Posted on July 1, 2020 at 10:19 AM by Maggie Witte
For many individuals and families, summer meant taking vacations to many different locations, foreign and domestic. But, as we reach the beginning of July, travel during the summer vacation has been disrupted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. There is no travel to Europe and even local travel within the U.S. has been discouraged by many states. Cruises and flights have been cancelled. It’s easier to stay at home or go camping at your nearest campgrounds.
Or, you can start your travels with one of these great books on journeys both physical and emotional. Books offer up so many ways to learn, meet new people, and travel to places you’ve never imagined or always wanted to go. Begin your travel vacation from the safety and comfort your home with this list of books.
Happy reading!
--Maggie Witte
Nonfiction
DB 91086 Tip of the iceberg: My 3,000-mile journey around wild Alaska, the last great American frontier by Mark Adams
Author of Turn Right at Machu Picchu (DB 75354) recounts his recreation of an 1899 voyage organized by Edward Harriman, chairman of the Union Pacific railroad, to survey the Alaskan coast. Discusses changes to cities since the original expedition and impact of various industries and climate change. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2018.
DB 95924 Hungry: Eating, road-tripping, and making it all with the greatest chef in the world by Jeff Gordinier
Food critic chronicles his four years traveling the world with chef Rene´ Redzepi. They travel to the Yucata´n Peninsula searching for tacos, Sydney for sandpaper figs, and the Arctic Circle for sea urchins. While traveling, some of Redzepi's fellow celebrity chefs join them. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2019.
DB 93430 Northland: A 4,000-mile journey along America’s forgotten border by Peter Fox
Travel writer recounts his three-year trek along the northern border of the United States between Maine and Washington. Includes histories of areas visited, challenges in policing it, and his experiences traveling by canoe, freighter, car, and foot. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2018.
DB 96213 Outpost: A journey to the wild ends of the earth by Dan Richards
Profiles of pockets of the world that are considered wild places and the people who travel there. Locations include France, Iceland, Japan, Norway, Scotland, Switzerland, Utah, and Washington State. Discusses the appeal of these locations, challenges of visiting, and his trips to them. 2019.
DB 50276 In a sunburned country by Bill Byrson
The author of A Walk in the Woods (DB 46519) now chronicles his exploration of Australia. This good-humored traveler relates his outback adventures with anecdotes about the history and local inhabitants. Describes the harsh terrain and hostile wildlife including crocodiles, poisonous snakes, and attacking seashells. Some strong language. Bestseller. 2000.
DB 95893 Walking the Americas: 1,800 miles, eight countries, and one incredible journey from Mexico to Colombia by Levison Wood
British explorer and author of Walking the Himalayas (DB 84780) recounts his travels by foot from the Yucata´n in Mexico through Central and South America to Colombia. Describes people he meets, including indigenous tribes, refugees, and revolutionaries. Discusses the history of the land and challenges he faced. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2017.
DB 95208 The amazing story of the man who cycled from India to Europe for love by Per J. Andersson
Travel writer chronicles the life of PK, a low-caste New Delhi street artist. An astrologer predicted baby PK would marry a girl from far away. PK falls for a visiting Swedish woman, and when she goes home, he sets off via bicycle to rejoin her. Translated from the Swedish. 2017.
DB 91288 Our towns: A 100,000-mile journey into the heart of America by James M. Fallows
Husband and wife chronicle their cross-country survey of twenty-one small towns in America from 2013 to 2016. Highlights the lessons they learned from talking with civic leaders, entrepreneurs, immigrants, factory workers, and other residents. Commercial audiobook. 2018.
DB 95261 National parks: A kid’s guide to America’s parks, monuments, and landmarks by Erin McHugh
Organized alphabetically by state and territory, this guide explores the wonders of US national parks, plus other famous monuments and landmarks. Covers the history, geography, native wildlife and birds, and unique features that make each park special. For grades 4-7. 2019.
DB 34131 The cat who went to Paris by Peter Gethers
Gethers, a publisher and screenwriter, hated cats before his girlfriend presented him with Norton, a small grey Scottish Fold kitten who takes over his life. Gethers recounts their adventures from vacations on Fire Island to business trips abroad. The cat makes friends with everyone--flight attendants, hotel managers, movie stars, and, finally, Janis Gethers's true love, of whom Norton approves.
DB 88088 The Whydah: A pirate ship feared, wrecked, and found by Martin W. Sandler
In 1984, the pirate ship the Whydah was found, nearly three hundred years after it sank in a storm off the coast of Cape Cod in 1717. Previously used by Captain Price as an infamous slave-trading ship, the vessel was taken over by pirate Black Sam Bellamy. For grades 6-9. 2017.
DB 88885 Walking to listen: 4,000 miles across America, one story at a time by Andrew Forthoefel
The chronicle of the author's year-long walking trip across America. After graduating college, Forsthoefel set out walking from eastern Pennsylvania to California. Recounts conversations he had, people he met, and adventures he experienced. Explores the changing nature of human connection in the twenty-first century. Some strong language. 2017.
DB 87296 The lost city of the Monkey God: A true story by Douglas J. Preston
Coauthor of the Pendergast series--including The Obsidian Chamber (DB 86193)--recounts the expeditions he joined to explore what was believed to be the remains of Hernán Cortés's lost city of gold in Honduras. Describes the area's history, previous expeditions, and the challenges he and his team faced. Commercial audiobook. Bestseller. 2017.
Fiction
DBC05095 Train by Elisha Cooper
Board a commuter train in New York, then follow the journey west and see the stations, the scenery, the different types of trains, and all the people who travel and work on the railroad system. Includes a glossary of railroad terms. For preschool-grade 2.
DB 98099 Clean Getaway by Nic Stone
When the run-ins at school have led to a lockdown at home, Scoob jumps at the chance to go with G'ma on an impromptu road trip using a strange, old green phamplet as their guide. But their Winnebago adventure soon turns into uncertainty. Commercial audiobook. For grades 5-8. 2020.
DB 98268 The remainder by Alia Trabucco Zerán
Friends Felipe, Iquela, and Paloma all live with the legacy of Chile's years under dictatorship. When the body of Paloma's dead mother is lost in transit, the three go on a pisco-fueled journey through their Santiago neighborhood. Translated from the 2014 Spanish edition. Violence, strong language, and some explicit descriptions of sex. 2019.
DB 96864 This tender land by William Kent Krueger
Odie, his older brother Albert, their best friend Mose, and little Emmy escape from the Lincoln School and the harsh superintendent. They use a canoe to travel down the Mississippi River, intent on finding a new place for themselves, and cross paths with other drifters. Contains some strong language and violence. Commercial audiobook. Bestseller. 2019.
DB 96512 Hey grandude! by Paul McCartney
Grandude brightens a dreary weekend for his visiting grandchildren by using his magic compass and postcards to take them on adventures around the world. Commercial audiobook. For preschool-grade 2. 2019.
DB 95691 The voice in my head by Dana Davis
When her twin sister, Violet, becomes terminally ill and plans to die via medically assisted death, Indigo spirals into desperation. Believing that God is speaking to her, Indigo recruits her family for one last crazy road trip. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. For senior high and older readers. 2019.
DB 94140 The lady travelers guide to deception with an unlikely earl by Victoria Alexander
After years recovering relics in Egypt, Harry Armstrong is back in England. He wants to write about his exploits, but is overshadowed by Miss Sidney Honeywell, a writer known as the Queen of the Desert. Harry challenges Sidney to travel with him to Egypt to prove her expertise. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2018.
DB 93478 American road trip by Patrick Flores-Scott
After unexpectedly reuniting with childhood friend Wendy Martinez, Teodoro Avila vows to give up his slacker ways. But when his brother Manny returns from Iraq with PTSD, Teodoro embarks on a life-changing road trip with him and their sister Xochitl. Strong language and some violence. For senior high and older readers. 2018.
DB 90656 Women in sunlight by Frances Mayes
Americans Julia, Camille, and Susan meet on a tour of a retirement village in North Carolina and decide impulsively to rent a house together in Tuscany for a year. Fellow American Kit helps introduce them to the pleasures and new opportunities of life in Italy. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2018.
DB 88794 Less by Andrew Sean Greer
A failed novelist turning fifty is invited to his ex-boyfriend's wedding. Instead of attending, he decides to accept every other invitation he has received, even if it means traveling the world for random, odd literary events. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. Commercial audiobook. 2017.
DB 87468 Don’t let my baby do rodeo by Boris Fishman
Sudden changes in the behavior of their eight-year-old son Max prompt Maya and Alex to embark on a road trip to Montana to find Max's birth parents. Some strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex. 2016.