Five more books to read for a (fictional) summer holiday

Posted on 10 January, 2017

Keen to travel but it’s just not an option at the moment?

Books are an excellent way to imagine you’re somewhere exotic, while you’re actually stuck in the daily grind.

Here are five books to help you pretend that you’re somewhere else for a little while. And who knows, it just might give you some inspiration for when you do get away…

TURN RIGHT AT MACHU PICCHU: REDISCOVERING THE LOST CITY ONE STEP AT A TIME BY MARK ADAMS

Image via www.penguin.com

Re-trace Hiram Bingham III’s discovery of Machu Picchu in 1911, as Mark Adams takes his first real adventure, after years of just writing about them. A great read for anybody who has ever dreamed of seeing Machu Picchu and wants to learn more about it, in an engaging and funny way.

KITCHEN BY BANANA YOSHIMOTO

Image via www.goodreads.com

Transport yourself to Japan, and get lost in a story of love, tragedy and family, through two women finding their way through life’s challenges.

The comforts of home, especially the kitchen, are centre stage in this novel, along with themes that transcend the boundaries of any country.

LOVE WITH A CHANCE OF DROWNING BY TORRE DEROCHE

Image via penguin.com.au

This is the story of Torre DeRoche, and how she overcomes a morbid fear of deep water so that she can accompany her partner on a year-long sailing trip across the Pacific Ocean.

This one is perfect for those who want romance, adventure and humour all in one, and maybe even something a little relatable, as we follow DeRoche as she encounters the challenges (and reaps the rewards) of taking a risk.

THE GREAT RAILWAY BAZAAR BY PAUL THEROUX

Image via penguin.com.au

Transport yourself back to the seventies, and follow Theroux as he travels from London, across Europe, and through Asia and India, on iconic trains such as the Orient Express, the Mandalay Express, and the Golden Arrow.

Read this book to immerse yourself in the romanticism of railway travel – before it was cool.

VENICE BY JAN MORRIS

Image via www.faber.co.uk

Find yourself in Venice as Morris opens up the city, its people, and its architecture in beautiful detail, describing her experience of the famous city from World War II onwards. An oldie but a goodie, this one is often lauded as the best travel book ever written, so give it a go and see for yourself! (Get ready to be obsessed with Venice though).

Read the first of our ‘Five Books for a (Fictional) Summer Holiday’ here.