One thing COVID has been good for is reigniting my love of reading. As I kid I always had my nose in a book, much to the dismay of my younger sister who wanted to play.
I’d sit at noisy restaurants reading, I’d bring my book to the dinner table, I’d even bring a pillow with me to sit in a tree on my front lawn to read after school.
But the older I got the more life got in the way and the less I seemed to read. I never stopped reading, but it just wasn’t a priority. But for the past few months, I’ve become a voracious reader once again.
It’s been an escape from the daunting current events as well as an eye-opening look into some of the problems facing our country.
I’ve realized that my favorite books are books that transport you. The best books, for me, are books where the setting becomes it’s own character, where I can feel myself getting to know a country or a region based on the author’s descriptions and the characters’ lives in that place. So I started thinking about what I would recommend as the best books to learn about new places.
While travel to some of the more exotic destinations on this list may not be possible right now, here are my recommendations for the best books to read when you want to travel.
And if you find yourself traveling to any of these destinations in the near or distant future, make sure to read these books in anticipation of your trip!
The Best Book to Read Before a Trip to North Carolina: Where the Crawdad’s Sing by Delia Owens
This book takes place in a coastal town in North Carolina, and the way author Delia Owens describes the marsh lands and swamps is phenomenal. The book tells the story of Kya, a young girl left to fend for herself in the marsh - secluded and ostracized from the surrounding townspeople. When the star quarterback, Chase Andrews, is found dead, a murder investigation ensues and the misunderstood Kya is quickly targeted as a suspect.
The Best Book to Read Before a Trip to Alaska: The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah
If you’ve already read and loved Where the Crawdad’s Sing, I think you’ll like this one, too! When I read The Great Alone, I immediately wanted to book a flight to Alaska. This novel tells the story of Leni, the only child of Ernt (suffering from PTSD) and Cora, who pack up their lives and move to the remote wilderness of “The Last Frontier.”
The family, with the help of the small local community, learn to live off the stunning but terrifying landscape. But Ernt's mental state continues to deteriorate as time goes on and it becomes clear that Cora and Leni are isolated and vulnerable.
The Best Book to Read Before a Trip to South Africa: Hum If You Don’t Know the Words by Bianca Marais
In this emotional novel, you’ll transport yourself to South Africa during apartheid, and learn so much about this time in history.
The book tells the story of Robin Conrad, a 9-year old white girl living in Johannesburg and being looked after by a Xhosa woman, Beauty Mbali, after her parents are suddenly killed in the Soweto Uprising. Beauty, while looking after Robin, is desperately seeking information about her own daughter, missing after the same student protests.
(Check out my Ultimate South Africa itinerary here!)
The Best Book to Read to Before a Trip to Ethiopia: Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
I loved the descriptions of Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia where much of this novel takes place. It tells the story of twins, Marion and Shiva, whose birth comes as a surprise and whose father is a mystery.
The book spans decades and tells about the lives of Marion and Shiva after their mother passes away during childbirth and the man assumed to be their father disappears. It takes place in Ethiopia, a country on the edge of revolution, and New York City and has many twists and turns along the way.
The Best Book to Read Before a Trip to Ireland: Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe
If you’re planning on traveling to Ireland, or just looking to learn more about the country’s explosive history, I cannot recommend this book enough. You’ll travel to Belfast during “The Troubles” - a time in Irish history where Loyalists (typically Protestants who wanted to remain part of the British Empire) and Republicans (typically Catholics who wanted a united and free Ireland) and their related paramilitary groups (namely, the IRA) battled in Northern Ireland for decades.
While trying to solve the murder of Jean McConville, a single mother of 10 who is suddenly stolen out of her apartment, Patrick Radden Keefe tells shocking story after shocking story from these violent and dangerous times.
Though Say Nothing is not your typical Ireland travel book, it will certainly give you some context before your trip.
So there you have it - the best books to read if you miss traveling!