Some of y’all may not know that before this blog became dedicated to travel and lifestyle, it was a book blog. I reviewed hundreds of books and received even more for free (it was a sweet, sweet life), and wrote about them all on this here blog – and years later I’m still a massive book fanatic. I’m currently situated in Aberystwyth, an insanely boring (although pretty) town in the middle of absolute nowhere, craving to go on another foreign adventure. Until then, I plan on living vicariously through travel novels set on the coast of Greece or Italy – and have compiled a list of the best so you guys can impulse buy flights too.
If any of you guys know me, you will also know my love for hot weather, gorgeous Italian food, and spooky haunted buildings. This book incorporates all three, and is the perfect read for just lounging back in a bath, drinking some hot coco and dreaming of faraway lands.
I am so mad after reading this book, because times have changed in the past couple hundred years and now if you hop on a boat to India it could easily get you there in a week – not the six months full of crazy foreign adventures that this crew had. Apparently the world’s longest cruise nowadays doesn’t even match what they used to be, which is really irritating as I just wanted to play out this life for myself.
If this book doesn’t inspire you to grab all your things from your sub-par life and board the next flight to wherever, then frankly, you are a broken human. If you’re looking for an escapist book, then this is probably one of the best that you can get.
THE 100 YEAR OLD MAN WHO CLIMBED OUT OF THE WINDOW AND DISAPPEARED
There’s a second book to this which isn’t as good, and several films which again aren’t great, but this first novel is one of the most entertaining things to read as it’s so insane and farcical, and yet you can really get into the plot and the storyline. It makes me mega sad when I find people in their 70s, bedridden and feeling like their lives are over when there’s just so much more life to live, and this book illustrates just that.
MOSQUITOLAND
I love stories of people road-tripping and taking coaches cross-country, and whilst this had more of a whiny teenage voice to it, I still can’t help but love it. It’s pretty basic, about a girl who crosses America on an assortment of coaches due to a family circumstances, but captures the whole road-trip life pretty well.Â
THE HEAVENLY ITALIAN ICE-CREAM SHOP
This book literally caused my family to pack their bags and head over to the Amalfi Coast, due to the fact that it is described so beautifully in this book. Apparently it’s quite the disappointment to actually arrive in Positano to find that it’s not actually as quaint and cute in real life, but regardless, it’ll make you want to book a flight out to Italy to try the ice-cream at the very least.
THE GYPSY MADONNA
I just finished this book, and considering I’ve never really been a fan of France nor the countryside, after reading I definitely began to reconsider. I’m a bit miffed that the location technically doesn’t exist, although similar places do, but now I would love to go on an adventure to see the old provincial French life.
Having mentioned how much I love deadpan humour, especially when it comes to travel, Karl Pilkington is pretty much the king of this. I’ve loved all of his TV shows where he’s thrown into beautiful places with incredible scenarios and hates every second of it, and so hearing things from his point of view in all of his novels – especially this first one of a series – is great.Â
YOU HAD ME AT MERLOT
Whilst this book is probably more loved by middle-aged women going through a divorce, it’s still a great read. I read this whilst in Greece, and it didn’t help because it made me want to leave Greece to jet off to Tuscany, famously the best place in the world ever (for me, at least). Apparently it’s the final part of a four-part series, but I didn’t know that whilst reading it and still picked up the plot pretty quickly.
Another book set in the warm South of France, this one will have you Googling “job vacancies in France vineyard” like I did (to no avail, sadly). It’s a full-bodied story that will have you laughing aloud and shaking your head, muttering in agreement.
If you guys have read any of these books or could suggest some to help with perpetual, aching wanderlust, let me know in the comments below!
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I’ve struggled to balance reading and daily life in the past but some of these suggestions are really helpful. Thanks for sharing xx
I’m a bookworm too! These book recommendations are great, I’ll check them out. I don’t read nearly enough of these kind of books. I mean I read tons of fiction and a fair share of non- fiction travel books but for some reason it never occurred to me to search for a mix of the two, for books set in interesting countries, books that spark wanderlust and inspire us to book that flight.
I’ve already got a case of wanderlust, so I bet these books would make me book a trip, STAT! 🙂
-Ashley
I’ve not actually read any of these and I’m always on the lookout for book recommendations so I’ll look out for some of them!
Amy xx
These are fantastic recommendations! I love reading these types of books, they really do make me want to explore and travel even more. I’ll have to add these to my ever growing book list.
I have read the “100 year old that…” and it was hilarious! My first wanderlust inspiring book was actually “Homo Faber”, even though he pictures traveling as the worst thing ever happening to him, ha!
I love books that just transport you to another country and make you feel as if you’ve already been there. Definitely adding a few of these to my book list, I love the sound of ‘East of The Sun’!x
I’ve never read any of them but they all look interesting! It’s always so nice to have a good book to read 🙂 Thank you for sharing!
Ooooh, so many books to add to my reading list! I love when books take me somewhere else. I’m currently reading Outlander and it makes me want to go to Scotland so bad!
oooh this all looks so promising. I’ve been trying to get back on my reading habit. Thanks for the recos!
There’s almost nothing I love more than sitting down with a good book and getting lost for hours and hours. That’s one of the reasons I love beach trips so much! I’m definitely ordering a few of these on Amazon right now because I’ve been looking for a good book to read over spring break!
I haven’t read a book for fun in ages (darn you university life) and this definitely sparked my interest again. Thank you for sharing! Also, you are so gorgeous ?
They sound like wonderful ways to get a little experience of life in another country without actually going there! Thanks for sharing your faves 🙂
Hope you are having a great week and have a lovely weekend ahead!
Oh wow, I travel pretty frequently and I have not read these—The Woman Who Upped and Left sounds interesting. Thanks for sharing. x/Madison
Great book selections.
That you had me at Merlot sounds interesting.
Hello,
So amazing !
I love reading, so thank you so much for the great reviews and suggestions!!!
Ah this is such a great post and I love the recommendations, many people now use their tablets and download books however it’s just not the same, I love having the copy of the book and it’s a great way to travel!
Hope you’re well!
Layla x
¡¡Hola Amy!! A mi también me encanta leer, ahora estoy leyendo el libro de una amiga bloguera, la conocÃa a través de comentar en mi blog y desde que tiene el blog ha publicado ya dos libros, asà que me lo compré y estoy completamente sumergida en su lectura disparatada, pues tiene toques de humor.
No suelo leer especialmente libros de viajes, asà que no podrÃa recomendarte ninguno en particular. Alguno de los libros que recomiendas, creo que los he visto en pelÃcula, y los tÃtulos me desorientan un poco, porque aquà todo está traducido, tanto libros como pelÃculas, y muchas veces, cambian completamente los tÃtulos. Besitos.
Thanks for this list! These all sound great, and I’m really curious about that Pilkington book:) I think my fave wanderlust-inspiring book is A Moveable Feast by Hemingway.