Top 5: Books to Inspire Travel

Are you in need of inspiration for your next adventure or a good book to take with you while traveling? These five books are hard to put down and are sure to give you a serious case of wanderlust.

On the Road

Ever popular with fans of the Beat Generation, this is arguably Jack Kerouac’s most famous novel. His stream-of-conscious, raw writing style takes readers on a wild ride across North America in the 1950s. It has inspired generations of young adults to take to the road and find the sense of freedom and romance in traveling across the country.

Eat my Globe: One Year in Search of the Most Delicious Food in the World

If you’re the kind of person that likes to travel with your fork, look no further, this is the book for you. Simon Majumdar left his job in publishing, in what is partially described as a midlife crisis, and decided to take a year to travel around the world to fulfill his life’s motto: “Go everywhere, and eat everything.” This book will make you laugh, make you hungry and give you a newfound sense of wanderlust.

Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail

At 22 years old, Cheryl Strayed’s life fell apart. Feeling desperate (and a little impulsive), she decided to trek the Pacific Crest trail, which runs from the Mojave Desert through California and Oregon to Washington State. With no prior training or extreme hiking experience, this book is a great tale of the human spirit, moving on and finding yourself. And as always, the book is far better than the movie.

Neither Here nor There: Travels in Europe

This travel memoir follows Bill Bryson, a respected travel writer, as he retraces his steps as a student backpacking through Europe in the early 70s. His colorful tale of historic sites and eccentric characters will make any reader want to strap on a pack and travel back in time with him.

The Taliban Shuffle: Strange Days in Afghanistan and Pakistan
Although this book is ultimately about journalist Kim Barker’s time as an international correspondent in Afghanistan and Pakistan, the underlying narrative of falling in love with a place and a vagabond lifestyle encourages readers to take chances and explore outside their comfort zone.