The success of a great travel book is never measured in the awards it gets. Instead, it is measured in how well it will manage to trigger the wanderlust in yourself. A good book will take your imagination miles away and push it to another level. It will inspire you to fly, drive, explore and hike – plus a bunch of other activities in between. When a new culture is also involved, you will most likely end up searching for plane tickets. All in all, here are some of the best short story collections from around the world to meet different cultures and travel to new countries.
My Life As A Woman, by Matthew Gates
This initiative book travels around the world and shows the real power of women. There are powerful women out there and most of them can come up with impressive stories that can make the difference. They will trigger the humanity in yourself, as well as the respect towards the fine gender.
This book aims to understand the struggles women have to face, as well as the challenges they need to go through in order to be successful. The book explores places like Brazil, North Korea, Iran, Israel, China, Ethiopia and Mexico, among a few others.
At the same time, you will become familiar with new cultures from all over the world. Women are randomly asked about what they do and how they cope with everyday problems and worries – it is definitely an eye opening project that will hook you in.
The Rings Of Saturn, by W. G. Sebald
This book is a mix between nostalgia, wanderlust and adventure. The author found it difficult to describe the project. It could be a novel, but it might as well be a memoir or perhaps a travel memory. The author took a tour of the English countryside in Suffolk and described it in the smallest details.
He went a few miles down the coast and described everything as he saw it. There are people and places waiting to be discovered, but the story also goes beyond one’s imagination – the colonialism years in Congo or perhaps the reign of a Chinese ruler.
This book is not about exploring and traveling, but about the possibility to scratch beneath what you can see when you visit a new destination. Discover a story, become a thoughtful visitor and learn how to cultivate your curiosity.
A Moveable Feast, by Don George
Some people love to travel. Some others love to travel to eat. When you get ready to explore a new destination in order to fuel your food based journey, this book will put you right on track. It will trigger your imagination straight away.
This masterpiece celebrates dozens of food tales from all over the world. The author has basically edited – or better said compiled – together a bunch of stories from famous food enthusiasts, chefs and explorers.
All the people sharing these experiences also share a common passion for food and different cuisines. It is not all about food though, but also about exploring a different culture and interesting ideas from all over the world.
The Art Of Travel, by Alain De Botton
There are plenty of books telling you where to go and what to do, but some of them can stand out in the crowd. Alain De Botton’s book will help you recover your sight of the traveling purpose. It will remind you why you hit and road and why you go where you want to go.
The book may seem a bit brutal at times. It may feel a little awkward, as you are told off at times. It is, indeed, a philosophical approach to traveling and it will open your eyes a little. It will also introduce you to things you may not always want to see.
It has happened to everyone out there. You fantasize about a certain place and it does not really meet your expectations. A few things, however, will glaze over in your memory. This is what the book teaches you about.
Lands Of Lost Borders, by Kate Harris
Everyone out there wants to explore something – you might travel to explore a new culture, new places, a new cuisine or just a new holiday away from home. But then, an exploration could go further than that and benefit from a different approach.
Now, how would you feel knowing that millions of other people have already explored a particular place? Not bad, really. But how would you feel about exploring a place that was not really written about? How about a new experience?
This book is like no other travel book out there. It is a meditation about remote places that most people have never written about. It is a point of view that will put your next travel adventures in a completely different perspective.
Jerusalem: Chronicles From The Holy City, by Guy De Lisle
Written by Guy De Lisle, this book will bring in a different level of writing. This is not the average travel book that will introduce you to a new place or a new culture. Instead, it brings in tales that will make you feel like you belong to that new world.
The author is a cartoonist and not a travel writer, so his book is different from average travel books. He has written books on his first hand experiences in Myanmar, North Korea and other interesting places. This one explores Jerusalem.
The city is among the holiest places in the world for three different religions, so there is an immense cultural diversity there. Being there for a year, the author recalls those experiences and will most likely draw your wanderlust.
Full Tilt: Ireland To India With A Bicycle, by Dervla Murphy
There are not too many writers out there that could compare to Dervia Murphy. Her adventures will trigger your hunger for new experiences straight away. She has written dozens of different books and her destinations are extremely varied.
Whether you want to know more about Cuba, Cameroon or Laos, you will definitely have something interesting to read. This book explores her expedition to Delhi, India. She started this cycle trek from Ireland and it became its best selling adventure.
From wolves and extreme heat to broken ribs and all kinds of different cultures, this book is a must have if you are into traveling. Moreover, some of her adventures can be quite shocking, especially those that involve a .25 pistol.
The Crossway, by Guy Stagg
The Crossway is the well detailed adventure of a 10 month journey. The author began his on foot experience in Canterbury and finished it in Jerusalem. Not only is it a unique piece of work, but it has also received multiple awards for its realism.
The funniest part about it is that Guy Stagg is not even a believer. Moreover, he is not so much into hiking. He only wanted an adventure to cope with depression. The journey put him back on track and introduced him to a series of new worlds.
During his adventure, he met a bunch of memorable people, a plethora of cultures and numerous points of view that changed his perception of life. As if his adventure would not be enough, he also writes in a beautiful manner.
French Revolutions, by Tim Moore
Tim Moore has managed to write a comic adventure based on his exploration of France. Interested in the adventure of a lifetime, he started the whole Tour De France in a unique cycling adventure that brought him to all kinds of interesting places.
This is not the only adventure of this kind he has been through though. He has also explored the former Iron Curtain, as well as Camino De Santiago and the USA. The French adventure stands out in the crowd though.
The book is written in a comic manner and makes fun of unexpected situations – likely to be quite problematic. However, he succeeds eventually. Most importantly, he will trigger your passion for a new adventure in France.
Dark Star Safari, by Paul Theroux
Paul Theroux had an interesting reason to take this adventure and write a book about it. He said that all news coming from Africa was bad, so he decided he wanted to visit the continent and see the reality for himself.
These days, his book is considered a classic. The book was written more than 20 years after his African experience, not to mention living there as a young teacher. The journey began in the north part of the continent and ended in the far south.
This is not necessarily an adventurous book with good stuff only. Instead, the author also critics some of the things he has been through and makes some tough judgments. But at the same time, he describes the people and places in such a vivid manner that you almost feel like being there.
Conclusion
Bottom line, any of these short story collections from around the world to meet different cultures and travel to new countries will give you an adventurous feeling. Which destination are you interested in? It is up to you to set an itinerary and make a plan – go through these books and you will get plenty of ideas.