“The world is full of obvious things which nobody by any chance ever observes.” Arthur Conan Doyle

• Arthur Conan Doyle (Author)
• 174 Pages - 07/02/2007 (Publication Date) - Penguin Books (Publisher)

In this classic by a 19th century author , we meet Jim going about his daily life in the inn that his family owns. Following the Call to Action, where the boy becomes fascinated with the ‘black spot’ presented to the old captain, Billy Bones, who’s staying at the inn, Jim becomes embroiled in an epic adventure on the high seas in search of buried treasure.

“We are all travelers in the wilderness of this world, and the best we can find in our travels is an honest friend.” Robert Louis Stevenson

• Robert Louis Stevenson (author) (Author)
• 336 Pages - 09/14/2018 (Publication Date) - Wordsworth Editions Ltd (Publisher)

Testament to the power of myth is the enduring popularity of this story, which recounts the adventures of Jason and the Argonauts as they quest for the golden fleece. The epic, written – incredibly – in the third century BC, remains so widely read that there are not only multiple versions available on amazon, but you can listen to it as an audiobook, too! It features all the archetypal stages of the genre, including the Refusal of the Call, whereby Jason initially urges the heroes to elect another leader for the voyage. Once chosen, though, Heracles insists that Jason can take up the mantle, confident he can lead the band to victory.

“But friendly Juno shrouds/Her favorite heroes in a veil of clouds.” Apollonius

• Rhodius, Apollonius (Author)
• 129 Pages - 11/11/2022 (Publication Date) - Independently published (Publisher)

A bestseller that was also received extremely well by critics, this novel is a hero’s journey tale with a difference. Hazel, our protagonist, is sixteen years old and suffering from thyroid cancer that has spread to her lungs. Her parents insist she attends a support group (Crossing the Threshold) where she meets Augustus Walters, a seventeen-year-old osteosarcoma survivor. It’s now a Hollywood blockbuster movie that captures Amy’s journey into love.

“My name is Hazel. Augustus Waters was the great star-crossed love of my life.” John Green

When fourteen-year-old Stanley is wrongly convicted of stealing, he’s sent to a correctional camp where the inmates are forced by the warden to dig holes, seemingly at random. The story is comprised of three individual but interconnected tales. It makes for a fascinating take on the hero’s journey genre, the pattern of which can be seen both in the three stand-alone stories and in the overarching triptych.

“You’re responsible for yourself. You messed up your life, and it’s up to you to fix it.” Louis Sachar

• Sachar, Louis (Author)
• 240 Pages - 06/05/2024 (Publication Date) - Bloomsbury (Publisher)

This novelization of the Hollywood movie is an exciting account of a team of interstellar explorers sent through a newly-discovered wormhole – and what the ramifications of this mean for humanity. Despite being written thousands of years after Argonautica, the story shares a remarkably similar bone structure, as our hero literally navigates new worlds in a quest to return with the solution that will save the human race from extinction.

“We’ve always defined ourself by our ability to overcome the impossible.” Jonathan Nolan

• Keyes, Greg (Author)
• 288 Pages - 11/11/2014 (Publication Date) - Titan Books (Publisher)

Divergent by Veronica Roth offers a dystopian version of a future in which society is divided into five factions, each representing a certain virtue. Beatrice has been assigned the Abnegation faction but feels a Call to Action: in her heart, she knows she belongs to Dauntless. While set in a distant future, the tale follows the traditional archetypal hero’s journey; after the Call, Beatrice (now Tris) must resist several temptations, cross a threshold, and must survive a final ordeal to emerge at the novel’s finale, transformed and triumphant.

“I feel like someone breathed new air into my lungs. I am not Abnegation. I am not Dauntless. I am Divergent.” Veronica Roth

Beautiful and strange, this novel uses the mythic structure as both framework and plot. We follow a couple across a mystical, fiction, post-Arthurian landscape that is as shrouded in mist as their fast-disappearing memories. Both are convinced that they once had a son and so set out on a quest to find him. The author wrote the book as a meditation on collective memory, making it both an example and an interrogation of the hero’s journey tale.

“I’m wondering if without our memories, there’s nothing for it but for our love to fade and die.” Kazuo Ishiguro

• Ishiguro, Kazuo (Author)
• 384 Pages - 01/28/2016 (Publication Date) - Faber & Faber (Publisher)

Literally Crossing the Threshold via a fall down a rabbit hole, Alice arrives in Wonderland, where nothing is as it seems, and both adventure and danger lurk around every corner. But is the Caterpillar, The White Rabbit, or The Mad Hatter the Mentor? Just as with everything else in the story, it’s a riddle. But what’s for sure is that the story follows the classic monomyth template as set out by Joseph Campbell.

“‘I could tell you my adventures – beginning from this morning,’ said Alice a little timidly: ‘but it’s no use going back to yesterday because I was a different person then.’” Lewis Carroll

• Carroll, Lewis (Author)
• 101 Pages - 05/06/2021 (Publication Date) - Independently published (Publisher)

In some hero’s journey books, the stages are subtle – you can find them, but you may need to look closely. As in Alice in Wonderland, the phases are made obvious in this novel: the kids literally step over the threshold of the magical wardrobe and into the enchanted world of Narnia. The Refusal of the Call comes when the children initially turn back, fearful of their ability to navigate their way home. They return and take on the challenges set for them by one of literature’s ultimate Mentor figures, Aslan.

“All shall be done, but it may be harder than you think.” C.S. Lewis

• C.S. Lewis (Author)
• 171 Pages - 01/01/2009 (Publication Date) - HarperCollins Children's Books (Publisher)

Just because the hero’s journey genre is as old as time doesn’t mean it’s not subject to continual innovation – as in this novel, where the hero’s Mentor and biggest challenge to overcome is…literally himself. Fight Club is a cult phenomenon that’s made the leap to mainstream hit, helped along by the success of the great screenwriting featured in the Hollywood movie version of the book. Visionary, satirical, and a personal enlightenment journey like no other, Fight Club gleefully reimagines the hero’s journey genre to spectacular effect.

“If I could wake up in a different place, at a different time, could I wake up as a different person?” Chuck Palahniuk

• Palahniuk, Chuck (Author)
• 208 Pages - 10/02/1997 (Publication Date) - Vintage (Publisher)

Melanie Smith is a freelance content and creative writer from Gloucestershire, UK, where she lives with her daughter, long-suffering partner, and cat, The Magical Mr. Bobo. Her blog posts and articles feature regularly in magazines and websites around the world.

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12 Books That Will Take You on a Journey this Spring

Books have the power to transport us. Whether you’re making travel plans this spring, daydreaming about your most memorable vacations, or just looking to escape the last of the chilly weather, you can take a journey through these books.

From a fantastical world reminiscent of Italy; to a trip in and around Denver; to a destination wedding on a remote and eerie island off the coast of Ireland; to a gruelling canoe adventure across the Arctic – there’s adventure for all tastes in this list (including those of us who prefer our adventure horizontally, on a beach).

This Vicious Grace – Emily Thiede

While it’s set in a fictional (and magical) world, Emily Thiede ’s This Vicious Grace reminds me of Italy, with its cliffs, bright oceans, sunshine, and lemon trees. It’s the first in a series of YA fantasy books about magic and monsters. Alessa’s gift from the gods is supposed to magnify a partner’s magic, not kill every suitor she touches. Now, with only a few weeks left until a swarm of demons devours everything on her island home, Alessa is running out of time to find a partner and to stop the invasion. When a powerful priest convinces his flock that killing Alessa is the island’s only hope, her soldiers try to assassinate her. Desperate to survive, she hires Dante, a cynical outcast marked as a killer, to become her new bodyguard. But as the rebellion intensifies, Dante’s dark secrets may become a betrayal greater than she could have imagined. He holds the key to her survival, and her heart, but is he the person who will help her master her gift? Or will he be the one to destroy her? This book was dark and addictive, full of action, intrigue, and romance.

Better Than Fiction – Alexa Martin

Alexa Martin ’s Better Than Fiction is a love letter to books, to love stories, and to the state of Colorado. It’s a hot and steamy romance with a tender core, exploring themes of family, loss, and following your dreams. This book follows self-proclaimed book hater Drew, who had never anticipated inheriting her grandmother’s bookstore, the Book Nook. She’s in way over her head, even before the store’s resident book club (made up of seven very naughty old ladies) start to meddle, going as far as inviting bestselling author Jasper Williams to a signing. Jasper is a hopeless romantic (and a very handsome one at that), and he’s decided to stay in town to do research for his next book. In exchange for help exploring the local Denver scene, he curates a book bucket list for Drew. As Drew starts to fall for reading, she also starts to fall for Jasper, in the kind of love story that only seems to happen in fiction. This book explores the messiness that connects us — the complexities of our love, our loss, and our families. It’s a short and fun read that takes you on an adventure in and around Denver (right from the comfort of your couch and your blanket).

Beyond the Trees – Adam Shoalts

While it’s not my idea of a typical vacation, Adam Shoalts ’ Beyond the Trees transports you alongside him, on a solo canoe trip across Canada’s Arctic. “Canada’s Greatest living explorer” takes us on an unprecedented journey in one of few places in this world where it’s still possible to wander for months without crossing a single road, or encountering another human. Between his starting point in the Yukon, to his destination in Nunavut, there’s a maze of obstacles: swollen rivers, shifting ice floes, gale-force storms, and fog-blanketed lakes, and Shoalts has to time his journey perfectly, leaving just as the spring thaw begins, and arriving before the winter closes in. He travels alone, tirelessly canoeing and portaging through the Arctic, on the adventure of a lifetime. His vivid descriptions and his adventurous spirit inspire you to go on your own adventure…although his descriptions of the swarms of mosquitoes he encounters might make you think better of it!

When We Were Birds – Ayanna Lloyd Banwo

This stunning magical realism story by Ayanna Lloyd Banwo transports its readers to Trinidad and Tobago. While the setting itself is fictionalized, it’s based on real places. When We Were Birds is a lush, vivid, and stunning story, one that I fell in love with, as it reminded me of the magic of words while I was in the middle of a reading slump. This is a beautiful story about death and love, life and magic, and belonging. It’s a literary epic about the ties that bind us – to each other, to life, to death, and to the world around us. This book is languid and literary, transporting you into the flavours and the rhythms of Trinidad and Tobago, slowly and immersively. Banwo’s writing is dynamic, thoughtful, and chosen with such care — I adored this book, and I hope it transports you the way it did me.

People We Meet on Vacation – Emily Henry

Emily Henry is the queen of romance! Her books find the perfect balance between romance, humour, and an emotional core, and People We Meet on Vacation is the “friends to lovers” vacation romance of your dreams. It follows Poppy and Alex — two best friends who couldn’t be more opposite from one another. Poppy is a wild child with insatiable wanderlust; Alex wears khakis and prefers to stay home with a book. For most of the year they live far apart — her in New York City, him in their small hometown. But every summer, for a decade, they take one glorious week of vacation together…. that is until two years ago, when everything changed. They haven’t spoken since. Poppy had everything she should have wanted, but she’s stuck in a rut. The last time she was truly happy was on that final, ill-fated trip with Alex. So, she decides to convince her best friend to take one more vacation together – lay everything on the table, and fix their relationship, and somehow, despite everything, Alex agrees. Punctuated with stories and memories from many of Alex and Poppy’s vacations over the last decade, this book takes you on a journey — around the world, but also through the space between Alex and Poppy’s relationship. This book was a delight.

The Husband Hour – Jamie Brenner

Jamie Brenner ’s The Husband Hour transports its readers to New England, where a young widow’s reclusive life in a charming beach town is interrupted by a surprise visitor, who forces her to reckon with the past she tried to leave behind. Lauren Adelman and her highschool sweetheart Rory Kincaid are the definition of a golden couple. They married right out of college, as Rory, a star hockey player, started his career in the NHL. Their future is so bright, so Lauren (and the rest of the world) is stunned when Rory decides to enlist in the U.S. Army. When Rory dies in combat, Lauren is left devastated, alone, and under unbearable public scrutiny. Desperate for some peace and solitude, Lauren hides away in her family’s old beach house in the Jersey Shore. But this summer, she’s forced to share the house with her competitive sister, and her overbearing mother. Even worse, a stranger tracks her down, because he’s making a documentary about Rory. All he wants is an hour of her time. That hour with filmmaker Matt Brio becomes a summer of revelations, surprises, and upheaval… Soon, Lauren finds herself understanding her past, and embracing the possibility of her future.

The Mars Room – Rachel Kushner

Rachel Kushner’s The Mars Room reads half like a love letter to San Francisco, and half like a multi-layered book about women in prison. It was a bit slow, but really enjoyable. In this book, we see many stories take place, and we learn about the different characters and the threads that tie them together. It was painful at times, but it was also incredibly poignant. At its core, this was an examination of these women — who they were before prison, and the series of actions and circumstances that led them to be where they are. Well-written, sharp, and thoughtful, this book is a journey — in more ways than one.

The Unhoneymooners – Christina Lauren

Co-author duo Christina Lauren ’ s The Unhoneymooners is a quick and delightful summer-y read, full of everything I love in rom-com books: enemies-to-lovers, fake relationships, laugh-out-loud humour, and chemistry that gives you stomach butterflies. It follows Olive, who has always been unlucky — in love, in career, in everything. Her identical twin, Ami, on the other hand, is maybe the luckiest person in the world. Her meet-cute with her fiance was like something out of a rom-com, and she has managed to pay for her entire dream wedding by winning a series of internet contests. Worst of all, she’s forcing Olive to spend the entire day with the best man, and Olive’s sworn enemy – Ethan. But when the entire wedding party gets food poisoning, Olive and Ethan are the only people who aren’t affected, and now there’s an all-expenses paid honeymoon in Hawaii up for grabs. In order to enjoy their free vacation in paradise, Olive and Ethan decide to put aside their mutual hatred…but when Olive runs into her future boss at the resort, she and Ethan have to pretend they’re loving newlyweds. The weird thing is that she doesn’t mind playing pretend… Maybe the next best thing to a sweet and steamy tropical vacation is reading about a sweet and steamy tropical vacation?

You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty – Akwaeke Emezi

I LOVED Akwaeke Emezi ’ s You Made A Fool of Death With Your Beauty . It’s lush, messy, sumptuous, and queer, and I adored it. This is a beautiful, bold, ferocious, and unapologetic book, and I honestly haven’t read anything like it before. The story follows Feyi Adekola, an artist who just wants to learn how to be alive again, after an accident killed the love of her life five years ago. She’s almost a new person now — an artist with her own studio, sharing a brownstone apartment with her best friend Joy, who keeps insisting that Feyi start to ease back into the dating scene. Feyi isn’t ready for anything serious, but soon she’s caught up in a whirlwind summer beyond her wildest expectations. She’s on a luxury trip to a tropical island, where she’s treated to decadent meals made by a celebrity chef, he’s met a major curator who wants to launch her art career, she’s even started dating the perfect guy. But the relationship might be sabotaged before it even had a chance — thanks to Feyi starting to fall for someone else… someone who is most definitely off-limits. I simply adored this book, as it took me on a journey through grief, loss, love, and sex in a really powerful way. The story takes you along to a tropical island, and into a world of decadence, sensuality, rage, and mess. 

If An Egyptian Cannot Speak English – Noor Naga

Noor Naga ’s dark and brilliant new novel is set in the aftermath of the Arab Spring, following an Egyptian American woman, and a man from the village of Shobrakheit, who meet in a cafe in Cairo. Formerly a photographer of the revolution, he now finds himself unemployed, and addicted to cocaine, living in a shack on a roof. She’s the nostalgic daughter of immigrants, “returning” to a country she’s never been to before — teaching English, and living in a beautiful flat. They fall in love, and he moves in, but soon, their desires take a violent and unexpected turn. If An Egyptian Cannot Speak English is a dark romance, told in alternating perspectives, and examining identity politics, globalization, and the fetishizing of our homelands. This book will transport its readers to the dusty and bustling streets of Cairo, on a journey through a complicated and turbulent relationship, and a reckoning with power, privilege, and harm.

The Guest List – Lucy Foley

A destination wedding may not be everyone’s idea of a good time, especially one with fatal consequences, like Lucy Foley ’ s The Guest List — but the remote, creepy, and breathtaking Irish Island in the story? That’s a place I’d love to visit. It’s the wedding of the year, but not everyone is going to survive it… On a remote island off the coast of Ireland, guests gather to celebrate the wedding of rising TVstar Will Slater, and stylish magazine publisher Jules Keegan. Though the sea is choppy, the cell service is spotty, and the venue is a bit… spooky… the wedding is everything you’d expect of a young power couple: a four-tiered cake, a designer dress, boutique whiskey, vintage champagne. Every single detail has been curated to perfection, and all that’s left is to orchestrate the happiness. Unfortunately perfection is for plans, and not people. Not too long after the cake gets cut, and the champagne starts pouring, the resentments and the historic grudges come out, as do the dark clouds, and the stormy winds. Everyone on the island has a secret. Everyone has a motive. And someone is not going to leave this wedding alive!

Tokyo Ever After – Emiko Jean

Princess Diaries set in Tokyo? SIGN! ME! UP!  Emiko Jean ’s YA rom-com is the first in a sweet and engaging series of books that transport you to Japan, and into Japanese culture. Izumi Tanaka has never felt like she could fit in — it’s been tough growing up Japanese American in a mostly white small town in Northern California. Raised by her single mom, it’s always been Izzy and her mom against the world… then, Izzy discovers a clue to her previously unknown father’s identity. He’s none other than the Crown Prince of Japan, which means outspoken, irreverent Izzy is literally a princess! Suddenly she’s on a whirlwind trip to Japan, to meet the father she never knew, and discover the country she always dreamt of. But it’s not all ball gowns and tiaras… Izzy finds herself dealing with conniving cousins, hungry press, thousands of years of traditions and customs, and a scowling (but VERY HANDSOME) bodyguard. Soon, Izzy finds herself caught between two worlds, and two versions of who she could be… Will she crumble under the weight of the crown? Or will she find her own happily ever after? Tokyo Ever After is a sweet and heartwarming story, full of love, and family, and an exploration of Japan and its culture. 

Ameema Saeed ( @ameemabackwards ) is a storyteller, a Capricorn, an avid bookworm, and a curator of very specific playlists, customized book recommendations, and cool earrings. She’s the Books Editor for She Does the City , where she writes and curates bookish content, and book recommendations. She enjoys bad puns, good food, dancing, and talking about feelings. She writes about books, big feelings, unruly bodies, and her lived experiences, and hopes to write your next favourite book one day. When she’s not reading books, she likes to talk about books (especially diverse books, and books by diverse authors) on her bookstagram: @ReadWithMeemz

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7 Books to Take You On A Journey

From the arrondissements of Paris, to the wilderness north of Mt. McKinley, these books will take you far, far away.

In 2009, New York Times bestselling author Eloisa James took a leap that many people dream about: She sold her house, took a sabbatical from her job as a Shakespeare professor, and moved her family to Paris. This memoir chronicles her joyful year in one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Eloisa revels in the ordinary pleasures of life—discovering corner museums that tourists overlook, chronicling Frenchwomen’s sartorial triumphs, walking from one end of Paris to another.

In 2009, Eloisa James sold her house, took a sabbatical from her job as a Shakespeare professor, and moved her family to Paris. This book chronicles her joyful year there. She revels in the ordinary pleasures of life and copes with her family's own adjustments and trials in a new country and foreign language.

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An exhilarating look at a place that still retains the exotic mystery of a far-off, unseen land, Chatwin’s exquisite account of his journey through Patagonia teems with evocative descriptions, remarkable bits of history, and unforgettable anecdotes. He recounts his treks through “the uttermost part of the earth”— that stretch of land at the southern tip of South America, where bandits were once made welcome—in search of almost forgotten legends, the descendants of Welsh immigrants, and the log cabin built by Butch Cassidy.

Fueled by wanderlust and a lifelong fascination with one of the outermost reaches of the earth, Bruce Chatwin set off for Patagonia to uncover the mysteries of this territory once favored by bandits like Butch Cassidy. An elegant and captivating journey to the end of the earth, Chatwin’s memoir is a masterpiece of the travel canon.

10 Travel Memoirs to Take You Around the World

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Release date: September 2, 2015

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Traveling the USA: Books to Read Before You Hit The Road

By Off the Shelf Staff | February 19, 2014

Twenty miles south of the Arizona-Mexico border, the rugged, beautiful Sierra Madre mountains begin their dramatic ascent. The rules of law and society have never taken hold in the Sierra Madre, which is home to bandits, drug smugglers, Mormons, cave-dwelling Tarahumara Indians, opium farmers, cowboys, and other assorted outcasts. Outsiders are not welcome; drugs are the primary source of income; murder is all but a regional pastime. The Mexican army occasionally goes in to burn marijuana and opium crops -- the modern treasure of the Sierra Madre -- but otherwise the government stays away. Fifteen years ago, journalist Richard Grant developed what he calls "an unfortunate fascination" with this lawless place. With gorgeous detail, fascinating insight, and an undercurrent of dark humor, God's Middle Finger brings to vivid life a truly unique and uncharted world.

In April 1992 a young man from a well-to-do family hitchhiked to Alaska and walked alone into the wilderness north of Mt. McKinley. His name was Christopher Johnson McCandless. He had given $25,000 in savings to charity, abandoned his car and most of his possessions, burned all the cash in his wallet, and invented a new life for himself. Four months later, his decomposed body was found by a moose hunter. How McCandless came to die is the unforgettable story of Into the Wild.

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A Polarizing, Unforgettable Journey into the Alaskan Wild

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9 Books to Help You Escape When You Are Trapped in an Airport (or Anywhere)

By Off the Shelf Staff | October 28, 2014

Hailed as a masterpiece of American travel writing, Blue Highways is an unforgettable journey along our nation's backroads. William Least Heat-Moon set out with little more than the need to put home behind him and a sense of curiosity about "those little towns that get on the map-if they get on at all-only because some cartographer has a blank space to fill: Remote, Oregon; Simplicity, Virginia; New Freedom, Pennsylvania; New Hope, Tennessee; Why, Arizona; Whynot, Mississippi." His adventures, his discoveries, and his recollections of the extraordinary people he encountered along the way amount to a revelation of the true American experience.

With On the Road, Jack Kerouac discovered his voice and his true subject—the search for a place as an outsider in America. On the Road swings to the rhythms of fifties underground America, jazz, sex, generosity, chill dawns, and drugs, with Sal Paradise and his hero Dean Moriarty, traveler and mystic, the living epitome of Beat.

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The Devil Takes You Home: A Novel Kindle Edition

This genre-defying, Shirley Jackson and Bram Stoker award-winning thriller follows a father desperate to salvage what's left of his family—even if it means a descent into violence. Buried in debt due to his young daughter’s illness, his marriage at the brink, Mario reluctantly takes a job as a hitman, surprising himself with his proclivity for violence. After tragedy destroys the life he knew, Mario agrees to one final job: hijack a cartel’s cash shipment before it reaches Mexico. Along with an old friend and a cartel-insider named Juanca, Mario sets off on the near-suicidal mission, which will leave him with either a cool $200,000 or a bullet in the skull. But the path to reward or ruin is never as straight as it seems. As the three complicated men travel through the endless landscape of Texas, across the border and back, their hidden motivations are laid bare alongside nightmarish encounters that defy explanation. One thing is certain: even if Mario makes it out alive, he won’t return the same.

• Print length 321 pages
• Language English
• Sticky notes On Kindle Scribe
• Publisher Mulholland Books
• Publication date August 2, 2022
• File size 897 KB
• Page Flip Enabled
• Word Wise Enabled
• Enhanced typesetting Enabled
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A white-knuckle thriller that is as dark-hearted and visceral as it is evocative and fresh.

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“Strap yourself in for this astonishing novel and its hallucinogenic mixture of crime and horror. Unforgettable characters, a pulse-pounding story, and a few scenes that will haunt you until the end of your days. Not since Denis Johnson’s Angels have we seen desperate characters like this, not to mention incandescent prose that is relentlessly brave, urgent, and honest. A page-turner with attitude…don’t miss it.”

" The Devil Takes You Home is a wild ride through grief, faith, loss and monstrosity. Gabino Iglesias's sharp prose and visceral, haunting vision have birthed a riveting novel no reader will soon forget. Fresh and genuinely scary."

"With a noir voice reminiscent of Jim Thompson, this book charges into rage and despair, sparing no one, least of all the reader. Strap yourself in."

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• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09N5R5K8W
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Mulholland Books (August 2, 2022)
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 2, 2022
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• File size ‏ : ‎ 897 KB
• Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
• Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
• Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
• X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
• Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
• Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 321 pages
• #1,235 in Paranormal Suspense
• #1,917 in Supernatural Thrillers (Books)
• #3,045 in Crime Thrillers (Kindle Store)

About the author

Gabino iglesias.

Gabino Iglesias is a writer, journalist, professor, and literary critic living in Austin, TX. He is the author of ZERO SAINTS and COYOTE SONGS and the editor of BOTH SIDES and HALLDARK HOLIDAYS. His work has been nominated twice to the Bram Stoker Award as well as the Locus Award and won the Wonderland Book Award for Best Novel in 2019. His nonfiction has appeared in the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, Electric Literature, and LitReactor. His reviews appear regularly in places like NPR, Publishers Weekly, the San Francisco Chronicle, Criminal Element, Mystery Tribune, Vol. 1 Brooklyn, the Los Angeles Review of Books, and other venues. He's been a juror for the Shirley Jackson Awards twice and has judged the PANK Big Book Contest, the Splatterpunk Awards, the Newfound Prose Prize, and the 2021 FIU Student Literary Awards, among others. He has offered keynotes at various institutions and events, including the Lighthouse Book Project, ARRTCon, the inaugural POP_UP Academic Conference on Popular Culture, and the Revolve Creative Conference. In 2021, he received the Horror Writer’s Association Diversity Grant. Iglesias has worked as a mentor with the San Francisco Creative Writing Institute and the Periplus Collective. He is a member of the Horror Writers Association, the Mystery Writers of America, and the National Book Critics Circle. He teaches creative writing at Southern New Hampshire University's online MFA program. You can find him on Twitter at @Gabino_Iglesias.

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Media Decision US

18 Best Historical Fiction Books To Take a Journey Back in Time

Posted: June 7, 2024 | Last updated: June 7, 2024

Writer and historian David C. McCullough once said, “History is who we are and why we are here.” Indeed, the study of history allows us to understand our present by examining what has come before.

One of the most engaging and informative ways to learn about the past is through historical fiction books. People often find reading non-fiction history somewhat dull, so we have compiled a list of some of the best historical fiction books that allow the spirit and atmosphere of a range of eras to shine through alongside engaging characters and plots. 

Explore a diverse collection of books ranging from timeless classics to recent releases and from renowned to lesser-known historical fiction works. These books will provide a window into the past and insight into how our societies have developed into what they are today.

Organized chronologically, they whisk readers away to ancient Aztec civilization, 1970s Afghanistan, and everything in between.

Featured on The New York Times Bestseller List in 1981, author Gary Jennings immerses the reader in the rich Aztec culture, which he studied extensively before writing his novel .

Fictional character Mixtli-Dark Cloud narrates Aztec , emphasizing themes of colonialism and how the legendary Aztec Empire was destroyed by Spain’s Hernán Cortás’ conquistadores. 

Against the backdrop of Elizabethan England, Hamnet: A Novel of the Plague is the fictional story of the death of Shakespeare’s son. 

With the tragic historical accuracy of the late 16 th century, Maggie O-Farrell skilfully weaves a familiar and relatable tale of a family’s grief. Readers will enjoy learning about daily life during Shakespeare’s time while developing a connection to the main characters as they navigate the aftermath of a parent’s worst nightmare. 

3. Beyond the Door of No Return

Set in 18 th century Senegal, Beyond the Door of No Return by David Diop, is a historical tale of love and loss. The novel is based on real-life naturalist Michel Adanson and the Senegalese woman he falls in love with. 

The book also details his encounters with the African slave trade. The Guardian notes, “[The book is] a compelling critique of colonial violence and the dehumanization of Black people [and] illustrates how inhabiting another language promotes compassion.”

4. Wuthering Heights

One of the ultimate classics of English literature, Wuthering Heights by Emile Brontë gives a glimpse into 19th-century life in England. 

Primarily a tale of romance, the novel also demonstrates the social, economic, and political dynamics of the time. Socioeconomic status and gender stereotypes are two of many themes featured within this iconic love story. 

5. Les Misérables

While many mistakenly believe Les Misérables by Victor Hugo is about the French Revolution itself, the novel depicts the aftermath of the French Revolution. Like the book above, Les Misérables gives a glimpse into 19th-century life, this time in France. 

Themes such as poverty, inequality, and political instability are the main features of this timeless story.

6. Oliver Twist

“Please, sir, I want some more.”

This famous phrase immediately transports the reader to Victorian England — a rough and unpleasant place for many, especially young children. 

With themes of child labor, poverty, and theft, among others, Charles Dickens delivers a detailed and sadly accurate depiction of life during the Victorian Era.

7. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

A classic American tale that follows the adventures of Tom Sawyer as he grows up in a fictional town along the Mississippi River in the 1840s. Mark Twain emphasizes themes of poverty, race, superstition, and slavery.

Even though this book is written for children, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer resonates with readers of all ages. It transports readers back in time and explores themes that are still relevant today. 

8. Anna Karenina

Set in Russia in 1874, Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina centers on a forbidden love while accurately highlighting what Russian life would have been like at this time. Alongside a compelling story, readers will learn about the customs, traditions, and mindsets of Russian society in the late 19th century. 

9. Anne of Green Gables

Anne (with an ‘e’) of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery accurately depicts life in Prince Edward Island, Canada, in the 1880s. This novel offers an accurate glimpse into the past, highlighting the customs and values of this point in time. Meanwhile, Montgomery tells the tale of Anne and her transition from an orphan to a beloved family member.

10. All Quiet on the Western Front

With themes of modern warfare, the brutality of war, survival, and nationalism, Erich Maria Remarque weaves the tale of a young German soldier who is woefully unprepared for the death and destruction that awaits him on the Western Front.

All Quiet on the Western Front is based on Remarque’s own experiences during World War One and tragically portrays the horrors that young men on all sides faced on the front lines.

11. Memoirs of a Geisha

Backed by extensive research, Arthur Golden provides an authentic representation of Japan’s 1930s geisha culture in Memoirs of a Geisha . With themes of traditions and customs, love, and gender roles, Golden’s novel tells the story of a young child who is sold as a servant to a geisha house. Experience post-war Japan through the eyes of a geisha.

12. To Kill a Mockingbird

Another American classic, To Kill a Mockingbird, provides book lovers with themes of racism, prejudice, injustice, and courage.  Readers will gain an understanding of the life and times of 1930s Southern America through the eyes of Scout and Jem Finch as their father (Atticus Finch) tries to defend two black men against a crime they are accused of committing.

The book is based on a trial in which Harper Lee’s own father – like Atticus Finch – served as a defense lawyer for two African American men accused of murder.  

13. The Book Thief

With Death as the narrator, The Book Thief by Markus Zusak follows Liesel, a young girl in N*zi Germany who steals books to preserve them. With themes of death, the power of words and language, and the idea of right and wrong, this story will accurately immerse its readers into the chaos of World War Two Germany.

14. The Animals at Lockwood Manor

Another novel set in World War Two, The Animals at Lockwood Manor by Jane Healey, offers a unique perspective of 1940s Britain. The main character, Hetty Cartwright, is given the important job of protecting the Natural History Museum’s collection of mammals. While mystery and romance are the main elements, readers will gain valuable perspective into Britain during WW2. 

15. All the Pretty Horses

All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy allows its readers to slip into post-war America and Mexico. The novel follows a young cowboy who is the last in a long line of Texas Ranchers. Readers will enjoy the rugged, desolate landscapes and the historically accurate depictions of the American West in 1949.

16. Five Little Indians

Winner of multiple literary awards, Five Little Indians by Michelle Good follows the fictional journey of five young adults who endured the brutality of Canada’s Residential Schools in the 1960s.

These five survivors provide poignant awareness of the sinister history of how Canada treated its indigenous populations and the long-lasting effects that it has had on their lives.

17. A Fine Balance

A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry gives readers a glimpse into India during the 1970s. Full of chaos, corruption, violence, and heroism, Mistry guides book lovers through a time when India was experiencing significant political and social change.

This story follows the experiences of four ordinary characters who were thrust together due to circumstances beyond their control and helped bring 1970s India to life

18. The Kite Runner

Khaled Hosseini’s number-one bestseller, The Kite Runner, follows 12-year-old Amir and his dreams of entering a kite-flying tournament. Little does Amir know that his world will be turned upside down. Readers will find themselves immersed in Afghanistan’s upheaval since the Soviet invasion of 1975. Elements of pre- and post-Taliban rule will resonate with readers, especially with Afghanistan’s ever-changing political climate.

Understanding the Past, Present and Future

The above list of books contains tales full of mystery, love, adventure, and much more. They help readers understand the past and give a much better understanding of both the present and the future.

Although women may not be the first to come to mind, they played a vital role in the war efforts, contributing significantly to production and sustenance.

Read Next: The Role of Women in World War II

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Travel Books

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Ten Years A Nomad: A Traveler’s Journey Home

The book is a memoir about my ten years traveling and backpacking the world, philosophy on travel, and the lessons I learned that can help you travel better. It takes you on a trip around the world from start to finish: getting the bug, the planning, setting off, the highs, the lows, the friends, what happens when you come back — and the lessons and advice that come with all that. It is my opus on travel.

Ten Years a Nomad: A Traveler’s Journey Home

The book is a memoir of my ten years traveling and backpacking the world and the lessons I learned from that. It follows the arc of a trip around the globe: getting the bug, the planning, setting off, the highs, the lows, the friendships made, the relationships forged (and lost), the emotions you feel when it’s all over.

Unlike my previous books, this is not a “how to guide” but a collection of insights, advice, and stories from the road, conveying the experience of what it’s like to quit your job, follow the road not taken, and travel the world trying to discover who you are and what the world has to offer. In short, it is my opus on travel meant, to inspire you to pursue your own dreams.

How Get Free Flights and Hotels Using Points and Miles

Take money out of the equation by learning how to master loyalty programs. These programs allow you to to earn free airfare and accommodation without spending lots of money.

I’ve been collecting points and miles for over a decade and it is the linchpin of all my money-saving advice. It helps me save tens of thousands of dollars on flights, accommodation, and transportation every year.

Points and miles are the solution to the money problem of travel — and I’m going to show you how to do what I do.

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The Best Journey Takes You Home

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A Love Letter To The Ocean

Oceans cover nearly 75% of the Earth. While they seem vast and frightening, they're also enchanting and whimsical. This hour, TED speakers dive into stories of connection — and even love — in the sea.

A love story... that begins with a sea urchin

by  Manoush Zomorodi ,  Katie Monteleone ,  Sanaz Meshkinpour

What can we learn from the sex lives of fish?

by  Manoush Zomorodi ,  James Delahoussaye ,  Sanaz Meshkinpour

Why the strange and wonderful parrot fish is in trouble

by  Manoush Zomorodi ,  Fiona Geiran ,  Sanaz Meshkinpour

Could snail venom someday save your life?

by  Manoush Zomorodi ,  Rachel Faulkner White ,  Sanaz Meshkinpour

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Microsoft Azure Blog

Category: AI + Machine Learning • 11 min read

From code to production: New ways Azure helps you build transformational AI experiences   chevron_right

By Jessica Hawk Corporate Vice President, Data, AI, and Digital Applications, Product Marketing 

What was once a distant promise is now manifesting—and not only through the type of apps that are possible, but how you can build them. With Azure, we’re meeting you where you are today—and paving the way to where you’re going. So let’s jump right into some of what you’ll learn over the next few days. Welcome to Build 2024!

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By Omar Khan General Manager, Azure Product Marketing

New models added to the Phi-3 family, available on Microsoft Azure   chevron_right

By Misha Bilenko Corporate Vice President, Microsoft GenAI

AI + Machine Learning , Announcements , Azure AI Content Safety , Azure AI Studio , Azure OpenAI Service , Partners

Published May 13, 2024 • 2 min read

Introducing GPT-4o: OpenAI’s new flagship multimodal model now in preview on Azure   chevron_right

By Eric Boyd Corporate Vice President, Azure AI Platform, Microsoft

Microsoft is thrilled to announce the launch of GPT-4o, OpenAI’s new flagship model on Azure AI. This groundbreaking multimodal model integrates text, vision, and audio capabilities, setting a new standard for generative and conversational AI experiences.

AI + Machine Learning , Announcements , Azure AI , Azure Cosmos DB , Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) , Azure Migrate , Azure Web PubSub , Compute , Industry trends

Published May 6, 2024 • 5 min read

Harnessing the power of intelligent apps through modernization   chevron_right

By Mike Hulme GM, Azure Digital Applications Marketing

81% of organizations believe AI will give them a competitive edge. Applications are where AI comes to life. Intelligent applications, powered by AI and machine learning (ML) algorithms are pivotal to enhancing performance and stimulating growth. Thus, innovating with intelligent apps is crucial for businesses looking to gain competitive advantage and accelerate growth in this era of AI.

AI + Machine Learning , Announcements , Azure AI , Azure AI Search , Azure App Service , Azure Cosmos DB , Azure Database for PostgreSQL , Azure Databricks , Azure DevOps , Azure Health Data Services , Azure Machine Learning , Azure Managed Applications , Azure SQL Database , Customer stories , DevOps , Events , Microsoft Azure portal , Microsoft Copilot for Azure , Microsoft Defender for Cloud , Migration , SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machines

Published May 2, 2024 • 11 min read

What’s new in Azure Data, AI, and Digital Applications: Harness the power of intelligent apps    chevron_right

Sharing insights on technology transformation along with important updates and resources about the data, AI, and digital application solutions that make Microsoft Azure the platform for the era of AI.

Hybrid + Multicloud , Thought leadership

Published May 2, 2024 • 4 min read

Cloud Cultures, Part 8: Recapturing the entrepreneurial spirit in the American Rust Belt   chevron_right

By Corey Sanders Corporate Vice President, Microsoft Cloud for Industry

Excited to explore this industrious spirit and a cloud culture closer to home, we ventured to the Northeastern and Midwestern states—the famed Rust Belt—to learn how entrepreneurial adaptability is energizing both people and businesses in the area. 

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Published June 5, 2024 • 4 min read

Announcing Advanced Container Networking Services for your Azure Kubernetes Service clusters   chevron_right

By Deepak Bansal Corporate Vice President and Technical Fellow, Microsoft Azure , and Chandan Aggarwal Partner Group Engineering Manager, Microsoft Azure

Microsoft’s Azure Container Networking team is excited to announce a new offering called Advanced Container Networking Services. It’s a suite of services built on top of existing networking solutions for Azure Kubernetes Services (AKS) to address complex challenges around observability, security, and compliance.

AI + Machine Learning , Announcements , Azure Database for PostgreSQL , Azure Machine Learning , Azure OpenAI Service , Events , Migration

Published June 5, 2024 • 5 min read

Raise the bar on AI-powered app development with Azure Database for PostgreSQL   chevron_right

By Ramnik Gulati Sr. Director, Product Marketing of Microsoft Operational Databases

By harnessing the might of PostgreSQL in the cloud—with all the scalability and convenience you expect—comes Microsoft Azure Database for PostgreSQL. This fully managed service takes the hassle out of managing your PostgreSQL instances, allowing you to focus on what really matters: building amazing, AI-powered applications.

AI + Machine Learning , Azure AI , Azure AI Services , Azure OpenAI Service , Cloud Services , Partners

Published June 4, 2024 • 10 min read

Unlock AI innovation with new joint capabilities from Microsoft and SAP   chevron_right

By Silvio Bessa General Manager, SAP Business Unit

Learn more about the transformative synergy of the Microsoft Cloud and RISE with SAP for business.

AI + Machine Learning , Announcements , Azure VMware Solution , Migration , Partners

Published May 30, 2024 • 3 min read

Microsoft and Broadcom to support license portability for VMware Cloud Foundation on Azure VMware Solution   chevron_right

By Brett Tanzer Vice President, Product Management

Microsoft and Broadcom are expanding our partnership with plans to support VMware Cloud Foundation subscriptions on Azure VMware Solution. Customers that own or purchase licenses for VMware Cloud Foundation will be able to use those licenses on Azure VMware Solution, as well as their own datacenters, giving them flexibility to meet changing business needs.

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Published May 30, 2024 • 4 min read

Enhance your security capabilities with Azure Bastion Premium   chevron_right

By Aaron Tsang Product Manager, Microsoft

Microsoft Azure Bastion, now in public preview, will provide advanced recording, monitoring, and auditing capabilities for customers handling highly sensitive workloads.

AI + Machine Learning , Azure AI , Azure AI Content Safety , Azure AI Search , Azure AI Studio , Azure Cosmos DB , Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) , Azure OpenAI Service , Events

Published May 30, 2024 • 5 min read

Celebrating customers’ journeys to AI innovation at Microsoft Build 2024   chevron_right

By Victoria Sykes Product Marketing Manager, Azure AI, Microsoft

From enhancing productivity and creativity to revolutionizing customer interactions with custom copilots, our customers demonstrate the transformative power of generative AI and truly, brought Build 2024 to life. So, how’d they do it? 

AI + Machine Learning , Industry trends , Thought leadership

Published May 29, 2024 • 4 min read

IT trends show customers need computing power to take advantage of AI    chevron_right

In a recent study, Microsoft surveyed over 2,000 IT professionals across ten countries on their tech readiness for and adoption of AI as well as their concerns and challenges along the way.

AI + Machine Learning , Announcements , Azure Maps , Integration

Azure Maps: Reimagining location services with cloud and AI innovation   chevron_right

By Nick Lee Corporate Vice President, Microsoft Maps and Local

Today, we’re announcing the unification of our enterprise maps offerings under Microsoft Azure Maps. This enables our customers to accelerate innovation by leveraging other Microsoft Azure cloud services while retaining many familiar features from Bing Maps for Enterprise.

AI + Machine Learning , Announcements , Azure AI , Azure AI Studio , Azure OpenAI Service , Events

Published May 21, 2024 • 5 min read

At Microsoft Build 2024, we are excited to add new models to the Phi-3 family of small, open models developed by Microsoft.

AI + Machine Learning , Announcements , Azure AI , Azure AI Content Safety , Azure AI Services , Azure AI Studio , Azure Cosmos DB , Azure Database for PostgreSQL , Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) , Azure OpenAI Service , Azure SQL Database , Events

Published May 21, 2024 • 11 min read

The state of AI in early 2024: Gen AI adoption spikes and starts to generate value

If 2023 was the year the world discovered generative AI (gen AI) , 2024 is the year organizations truly began using—and deriving business value from—this new technology. In the latest McKinsey Global Survey  on AI, 65 percent of respondents report that their organizations are regularly using gen AI, nearly double the percentage from our previous survey just ten months ago. Respondents’ expectations for gen AI’s impact remain as high as they were last year , with three-quarters predicting that gen AI will lead to significant or disruptive change in their industries in the years ahead.

About the authors

This article is a collaborative effort by Alex Singla , Alexander Sukharevsky , Lareina Yee , and Michael Chui , with Bryce Hall , representing views from QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey, and McKinsey Digital.

Organizations are already seeing material benefits from gen AI use, reporting both cost decreases and revenue jumps in the business units deploying the technology. The survey also provides insights into the kinds of risks presented by gen AI—most notably, inaccuracy—as well as the emerging practices of top performers to mitigate those challenges and capture value.

AI adoption surges

Interest in generative AI has also brightened the spotlight on a broader set of AI capabilities. For the past six years, AI adoption by respondents’ organizations has hovered at about 50 percent. This year, the survey finds that adoption has jumped to 72 percent (Exhibit 1). And the interest is truly global in scope. Our 2023 survey found that AI adoption did not reach 66 percent in any region; however, this year more than two-thirds of respondents in nearly every region say their organizations are using AI. 1 Organizations based in Central and South America are the exception, with 58 percent of respondents working for organizations based in Central and South America reporting AI adoption. Looking by industry, the biggest increase in adoption can be found in professional services. 2 Includes respondents working for organizations focused on human resources, legal services, management consulting, market research, R&D, tax preparation, and training.

Also, responses suggest that companies are now using AI in more parts of the business. Half of respondents say their organizations have adopted AI in two or more business functions, up from less than a third of respondents in 2023 (Exhibit 2).

Gen AI adoption is most common in the functions where it can create the most value

Most respondents now report that their organizations—and they as individuals—are using gen AI. Sixty-five percent of respondents say their organizations are regularly using gen AI in at least one business function, up from one-third last year. The average organization using gen AI is doing so in two functions, most often in marketing and sales and in product and service development—two functions in which previous research  determined that gen AI adoption could generate the most value 3 “ The economic potential of generative AI: The next productivity frontier ,” McKinsey, June 14, 2023. —as well as in IT (Exhibit 3). The biggest increase from 2023 is found in marketing and sales, where reported adoption has more than doubled. Yet across functions, only two use cases, both within marketing and sales, are reported by 15 percent or more of respondents.

Gen AI also is weaving its way into respondents’ personal lives. Compared with 2023, respondents are much more likely to be using gen AI at work and even more likely to be using gen AI both at work and in their personal lives (Exhibit 4). The survey finds upticks in gen AI use across all regions, with the largest increases in Asia–Pacific and Greater China. Respondents at the highest seniority levels, meanwhile, show larger jumps in the use of gen Al tools for work and outside of work compared with their midlevel-management peers. Looking at specific industries, respondents working in energy and materials and in professional services report the largest increase in gen AI use.

Investments in gen AI and analytical AI are beginning to create value

The latest survey also shows how different industries are budgeting for gen AI. Responses suggest that, in many industries, organizations are about equally as likely to be investing more than 5 percent of their digital budgets in gen AI as they are in nongenerative, analytical-AI solutions (Exhibit 5). Yet in most industries, larger shares of respondents report that their organizations spend more than 20 percent on analytical AI than on gen AI. Looking ahead, most respondents—67 percent—expect their organizations to invest more in AI over the next three years.

Where are those investments paying off? For the first time, our latest survey explored the value created by gen AI use by business function. The function in which the largest share of respondents report seeing cost decreases is human resources. Respondents most commonly report meaningful revenue increases (of more than 5 percent) in supply chain and inventory management (Exhibit 6). For analytical AI, respondents most often report seeing cost benefits in service operations—in line with what we found last year —as well as meaningful revenue increases from AI use in marketing and sales.

Inaccuracy: The most recognized and experienced risk of gen AI use

As businesses begin to see the benefits of gen AI, they’re also recognizing the diverse risks associated with the technology. These can range from data management risks such as data privacy, bias, or intellectual property (IP) infringement to model management risks, which tend to focus on inaccurate output or lack of explainability. A third big risk category is security and incorrect use.

Respondents to the latest survey are more likely than they were last year to say their organizations consider inaccuracy and IP infringement to be relevant to their use of gen AI, and about half continue to view cybersecurity as a risk (Exhibit 7).

Conversely, respondents are less likely than they were last year to say their organizations consider workforce and labor displacement to be relevant risks and are not increasing efforts to mitigate them.

In fact, inaccuracy— which can affect use cases across the gen AI value chain , ranging from customer journeys and summarization to coding and creative content—is the only risk that respondents are significantly more likely than last year to say their organizations are actively working to mitigate.

Some organizations have already experienced negative consequences from the use of gen AI, with 44 percent of respondents saying their organizations have experienced at least one consequence (Exhibit 8). Respondents most often report inaccuracy as a risk that has affected their organizations, followed by cybersecurity and explainability.

Our previous research has found that there are several elements of governance that can help in scaling gen AI use responsibly, yet few respondents report having these risk-related practices in place. 4 “ Implementing generative AI with speed and safety ,” McKinsey Quarterly , March 13, 2024. For example, just 18 percent say their organizations have an enterprise-wide council or board with the authority to make decisions involving responsible AI governance, and only one-third say gen AI risk awareness and risk mitigation controls are required skill sets for technical talent.

Bringing gen AI capabilities to bear

The latest survey also sought to understand how, and how quickly, organizations are deploying these new gen AI tools. We have found three archetypes for implementing gen AI solutions : takers use off-the-shelf, publicly available solutions; shapers customize those tools with proprietary data and systems; and makers develop their own foundation models from scratch. 5 “ Technology’s generational moment with generative AI: A CIO and CTO guide ,” McKinsey, July 11, 2023. Across most industries, the survey results suggest that organizations are finding off-the-shelf offerings applicable to their business needs—though many are pursuing opportunities to customize models or even develop their own (Exhibit 9). About half of reported gen AI uses within respondents’ business functions are utilizing off-the-shelf, publicly available models or tools, with little or no customization. Respondents in energy and materials, technology, and media and telecommunications are more likely to report significant customization or tuning of publicly available models or developing their own proprietary models to address specific business needs.

Respondents most often report that their organizations required one to four months from the start of a project to put gen AI into production, though the time it takes varies by business function (Exhibit 10). It also depends upon the approach for acquiring those capabilities. Not surprisingly, reported uses of highly customized or proprietary models are 1.5 times more likely than off-the-shelf, publicly available models to take five months or more to implement.

Gen AI high performers are excelling despite facing challenges

Gen AI is a new technology, and organizations are still early in the journey of pursuing its opportunities and scaling it across functions. So it’s little surprise that only a small subset of respondents (46 out of 876) report that a meaningful share of their organizations’ EBIT can be attributed to their deployment of gen AI. Still, these gen AI leaders are worth examining closely. These, after all, are the early movers, who already attribute more than 10 percent of their organizations’ EBIT to their use of gen AI. Forty-two percent of these high performers say more than 20 percent of their EBIT is attributable to their use of nongenerative, analytical AI, and they span industries and regions—though most are at organizations with less than $1 billion in annual revenue. The AI-related practices at these organizations can offer guidance to those looking to create value from gen AI adoption at their own organizations.

To start, gen AI high performers are using gen AI in more business functions—an average of three functions, while others average two. They, like other organizations, are most likely to use gen AI in marketing and sales and product or service development, but they’re much more likely than others to use gen AI solutions in risk, legal, and compliance; in strategy and corporate finance; and in supply chain and inventory management. They’re more than three times as likely as others to be using gen AI in activities ranging from processing of accounting documents and risk assessment to R&D testing and pricing and promotions. While, overall, about half of reported gen AI applications within business functions are utilizing publicly available models or tools, gen AI high performers are less likely to use those off-the-shelf options than to either implement significantly customized versions of those tools or to develop their own proprietary foundation models.

What else are these high performers doing differently? For one thing, they are paying more attention to gen-AI-related risks. Perhaps because they are further along on their journeys, they are more likely than others to say their organizations have experienced every negative consequence from gen AI we asked about, from cybersecurity and personal privacy to explainability and IP infringement. Given that, they are more likely than others to report that their organizations consider those risks, as well as regulatory compliance, environmental impacts, and political stability, to be relevant to their gen AI use, and they say they take steps to mitigate more risks than others do.

Gen AI high performers are also much more likely to say their organizations follow a set of risk-related best practices (Exhibit 11). For example, they are nearly twice as likely as others to involve the legal function and embed risk reviews early on in the development of gen AI solutions—that is, to “ shift left .” They’re also much more likely than others to employ a wide range of other best practices, from strategy-related practices to those related to scaling.

In addition to experiencing the risks of gen AI adoption, high performers have encountered other challenges that can serve as warnings to others (Exhibit 12). Seventy percent say they have experienced difficulties with data, including defining processes for data governance, developing the ability to quickly integrate data into AI models, and an insufficient amount of training data, highlighting the essential role that data play in capturing value. High performers are also more likely than others to report experiencing challenges with their operating models, such as implementing agile ways of working and effective sprint performance management.

About the research

The online survey was in the field from February 22 to March 5, 2024, and garnered responses from 1,363 participants representing the full range of regions, industries, company sizes, functional specialties, and tenures. Of those respondents, 981 said their organizations had adopted AI in at least one business function, and 878 said their organizations were regularly using gen AI in at least one function. To adjust for differences in response rates, the data are weighted by the contribution of each respondent’s nation to global GDP.

Alex Singla and Alexander Sukharevsky  are global coleaders of QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey, and senior partners in McKinsey’s Chicago and London offices, respectively; Lareina Yee  is a senior partner in the Bay Area office, where Michael Chui , a McKinsey Global Institute partner, is a partner; and Bryce Hall  is an associate partner in the Washington, DC, office.

They wish to thank Kaitlin Noe, Larry Kanter, Mallika Jhamb, and Shinjini Srivastava for their contributions to this work.

This article was edited by Heather Hanselman, a senior editor in McKinsey’s Atlanta office.

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Audiobooks for Long-Haul Listening

Some books sprint; others take the scenic route. The heady, highly absorbing titles here earn their marathon run times.

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By Alexander Nazaryan

Alexander Nazaryan writes about politics, culture and science.

Hear me out: Summer, with its hikes and bikes trips, is the perfect season for long audiobooks. I mean, the sound of birds is nice and all. Just not for three hours.

Conventional wisdom suggests you should settle for a beach read — or beach listen, in this case. And believe me, I love a fun, sexy mystery like Emma Rosenblum’s “Bad Summer People .” But I save those for winter, when the shores of Fire Island (where Rosenblum’s novel is set) seem impossibly distant.

Use summer for more ambitious projects. I’ve found long audiobooks to be perfect companions for those 10 weeks or so when the kids go off to camp and the pace of life generally slows.

Below, a few of my favorite supersized listens.

THE DYING GRASS, by William T. Vollmann

Vollmann is not known for accessibility ( his first novel was about insects and electricity), but “The Dying Grass” is a remarkably readable account of the 1877 Nez Perce War, made even more so by Henry Strozier’s sensitive narration. As Brig. Gen. Oliver Otis Howard hounds his Native adversaries across Montana and Idaho, the story soars above the awesome landscape, then peers into the hearts of people below. Believe me, time will fly.

Also try: “The Anatomy of Melancholy,” by Robert Burton; “War and Peace,” by Leo Tolstoy

ON HIS OWN TERMS: A Life of Nelson Rockefeller, by Richard Norton Smith

Here is a storied American family in its third generation, with the Rockefeller brothers taking on newfound civic responsibilities. Nelson was the most ambitious of them and maybe the most tragic, his bid for the presidency undone by a divorce . Paul Michael (“The Da Vinci Code”) narrates with stately confidence.

“Ducks, Newburyport,” by Lucy Ellmann

A woman in Ohio thinks about life. About illness, marriage and Laura Ingalls Wilder. She frets about the pies she bakes for a living. Also, there’s a mountain lion. Written as a single sentence stretching more than 1,000 pages, this remarkable 2019 novel thrums with life, a quality highlighted by Stephanie Ellyne’s energetic narration.

Also try: “1Q84,” by Haruki Murakami; “Hitler,” by Ian Kershaw

THE PASSAGE OF POWER, by Robert Caro

The fourth volume of Caro’s encyclopedic biography of L.B.J. begins with the gruff Texan becoming vice president to John F. Kennedy, an odd man out in an administration of Ivy Leaguers. But then comes a shattering Dallas afternoon. Our most esteemed historian , Caro thrillingly tells the story of how Johnson prods Congress and transforms a grieving nation with his civil rights and Great Society legislation.

GRAVITY’S RAINBOW, by Thomas Pynchon

George Guidall is one of the great audiobook narrators , and his rendition of Pynchon’s masterpiece quickly makes clear why as he captures Tyrone Slothrop’s madcap journey across Europe, which involves orgies and Nazis, a Malcolm X set piece and a good deal about ballistics. I can’t imagine a harder book to narrate — or anyone who could do the job as well as Guidall.

THE DAVID FOSTER WALLACE READER

The immensity of Wallace’s achievement can be daunting, but the “Reader” is a perfect distillation of his fiction and nonfiction alike. While most selections are performed by professionals, there are cameos from the Emmy winner Bobby Cannavale; Wallace’s mother, Sally; and Wallace himself, who died in 2008 .

Also try: “The Covenant of Water,” by Abraham Verghese; “Daniel Deronda,” by George Eliot; “And the Band Played On,” by Randy Shilts

A BRIEF HISTORY OF SEVEN KILLINGS, by Marlon James

It is only appropriate that a panoply of narrators (seven in all) take on this kaleidoscopic novel, which is nominally about the 1976 assassination attempt on Bob Marley but is in reality the story of Jamaica. “Brief History” was James’s breakout novel, winning the Man Booker Prize in 2015 . The narration matches the intensity of the prose; it’s as close as you can get to cinema without a screen.

THE SECRET HISTORY, by Donna Tartt

One of the smartest mysteries in the modern American canon, set at a bucolic New Hampshire college. Tartt herself narrates; though she may be a Mississippi native, her voice is neither Deep South nor New England. Like the novel itself, it is entirely her own.

WOLF HALL, by Hilary Mantel

Yes, you may need to consult the printed novel to keep track of the characters, but the effort is well worth it as Mantel pulls you ever deeper into 16th-century England and the life of her indefatigable protagonist, Thomas Cromwell. The narrator, Simon Slater, a noted British actor and composer, only enhances that journey.

RANDOM FAMILY, by Adrian Nicole LeBlanc

LeBlanc spent more than a decade as a virtual member of a South Bronx family as it struggled with drugs and crime, early pregnancy and poverty. Though the tone of Roxana Ortega’s narration is not always entirely in sync with the text, LeBlanc’s reportage is sensitive but not preachy, an unvarnished portrait of New York’s most neglected borough.

Also try: “Watergate,” by Garrett M. Graff; “Demon Copperhead,” by Barbara Kingsolver; “Lenin’s Tomb,” by David Remnick

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Want to know about the best books to read and the latest news start here..

New Orleans is a thriving hub for festivals, music and Creole cuisine. The novelist Maurice Carlos Ruffin shared books that capture the city’s many cultural influences .

Joseph O’Neill’s fiction incorporates his real-world interests in ways that can surprise even him. His latest novel, “Godwin,” is about an adrift hero searching for a soccer superstar .

Keila Shaheen’s self-published best seller book, “The Shadow Work Journal,” shows how radically book sales and marketing have been changed by TikTok .

John S. Jacobs was a fugitive, an abolitionist — and the brother of the canonical author Harriet Jacobs. Now, his own fierce autobiography has re-emerged .

Each week, top authors and critics join the Book Review’s podcast to talk about the latest news in the literary world. Listen here .