There’s nothing quite like the topic of travel to get the imagination buzzing with activity. Setting off on a far-away adventure is one of life’s most thrilling experiences, although apart from for a lucky few, it remains an infrequent luxury, leaving most of us confined to day-dreaming about our next exhilarating journey.
(Photo: Colm Britton via Flickr / CC BY 2.0)
But day-dreaming can be fun too – and is often a great source of inspiration. So what better companion to such wistfulness than a travel-themed book? Every year, a vast volume of travel-related titles are published, including everything from memoirs to travelogues to novels. If you’d like to grab one of these hot releases, we’ve picked out 10 of the best new travel books to come out in Spring 2021.
World Traveller: An Irreverent Guide (by Anthony Bourdain & Laurie Woolever)
In 2018 the world was shocked by news of the tragic death of travel journalist Anthony Bourdain. This book condenses a life of experience into an entertaining, practical and frank travel guide that offers readers an introduction to some of Bourdain’s favourite places – in his own words. Featuring essential advice on how to get there, what to eat, where to stay and, in some cases, what to avoid, the book delves into the reasons why Bourdain found a place enchanting and memorable. Supplementing his words are a handful of essays by friends, colleagues, and family, including sardonic accounts of traveling with Bourdain by his brother, Christopher.
PUBLISHER Ecco BUY AT amazon.com
(Photo: Ecco)
Sew on the Go: A Maker’s Journey (by Mary Jane Baxter)
In 2016, Mary Jane Baxter did what many people dream of: she quit her job, rented out her flat and headed for the hills. Her home for the next few months was an upcycled 1986 Bedford Bambi campervan with a top speed of 60mph. She raided skips for vintage wallpaper and scoured second-hand emporiums for stylish vintage accessories, creating her own travelling craft studio, before setting off around Europe searching for inspiration, armed with her trusty hand-cranked Singer sewing machine. She spent a summer sewing on the go, foraging in flea markets, meeting artists and hosting pop-up events to fund her trip. From decorating your own budget-conscious bolthole to making cheap clothes and accessories, this book is the ideal companion for those who dream of devoting more time to their craft.
PUBLISHER Unbound BUY AT amazon.com
Before the Kids and Mortgage: One Couple’s Escape from the Ordinary (by Eyal N. Danon)
A must-read for anybody tempted to answer life’s siren call, this book reveals how one spontaneous decision can completely rewrite the next chapter of your life. After a near-fatal rafting incident in Nepal inspired them to settle down and get married, two risk-takers still yearned to explore the world. Abandoning their deep roots and secure careers, the newlyweds ignored the urgent warnings of family and friends and set off around the globe. The beauty they witness along the way rests in the people they meet, from noble rickshaw drivers to mobster-wannabe innkeepers. They gave up everything to see it all, but returning penniless, what they brought back was priceless.
PUBLISHER Blue Branch Press BUY AT amazon.com
(Photo: Blue Branch Press)
Channel Hopping (by Charlie Connelly)
The English Channel is – and has been since it was first formed some 10,000 years ago – about those who live by and in it, and those who work and play in, on and under it. This book takes a deep dive into the famous patch of sea in an attempt to understand its importance to England’s history, geography and society. In doing so it discovers that, far from a featureless expanse of water, the Channel is in fact a submerged landscape of shifting sandbanks, of tides and eddies, cables and tunnels, shoals of fish and plant life, and countless shipwrecks. It’s also immersed in centuries of history: invasion, exploration, tragedy, disaster and triumph. Indeed, from the Romans to the Normandy landings via the Armada, the Channel has been the site of some of the world’s most famous and significant military and political encounters. But most of all it is a place of stories.
PUBLISHER W&N BUY AT amazon.com
Cheese, Wine, and Bread: Discovering the Magic of Fermentation in England, Italy, and France (by Katie Quinn)
Written by YouTube star Katie Quinn, this book shares the stories and science behind everyone’s favourite fermented food stuffs—cheese, wine, and bread—along with classic recipes. Weaving through France, England, and Italy, it recounts the author’s hands-on experiences, introducing the reader to a rich cast of people who make, sell and care about the traditions behind these culinary staples. Highlights include her stint as a cheesemonger in London, her time spent inside a family-owned vineyard in Northeast Italy, and her encounter with Apollonia Poilâne, the so-called reigning queen of bread, at Paris’s famed Poilâne Bakery.
PUBLISHER William Morrow Cookbooks BUY AT amazon.com
(Photo: William Morrow Cookbooks)
The Glitter in the Green: In Search of Hummingbirds (by Jon Dunn)
For centuries, hummingbirds have been revered by indigenous Americans, coveted by European collectors, and admired worldwide for their unsurpassed metallic plumage and immense character. Traveling the full length of the hummingbirds’ range, from the cusp of the Arctic Circle to near-Antarctic islands, this book recounts the journeys of acclaimed nature writer Jon Dunn who encounters birders, scientists, and storytellers in his quest to find these beguiling creatures, immersing the reader in the world of one of Earth’s most charismatic bird families.
PUBLISHER Basic Books BUY AT amazon.com
A Tomb With a View: The Stories and Glories of Britain’s Graveyards (by Peter Ross)
This engaging travelogue takes readers through the macabre but fascinating world of burial places and funerary rites. Packed full of fascinating facts, the author provides a highly personal take on the material culture and rites of death and commemoration, allowing those he encounters to speak for themselves – both the living and the dead – and never imposing himself on their narratives. Among those lent a voice are relatives, tour guides, and those involved in maintenance and sepulchral artistry, while there are also sections which deal with those not fortunate enough to be granted the closure of a burial.
PUBLISHER Headline BUY AT amazon.com
(Photo: Headline)
Signs of Life (by Stephen Fabes)
Crammed full of travel stories, acute observations and compelling musings on the human condition, this book sees Doctor Stephen Fabes take the reader on a cycling journey of over 55,000 miles. Visiting numerous off-the-beaten-track spots such as a mobile medical clinic in Northern Kenya, a rubbish dump in Jakarta, and the migrant jungle in Calais, it offers an always compassionate, frequently hilarious and sometimes profound look at human potential. Combining history, politics and geography, the author leaves us inspired, amused and better informed on the countries and people that caught his imagination along the way.
PUBLISHER Pursuit Books BUY AT amazon.com
Achan’s Flamingo: Little by Little She Travels to Unravel (by Smitha Umesan)
This book follows the voyages of Ammu as she seeks to pursue her late father’s dream of travelling the world to celebrate the magic and wonder of life. To enable her to do so she presses pause on her long-standing corporate career to explore an alternate world and a different way of living. As she travels she seeks to answer some important questions, testing her own courage and embarking on an inner journey in the hope of fulfilling her life’s dream. As we accompany her the reader learns all about Ammu’s passions and mantras that underpin her guiding principles.
PUBLISHER Notion Press BUY AT amazon.com
(Photo: Notion Press)
Whistler’s Way: A Thru-Hikers Adventure On The Pacific Crest Trail (by William Monk)
In this eagerly awaited book, the intrepid 60-year-old traveller Bill Monk tackles the wildly gorgeous Pacific Crest Trail, 2,653 miles from the Mexican border to British Columbia, from sea level to a nosebleed-inducing 13,153 feet. The author brings readers along on his epic journey, describing every detail of five long months filled with breath-taking views, heart-stopping danger, and unrelenting adventure, testing his physical and mental stamina to the limit. More than anything, his uplifting story paints a portrait of what it’s like to fully immerse oneself in nature’s awe-inspiring and occasionally highly challenging beauty.
PUBLISHER Loba Publishing BUY AT amazon.com