On The Road is a classic American travel book. It’s the semi-autobiographical story of Sal Paradise (based on Kerouac himself) & Dean Moriarty’s cross-country hitchhiking and train-hopping journey across rural America in the 1940’s. Marching Powder is the true story of a British drug dealer’s five years inside a very strange Bolivian prison, where whole families live with inmates in luxury apartments and cocaine is manufactured. Are you a hiker or more of a city-goer? If I had to look for you in a foreign city, would I find you wandering the local forests, or would I have to pull you from a nearby museum? Find the guidebooks that share your interests. Travel As Transformation takes you on Diehl’s journey from living in a van in San Diego, growing chocolate with indigenous tribes in Central America, teaching in the Middle East and volunteering in Africa.

Less about things to see and top destinations, and more about how to experience Europe’s best. An excellent companion. Recounting his experiences of the Spanish Civil War, Orwell describes a grim story of hope and betrayal. Few writers are as committed as Elena Ferrante to capturing the spirit of Naples in all of its contradictions, foibles, and details through the eyes of its citizens. She brought the historic city to life in her beloved Neopolitan quartet (now also a TV show), but here in her latest work, she examines class and privilege in a more recent period – the early 1990s. As is often the case in Ferrante's work, this is a bildungsroman that is rooted in a young girl's negotiation of adolescence, mixed with acute descriptions of everyday Italy. Romania This modern day classic is based on Cheryl Strayed’s 1,100-mile solo hike through the Pacific Crest Trail. It all began at 22 years old with the passing of her mother, and her divorce from her husband, which found Strayed at the lowest point of her life. After a brief encounter with heroine, she makes the decision to rebuild her confidence, her self respect and her life. The story begins when Frances Mayes decides to restore an abandoned villa in the countryside of Tuscany. But there’s so much more to this villa.Founded by Hilary Bradt in 1974, the pioneering brand is one of your favourites, having taken the top spot at the Reader Travel Awards many times in recent years. Norton accompanies Gethers on filmmaking trips and helps convince the love of his life that he is the one. After years of adventuring the three settle in New York, Norton is one of the city’s most well-traveled felines.

Old and fading frescoes in her dining room, an overgrown vineyard in her garden, and the lovely people of Tuscany.A deep travel book, and an interesting love story, Illyrian Spring is one of the best books to read before traveling to Europe.

A “laugh-out-loud” funny book type. Avoid reading Neither Here Nor There on the subway to not appear insane to other passengers. So you only want the essentials. The books that have you eating baguettes in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower and clinking glasses at Oktoberfest.Written in a rambling diary style, and a bit hard to follow at times, Kerouac takes to the road looking for adventure, sex, drugs, and mischief. A great read for those who would like to escape the real world for a while and just go where the wind blows them. The book is an excellent insight into the story of the average Spanish men and women who fought alongside Orwell and how the war impacted their lives. What to read: If you're looking for a new insight into Africa, take a look at the recently published guides on Gabonand Zimbabwe. What do you do when your town’s most prized possession goes missing? Or, better yet, what do you do when your town’s prized relic is…the foreskin of Jesus?

Following a foreskin trail that blamed Satanists, priests, and even the Vatican for the foreskin’s disappearance, Farley learns more about the history and culture of this small town. It's a pleasure to dive into this well-researched historic fiction set in Belle Epoch Bucharest over just thirteen days as 1897 draws to a close. There are elements of science fiction and fantasy here, with the plot being set off by the mysterious appearance of a time-traveling journalist whose sudden arrival contrasts the daily lives of the other characters, their quotidian business interrupted by the strange event. But the various threads of plot and character are so firmly centered in bustling Bucharest that you feel that you are there – and that the city is a character in and of itself. The Netherlands The thought that exotic travel has to break the bank is an assumption as sad as it is untrue, and long-time travel writer Tim Leffel proves it in The World’s Cheapest Destinations. Active storytelling and honest facts on not only where to go but how to travel once you get there. In A Sunburned Country follows Bill’s hilarious journey through the sunbaked deserts and endless coastlines of Australia, trying not to get killed by the deadly wildlife. It’s full of fun & interesting facts about the country.

8. Blue Guides

Imagine a compilation of the most incredible storytellers and travel photographers all in one book! National Geographic have gathered the best trips from their writers and brought them together to create a journey around the globe. Beginning in the Ice Age, through numerous empires, World Wars, and more, this is the book to read if you want to learn about Europe and how it came to be. If you like to get away from France’s big city and head out into les provences (the provinces), you’ll enjoy this lovely photography book. One Hundred & One Beautiful Small Towns in France takes you on a pictorial tour through fishing villages in Normandy and Brittany, towns nestled into the Pyrenees, and medieval villages throughout the Provence region.Informative sidebars give insights on local artisanal products, historical tidbits, and must-see views and attractions. This would make a wonderful gift or a nice addition to your coffee table collection . Personally, I never used to use guidebooks. And what a mistake I was making. I’ve converted to the guidebook life, and I’m never returning.