Buzz
Finding exceptional travel writing can be a challenge, but it certainly exists. One reason for this is that much of what is considered travel writing often overlaps with nature writing or narrative non-fiction. Additionally, the genre is highly competitive, with many talented authors competing for a small audience. However, there is an impressive selection of outstanding travel fiction out there. Below is my personal list of the top ten travel novels I’ve had the pleasure of reading in recent years.
10. Through Painted Deserts Donald Miller
This novel is much more than a travelogue; it’s a journey of self-discovery. Miller’s raw and honest writing style captures the essence of vulnerability and growth, making it not only an exploration of the American landscape but also of the inner landscape of the self.
9. Holy Cow: An Indian Adventure Sarah MacDonald
The beginning of this book can be tough to get through. After the first few chapters, it feels like the narrative is filled with a Western perspective—complaints about living conditions, poverty, and a dismissive attitude that can be hard to stomach in travel writing. However, I'm glad I pushed through, because like “Through Painted Deserts,” “Holy Cow” ultimately becomes a story of personal growth. As Sarah MacDonald travels through India, she evolves. She sheds her initial cynicism as an atheist who sees superstition as foolish, and begins to open herself up to the diverse religious beliefs and practices she encounters. By the end, she’s a humble Theist who embraces happiness, growth, and the realization that foreign cultures have much to offer the open-minded traveler.
8. Into the Wild John Krakauer
I first discovered this book while browsing the feature tables at Barnes and Noble. I was on winter break from Alaska, visiting family in Iowa. I picked up the book, sat down, and ended up reading the entire thing in one sitting. Whether you call it a travel book, journalistic piece, nature writing, or adventure narrative, this book is an absolute must-read. The debates it sparks are intense and thought-provoking. As someone with a deep sense of wanderlust, I can relate to the main character’s drive. Being an Alaskan, I also understand the frustration from a local’s perspective—the harshness of nature and the need to respect Alaska’s untamed beauty.
7. Dark Star Safari Paul Theroux
The full title of this work is Dark Star Safari: Overland from Cairo to Capetown. In this book, Paul Theroux truly shines, showcasing his remarkable powers of observation and sharp, dry wit. He takes readers on a thrilling journey across Africa, traveling by overcrowded buses, dugout canoes, cattle trucks, armed convoys, ferries, and trains. This journey is unforgettable, filled with both breathtaking moments and serious hardships. It’s a portrayal of Africa that dives far deeper than surface-level views, exploring the very heart of what is often labeled as ‘The Dark Continent.’
6. Blue Highways: A Journey Into America William Least Heat-Moon
This is an auto-biographical travel journey taken by Heat-Moon in 1978. After separating from his wife and losing his job, Heat-Moon decided to take an extended road trip around the United States, sticking to “Blue Highways,” a term to refer to small out of the way roads connecting rural America (which were drawn in blue in the old Rand McNally atlases). So Heat-Moon outfits his van, named “Ghost Dancing” and takes off on a 3-month soul-searching tour of the United States. The book chronicles the 13,000 mile journey and the people he meets along the way, as he steers clear of cities and interstates, avoiding fast food and exploring local American culture on a journey that is just as amazing today as when he first took the journey.
5. The Lost Continent Bill Bryson
There are tons of fantastic Bill Bryson books out there, and any one of them could hold this spot here. “The Lost Continent” is Bryson’s trip across America, visiting some common places (the Grand Canyon), but also exploring the back roads and looking for that familiarity that helps him remember home.
4. Wanderlust: Real-Life Tales of Adventures and Romance Pico Iyer
This collection of travel writing, probably one of the best in recent memory, is curated under the name of Pico Iyer, who also contributed to editing the collection. The stories come from the 'Wanderlust' section of Salon.com, and together they form a rich and diverse tapestry of travel writing. With each new tale, the reader is taken from one writer to the next, creating a journey of its own as the pages turn.
3. The Dharma Bums Jack Kerouac
The Beat Generation was home to some of the most remarkable travel narratives, and Jack Kerouac stands as the master of evocative, passionate, and compelling language that tells stories like few others can. While 'On the Road' is often cited as Kerouac’s quintessential travel narrative, 'The Dharma Bums' surpasses it. Brimming with passion, memorable characters, and the intense, powerful prose that made the Beat writers so popular, this book is a remarkable read and rightfully holds its place at the top.
Contributor: Shane Dayton
2. Travels with Charley John Steinbeck
'Travels with Charley' is a work that helped earn John Steinbeck the Nobel Prize in Literature. This extraordinary travel narrative gets to the heart of what travel is really about, capturing the essence of the journey, and the bittersweet realization that the places and people you once knew are no longer the same when you return. As Steinbeck revisits his childhood haunts, he discovers that both old friends and himself have changed in ways that make their reunion awkward. A poignant reflection on travel, home, lost history, aging, and America itself, this novel should be required reading for every high school student.
1. A Walk Across America Peter Jenkins
This book is a modern classic in the realm of travel literature. Peter Jenkins recounts his remarkable 1973-1975 journey walking from New York to New Orleans. For many readers, it remains one of those rare travel books that captivates from start to finish. Peter Jenkins, a renowned travel writer known for undertaking journeys across challenging terrains like Alaska and China, once said, 'I started out searching for myself and my country and found both.' This simple yet profound statement encapsulates what great travel writing is truly about.
