BootsnAll Travel Community

Hi, I'm heading to SE Asia and I need something to read along the way.

I've read books like the Bill Bryson books, Michael Crichton's Travels, and some others not worth mentioning, but wondering if anyone had a good recommendation for a book. Preferably about travel.

thx

PS ive tried the book forum with limited success.

Something that will take a long time to read: An Unexpected Light by Jason Elliot. V. good, just...well, it took me a whole month to get through it.

Fun: McCarthy's Bar & The Road to McCarthy, by Peter McCarthy. Deeply amusing, quick reads.

Mark Twain: The Innocents Abroad. Classic.


Really it depends on what you like, and what you've already read. And what kind of book you're looking for. Travel? Well, go to your local Barnes & Noble (or online) and browse the travel section. I used to specialize in travel books when I worked at a bookstore, and I could recommend a hundred different titles, but with such an open book call, I don't know which direction to point. Adventure? Amusement? History? Political? Unusual? Something you would be willing to part with on your travels? Or something to which you will attach great memories? Womanly travel? Manly travel? About where you're headed?

In general, I'll suggest the three above. From the travel department.

for a good laugh, you should read "what color is your jock strap?" . its a travel anthology with hilarious stories. its the fourthin a series of 5, but it was the one where men were allowed to contribute. the other ones were aimed strictly @ women. but i love this one, and it was edited by bootsnall friend du jour jen leo. i highly highly reccomend that and pretty much any other book published by travelers tales.

Anything by Bruce Chatwin - In Patagonia is probably my all-time favorite book. Paul Theroux can be quite good too, even if he is a crank. They are as close as I've gotten to good literature about traveling rough. Most backpacker novels I've read tend toward the twee, with the exception of Gita Mehta's Karma Cola.

I got some GREAT book suggestions in this thread.

I second TRAVELGIRLTIFF. Although I have never read the jock strap one, I've read the second book in the series and absolutely LOVED it!

I'm not much of a 'travel book' reader. I usually find them boring. Why would I want somebody else's travel experience when I can have my own - especially WHILE I am on the road.

On recommendation, I am currently reading 'The Handsomest Man in Cuba' by Lynette Chiang. Meh. It's not bad. But....see above.

One of the few travel books I found entertaining was 'A Fortune-teller told me' by Tiziano Terzani.

In my opinion, traveling is the best time to have a go at all those 'heavy' books you never really had time for before. Never again will you have as much unrestricted time for serious reading as you'll have while traveling. Make use of it.

I second the Tiziano Terzani recommendation above. Especially as you're going to SE Asia.

Well if you are a backpacker and you are going to Thailand then you could read The Beach by Alex Garland.

Are you looking for something to read that is specific to SE Asia while you travel?

If so, I read 'The Search for the Golden Moon Bear : Science and Adventure in Southeast Asia' by Sy Montgomery a few weeks ago and really found it charming. I find that she writes in a similar style as Bryson, so you might enjoy it, too.

If you haven't read it, as mentioned above, 'A Fortune Teller Told Me' by Terzani is a great read. Very entertaining and thoughtful!

I'm not sure if Peter Moore is one of those you find not worth mentioning, but some of his books are definitely better than some of the others. If you like Bill Bryson, chances are you'll enjoy Moore as well. Check him out at http://www.petermoore.net/.

In all modesty, may I also suggest that you check out a book I've written? You can download it for free from http://bjornfree.com/. It hasn't been out in English for long yet, but I'm getting good reviews.

I completely agree that "In Patagonia" by Chatwin is possibly the most impressive piece of travel writing I have read in general. If there's a particular part of the world you'd prefer to read about, it would help to tell us which.

For the beachy parts of Brazil, John Malathronas did a good job with "Life Blood Soul", while I found his tales from South Africa in "Rainbow Diaries" less pleasing. Both are decent pieces of literature, though. For Paraguay, "The Tomb of the Inflatable Pig" by John Gimlette is hilarious AND interesting. For journeys into Africa, Redmon O'Hanlon's "Congo Journey" is very good, although I think he seriously overdoes the perils he faces. An older (from 1799) similar and MUCH more dangerous expedition is splendidly described in Mungo Park's "Travels in the Interior of Africa", which you can download for free from several on-line libraries.

If you're thinking of seeing the cherry trees bloom in Japan, it'll be hard to find a better way to prepare for it than by reading "Hokkaido Highway Blues" by Will Ferguson, in which the author goes to the southernmost island in Japan and for weeks and weeks follows the blooming all the way to Japan's northern end. Lots of interesting stops on the way.

I could go on, but that should keep you busy for a while.

Happy trails,

Bjørn

What about John Burdett's mystery novels set in Bangkok. There are three in the series featuring Sonchai Jitpleecheep of the Royal That Police: Bangkok 8, Bangkok Tattoo, and Bangkok Haunts. Here is a link to an interview with the author: NPR Interview with John Burdett

I always do my travel book reading before I go. Burdett is great entertainment, especially for a long plane ride.