Where shall we go? Now that it is summer, I am ready for a little rest and leisure, maybe a little sightseeing. No money you say? Sigh. I have that same exact problem at the moment. Well, I guess the next best thing to taking a trip is reading about taking a trip...I have loads of travel books. Loads and loads, and it was hard to just pick a few to post here about. My favorite nonfiction type of book is definitely a book about travel. Well, let's set off west and see where we end up. Kingdom by the Sea by Paul Theroux is about his journey around the coast of Britain. It was written in the early 80s--Falklands War, and the Royal Baby being the hot topics that summer.
I love travel books about France. Deep France by Celia Brayfield is a book that I ordered from the UK. As if there are not already plenty of books published here for me to chose from, I have to browse Amazon.co.uk as well! This journey is to Bearn, France, according to the back of the book, "the most romantic, remote and rustic region of France." How can you miss with a book set in the footsteps of the Three Musketeers and King Henri IV? There are even recipes and photos in this one!
As we continue on, let's head for Italy. Ah, I really love Italy. I have been there before and I wish I could go back! Ripe for the Picking is Annie Hawes' second book. Apparently it has not been published here in the US. I have read her first book, Extra Virgin, which is available here. Her first book was great. She, an intrepid Englishwoman, picks up and buys a cottage (run down of course in Liguria, Italy--complete with olive trees. The second book is an account of her further adventures amongst the Italians. She actually now lives there. Lucky her!
I thought Pagan Holiday looked really intriguing! How did the Ancient Romans like to travel, and where? The author, along with his pregnant girlfriend, set out to recreate the Grand Tour a la ancient Romans. This one is a mixture of history and personal narrative. At one time I wanted to be an archaeologist (do you think it is too late for me?), so this one is right up my alley. In the end I settled on studying art history, so it is still up my alley! This one also has some illustrations--paintings, mosaics and the like. To top it off, this title was a New York Times Book Review summer reading featured title!
We need some sun and sand, some crystal clear blue waters. Off we go to Greece in Patricia Storace's Dinner with Persephone. This is another memoir of the author's year living in Greece. I would love to go to Greece--more history, architecture, art, and yes, sandy beaches. This was a New York Times Notable Book of the year. The author is a poet--do you think poets see the world differently than the rest of us? The book starts off "I lived in Athens at the intersection of a prostitute and a saint"...
India seems so exotic to me. It seems colorful and rich in its history and culture. Holy Cow is by Sarah Macdonald, who had travelled to India-- vowing later never to go back. Many years later, however, she ends up following her boyfriend there, and this, as they say, is her story. "Holy Cow is Macdonald's often hilarious chronicle of her adventures in a land of chaos and contradiction, of encounters with Hinduism, Islam, and Jainism, Sufis, Sikhs, Parsis and Christians, and a kaleidoscope of yogis, swamis and Bollywood stars"--quite a mixture there!
I do admit, that these are all on my TBR pile. I have oodles of books that I have read that I though of using, but I was too lazy to go down to the bookshelves for them. I love just about any travel tale that I can fiund. Two of the six here are even by men--pretty good for me. I think I need to pick up a travel book very soon!