Every Destination Has Its Own Bookshelf
Planning a trip has always been one of my favorite parts of traveling. The excitement begins (often annoyingly to my family) weeks before departure while researching neighborhoods, mapping out adventures, and choosing the books that will inspire the journey and help me understand the destination more deeply. More often than not, those books become my favorite souvenirs from the trip.
Every destination has its own bookshelf.
Some books allow us to experience places we may never visit. Others inspire us to pack a suitcase. Some help us understand a destination before we arrive, while others become companions along the way. Long after we've returned home, they often remind us why we wanted to travel in the first place.
Some of my favorite travel experiences have come from books, not airplanes. J. Maarten Troost's Lost on Planet China had me laughing while revealing the humor, surprises, and everyday contradictions of modern China through the eyes of an endlessly curious traveler. Long before I knew much about Afghanistan, Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner introduced me to its neighborhoods, traditions, and people. His unforgettable novel follows two childhood friends as Afghanistan changes around them, weaving together family, loyalty, loss, and redemption. One book entertained me while opening a window into another culture. The other helped me understand a place I may never have the opportunity to visit.
Other books quietly shape the trips we eventually take ourselves. Few books inspired my own travels more than Paul Theroux's The Great Railway Bazaar. In this classic travel memoir, Theroux journeys by rail across Europe and Asia, capturing the romance, unpredictability, and chance encounters that make train travel so unforgettable. Reading about his adventures made me dream about buying a Eurail Pass and discovering Europe one train ride at a time. When I finally set off, my well-worn Let's Go Europe rarely left my side. With no iPhone to rely on, this was my source of truth, and the book that helped make my first backpacking adventure feel possible.
The books we choose before a trip can also change what we notice once we arrive. Ken Follett's The Pillars of the Earth follows generations of builders, monks, nobles, and craftsmen whose lives revolve around constructing a magnificent cathedral. After reading it, England's soaring Gothic cathedrals become more than beautiful buildings—they become extraordinary achievements of vision, engineering, and perseverance. In a different way, Kristin Hannah's The Nightingale brings occupied France vividly to life through the story of two sisters struggling to survive during World War II. Villages, forests, and quiet country roads suddenly carry the weight of memory, sacrifice, and resilience. History becomes far more personal when experienced through unforgettable stories.
Books don't have to stay in the hotel room, either. Some of my favorite travel memories involve reading while I'm already there—on a train between cities, in a neighborhood café, or on a quiet evening after a day of exploring. A book can become part of the journey itself. Reading William Dalrymple's City of Djinns while wandering the streets of Delhi would make every monument, market, and side street feel richer. Blending history, travel writing, and conversations with the city's remarkable residents, Dalrymple uncovers layer upon layer of Delhi's remarkable past. The city becomes more than a collection of landmarks. It becomes a place filled with centuries of stories, each waiting to be discovered.
And when the journey is over, these books often stay with us. Years later, long after the restaurant recommendations are out of date, they remain some of the most meaningful souvenirs we bring home. They remind us not only where we went, but who we were when we first discovered those places.
The best travel books don't simply tell us where to go. They inspire journeys, deepen experiences, and preserve memories long after we've returned home. That's what our dedication to Read the World celebrates. Every destination has its own bookshelf, filled with novels, memoirs, histories, travel guides, and stories that reveal something maps never can. Whether you're dreaming about a future adventure, preparing for the journey ahead, or simply hoping to understand another corner of the world, the right book can take you there.
