I never travel anywhere without packing a good book. I love reading about the places I am going to travel to, it gets me excited about what I am going to see and experience.
I have read all of these books and loved them all. Here are my top pick of holiday reads you should pack in your carry-on, depending on your destination.
1. If You’re heading to Scotland…
If you are travelling to Scotland, read Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. The first book in a series of 9 (soon to be 10), this book will make you fall in love with Scotland – the history, the scenery as well as those men in kilts! This is a love story with a bit of time travel thrown in and set against the backdrop of well researched, historical events. I am always one for the physical book, nothing like smelling a new book and turning real pages! However, the Outlander books are quite weighty, so might be best on a kindle if packing light. Be warned, once you read the first book, you will be hooked and then you’ll want to go on an Outlander tour, like I did!
2. If you’re traveling to Egypt
If you are lucky enough to have Egypt in your sights, then read The Seventh Scroll by Wilbur Smith. It is an oldie but a goodie! A treasure hunt of sorts, set in Ancient Egypt, this book will make you see the ancient wonders through new eyes.
3. Destination Italy
I couldn’t recommend just one book to read if travelling to Italy, so I chose two! Firstly, Still Life by Sarah Winman, set in Florence preceding the great flood. This book appealed to my love of art, with beautiful descriptions of life in a close-knit community, when a foreigner comes to stay. Return to Valetto, by Dominic Smith, is set in an old Italian mountain village. It beautifully describes traditional life and the slow, inevitable relocation of its rural population.
4. My home – Australia
Love this book! If heading Down Under – I mean to Australia – then read Lola in the Mirror by Trent Dalton. It is set in Brisbane and quite specifically, Brisbane. It is raw, it’s honest, it’s hopeful and it’s beautifully written. My other top pics for Australia are by the author Jane Harper. From The Dry to The Survivors, her books are set in various Australian settings from an outback town experiencing severe drought to a sleepy little seaside town in Tassie. Some of her books I enjoyed more than others, but they will give you a good feel for the variety of different landscapes in Australia.
5. Bonjour France!
Travelling to France? I highly recommend All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr as a great holiday read. This book has also been adapted to the screen if you want to give it a watch as well ….. but the book is always better! It’s set in France during World War II, and explores the war experience from both sides, through the eyes of a blind French girl and a young Nazi soldier.
6. What to Read if You’re Traveling to Greece
If you are touring around Greece, you will need to get up to speed on all your Greek Gods and Greek mythology to fully appreciate the amazing temples and ancient sites you will be seeing. The Stephan Fry books, Mythos, Heroes and Troy, explain the world of Greek Gods and ancient Greek mythology in an entertaining, modern and easy to understand way.
I had to update this post and add in The Odyssey, by Homer. Stephen Fry also tells his version of this epic poem but having seen the movie and been to Greece, it’s time to read the Poem itself. The Odyssey translation by Emily Wilson has a very helpful introduction that helps to explain the context of the story and the motives of the characters in it.
7. Japanese Tales
Japan is a very popular destination lately. I have read 2 of these books set in Japan by a best-selling Japanese author, Toshikazu Kawaguchi. Before the Coffee Gets Cold series of books are translated into English and some of the writing I feel suffers in the translation. Having said that, the books pose an interesting question. If you could go back in time, what would you change? The setting is a small cafe in a back alley in Tokyo, that has been serving a particular brew of coffee for over a hundred years. If a customer sits in a certain chair at a certain time, they have the opportunity to travel back in time. The first book centers around 4 customers who do just that. The title of the book alludes to the fact that the time travel experience is short lived – they only have until the coffee gets cold before they return to the future. What would you change? Who would you meet? Hmmm, another book series on time travel – I think I see a theme emerging!
8. Destination Cyprus or Turkey
Highly recommend this book if you are travelling to Cyprus, Turkey or anywhere in that region. The Island of Missing Trees, by Elif Shafak, is set in a village in Cyprus and tells the unbelievable story of the conflict between the Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots, that literally splits the town in two. The story is cleverly told from the point of view of a tree that sits smack-bang in the middle of the divide.
I also loved another book by the same author – There Are Rivers in The Sky. In this book she tells an amazing tale that travels through different time periods but this time from the point of view of a drop of water. So original. I loved it!
9. Central Asia and the Ancient Silk Roads
I recently returned from an epic tour of the 5 Stans – Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. There was only one book everyone was reading…as recommended by the tour guide, The Silk Roads, by Peter Frankopan. It is a non-fiction book packed full of the history of all the amazing sights that you will see in this region. There is SOOO much history! I recommend starting this one before you go, it has a lot to take in.
10. Just a Really Good Holiday Read
I am just going to throw this book in because it is such a great holiday read. Mrs Winterbottom Takes a Gap Year, by Joanna Nell is joyous, it’ll make you smile and it’ll make you crave to be on a Greek Island. Think a modern-day version of Shirley Valentine….if Shirley was a little older and recently retired.
I hope you find this list to be helpful and that you enjoy these books as much as I did. It’s not just books about the places I am traveling to, but documentaries, YouTube videos and movies that I devour….. content for future posts perhaps!?
Deb Morrow is a wife and mum of two in her 50’s, who works in education. She has a passion for travel and through sharing her travel experiences, tips and recommendations, wants to encourage other women her age to start making time for themselves, grab their besties, and go see the world!
