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Introduction to Travel Journalism: On the Road with Serious Intent (Mass Communication and Journalism) New Edition

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• ISBN-10 1433114194
• ISBN-13 978-1433114199
• Edition New
• Publisher Peter Lang Inc., International Academic Publishers
• Publication date July 2, 2012
• Language English
• Dimensions 6 x 0.5 x 8.75 inches
• Print length 218 pages
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• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Peter Lang Inc., International Academic Publishers; New edition (July 2, 2012)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 218 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1433114194
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1433114199
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12.3 ounces
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.5 x 8.75 inches
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John f. greenman.

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The Best Travel Literature of All Time

Like many travellers, you may have found yourself immersed in the voyages of those who have gone before you from time to time. While living vicariously is no replacement for being on the road, there are some utterly wonderful nonfiction travel books out there, which are the next best thing.

A Time of Gifts by Sir Patrick Leigh Fermor (Photo: Paul Stafford for TravelMag.com)

It’s quite genuinely impossible to create a comprehensive list of the best travel literature. While there’s a lot of replication of these types of lists out there, some books endure precisely because of their importance at the time or to other writers. Although some authors listed below deserve to have more than one of their books featured on this compendium of the greatest travel literature, only their finest work has been included. Consider it your gateway to that writer’s greater oeuvre, if you’ve not read any of their work previously; a reminder if you have. Similarly, non-male writers have often been unfortunately overlooked in the past and some real gems that deserve to be on the best travel literature of all-time lists have been overlooked.

The following aims to redress the balance a little. Consideration is also given to some of the works that defined people who are now better-known for their other exploits, because there’s no greater adventure than that of somebody whose travels inspired them to do something more important or lasting in the world beyond merely moving through space and time for travel’s sake. Here are twenty of the best pieces of travel literature ever written (theoretically), to guide you to your next read, to find inspiration for your next trip, or to simply use as a general reading checklist until your next journey.

A Time of Gifts (1977) – Sir Patrick Leigh Fermor

Writing about Paddy Leigh Fermor in 2020, it would be easy to dismiss the great writer as a privileged individual who was fortunate to stay with royalty and the well-to-do all across Europe as he sauntered from one place to the next. But that would be an awful disservice. A Time of Gifts is the first of a trilogy of books documenting his journey, on foot, from the Hook of Holland to Constantinople (Istanbul). His scholarship and complete immersion in every culture he encountered helped his writing transcend mere travel literature to reach a higher level of writing. You never feel as though he’s an outside observer trying to make sense of the foreign by superimposing his own beliefs. His prose has been described as baroque, and is densely layered with a deep intelligence, understanding and, above all, passion for everything he encounters. The trip itself was undertaken in 1933/4 and the Europe that Fermor uncovers on his peregrinations is one which is beginning to spiral blindly into major conflict. Somehow this aspect makes the random acts of kindness he experiences across Germany and the rest of the continent even more bittersweet.

Publisher: John Murray, Buy at Amazon.com

Arabian Sands (1959) – Sir Wilfred Thesiger

Arabian Sands by Wilfred Thesiger (Photo: courtesy of P.S. Burton via Wikimedia Commons)

Another travel literature classic is Thesiger’s intrepid anthropological look at Bedouin culture and lifestyle in one of the remotest, most inhospitable places on earth: the Arabian Peninsula’s Rub’ al Khali. The setting for the journey is amid the embers of World War II, the repercussions of which were being felt worldwide, including among the Bedouin tribes who’d lived much in the same way they always had until the outside world intruded. In effect, this book offers a snapshot of a remarkable culture that was fast altering, which is what makes this, and many of the books written during the reign of the British Empire, fascinating historical documents. For all of the rightful condemnation of European colonialism, one thing is clear in this book: the fascination and inquisitive nature of the many British scholarly individuals sent to far-reaching corners of the globe created an immensely valuable cache of first-person accounts of cultures and peoples that may not have been recorded otherwise amid the inevitable and inescapable rise of globalisation of the time.

Publisher: Penguin Classics, Buy at Amazon.com

Black Lamb and Grey Falcon (1942) – Rebecca West

West’s voluminous, in-depth examination of Yugoslavia during her time travelling there in 1937 was designed to explore how the country was a reflection of its past. West spent six weeks journeying across the whole region with her husband and meeting eminent citizens along the way. Sadly, by the time the book was published, the Nazis had invaded and the country would never be the same again, which makes this yet another invaluable early-20 th -century document. What sets Black Lamb and Grey Falcon apart though is the level of exquisite detail and research dedicated to the subject. If there was any proof required that travel literature serves an invaluable purpose as a piece of primary historical evidence, then this may well be it.

Publisher: Canongate Books, Buy at Amazon.com

Black Lamb and Grey Falcon by Rebecca West (Photo: Paul Stafford for TravelMag.com)

Border (2017) – Kapka Kassabova

Beautifully written and layered with a real sense of atmosphere, Kassabova’s haunting Border is one of the standout pieces of travel writing to be published in the last decade. Eastern Europe is one of the least explored regions of the world in travel literature. Owing perhaps in part to the secrecy and legacy of distrust brought about by the Cold War, even those who have travelled through as part of longer journeys (Paul Theroux in Pillars of Hercules or Bill Bryson in Neither Here Nor There ) scarcely shed any real light on the region. Here, Kassabova heads back to the nation of her birth (Bulgaria) to explore the fragments of political ideology, faith and race, and the blurred lines between them, that have developed around the border region separating Bulgaria from Greece and Turkey.

Publisher: Granta Books, Buy at Amazon.com

Border by Kapka Kasabova (Photo: Paul Stafford for TravelMag.com)

Down and Out in Paris and London (1933) – George Orwell

While much of travel literature is concerned with the voyage and seeking out the miraculous, the unique and the lesser known, Orwell took another route entirely. Down and Out in Paris and London does exactly what it says on the tin. It is a memoir of impoverished living in two of the world’s great cities, at a time when they were global beacons in terms of both power and culture. Not only does this book, in a very prescient move, eschew the superior tone of academia when examining the other, it also avoids all glamour in those cities, focussing entirely on the poor, the meek and the desperate. In Paris he lives on the edge of eviction, working the kitchens of a fancy establishment, while in London he lives the life of a tramp, moving from one bunkhouse and soup kitchen to the next, living day to day. It is to travel writing what the ‘method’ is to acting.

Down and Out in Paris and London by George Orwell (Photo: Paul Stafford for TravelMag.com)

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1972) – Hunter S. Thompson

The outlier on this list (all good lists need one) is Hunter S. Thompson’s delightfully absurd, occasionally apocryphal and downright debauched novel Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas . In it, he created a new way of writing known as gonzo journalism, a style of storytelling which is found most commonly today in some documentaries, where the lines of fact and fiction become blurred and with the journalist placed as a central character in the story. This brilliant commentary on the flexible and inconsistent nature of truth was perfectly epitomised by the increasingly hallucinogenic recollections of protagonist Raoul Duke and Dr. Gonzo. The road trip to Las Vegas ultimately casts important light on an American society gripped by racism and violence (partly why the story is still so powerful today is that America hasn’t yet learned to grow up). As such it remains one of the most intriguing snapshots of America out there, surpassing the work of many strait-laced travel narratives in the process.

Publisher: Random House Inc., Buy at Amazon.com

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson (Photo: Mathieu Croisetière via Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0)

The Great Railway Bazaar: By Train Through Asia (1975) – Paul Theroux

A perfect example of how gonzo journalism began to seep into travel literature comes from what is arguably the most important modern travelogue: The Great Railway Bazaar . In it, Theroux travels from London all the way to Southeast Asia and Japan, via India, then back to Europe via Russia’s Trans-Siberian railway. While Theroux upholds elements of the old school travel narrative – like the scholarly, studious approach and the inquisitive air – his journey by train is as much about the growing backpacker, hippie, trail and the western counterculture that encouraged it. Occasionally the line between fact and fiction is blurred in his writing, but only to better convey his interactions with the people he met. As such, you get a fascinating look at what could be called modern colonialism, whereby the train networks that were often built by colonial rulers in non-European nations across the world, like India and Burma, were now being used by a new generation in the post-colonial era to explore these newly-sovereign nations.

In Patagonia (1977) – Bruce Chatwin

Coming hot on the tail of Theroux’s above book is perhaps the most popular and enduring travel book of all time: In Patagonia . Bruce Chatwin starts it off with a direct nod to writing and journalism’s slide into apocrypha by framing his trip loosely around the search for remains of a “brontosaurus” found in a Patagonian cave, which he first found languishing in his grandparent’s house. The doubtful story behind this find sets him on a road where he aim to unravel various other mysteries whose only connection is geographical, including the final resting place of Butch Cassady and the Sundance Kid, in the wild, empty spaces of South America. It’s a brilliant book formed of loose sections that don’t directly link to one another but has greatly influenced modern travel literature today.

Publisher: Vintage Classics, Buy at Amazon.com

In Patagonia by Bruce Chatwin (Photo: Paul Stafford for TravelMag.com)

In Xanadu (1989) – William Dalrymple

One of the travel writers greatly influenced by Chatwin was William Dalrymple, whose own quest for his first book, In Xanadu , was framed as a search for the fabled palace of Kublai Khan, Xanadu. This type of narrative has always proven to be a ready source of inspiration for some of the better modern travel books; searching for answers to popular mysteries. It has a journalistic bent to it, and manages to sidestep the awkwardness of westerners merely travelling abroad and casting aspersions about the people and cultures they encounter through an imperial gaze, as is the criticism often lodged again some of the earlier works of travel writing. Here, Dalrymple follows in the footsteps of Marco Polo (following footsteps of somebody famous is also a common trope of travel literature) to find the palace. While Dalrymple restores elements of the scholarly, learned approach common to writers like Robert Byron and Paddy Leigh Fermor, you can feel the impact of those 70s writers as well.

Publisher: Flamingo, Buy at Amazon.com

In Xanadu by William Dalrymple (Photo: Paul Stafford for TravelMag.com)

Into the Wild (1996) – Jon Krakauer

Few gripping travel narratives manage to capture the why? of our impulse to roam quite like Jon Krakauer does in Into the Wild . The book is both harrowing and revelatory, while performing a third-person character study on a young man he never actually met. In 1992 Chris McCandless walked into the Alaskan wilderness and never came back out. The book tries to examine what had led him there in the first place, whether he’d intended to return at all, and why he wasn’t the first to try and cut all ties with modern society. Krakauer looks to others, such as Henry David Thoreau ( Walden is the original escape from society book and a must-read for anybody fascinated by this subject), who successfully parted from the rat race, as well as the reasons McCandless initially fled from well-to-do family life years before and never contacted them again in his search for something more profound and meaningful. While most readers may disagree with McCandless’s methods, his motives seem far more familiar and relatable.

Publisher: Pan Macmillan, Buy at Amazon.com

The Living Mountain (1977) – Nan Shepherd

Perhaps one of the finest pieces of nature writing ever committed to paper is The Living Mountain by Nan Shepherd. Sadly, it’s also one of the most underrated books. The research for her book was undertaken in and around 1942, during the Second World War, which didn’t trouble the wilds of Scotland too badly. Here, the stark beauty of the Cairngorms seems to mirror the harsh reality of war. But Shepherd’s deep examination of the various microcosms of life that thrive on the region’s mountains is really a poem that exalts life. It’s a celebration of survival and endurance. Her wonderful book almost never made it to print, lying in a drawer for decades until a friend read it and encouraged her to seek out a publisher. We’re lucky it did.

The Living Mountain by Nan Shepherd (Photo: Paul Stafford for TravelMag.com)

The Motorcycle Diaries (1992) – Che Guevara

Even if Che Guevara never became the revolutionary and icon of a generation that he did, The Motorcycle Diaries is a fascinating first-person account of travel’s capacity to broaden the mind. The young medic Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara sets out from his home in Buenos Aires with his friend Alberto Granado sharing a motorcycle ‘La Poderosa’ and in his pointed recollections, you can almost feel Che’s ideological shift. He sees poverty and pain and beauty in the poor communities they visit, and through this, we learn a lot about how Guevara became a key player in the Cuban Revolution. But it’s also a beautiful rumination about the paths we take in life and the importance of curiosity.

Publisher: Perennial, Buy at Amazon.com

Notes from a Small Island (1995) – Bill Bryson

You can’t really write a top travel literature list and omit Bill Bryson. He’s one of the finest travel writers still producing books. Notes from a Small Island is particularly intriguing because, while most of the books that make any top travel literature list tend to be written by Brits, this is a book about Britain, written by an American. And it’s a delightfully observed book at that, pinpointing the eccentricities and unusual aspects of the island nation that most Brits would never think twice about, but when seen through foreign eyes suddenly become absurd. Bryson is especially gifted at making even the most mundane things seem funny. His books neatly balance thorough research and scholarship with humour and keen observation, effectively amalgamating all of the key aspects of travel literature into one inimitable style.

Publisher: Black Swan, Buy at Amazon.com

Notes from a Small Island by Bill Bryson (Photo: Wolf Gang via Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0)

On the Road (1957) – Jack Kerouac

Before modern travel literature’s more self-aware phase that started in the 1970s, we had what essentially kick-started the great 20 th -century American cultural upheaval: The Beat Movement. Kerouac was writing about sexual promiscuity, wanton drug use and giving the establishment the middle finger way before it was cool to do so. Well-educated and moving in New York’s literary circles, Kerouac’s thinly-veiled characters in On the Road (substituting Old Bull Lee for William S. Burroughs, Dean Moriarty for Neal Cassady, Carlo Marx for Allen Ginsberg, and Sal Paradise for himself) are painted into a quasi-fictional account of his cross-country jaunts in the late 1940s. The post-war world was much-changed; the white picket fence America with its Jim Crow segregation and uptight Bible-belt hypocrisy were no longer acceptable. Around the same time, J.D. Salinger was branding it phoney, while Kerouac was realising this in his own way, by embracing escapism and drugs. On the Road still resonates today; both the book and the Beats gave licence to a generation of youths to question the oppressive system that became all too obvious in the 60s.

On The Road by Jack Kerouac (Photo: Paul Stafford for TravelMag.com)

The Road to Oxiana (1937) – Robert Byron

Much of the Afghanistan and Iran of Byron’s writing has disappeared, making the precision of his prose all the more valuable. The Road to Oxiana has all the classic elements of earlier travel narratives in it, scholarship, keen observation but also the kind of humour and casual presentation that would become far more popular in the writing styles common to the latter half of the 20 th century. Byron’s constant use of Marjoribanks to replace the name of the Persian ruler of the time was designed to evade censure or punishment in case his notebooks were confiscated and read. The humour of this rebelliousness is not lost when read today, even if some of his style may feel a little bit dated now. His architectural descriptions may be among some of the finest in all of travel literature.

The Road to Oxiana by Robert Byron (Photo: Paul Stafford for TravelMag.com)

Rome and a Villa (1952) – Eleanor Clark

Because the majority of travel writing is crafted around a voyage or quest of some sort, we expect the movement to transcend places, countries even. What Clark does exceptionally well in Rome and a Villa is offer an in-depth depiction of just one city: Rome. This book, although not particularly tied to or crafted around any one specific idea, offers a deeper understanding of The Eternal City based on Clark’s explorations, often on foot. Indeed, her scholarly treatment of the Italian capital brings the city’s rich, storied past to life in imaginative and illuminating ways that offer fresh insight on a place that we may easily think has already been well covered already. Which goes to show that places change with the times offering an opportunity for fresh perspectives. There’s nowhere that is dull or too well-known in travel writing if handled by the right scribe.

Publisher: Harper Perennial, Buy at Amazon.com

Shadow of the Silk Road (2007) – Colin Thubron

Colin Thubron’s fascination with worlds that are ostensibly closed off to westerners has often led him into places that many others wouldn’t think to go. He visited China before it had opened up to the world, and the same goes for Soviet Russia. In Shadow of the Silk Road Thubron exhibits why his books are perhaps the most masterfully crafted of all contemporary travel literature. His pacing and descriptive writing are exquisite, particularly in this book, in which he journeys from Xi’an to Antakya in Turkey following the old ways, through Central Asia, once known as the Silk Road. The worlds he uncovers and the people he meets are painstakingly woven into a rich text, much like a hand-woven Persian rug, that is one of the most evocative pieces of travel writing out there.

Publisher: Vintage, Buy at Amazon.com

Shadow of the Silk Road by Colin Thubron (Photo: Paul Stafford for TravelMag.com)

Travels with Myself and Another (1979) – Martha Gellhorn

Even if Martha Gellhorn was writing today, she would rightly be upheld as one of the great journalists, but given that she was doing it decades ago, often better than her counterparts in a male-dominated field, is even more remarkable. The ‘Another’ that accompanies Gellhorn through much of the book was her former husband Ernest Hemingway, but the book also includes memoir from Africa in which she voyages solo. The book is presented as a collection of essays, a format that has become increasingly common in travel writing and which effectively allows the book to focus on more than one topic. Gellhorn’s writing includes keen observation, lively wit and a really sharp political outlook.

Publisher: Eland Publishing Ltd., Buy at Amazon.com

The Valleys of the Assassins (1934) – Freya Stark

Stark was an incredible human being. Fluent in numerous languages, including Farsi, she travelled the world often alone at a time when even men undertaking such journeys were considered intrepid. Stark was particularly drawn to the Middle East and was able to recount the stories of the women there, living in devout Muslim communities, in a way no man would ever have been able to do. She also discovered regions that had not been explored by Westerners before, including the Valley of the Assassins, which forms the basis of this eponymous book, receiving the Royal Geographical Society’s prestigious Back Award in the process. She continued to write books well into her 90s (releasing work over six decades) and died in Italy at the age of 100.

Publisher: Modern Library Inc., Buy at Amazon.com

Wild by Cheryl Strayed (Photo: Paul Stafford for TravelMag.com)

Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail (2012) – Cheryl Strayed

Some may question this popular book’s inclusion on a list of the all-time greats, but it really has all the ingredients of a classic exploration of the human psyche. The physical duress that Strayed experienced on her hike of the Pacific Crest Trail (which runs from California’s border with Mexico to Washington’s border with Canada), and the gradual loss of her toenails as a result, is depicted with visceral precision. Her self-inflicted pain mirrors the mental health and dependency issues that plagued her before embarking on the feat, and in the process, we discover the restorative power of travel, of meeting new people and of forcing ourselves to step beyond our comfortably-positioned boundaries. Like any good travel literature, this book sheds light on why travel is so addictive, powerful and pertinent. Just like all the other books on this list, you’ll finish it wanting to plan your next trip.

Publisher: Atlantic Books, Buy at Amazon.com

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Introduction: Travel Journalism—Forms and Origins

• First Online: 09 June 2020

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• Ben Cocking 2  

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Travel journalism is experiencing a continued period of great change and transition. The economic model of print journalism is increasingly unsustainable in the context of freely accessible, and often user generated, online content. It is in this context that this chapter sets out the aims of this book. Specifically, it outlines the ways in which it seeks to explore how this context of transition is changing the representational characteristics and practices of the travel journalism. That is, how travel journalism represents the world and how technological development and the emergence of new ways of monetizing content are shaping the representational practices and potential of this form of journalism. It outlines the ways in which each chapter addresses aspects of these issues. This discussion is contextualized by a review of existing studies of travel journalism from the field of journalism studies as well as other cognate areas.

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Cocking, B. (2020). Introduction: Travel Journalism—Forms and Origins. In: Travel Journalism and Travel Media. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-59908-7_1

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Top 10 Travel Writing Books

Travel Writing 2.0: Earning Money from your Travels in the New Media Landscape – A well-written and easy to understand guide for aspiring travel writers that covers today’s digital environment as well as traditional publishing, both of which are vital for a truly successful career in travel writing. With plentiful and generous advice, and numerous interviews with successful travel writers and authors, Mr. Leffel offers a comprehensive learning tool that should be a part of every writer’s library.

» Read our full review of Travel Writing 2.0

Lonely Planet Travel Writing (How to) – The definitive guide for both aspiring and experienced travel writers. What Lonely Planet is to millions of travelers around the world, this guide is to those who want to write about their travels. Whether you want to become a professional Travel Writer or are already a Travel Writer and just to improve your skills, we highly recommend this book. Limited budget and can only afford one book? This is the one.

The Writer’s Handbook Guide to Travel Writing – Full of good advice and a number of very interesting interviews with leading Travel Writers, The Writer’s Handbook is one you’ll refer to often as you build your own business and reputation. Learn how to avoid many common mistakes and get started on the right path to becoming a successful (or more successful) Travel Writer.

Travel Writer’s Guide – a solid basic guide that is better suited for beginning Travel Writers, particularly those who have not traveled extensively in the past, the Travel Writer’s Guide has a lot of great tips for planning and organizing a trip, along with good advice on how to interview others, how to structure your writing, and how to market your articles.

» Read our full review of Travel Writer’s Guide .

The Travel Writer’s Handbook: How to Write – and Sell – Your Own Travel Experiences – A unique perspective and solid tips on some of the smaller details (such as record-keeping), as well as a good focus on basics (like researching your destinations) make this book a useful and illuminating read, worth your time even if you’re an experienced travel writer. The newest edition covers relevant topics missing from previous versions, such as the opportunities bought about by the internet, as well as the advantages (and disadvantages) of digital photography.

» Read our full review of The Travel Writer’s Handbook .

The ASJA Guide to Freelance Writing: A Professional Guide to the Business, for Nonfiction Writers of All Experience Levels – filled with great suggestions and valuable tips, each of this book’s 26 chapters was written by a different member of the American Society of Writers and Journalists. Although you’ll find a lot of good nuggets of advice, the book’s focus is on writing , something that can get overlooked in the quest to become a professional writer. The best way to ensure your success as a writer is to make sure your writing skills are of a professional caliber, and this book will definitely help with that.

The Renegade Writer: A Totally Unconventional Guide to Freelance Writing Success – Unconventional is definitely the singular descriptive for this book. While full of common sense and good advice, this book turns most of the conventional rules of freelance writing upside down and breaks a few along the way, while still proving that success can often be found by not following the rules. Additionally, this book offers a unique value by providing readers with an online Wiki for writing markets, and access to successful query letters to help you with your own. The authors also offer online courses taught by successful freelancers on a wide variety of writing topics, including travel writing.

How to Make a Living As a Travel Writer – A well-organized primer on the industry of Travel Writing in general, with a number of good examples of different types of travel writing styles and articles. Nothing new here for experienced professional travel writers, but it’s a good starting point for those looking to become a travel writer.

Travel Writing: See the World. Sell the Story. – A thorough, comprehensive, and well-structured guide that includes exercises to reinforce it’s lessons, written by an experienced and successful travel writer. Included is a well-written explanation of the various classifications of travel articles, and a number of additional resources, such as writing examples, marketing directory listings, organizations, and more. This book stays focused with just nine chapters, so there is not a lot of wasted fluff here – a good read with good sound advice, perfect for beginners, but all travel writers can pick up a thing or two here.

» Read Our Full Review of Travel Writing: See The World, Sell The Story

Get Paid to Write! The No-Nonsense Guide to Freelance Writing – This book is unique amongst all others in this genre in that its author was also an editor and publisher, and he shares his experience and insights into the other side of the travel writing partnership – getting published. You may have wonderful writing skills, but getting published is about giving readers what they want, and this book will help you to do just that. Packed with good advice and insider tips and success secrets, this book is a “must-have” for any serious freelance travel writer.

» Read our full review of Get Paid To Write!: The No-Nonsense Guide to Freelance Writing

The Best Travel Writing 2008: True Stories from Around the World – Reading this collection of some of the very best articles from Travel Writers is a great way to get a feel for what makes a great story. Learning from these examples may just help you find your own style if you’re brand new at Travel Writing, or to improve your style if you’re already an experienced, if not already successful, Travel Writer. Some of these stories are so good you’ll feel like you were there – Travel Voyeurism at it’s finest!

Bonus! A Sense of Place: Great Travel Writers Talk About Their Craft, Lives, and Inspiration – Not a “travel writing guide book” – you won’t find how-to’s or getting-started advice here – but what you will find is an entertaining and illuminating look at the literary genre of Travel Writing from the perspective of some of the best in the business – writers whose words paint pictures and whose stories have drawn tourists from all over the world to the places they’ve written about. This book won’t teach you, but it will inspire you and encourage you, and you’ll likely find yourself reading it many times over.

All material on this site is subject to Copyright © 2008 - 2019. All Rights Reserved. No reprint/republication of any materials from this site without written permission from TWE.

EMMA GREGG Travel Journalist

Writer • editor • author • photographer, about emma gregg.

Recent awards Inspire Global Media Awards Positive Impact Storytelling: Outstanding Contribution (2024) Inspire Global Media Awards Positive Impact Storyteller of the Year (2023) Other accolades AITO Travel Writer of the Year Awards Winner (2015, 2019), Silver (2016, 2021), Finalist (2023) • ATTA Media Awards Finalist (2017, 2019) • BGTW Awards Winner (2015, 2017), Highly Commended (2017, 2018), Finalist (2019, 2020, 2022) • Inspire Global Media Awards Winner (2023, 2024) • LATA Travel Writer of the Year Winner (2014) • National Geographic Traveller Reader Awards Shortlisted (2021) • Travel Media Awards Finalist (2016, 2021, 2023) • TravMedia Awards Finalist (2023, 2024) More details Latest books The flightless traveller: 50 modern adventures by land, river and sea First edition, October 2020 Greenfinch (Quercus Books) Brighton, Sussex & the South Downs First edition, October 2021 Rough Guides (APA) Recent features DESTINATIONS & ADVENTURES

AFRICA: Affordable safaris (National Geographic Traveller, July 2023) WALES: Unlock the secrets of our native woodlands (Wales.com, May 2023) WALES: Feel close to nature on a Celtic Rainforest walk (Visit Wales, April 2023) AFRICA: Dawn and dusk on safari (Travel Africa, February 2023) AFRICA: Everything you need to know before booking your first African safari (NGT, November 2023) NAMIBIA: The low-impact desert safari (Travel Africa, October 2022) CYPRUS : Feel-good trips (Woman, September 2022) NAMIBIA: Windhoek (Travel Africa, July 2022) SOUTH AFRICA: Cool Cape Town (Woman’s Own, July 2022) AFRICA:  The new African safari (NGT, July 2022) SENEGAL:   Drumbeats, heartstrings (NGT, May 2022) MOROCCO:  Sand, song & stars (NGT, April 2022) UGANDA: Go wild (Wanderlust, February 2022) SOUTH AFRICA: Authentic experiences (Wanderlust, November 2021) SPAIN: Green adventures in the Canary Islands (World Nomads, October 2021) SPAIN: Finding tranquility in the Balearic Islands (World Nomads, August 2021) ZIMBABWE:  Victoria Falls (Travel Africa, July 2021) TRAVEL: Ultimate adventures (NGT, July 2021) ANTARCTICA & SOUTH GEORGIA: Leave no trace (NGT, April 2021) AFRICA: Safari is set to bounce back (NGT Africa Collection, March 2021) AFRICA & INDIAN OCEAN: 25 trips of a lifetime (i, February 2021) NAMIBIA: Indigenous traditions & Living Museums (NGT, February 2021) NAMIBIA: Ultimate adventures (NGT, February 2021)

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FLIGHT-FREE: Europe By Train (Dorling Kindersley, May 2023) FLIGHT-FREE: Unforgettable Journeys Europe: Discover the joys of slow travel (Dorling Kindersley, Mar 2023) AFRICA: Farm-to-fork safaris (Travel Africa, February 2023) CONSERVATION: Is reintroducing wildlife species always wise? (National Geographic Traveller, January 2023) AFRICA: Booking a safari (NGT Luxury Collection, November 2022) AFRICA: The green cuisine revolution (Adventure.com, October 2022) ANTARCTICA: Expeditions and adventures (NGT, September 2022) FLIGHT-FREE: Flight-free adventures you'll never forget (Hush, August 2022) AFRICA: Best new eco safaris (NGT, July 2022) CONSERVATION: Rewilding the Zambezi (Travel Africa, July 2022) ECO: Green escapes (NGT, January 2022) ECO: What’s the carbon footprint of my safari? (Travel Africa, January 2022) ETHICAL TRAVEL: Community-friendly trips (Vacations, Fall 2021) ECO: Wildlife-watching expeditions (Extraordinary Experiences, Summer 2021) ECO: Responsible whale-watching (NGT, April 2021) ETHICAL TRAVEL: Sustainable trips to iconic destinations (NGT, April 2021) CONSERVATION: Meet South Africa’s Black Mambas (NGT, April 2021) FLIGHT-FREE: 52 flight-free weekend escapes (NGT, April 2021)

Projects | Clients | Testimonials | Reviews About the artwork The image at the top of this page is a detail of a work by Original T-Bag Designs , a carbon-conscious craft collective of previously disadvantaged people from Hout Bay, near Cape Town, South Africa. They create original art and gifts from used tea bags, that they carefully recycle and decorate by hand. They also host training sessions to upskill and empower unemployed members of their community, and offer workshop tours for visitors, complete with a refreshing cup of tea.

The Best Books of 2022

This Year's Must-Reads

The Ten Best Books About Travel of 2022

After two years of limited travel opportunities, we’re ready to explore the world once more

Jennifer Nalewicki

Travel Correspondent

Traveling is about much more than your destination—it’s about the people who live there, and for many travelers it’s the experiences they have alongside locals that are the most memorable. Take, for instance, the story of a journalist who lived with an Iñupiaq family of whale hunters in Alaska before setting off with her toddler to follow the gray whale migration, or a young woman who traveled solo 6,800 miles by bike from Europe to the Middle East, often turning to local farmers and villagers to help her navigate unfamiliar territory. Both women adapted their experiences into books where they relive the laughter (and the pain) they shared with members of the local communities that go far beyond anything found in a guidebook.

Here are ten travel book releases from 2022 that are inspiring us to dust off our passports and experience new locales alongside the people who make them unforgettable.

The Catch Me If You Can: One Woman’s Journey to Every Country in the World by Jessica Nabongo

Visiting all 195 countries in the world is no small feat and a goal that most people can only dream of. Luckily, armchair travelers can live vicariously through author Jessica Nabongo’s epic worldwide adventure in her book The Catch Me If You Can . From retelling the blow-by-blow of a scooter accident in Nauru (an island nation in Micronesia that also happens to be the world’s least visited country) and dog-sledding in Norway to swimming with humpback whales in Tonga and learning the art of making traditional takoyaki (octopus balls) in Japan, the 38-year-old, who’s also the first Black woman to travel to every nation in the world, introduces readers not only to bucket-list-worthy places but also to the people who live there.

The Catch Me If You Can: One Woman's Journey to Every Country in the World

In this inspiring travelogue, celebrated traveler and photographer Jessica Nabongo―the first Black woman on record to visit all 195 countries in the world―shares her journey around the globe with fascinating stories of adventure, culture, travel musts, and human connections.

Soundings: Journeys in the Company of Whales by Doreen Cunningham

In an everchanging world threatened by climate change, whales have learned to adapt. Irish British author Doreen Cunningham takes that notion to heart in Soundings , which blends science and nature writing with memoir as she shares her own experiences as a struggling single mother and journalist. Together with her toddler, she follows the migration route of gray whales as they make the long journey between Mexico and Alaska (where years earlier she spent time with Iñupiaq whalers), experiencing from a distance the familial bonds, not unlike her own close relationship with her son, of the marine mammals. “What at first seems a reckless, near-mystical pursuit of an imagined being leads her to find a human pod of her own,” writes the Guardian ’s Edward Posnett.

Soundings: Journeys in the Company of Whales: A Memoir

A story of courage and resilience, Soundings is about the migrating whales and all we can learn from them as they mother, adapt, and endure, their lives interrupted and threatened by global warming.

Bridges of the World by Giancarlo Ascari

Italian cartoonist and journalist Giancarlo Ascari has a degree in architecture, so it’s no wonder why he’s fascinated with bridges. Packed with illustrations by Pia Valentinis , Ascari’s book Bridges of the World highlights recognizable spans like the brightly painted Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco and the Victorian Gothic-style Tower Bridge in London, while also highlighting less obvious examples, including the stretch of wire French high-wire artist Philippe Petit strung between the Twin Towers in New York City and dangerously crossed in 1974. In total, Bridges of the World features 50 human-made and natural wonders accented by interesting facts and anecdotes.

Bridges of the World

Fifty bridges from all over the world to be crossed on foot or with one's imagination.

Black Lion: Teachings from the Wilderness by Sicelo Mbatha

When Sicelo Mbatha was a child, he watched in horror as a crocodile viciously attacked his cousin. Rather than shy away from the cruel realities of nature, the Zulu author, who goes by the nickname Black Lion, confronted them head on to become a wilderness guide. Over the years, he’s volunteered at Imfolozi Game Reserve in KwaZulu-Natal, a province located along the coast of South Africa. Because of his childhood encounter, he has learned to approach the savanna and the lions, elephants and other animals that inhabit it from a spiritual perspective. He has since fostered a deeper connection with the local fauna and hopes to pass that mindset on to visitors on his guided excursions as well as readers of Black Lion , his debut book.

Black Lion: Alive in the Wilderness

Wilderness guide Sicelo Mbatha shares lessons learnt from a lifetime’s intimate association with Africa’s wildest nature.

The Writer’s Journey: In the Footsteps of the Literary Greats by Travis Elborough

Ask any writer, and they’ll likely confirm that a story’s setting plays as critical a role as its plot. Case in point: Would Bram Stoker’s Gothic novel Dracula be as compelling if it wasn’t set in macabre Transylvania? Like Stoker, many literary greats were inspired by places they traveled to before sitting down to write. In The Writer’s Journey , British author and cultural commentator Travis Elborough explores 35 experiences around the globe that influenced authors and helped shape their writings, including Herman Melville’s perilous 1841 whaling voyage on the Atlantic and Jack Kerouac’s cross-country escapades in the late 1940s over “all that raw land that rolls in one unbelievable huge bulge over to the West Coast.”

The Writer's Journey: In the Footsteps of the Literary Greats

Follow in the footsteps of some of the world’s most famous authors on the journeys which inspired their greatest works in this beautiful illustrated atlas.

South to America: A Journey Below the Mason-Dixon to Understand the Soul of a Nation by Imani Perry

What comes to mind when you think of the American South? The Civil War? College football? Gone with the Wind ? Imani Perry , an award-winning author and African American studies professor at Princeton University, tackles all of these topics in her New York Times best seller South to America . Combining history with culture, Perry brings readers on an eye-opening journey south of the Mason-Dixon line, from her native Alabama to Appalachia, focusing not only on past civil atrocities that have scarred the region and the country as a whole, but also on the immigrant communities, artists and innovators leading the way to a brighter future.

South to America: A Journey Below the Mason-Dixon to Understand the Soul of a Nation

An essential, surprising journey through the history, rituals, and landscapes of the American South—and a revelatory argument for why you must understand the South in order to understand America

The Slow Road to Tehran: A Revelatory Bike Ride Through Europe and the Middle East by Rebecca Lowe

While the Syrian War rattled the Middle East in 2015, journalist Rebecca Lowe embarked on a yearlong 6,800-mile grand tour via a bicycle she affectionately named “Maud” from her home base of London to Tehran. During her epic ride, she cycled through Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Sudan and the Gulf, often relying on the knowledge and assistance of farmers, villagers and other locals she met along the way. For her travel memoir The Slow Road to Tehran , she weaves her own experiences as a woman traveling alone through the mountains and deserts of the Middle East with tales about the people and cultures she encountered. Tom Chesshyre of the Critic calls it “modern travel writing at its very best, full of vim and vigor, painstakingly researched, laced with wry humor, political (without being too political), adventurous and rich with anecdote.”

The Slow Road to Tehran: A Revelatory Bike Ride through Europe and the Middle East

One woman, one bike and one richly entertaining, perception-altering journey of discovery.

Antarctica: A History in 100 Objects by Jean de Pomereu and Daniella McCahey

On January 17, 1773, Captain James Cook made the first crossing into the Antarctic Circle aboard the Royal Navy sloop Resolution . Now, on the 250th anniversary of this monumental journey, historical geographer Jean de Pomereu and historian Daniella McCahey have come together to highlight 100 objects (culled from the National Maritime Museum in London, the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History and many other collections) that define the world’s least-visited continent. Items that made the cut and are featured in their co-written book Antarctica include the tiny, 22-foot lifeboat used by Irish explorer Ernest Shackleton and his crew after their ship struck ice and sunk in 1915; a sealing club fashioned out of the penis bone of an elephant seal; and skis that Norwegian explorer Olav Bjaaland used in the early 1900s.

Antarctica: A History in 100 Objects

This stunning and powerfully relevant book tells the history of Antarctica through 100 varied and fascinating objects drawn from collections around the world.

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

Despite their federal designation as protected land, national monuments in the United States come under threat. Just look at Bears Ears National Monument, a 2,125-square-mile expanse of red sandstone, cliff dwellings and petroglyphs in the Utah desert held sacred by many Native Americans. The Trump administration decreased the monument in size by 85 percent to allow for oil drilling (only for the Biden administration to later restore its protections). In her debut book, This Contested Land , author and graphic artist McKenzie Long sets out by ski, foot and fin to explore 13 sites across the country, including Maine’s Katahdin Woods and Hawaii’s Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, in a series of compelling essays that convey the importance of protecting these natural resources from the threats of development and climate change.

This Contested Land: The Storied Past and Uncertain Future of America’s National Monuments

One woman’s enlightening trek through the natural histories, cultural stories, and present perils of 13 national monuments, from Maine to Hawaii

Crossed Off the Map: Travels in Bolivia by Shafik Meghji

The world’s highest metropolis is La Paz, Bolivia, home to two million inhabitants living at 13,600 feet above sea level (higher than Mount Fuji). However, not many people know this fact, nor much about the South American country, for that matter. In Crossed Off the Map , author, travel expert and Amnesty International editorial consultant Shafik Meghji introduces readers to the landmarks, history and current issues of Bolivia. Fellow travel author Tim Hannigan says in the book blurb, “Shafik Meghji is a natural travel writer with a ready mastery of history, anecdote and atmosphere, and [this] is the best sort of travel book—an informed and informative portrait of Bolivia that doubles as a vicarious journey for readers on an epic scale, through high mountains, across the altiplano [high plains] and into deep tropical forests.”

Crossed Off the Map: Travels in Bolivia

Blending travel writing, history and reportage, Crossed off the Map: Travels in Bolivia journeys from the Andes to the Amazon to explore Bolivia’s turbulent past and contemporary challenges.

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Jennifer Nalewicki | | READ MORE

Jennifer Nalewicki is a Brooklyn-based journalist. Her articles have been published in The New York Times , Scientific American , Popular Mechanics , United Hemispheres and more. You can find more of her work at her website .

14 Best Travel Authors of All Time

Here are some of the best travel authors that you will want to read to gain inspiration about the art of traveling.

There are times when we simply want to escape the mundanity of everyday life and explore an exotic location like Arabia or Mexico. Yet when travel is not possible, a book can take us where we want to go. Exploring the world through the writing of travel authors can give us a sense of wonder, even when we have to stay at home.

If you are hoping to learn more about the world, put down the guidebook and pick up a more engaging work by one of these top travel authors . You will read a great story while also gaining some travel experience. These 14 authors are ones you will want to grab from Amazon to read today.

1. Bill Bryson

2. paul theroux, 3. bruce chatwin, 4. eric newby, 5. ernest hemingway, 6. graham greene, 7. jack kerouac, 8. freya stark, 9. jan morris, 10. john steinbeck, 11. peter mayle, 12. anthony bourdain, 13. elizabeth gilbert, 14. pico iyer, best travel authors ranked.

Bill Bryson  is an American and British author whose book Notes from a Small Island, showcasing travel in Britain, brought him to prominence among travel writers. His travel books include works about travel in America, England, Australia, Africa, and other countries in Europe.

Bryson started his adult life as a student at Drake University, but he dropped out to backpack in Europe after two years. Neither Here nor There: Travels in Europe chronicled these adventures. This trip caused him to move to Europe permanently, settling in Britain in 1977.

Early in life, Bryson worked as a journalist and copy editor. In 2014, he took the citizenship test to earn dual citizenship in the UK and America. Bryson’s extensive work earned him several honorary doctorates from schools in America and the UK.

• Bryson, Bill (Author)
• English (Publication Language)
• 324 Pages - 05/15/2001 (Publication Date) - William Morrow Paperbacks (Publisher)

Paul Theroux was born in Massachusetts in 1941, and he earned his acclaim as a novelist and travel writer. The Great Railway Bazaar is one of his most famous works in the travel genre. 

Throughout his career, Theroux experienced some controversy. For example, Singapore banned his novel, Saint Jack, for over 30 years because of its content.

Throughout his life, Theroux lived in several countries, including Uganda, Singapore, and England, in London specifically. He returned to the United States in the 1990s and continues to write today. Looking for more books to binge on a weekend? Check out the best books for beach reading . Or you can also search for our best book guides using our search bar.

• Theroux, Paul (Author)
• 352 Pages - 06/01/2006 (Publication Date) - Mariner Books (Publisher)

Bruce Chatwin considered himself a storyteller, not a travel writer, but his first book, In Patagonia, solidified him in the genre. He got to travel much of the world working as a reporter for The Sunday Times Magazine, interviewing political figures. This helped him gather more tales for his travel books.

Chatwin was born in England and went to Marlborough College. He worked for a time at Sotheby’s, where he gained knowledge of and appreciation for art. 

Throughout Chatwin’s body of work, the theme of human restlessness is clear. He believed humans had a genetic predisposition to wanderlust, and his works helped fuel that. You might also be interested in these essays about traveling and essays about journeys .

• Bruce Chatwin (Author)
• 240 Pages - 03/01/2003 (Publication Date) - Penguin Classics (Publisher)

Eric Newby was an English travel writer known for A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush, The Last Grain Race, and A Small Place in Italy. He was born in London in 1919 and died in 2006 at 86. His famous travel work The Last Grain Race chronicled his experience on a Finnish ship that took part in a voyage from Australia to Europe past Cape Horn. 

Newby was a prolific writer, with 25 books to his name. His travel writing included some of his stories from being captured as a prisoner of war in the Adriatic during World War II, which he wrote about in Love and War in the Apennines. 

Newby continued writing until 2003, three years before his death. Many of his works included his own photography.

• Newby, Eric (Author)
• 288 Pages - 04/06/2024 (Publication Date) - HarperPress (Publisher)

Ernest Hemingway was a  Nobel Prize-winning author  who wrote For Whom the Bell Tolls, which spoke of the Civil War in Spain. His travel books include Green Hills of Africa, which talks about his time on safari.

Hemingway grew up in Illinois and joined the military during World War I. He got his first taste of international travel on the Italian front of the war. He also served during WWII, working as a journalist and foreign correspondent. 

He fell in love with Paris and chose to live there as an ex-pat for some time. His time there was the story behind The Sun Also Rises, another of his famous works. In addition to traveling and writing, Hemingway was a keen sportsman.

• Hemingway, Ernest (Author)
• 480 Pages - 07/01/1995 (Publication Date) - Scribner (Publisher)

Graham Greene was a British writer who lived from 1925 to 1991. He often brought conflicting moral and political issues into his writing, and he earned the Shakespeare Prize and the Jerusalem Prize for his works. 

Greene traveled extensively to find subject matter for his books, which led him to get recruited for MI6, the British espionage agency. As a result, many of his works, including The Comedians and his memoir My Silent War, include settings pulled from his travels. 

Greene often wrote about remote places, which earned him a spot as one of the best travel writers, but he was more prominently known as a thriller and political writer. 

• Greene, Graham (Author)
• 320 Pages - 01/25/2005 (Publication Date) - Penguin Classics (Publisher)

Jack Kerouac was an American poet and novelist known for Big Sur and The Dharma Burns. His prose is known for its spontaneity, and he covers a wide range of themes in his writing. Though he grew up in Massachusetts, his home was French-speaking, so he often spoke with a French accent. 

Like many travel writers, Kerouac got his taste for international travel during World War II, where he served as a Marine. He published a total of 14 novels during his lifetime and also several volumes of poetry. 

On the Road is one of his most famous travel works. It chronicles a road trip Kerouac once took with Neal Cassady. A heavy drinker, Kerouac died from an abdominal hemorrhage at the age of 47. 

• Jack Kerouac (Author)
• 293 Pages - 06/01/1999 (Publication Date) - Penguin Classics (Publisher)

Freya Stark was an explorer and travel writer who lived in the early 1900s. She had dual British and Italian citizenship and lived in many parts of Europe, including Italy and France. The book One Thousand and One Nights, which she received for her ninth birthday, inspired a love for Asia and the Orient, which later fueled her passion for exploration. 

Stark took many excursions into the Middle East, including dangerous countries like Lebanon, Baghdad, and Iraq, and these became part of her writings. The Valleys of the Assassins, which she published in 1934, is one of her famous works, and it describes some of her early travels. 

Throughout her life, Stark continued to travel extensively. She helped the British in both World War I and World War II. Her adventure travel writings earned her the Founder’s Gold Medal of the Royal Geographical Society.

• Stark, Freya (Author)
• 320 Pages - 07/24/2001 (Publication Date) - Modern Library (Publisher)

 Yet another English travel writer, Jan Morris, lived in Great Britain and Wales. She was born James Morris, and while living as a male, she was part of the 1953 British Mount Everest expedition – the first time the mountain was traversed. 

Last Letters from Hav was one of Morris’s most engaging travel novels. She described it as an imagined travelogue and political thriller. She also published several books on travel to Trieste and Venice. 

Morris died in 2020 at the age of 94. She was famous for being one of the first high-profile individuals to make a gender transition. She traveled to Morocco for the necessary surgery when British doctors refused to perform it. 

• Morris, Jan (Author)
• 203 Pages - 02/18/1989 (Publication Date) - Vintage Books / Random House (Publisher)

American author John Steinbeck is most famous for his novels The Grapes of Wrath and Of Mice and Men. He won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1962 and the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1940. The Grapes of Wrath sold 14 million copies in just the first 75 years of publication. 

Not all of Steinbeck’s works are travel works, but in 1943 he became a war correspondent for the New York Herald Tribune. A role that took him overseas. This gave him new settings for his stories beyond California, and some of his works became known as travel books. For example, his A Russian Journal included photographs and first-hand accounts of his visit to the Soviet Union in 1947. 

In 1960 Steinbeck embarked on a road trip with his dog, Charley, which created the scenes for Travels with Charley: In Search of America. This piece of travel literature is a travel memoir that perfectly captures what it means to be American, even the different flavors of America seen across the country. 

• Steinbeck, John (Author)
• 277 Pages - 01/31/1980 (Publication Date) - Penguin Books (Publisher)

Peter Mayle  is the author of the New York Times bestseller A Year in Provence. He has 14 books to his name, including both non-fiction works and travel novels. A Year in Provence was his first book, and it has six million copies in forty languages to date. 

Mayle was born in 1939 in England, and he started his literary career writing educational books, not travel stories. However, he eventually moved to southern France as an expatriate, which served as fodder for his most famous works. In 1989 the British Book Awards called A Year in Provence the Best Travel Book of the Year.

Mayle died in 2018 at the age of 78. He was still living in Provence at the time. In addition to his work as an author, he also worked as an advertising copywriter. 

• Great product!
• Bourdain, Anthony (Author)
• 312 Pages - 01/09/2007 (Publication Date) - Ecco (Publisher)

Anthony Bourdain is a chef who also traveled the world. He writes on both cooking and travel, and A Cook’s Tour is one book that combines both into one interesting tour of the dining and culture of the world. 

Bourdain’s books are known for their whit, and his book Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly hit the New York Times bestseller list in 2000. Many of his works tied in with his television series. 

In addition to writing, Bourdain hosted several travel shows for television. His work for these shows fueled some of his great travel and cooking books. Are you searching for books to give to someone? Check out our round-up of the best books to give ! Or you can also search for our best book guides using our search bar.

In Eat, Pray, Love,  Elizabeth Gilbert  takes the reader to Italy, Indonesia and India. The book’s theme is finding self-love and inner devotion, but it fits the travel genre because of its exploration of these locations. 

Gilbert was born in Connecticut in 1969 and grew up on a Christmas tree farm. She started writing short stories while in college, and she traveled throughout America during her young adult years, which provided some ideas for her books.

The popularity of Eat, Pray, Love, and the movie based on the book earned her a spot on Time Magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people in the world. 

• Gilbert, Elizabeth (Author)
• 400 Pages - 01/30/2007 (Publication Date) - Riverhead Books (Publisher)

Pico Iyer was a close friend of the Buddhist leader Dali Lama, which comes into play in his book The Open Road. In this book, he encourages readers to look into the themes of Buddhism as they relate to life. 

Iyer traveled to Cuba, Ethiopia, and Kathmandu throughout his life, and those places influenced his writing. Though he was born to Indian parents and raised in California, he currently resides in Western Japan. His Falling Off the Map: Some Lonely Places of the World showcases his travel writing style as he explores places not often found in travel guidebooks.

Because of the Buddhist influence in his life, Iyer’s works are very introspective. Often causing the reader to think about human nature just as much as they inspire thought about travel. If you liked this post, you might also be interested in these authors like Bill Bryson .

• Iyer, Pico (Author)
• 288 Pages - 03/10/2009 (Publication Date) - Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group (Publisher)

Bryan Collins is the owner of Become a Writer Today. He's an author from Ireland who helps writers build authority and earn a living from their creative work. He's also a former Forbes columnist and his work has appeared in publications like Lifehacker and Fast Company.

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billclevlen.com

Bill Clevlen

Travel journalist / public speaker.

Bill Clevlen is a multi-media travel journalist; book author, broadcaster; and content creator focused on road trips and experience-based travel around the world. He is an engaging public speaker available for keynotes, conferences, and media appearances.

An entertaining, authentic public speaker.

Bill is a unique keynote speaker, able to engage with a wide range of audiences as the relatable, yet influential every-man. A Smithsonian Institute lecturer and humorous storyteller, Bill can share his expertise on a variety of topics from travel to communication – with wit and thoughtfulness that leaves audiences thinking and smiling.

People forget facts. They remember stories.

“Bill was incredibly attentive and intentional about delivering a message tailored to the needs of our group. He shared valuable insights with humor and authenticity. Our attendees were engaged and energized by Bill’s ability to perfectly intertwine his hospitality experiences within his message. We knew we were going to get a great session from Bill, but he definitely exceeded our expectations.”

Vicki Boyer | Executive Director  St. Louis Area Hotel Association

Author/Freelance Writer

Bill is the author of popular road trip themed travel books including titles like 100 Things To Do in America Before You Die and The Ultimate American Music Bucket List . Clevlen is also a freelance writer and has contributed to outlets ranging from The Los Angeles Times to Pickleball Magazine.

Learn More→

Radio/TV Broadcaster

With 25 years of experience in major market and syndicated broadcasting, Bill is a seasoned professional and a natural fit on radio and TV shows where a “travel expert” is needed. Clevlen, a former comedy writer seamlessly adds humor and a dry wit into reports and travel tips for audiences.

Content Creator

Bill regularly works with tourism and travel destinations around the world to produce high quality content used on social media to promote positive experiences for travelers. From Visit Fort Lauderdale to the tourism office of Spain, Bill’s work has inspired millions of travel enthusiasts hoping to conquer their bucket lists.

Get Great Content For Your Show!

Bill is a great guest on radio, television, and podcasts with so many interesting and amusing stories to share from his travels around the world. Book Bill as a travel expert for your broadcast or hire him to be a regular contributor.

“I’ve hired hundreds of speakers during my career and Bill Clevlen is in the top 10. He brings a room together in laughter and on common topics that all the attendees can relate.”

GROUP PUBLISHER | MEET MAGS

Contact Bill’s Management Team

Interested in booking Bill for a speaking event or an interview segment? Send us a detailed request via e-mail.

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9 best travel books to inspire your next adventure

From eco-minded ventures, to holidays by train – explore these wanderlust-fuelling titles, article bookmarked.

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A good book is always transportive. Especially a good travel book – which can have you scaling mountains, traversing deserts or exploring tropical islands with the turn of every page. The best travel reads not only make us feel like we’re there with the author, but they make us feel like the journey is our own.

After a couple of years of travel starvation, we are hungrier than ever for globetrotting reading. Even though we’re starting to explore in real life once more, packing up for beach breaks and city weekends, that hunger is difficult to satisfy.

The reality is that, for most of us, there are only so many calendar days in the year for real-life travelling – especially if you’re on a 28-day holiday allowance.

And so, we’ve brought you the list of our current favourite travel reads to inspire your next adventure and satiate your burning wanderlust.

Some are snapshots of a single place, presented in first-person by an enthusiastic author. Others are compendiums of individual essays, perfect if you need more general inspiration. Some employ the idea of travel a bit more broadly, speaking about ways of movement – the journey itself – rather than the destination.

• 8 best climate emergency books to better understand the crisis
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• 10 best self care books for healing, growth and self love
• 7 best non-fiction books: From historical to self-help titles

How we tested

What our best travel books are not, are guidebooks. While there are many stellar examples of guidebooks around, when choosing our favourite travel books we were looking primarily for inspirational reads, not how-to information. Our best travel books are also not novels. While many fictitious reads are full of colour and insights, we don’t quite consider them “travel books”, as such.

Finally, we looked for a mix of reads that would appeal to different travellers. Not every book on this list will be for you, of course, but that’s OK. Not every destination will be either. That’s part of the joy of discovery.

The best travel books for 2022 are:

• Best overall – The Best British Travel Writing of the 21st Century, edited by Jessica Vincent: £16.99, Waterstones.com
• Best eco-travel read – Zero Altitude by Helen Coffey, published by Flint: £15.63, Whsmith.co.uk
• Best for family inspiration – Shape of a Boy by Kate Wickers, published by Aurum Press: £16.99, Waterstones.com
• Best for off the beaten track discovery – Islands of Abandonment by Cal Flyn: £8.49, Waterstones.com
• Best for walkers – Where My Feet Fall by Duncan Minshull: £18.99, Waterstones.com
• Best for rail junkies – Around the World in 80 Trains by Monisha Rajesh: £10.99, Waterstones.com
• Best classic – Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert: £9.99, Waterstones.com
• Best for Nordic adventure – Farewell Mr Puffin by Paul Heiney: £12.99, Waterstones.com
• Best non-guidebook guidebook – Scotland The Best: The Islands: £15.99, Waterstones.com

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The Best British Travel Writing of the 21st Century, edited by Jessica Vincent, published by Octopus Publishing Group

Best: Overall

Rating: 9/10

If you want a proper adventure from your armchair, this compendium of travel articles by some of the country’s best storytellers will fit the bill. When travel writer Jessica Vincent was grounded during the pandemic she had the brainwave to pull together some of the most inspiring essays published in British media in the past two decades, with extracts from the likes of Conde Nast Traveller , National Geographic Traveller and Suitcase Magazine .

The 30 reads are short – just a few pages each – but big in scope, rushing you along the tracks of a train in Baghdad, tracking snow leopards in Ladakh or sleeping under the stars in Malawi. Destinations are deliberately skewed in favour of the world’s lesser-known destinations and champion some emerging writers, providing bitesized nibbles of places you may never have dreamed of going – until now.

This book is as transportive as they come and yet compact enough for soaking up over a few spare moments on the tube, in the bath or when you’re tucked under the covers before bed.

Zero Altitude by Helen Coffey, published by Flint

Best: Eco-travel read

Rating: 8.5/10

Penned by The Independent ’s very own travel editor, Helen Coffey, this is a personal account of how one frequent flyer became convinced to go cold-turkey on the holiday industry’s biggest convenience: air travel. After years of zooming around on a near-weekly basis, Coffey had a revelation in 2019 when researching a story on flygskam (the Scandi concept of “flight shame”). In short, she realised quite how bad flying is for the environment.

This read traces her (not always easy) journey to becoming a frequent traveller at “zero altitude”, detailing what she’s learned so far and how she’s managed trips as diverse as the Scilly Isles and Croatia. Coffey manages to weave in the hard-hitting detail in a light manner, which means even when the book is delivering its most serious of arguments – such as the fact that polluting air travel is predicted to double by 2037 – it never feels preachy. Rather, you’ll feel inspired to make a change of your own.

Shape of a Boy by Kate Wickers, published by Aurum Press

Best: For family inspiration

Rating: 8/10

If you think zigzagging in a Cambodian rickshaw or sourcing dinner in Borneo sounds tricky, just imagine doing it with three young boys in tow. Kate Wicker’s funny and moving account of living her mantra, “have baby, will travel”, shows that being a parent doesn’t have to hold you back from exploring the world – in fact, it can even make your experiences richer. Kicking off with a visit to Israel and Jordan in 2000 while pregnant, then rambling through the years and destinations like Mallorca and Thailand with her growing brood of sons – Josh, Ben and Freddie – Wicker details the lessons that they learn from each place, and each other. It makes travelling the world as a family something to get excited about.

Islands of Abandonment by Cal Flyn, published by HarperCollins Publishers

Best: For off the beaten track discovery

Most travel books are about places people want to go. This one is different. It’s about those other, forgotten kinds of places. Places people have fled from, due to catastrophe (for example, Chernobyl), unrest (the Buffer Zone in Cyprus) or shifting politics (communist Harju fields in Estonia); places that have fallen from glory, such as industrial Detroit; and ones that nature has reclaimed, such as Amani botanical gardens in Tanzania.

Author Cal Flyn has meticulously researched the destinations and brings their stories to life through evocative writing. It can make for dark reading at times, but this book makes you realise travel and discovery is as much about the places we choose to avoid as much as it is about those we embrace.

Where My Feet Fall by Duncan Minshull, published by HarperCollins Publishers

Best: For walkers

If you think great travel writing is all about moving through places in another person’s shoes, then you need this collection of essays from 20 writers about the pleasure of putting one foot in front of another. From bustling walks through Karachi with Kamila Shamsie, to rain-soaked treks in Germany with Jessica J Lee, every entry comes with its own unique flavour and makes you realise that this most rudimentary form of transport can be one of the most evocative. Editor Duncan Minshull, who pulled the collection together, has written three books about walking, so he knows a thing or two about it.

Around the World in 80 Trains by Monisha Rajesh, published by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

Best: For rail junkies

Does anything really sum up the thrill of travel like a rail journey? Whether you’ve fantasised about chugging your way across Europe or boarding a carriage further afield – say, the Trans-Siberian Express towards Beijing – this account by award-winning travel writer Monisha Rajesh will bring the dream to life. Rajesh’s easy, witty writing style is a big part of the joy, including her descriptions of the (sometimes quirky) characters she meets along the way. If you like this read, you may also want to give Rajesh’s preceding book, Around India in 80 Trains, a read.

Scotland The Best: The Islands

Best: Non-guidebook guidebook

Rating: 7.5/10

While we generally chose to omit guidebooks from this list, we’ve made an exception here – because it’s more of a photography book than anything else. The latest by bestselling travel writer Peter Irvine brings the islands of Scotland, big and small, to life through a collection of unexpected images. Some are snapshots of the big sights, such as the Callanish Stones – a rock formation on the Hebrides older than Stonehenge. Others are far less expected, such as a group of peat cutters or The Butty Bus – a fish and chips takeaway van on Harris.

Chapters are divided by geography. At the end of each one, Irvine lists a handful of his top recommendations of where to eat, stay and walk. But ultimately this is a book that inspires you to discover Scotland’s beautiful corners through your own lens.

The verdict: Travel books

If you want one book to transport you with every turn of the page, it has to be The Best British Travel Writing of the 21st Century . The fact that the writing is great is only one benefit – the digestible nature and mix of lesser-known destinations makes reading it feel like a proper adventure.

For any travellers who are conscious of our carbon impact – and that should be all of us – Zero Altitude is an eye-opener. Not only is Coffey’s writing style fun and engaging, but it packs in plenty of urgent detail on the impact of our addiction to air travel.

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Inside the Literary Travel Boom

Book butlers! Curated libraries! Custom cruises! Literary-themed vacations are the hot new trend in tourism.

In January, when packing my bags for a “reading retreat” in the Dominican Republic, I agonized about which books to bring. A few days later, bellied up to the beachside bar at the all-inclusive Dreams Macao Beach Punta Cana resort (where, in place of barstools, swings are suspended from the thatched ceiling), I sipped a mojito, cracked open James Salter’s Light Years, a novel I reread annually, and knew that I’d chosen well.

But if I’d had any regrets, summoning a new paperback would’ve been as easy as ringing for a book butler. I was down in the DR to experience Pages in Paradise, a collaboration between the publisher Penguin Random House, Belletrist Book Club (the brainchild of actress Emma Roberts), and Apple Vacations (no relation to the iPhone maker). For readers who like to beach, the retreat left no page unturned. The programming kicked off even before check-in: Ahead of arrival, guests could log in to the resort’s app to reserve beach reads from an on-site library curated by Belletrist. Housed in the airy hotel lobby, the collection included buzzy contemporary fiction by the likes of Zadie Smith and Curtis Sittenfeld. Guests could also order books via room service (or personal butler) anytime or select one from the chic library carts located at the adults-only pool. The property’s various bars featured the “Pages Pour,” a specialty cocktail themed to the program’s inaugural book-of-the-month selection, Jenny Xie’s debut novel, Holding Pattern . They called the drink a gin-fashioned—a fruit-forward riff on the old-fashioned, zippy with pineapple-cinnamon syrup.

Exotic as this tropical gathering of book lovers might have been, it’s just one example of a fast-growing business trend: literary-themed travel. We have the pandemic to thank. Reading surged in the early days of Covid, and the habit stuck as lockdowns eased: The biggest two years on record for print book sales in the U.S. were 2021 and 2022. Hotels and tourism companies, eager to lure back travelers, seized on the surge and began featuring books in their marketing. What began as a travel perk has become a full-blown movement to cater to readers with an explosion of new programming, from big-ticket experiences promising author access to solitary retreats. I know, I know—planning a trip around your reading list may never replace your annual golf weekend, but when else will you get the time to actually enjoy that stack on your nightstand? And if it all sounds like giving yourself homework, don’t worry—there definitely won’t be a quiz, and did I mention the drinks?

As a professional book recommender, the question I’m asked most often is “What book should I bring on my vacation?” ​But now there’s a new question to consider: What kind of literary vacation should I plan?

Not every reader is content to lie by the pool and read for days on end. Some are looking for a more kinetic experience—one that lets them interact with fellow readers, and even their favorite writers. Enter the “ Gone Girl cruise.” In fall 2022, author Gillian Flynn set sail down the Danube with some of her biggest (and most well-heeled) fans as part of Avalon Waterways’ Storyteller Series, cruises that offer literary travelers a chance to voyage in close quarters with authors and other storytellers. When Flynn tweeted about the cruise, it quickly became a viral sensation. On-board accounts detailed a true-crime extravaganza, with guests returning to their rooms each night to discover blood-spattered notes, themed to Flynn’s novels, on their pillows. Sure, it’s a little dorky—but we’re all fans of something, and if crime novels are your thing, what could be better?

For readers who can’t splash out for getaways abroad, there are literary destinations closer to home, too. In the artsy hamlet of New Hope, Pennsylvania, the historic luxury hotel River House at Odette’s offers Riverside Reading (in partnership with Bedside Reading), a program that pairs complimentary access to a curated library (via digital app or hard copies throughout the hotel) with intimate author experiences. With bookshelves stationed on each floor and authors rolling through seasonally, guests can dip in and out of the programming as they please.

When I visited River House deep in the grips of a harsh Pennsylvania winter, I discovered a reader’s paradise: My room boasted a fireplace, a private balcony, and serene views of the rushing Delaware River. After turndown service, I found a keepsake leather bookmark on my pillow. That evening, a few dozen guests gathered for a talkback with the novelist Jean Hanff Korelitz. In a ballroom festooned with red carnations (a nod to the cover of her latest book, The Latecomers ), Korelitz fielded rapid-fire questions about her inspiration, her writing process, and her hit novel The Plot . After the formal conversation concluded, starstruck guests crowded around her at the bar. “When people come up to you and say, ‘I loved your book,’ that really means something to writers,” Korelitz told me. As the owner of BookTheWriter, a service connecting authors and readers through pop-up book clubs hosted in New York City apartments, Korelitz knows a thing or two about making connections. In the recent boom of literary travel experiences, she sees a broader post-pandemic trend of readers craving the chance to get up close and personal with their favorite writers. “The ways of access to authors have multiplied exponentially,” she said. “I find it to be very inspiring.”

For an early-career author like Xie, who was at Pages in Paradise, seeing her novel highlighted was both exciting and transformative. That’s the thing about literary travel—it allows us to transcend our ordinary lives in more ways than one. “There’s a certain sense that we don’t have the space to read unless we’re traveling or living outside of our day-to-day,” said Xie. “A book takes you outside of your physical environment and your lived experience. Travel does that, too, so they join together in this really beautiful way to truly transport you.” That’s a journey worth taking.

HOW TO PLAN YOUR OWN LITERARY VACATION

Ready to take off on a bookish getaway? Literary travel isn’t “one size fits all,” so whatever type of reader you are, we’ve got a prescription for it. Choose your own adventure below.

For the fan

The Gone Girl cruise is over, but Avalon Waterways isn’t slowing down anytime soon: Its upcoming slate of Storyteller Cruises includes actor Graham McTavish (sailing down the Rhine River) and Outlander phenom Diana Gabaldon (voyaging down the Danube).

For the R&R chaser

Looking for a more relaxed experience? At the Reeds at Shelter Haven, an upscale resort on the Jersey shore, guests can participate in Reeds’ Reads, a seasonal book club featuring guided discussions, with authors sometimes joining via Zoom for Q&A sessions.

For the aspiring writer

Chances are, your favorite author is side-hustling by leading retreats in pastoral Europe. To get in on the action, pay close attention to their social-media feeds, or search for guided trips through an experiential-tourism outlet like TrovaTrip.

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Bahari: food writer Dina Macki on Omani cuisine and Zanzibari flavours

In her new cookbook, Dina Macki examines the intertwined but distinct cuisines of Oman and Zanzibar, exploring how they were shaped by seafarers and the ocean itself.

How has your heritage influenced your food?

My mum was born in Zanzibar to Omani Zanzibari and Iranian Zanzibari parents. They came from Swahili tribes, so they cooked a lot of Zanzibari and Swahili coastal food; there’s always a lot of coconut and the food is really spicy, with lots of citrus flavours. My dad’s family are Omani — from the capital, Muscat — with Bahraini and Iraqi tribal heritage, so they use a lot of dried limes. They also use a lot of dates. That comes from being in the north, where there are date palms everywhere.

How would you describe Oman?

Although Oman is a Middle Eastern country that borders other Arab nations, it’s also close to Somalia, Iran and India. And 200 years ago, it had an empire that included the Swahili coast around Zanzibar. Because of all the trade, it’s very multicultural. In the north of Oman, where Muscat is, it’s very dry and hot, with a gorgeous coastline and beaches.

The interior to the west is very mountainous, and it’s here you have the Ad Dakhiliyah governorate, where the most delicious pomegranates are grown. As you travel further south, you pass the desert before you reach the Dhofar governorate, which mimics the Swahili coastline with its blue sea, white beaches and coconut palms. In August, the monsoon turns everything green and you get incredible waterfalls.

How does the food vary regionally?

Oman is very tribal and every community takes their influence from somewhere. The Lawati tribe in the north originally came from Iran and Pakistan, and their food incorporates a lot of Indian flavours; they have a high tolerance to chilli and use a lot of spices. The same goes for the Balochi people, who originated in Balochistan [a region split between Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan]. The interior tribes would have been Bedouins, who travelled throughout the Arab world. Their food is very meat heavy and they love honey as it travels well; they also like to preserve things. In the south, near the sea, the people are mainly of East African heritage and their food is very coconut-based. In the mountains, they have a lot of meat, which they’ll dry to travel with. They also love using wheat and fresh cow’s or camel’s milk.

What makes Omani food distinctive?

Definitely the variety. We don’t have a lot of vegetables because of the climate, but we use a lot of spices and draw on so many different flavour combinations. We also have a lot of finger foods, like samosas and fritters, which is that Zanzibari influence. In terms of eating culture, it’s extremely rude if you visit someone and you don’t eat with them. No matter what time of the day you visit, Omanis will make sure it drags into lunch or dinner. The men and the women will go into separate majlis (sitting rooms). The minute you walk in, you’ll be given tea or coffee and fruits. The main dishes, served family-style on big plates, are then laid out on the floor, where everyone sits and eats with only their right hand. After that, the sweet things are served. You’ll have halwa (made with sugarcane, ghee, spices, nuts and dried fruit), with coffee to finish.

What are some typical Omani ingredients?

Limes grow across the country. People dry them or brine them for a stronger flavour and take them everywhere because they preserve really well. Cooked slowly (and a lot of Omani dishes require slow cooking), they release an intense citrussy flavour. Honey is also found everywhere. Dates are [common too], but this stops once you get to the Dhofar region, where the climate becomes very wet and humid. In terms of spices, cardamom, cinnamon, black pepper and cloves are all important, and the Lawati, Balochi and Swahili tribes also eat a lot of chilli. Saffron is an Iranian influence, but it’s grown in Zanzibar, too.

Is there one especially popular dish?

The majority of people in the north will tell you the national dish is shuwa, eaten during Eid — although in the interior and the south there are many governorates that don’t have shuwa at all. It’s basically meat coated in a mixture of black pepper, dried chilies, cloves, dried limes, cardamom and cinnamon; each family’s recipe will be different. It’s then wrapped in banana leaves and put in a sack made from date palm fronds. Everyone in the village gets together and dances and sings as they put their sack in a tanoor (fire pit), where it’s cooked for 24 hours.

Recipe: Spinach & coconut shakshuka

This shakshuka is based on a Zanzibari dish known as mchicha or mboga, which means ‘spinach’ or ‘vegetables’ in Swahili. If you mention these names, we instantly know the dish will be made with coconut. Coconut forms the base of many Zanzibari dishes and is often used as a substitute for water. Although mchicha tastes amazing, it isn’t the most showstopping dish to look at, so I decided to use it as a base for shakshuka. This dish is best served with toast.

Serves : 4 Takes :   50 minutes

Ingredients 6 tbsp olive oil or vegetable oil 1 onion, thinly sliced 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 tsp ground turmeric 1 tsp ground cumin 3 tomatoes, finely diced 600g spinach 400ml can coconut milk 1 green chilli, roughly chopped (optional) 1 lime, juiced Handful of fresh coriander, chopped 4 eggs Pomegranate seeds, to garnish (optional) Black olives, to garnish (optional)

Method 1. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sweat for 3–4 mins, then stir in the ground spices. Add the tomatoes and fry for 5–6 mins more. Add the spinach, a handful at a time, and fry for 5 mins until it’s all wilted.  

2. Pour in the coconut milk, then add the chilli (if using) and its seeds, plus lime juice. Salt to taste and simmer for 20 mins until the coconut’s thickened and there’s only a little liquid left. Add the coriander and stir well, then leave to simmer for another 3–4 mins.

3. Add the coriander and stir well, then leave to simmer for another 3–4 mins.

4. Make 4 holes in the mixture and crack an egg into each hole. Cover the pan with a lid and leave the eggs to cook through for 5 mins until the egg whites are cooked and you have a runny yolk (alternatively, leave it for longer to get a hard yolk, if you prefer).  

5. Sprinkle over the pomegranates and/or olives, if using, and serve.

Recipe: Honeycomb bread

Qaranqasho is an Omani celebration that takes place on the 14th day of Ramadan. Children dress in traditional clothing and mothers prepare nibbles and sweet baskets, then open up their doors to all. Khaliat nahal is a sweet, yeasted bread known for its honeycomb shape that’s only served during Ramadan, especially on Qaranqasho. This recipe is found in both Oman and Yemen — it’s always filled with cheese, but the syrups drizzled on top differ from family to family. It’s best served freshly baked and warm, while the cheese is melted, but it’ll keep for 1–2 days in an airtight container.

Makes: 20 pieces Takes:   1 hour plus rising

Ingredients 400ml plus 2 tbsp warm milk 14g fast-action dried yeast 650g plain   flour 130g caster sugar 2 eggs sesame seeds, for sprinkling sea salt flakes

For the syrup 200g caster sugar 2 tbsp runny honey ½ orange, juiced 4 cardamom pods, crushed

For the filling 200g mozzarella 200g soft cream cheese

Method 1. Combine all the ingredients for the syrup in a saucepan with 170ml water. Set over a high heat and bring to the boil. Once it starts bubbling, boil for exactly 10 mins, then remove from the heat and leave to cool completely. Don’t stir the syrup while it’s boiling, and make sure it’s entirely cool before you use it; the idea is to pour the cooled syrup over the hot bread. 2. Pour 400ml milk into a bowl. Add the yeast and leave to sit for 5 mins. 3. Combine the flour, sugar and eggs in a mixer or large bowl. Add the yeast mixture and combine. Knead until the dough is soft and smooth — this will take 10–12 mins in a mixer or 15–17 mins by hand. Cover with a clean, damp cloth and leave to rise for 1 hr 30 mins or until the dough has doubled in size. 4. Once the dough has risen, divide into 20 even-sized pieces, then shape them into balls. Take the first ball and press it flat, then place a little of the mozzarella and soft cheese into the middle (use around 5–10g of each, as you don’t want to overfill). Bring the rest of the dough around the cheese to encase it, then pinch the edges together to seal, roll it back into a ball and flatten very slightly. Repeat with the remaining dough balls, mozzarella and soft cheese. 5. Place the filled balls on a baking tray lined with baking parchment (ideally a pizza tray, so you can arrange them in a honeycomb shape). Make sure to leave a little space between each of the balls so they have room to spread as they rise. Cover with a clean damp cloth and leave to rise for 30–45 mins. 6. Heat oven to 200C, 180C fan, gas 6. When the balls are ready to bake, brush them with the remaining milk and sprinkle over the sesame seeds. Bake for 20–25 mins until golden. 7. Pour the cooled syrup over the balls as soon as they come out of the oven and let it seep into the dough (alternatively, brush the syrup on if you don’t want too much). Sprinkle over some crushed sea salt flakes to finish. Allow to cool for around 10 mins, then serve warm so the cheese is melted and delicious.

Recipe: Plantain or banana, coconut & cardamom cake

There’s a pudding from Zanzibar called ndizi mbivu, which is basically overripe sweet plantains stewed with coconut milk and cardamom. As a kid, the look of it put me off — I must have been about 20 when I began to understand how something so simple could yield so much comfort and flavour. I have a recipe for it in my book, but this ‘prettier’ version brings the same ingredients into a cake. I like to serve it warm, but you can leave it to cool — just be sure to remove from the tin while still warm. It’ll keep for 4–5 days in an airtight container.

Serves: 6-8 Takes:   45 minutes

Ingredients 160g plantain or banana, puréed, plus 1 sliced 200g plain flour 2 tsp baking powder 80g caster sugar 80g soft light brown sugar 100g desiccated coconut 3 eggs 185ml vegetable oil 10 cardamom pods, crushed, or 1 tbsp ground cardamom

For the caramel 100g soft light brown sugar 3 tbsp unsalted butter

Method 1. Heat oven to 200C, 180C fan, gas 6. Grease a 20cm cake tin and line with baking parchment.

2. To make the caramel, put the sugar in a saucepan over a low–medium heat and allow it to gradually melt, gently swirling the pan to help ensure all the sugar melts evenly. Once the sugar has all melted, add the butter and keep stirring until smooth.  

3. Arrange the sliced banana or plantain in the base of the prepared tin, then pour over the caramel. Set aside.  

4. Combine the remaining ingredients in a large bowl and whisk until smooth, being careful not to over-whisk. Pour the batter over the banana and caramel. Bake for 20 mins, then reduce the heat to 190C, 170C fan, gas 5 and bake for a further 25 mins until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.  

5. Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 10 mins, then remove from the tin while still warm.

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Ovrelia's Notes in the Margin

Monday, november 8, 2010, moscow-petushki by venedikt erofeev - book review #110.

In this classic novel of Russian humor and social commentary, a cable fitter is fired from his job after accidentally sending out detailed graphs charting his coworkers' productivity against the amount of alcohol they consumed. From goodreads.com

1 comments:

This book sucks. I have to read it for a class in college and this is honestly one of the worst books I've ever read. It is impossible to follow, and makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. Horrible, horrible read.

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'Brat Pack' actor and travel writer Andrew McCarthy speaking at Canton Palace Theatre

• Actor Andrew McCarthy, known for the '80s movies 'Pretty in Pink,' 'St. Elmo's Fire' and 'Mannequin,' will be speaking at 6:30 p.m. May 11 at Canton Palace Theatre.
• McCarthy is a travel writer and author, including the New York Times bestseller, "Walking with Sam."
• Admission to McCarthy's presentation is free but reservations must be made online through the Stark Library.

Andrew McCarthy sounded every bit of four decades removed from his "Brat Pack" Hollywood glory days while discussing the 500-mile trek he took with his teenage son across the famed El Camino de Santiago in Spain.

Far in the rearview mirror were his starring roles in the '80s movies "Pretty in Pink," "St. Elmo's Fire" and "Weekend at Bernie's."

McCarthy was merely dad, not a celebrity. Sometimes dismissively referred to as "bro" by his 19-year-old son, Sam. Other times tapped for advice while the younger McCarthy grappled with the aftermath of a breakup from his girlfriend.

Along the blister-inducing journey in the summer of 2021, the father-son dynamic was often as bumpy as the rugged terrain. However, by the end, there were bonding moments, even transcendent ones, where the parent was schooled by the child.

Standing outside the splendor of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, the elder McCarthy was dejected because the portico was locked. Touching the Tree of Jesse was also forbidden due to erosion. Neither could he hug the statue of St. James.

"It's OK," the son said while draping an arm over his dad's shoulder. "This one truly was about the journey." Earlier on the trip, Sam had blown off similar advice from his dad. Now he espoused it.

Asked if such revelatory moments still happen with his son today, McCarthy turned to a recent anecdote.

"About three days ago, he called me up and said, 'Dad, you got seven minutes?' And I was like, 'Go,'" the father recalled with affection. "And he just wanted to work through something he was going through, and he just wanted to bounce it off me, and that's a phone call that probably wouldn't have happened if we hadn't of walked together."

McCarthy relays and explores those father-son moments profoundly, humorously and candidly in the New York Times bestselling book, " Walking with Sam: A Father, A Son, and Five Hundred Miles Across Spain ." His other works include " Brat: An '80s Story ," "Just Fly Away" and "The Longest Way Home."

McCarthy talked openly during a 25-minute phone call promoting a book tour that will bring him to the Canton Palace Theatre at 6:30 p.m. May 11 as part of the Stark County Library's Speaking of Books Author Series. Admission is free but reservations must be made at https://www.starklibrary.org/ or by calling 330-452-0665. VIP meet-and-greet tickets also can be purchased.

McCarthy has lots to tell. So many films, so many Hollywood encounters, so many lessons learned, so many miles logged across the globe as an award-winning travel writer , including a stint as editor-at-large of National Geographic Traveler magazine.

During the interview, McCarthy touched on it all, plus some unexpected subjects, including what he thought of a Taylor Swift concert he attended with his teen daughter and which of his '80s movies most deserves a sequel.

Walking across Spain: 'It's a life-changing experience for anybody.'

McCarthy had walked the El Camino 25 years earlier while in the throes of a professional and personal crisis.

"It's just a place where I feel very at home in myself," he said of travel in general. "I often joke that the further from home I get, the more at home in myself I feel. The more out of my normal comfort zone I am, sort of the better I respond.

"The Camino was a transformative experience for me the first time I did it," McCarthy said. "... As my son was growing and our relationship was sort of evolving, I wanted it to evolve into like two men. How does one do that? I didn't have a template for that in m own life, so I thought (walking the Camino) would be a wonderful way to transition our relationship from dominant parent to submissive or rebellious kid to adult learning to communicate on an equal level. So I thought the Camino would sort of jumpstart that process, which it did."

Of "Walking with Sam," he said: "It's really about fathers and sons and your place in that and how do we manage that.

"And that's one of the great things about walking and walking that long of a distance," McCarthy said. "You can try to be however you're going to be, but yourself comes out pretty quickly when you're walking 15 miles and you've got blisters and you're tired and you need a place to sleep. You're you. That was just a great experience to share with (Sam) in that regard.

"On day two on the walk, he said, 'Dad, what's the point of this? And on the last day of the walk, he said, 'That's the only 10 out of 10 thing that I've ever done in my life,' so something happened."

The intimate relationship of author and reader

Being recognized and appreciated as a writer is rewarding, McCarthy said.

"I was lucky enough to be on TV and in movies," he said. "When people come up to you about a book, it's a very different thing, and it's much more personal in a certain way because you know it's a very intimate relationship with someone reading a book.

"They take you to bed at night usually, and they're alone with you in bed for an hour before they go to bed. And to ask someone for their time in that way, you have to sort of meet them and come clean with them."

And "I'll put down things on paper that strangers will read that I'd be very hesitant to say in the rest of my life," he added. "There's something about the act of writing that you disclose these kinds of things."

The 'Brat Pack' is an avatar 'of a certain generation's youth.'

McCarthy is clearly still more widely known for being a member of the "Brat Pack," however.

"I think it's kind of an amazing thing at this point," he said. "The 'Brat Pack' (actors and movies) are the avatars of a certain generation's youth.

"You look at those things and you start talking, 'Oh, I love that movie,'" he said. "You're talking about your own youth, and I come to represent that. I just hold up a mirror to that because there's no more exciting and wondrous time in life than when we're in our late teens and 20s. You're just cusping into your own life and you're taking the world by the tail, and your life's a blank slate to be written on, and it's a thrilling moment in life. And I and other members of the 'Brat Pack' and the other people who were in those movies represent that for a group of people.

"And it took me a long time, but I realize that's sort of a wonderful gift I've been given, to be that role for certain people, and there's great affection and fondness for those movies for me as well," McCarthy continued. "You know, they're flawed certainly (and from) another time, but I loved those movies."

McCarthy is open to a sequel to 'St. Elmo's Fire'

When asked which of his '80s movies deserved a sequel, McCarthy didn't hesitate − "St. Elmo's Fire."

"It always pops up occasionally," he said of the talk of a sequel. "Sure, I'm game. I love that character ( Kevin Dolenz ) in 'St. Elmo's Fire.' I thought he was a great character for me at that time in my life, and what happened to him 30 years later, I think that would be interesting.

"I mean, sure, why not," McCarthy said. "Somebody comes up with a good idea (and) has some money to do it.

"That character was really the closest to me of any of those characters I did when I was young. I had that sort of rotten before I was ripe cynicism to cover up my fear and vulnerability, I think. I really related to him a lot.

"Mostly people keep coming up with these 'Weekend at Bernie's' 3 ideas," McCarthy said with laughter. "I'm like, 'Dude, he's dead, he's still dead, he's been dead a long time. I have great affection for Bernie."

When does the 'Brat Pack' documentary come out?

Written and directed by McCarthy, the documentary , "Brats" is scheduled for release on the Hulu streaming service on June 12, McCarthy said.

The film will premiere on June 7 at the Tribeca Festival .

The 92-minute documentary follows up the book, "Brat: An 80s Story," authored by McCarthy and released in 2021.

"The 'Brat' book was just my my own sort of exploration of, 'Well, what the hell happened during that time?,'" he said of being thrust into stardom. "It was just a seminal moment in my life, and it was one that I sort of ran from for decades, and I finally just turned around and said, 'Well, what's under that rock?'"

The documentary, however, sought out answers and insights from his fellow "Brat Pack" actors, including Emilio Estevez, Rob Lowe, Demi Moore and Ally Sheedy.

"And so when I finished that (book), it was quite liberating in a certain way," McCarthy said. "But I felt, 'What in the hell did everyone else think?,' because I know it was life-changing for everybody... We hated that ('Brat Pack') label, and it was very pejorative at the beginning, and that it's come 180 degrees to represent this wonderfully iconic thing in pop culture is kind of a beautiful thing. So I wanted to go see what everyone else's experience was. So I just called up people I hadn't seen in 30 years, and I went to see them and just sort of brought a camera and chatted with them.

"I could call it a homemade movie," he added. "Some of it I shot on my iPhone. It's just very informal. There's lots of moments of sort of nostalgia as it were with clips from films and old interviews and songs and things, but it's also very much a look back from someone looking back at their youth from a period of no longer being young.

"So I was reconnecting with all the old gang as it were, which was fantastic. A big takeaway from that for me was all the affection we had for each other after all these years, where we didn't when we were young. We were young, competitive and scared and trying to start our careers, and it was a very fraught time, where as now, none of it matters anymore."

What do McCarthy's kids think of their movie star dad?

McCarthy said his kids have only seen a few of his films or snippets.

"Those are old ancient history things," he said.

"When they discovered that I did a movie with 'Iron Man' (Robert Downey Jr.) when they were young, they go, 'You worked with 'Iron Man!' They thought that was pretty impressive."

"My son ... when he was like 15, he watched 'Weekend at Bernie's,'" McCarthy recalled with laughter. "And he said, 'Dad, I love you, but that's the stupidest movie I've ever seen,' and I was like, 'That's the point.'"

"And my daughter, one of her classmates said she should watch 'Pretty in Pink.' And she watched the trailer online, and she said, 'I'm not going to watch some movie where you're kissing another woman; I don't want to see that,' so as it should be, I'm just their dad."

Is McCarthy a Swifty?

The actor and writer attended a Taylor Swift concert with his teen daughter, Willow McCarthy. She even surprised him with the gift of an outrageously glitzy sport coat for the event.

"To experience my daughter experiencing it was a beautiful thing for me, and I thought Taylor Swift was terrific," McCarthy said. "I've seen a lot of big shows in big stadiums, and I've never seen anybody be able to hold the crowd in one hand looking live and then at the same time on the Jumbotron being played intimately into the close-up.

"I thought she's able to do that in an extraordinary way. I've seen The Rolling Stones or Bruce Springsteen. They're just playing to the crowd … or they're mugging for the camera. But (Swift) was able to be intimate with the camera and yet expansive to the crowd at the same time, and I thought it was a real lesson in stardom. I thought it was great. I really enjoyed that."

McCarthy is working on his next book

McCarthy has been on the road working on his next book, which he describes as "a cross-country exploration on male friendship."

He's reuniting with friends in Kentucky, Dallas and San Francisco, people whom he hasn't seen in decades and knows from outside the spotlight of Hollywood.

"There's all sorts of documentation now about this recession in male friendship and all these kind of things," McCarthy said. "And particularly, the older men get the more isolated they become, and so I just found that very interesting … and have been traveling for the last few months sort of gathering that, which has been really interesting."

Reach Ed at [email protected] . On X (formerly Twitter) @ebalintREP and Instagram at ed_balint .

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A centerpiece of the Russian arts scene, this theater’s magnificent auditorium and top-tier productions will impress even the most jaded theatergoer.

• Lenin's Mausoleum

Mourners and curious visitors stream to the grave to see the embalmed Vladimir Lenin, the famous revolutionary and one-time leader of the Soviet Union.

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Learn about the events happening at Exhibition of Achievements of National Economy during your trip to Moscow. Wander the parks and gardens while you're in the area.

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• Cathedral of Christ the Savior
• Victory Park
• VEGAS Crocus City
• Ostankino TV Tower
• Minin and Pozharsky Monument
• Russian White House
• Triumphal Arch
• Moscow Botanical Garden of Academy of Sciences

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