Must-Read Memoirs for Travelers

Need a good read for your next flight? Pick up one of these must-read travel memoirs (and, no, none of them are Eat, Pray, Love).

What I was Doing While You Were Breeding by Kristin Newman

If you’re the one in your friend bunch who’s yet to settle down and start popping out babies, and you’d rather pursue other activities — namely travel — then this memoir is for you. It’s entirely comedic and possibly slightly offensive to some, but worth the read if you think you might be able to relate.

A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle

For Francophiles, A Year in Provence is an absolute must. The travel memoir is a deep study on the Provencal lifestyle, cuisine, history and more. If you’ve yet to visit, you’ll book your trip and pack your bags within the first few chapters.

Life from Scratch by Sasha Martin

This memoir isn’t technically a travel memoir, but it does feature a fair bit of travel and is highly gripping. Martin recalls her troubled childhood, jumping from home to home, across continents, before establishing her own life in mid-America. There, she goes on to start her “Global Table Adventure,” exploring the cultures of the world through food and introducing them to her blog following.

A Cook’s Tour by Anthony Bourdain

Of course, few can spin a phrase like the late great Anthony Bourdain. If you’ve watched all of Bourdain’s shows on Netflix and other streaming services, but have yet to read his A Cook’s Tour memoir, don’t wait another second.