Travel & Travel Writing

In 1839, John Stephens and Frederick Catherwood trudged into the Guatemalan jungle in search of some rumored rocks that they had heard might be of interest. What they found forever changed Western understanding of the evolution of civilization. Carlsen weaves the two explorers’ life stories into his telling of how Stephens and Catherwood defied both the unforgiving Central American jungle and the xenophobic society of their time to expose the grandeur and remarkable engineering of the Mayas. - Jade

Each of these essays explores a different area—from San Francisco to Chile—through the lens of a literary figure. One author wandered Lake Geneva, following the path of Lord Byron and company, another road-tripped to learn about Nabokov’s inspiration for Lolita. Truly good travel writing mixed with literary musings—what could be better? - Jax

Geraldine DeRuiter is the first to tell you this is not your normal travel writing book. You won’t get great advice or learn interesting or relevant facts about the places she’s been. You will, however, get story after story of escapades with friends, life lessons, a weird family, and a love that, if you’re lucky, will remind you of your own. I hadn’t read DeRuiter’s renowned blog Everywhereist before, but you can bet I will now. - Jocelyn

British travel writer Richard Grant and his girlfriend move from New York City to an old plantation house near the community of Pluto and immerse themselves in the beauty, charm, and insanity that characterize the people and culture that is the Mississippi Delta. This memoir provides an illuminating perspective on the complexities of race and relationships through the lens of a fascinating story. - Trey

From a 35-mile ride around Crater Lake to 935 miles through South West China, you can open any page of this beautiful book and find an off-the-beaten-path ride somewhere in the world. Half travel guide (including culinary stops and overnight options), half bike-ride prep list, Epic Bike Rides of the World is the perfect combination of information and inspiration. These rides will inspire the adventurer in all of us!   —Megan

From my cozy home, I am unsure how anyone survived early Arctic explorations or why they kept going back, but I certainly love reading about them. This book follows a two-year expedition that becomes a five-year expedition and involves a drunken ship captain, a murderer, and all sorts of other disasters. If you enjoy reading about disastrous polar expeditions from the comfort of your armchair as much as I do, this is for you.                                                         —Flannery

The ubiquity of ghost stories, and their pervasiveness throughout human history and culture, makes it seem as if there is something... more…at work here. Dickey argues that there is indeed something more and that behind every ghost story are our history and our anxieties, past and present made manifest. Come with him as he journeys across America, hunting the ghosts that haunt our nation’s psyche, searching for the stories behind what goes bump in the night.                                                      —Jax

The team from everyone's favorite offbeat travel website, Atlas Obscura, has created a beautiful book of the world's oddest and most intriguing points of interest, from the Cage of Death at Crocosaurus Cove in Austrailia to the Witches' Market in La Paz, Bolivia. The beautiful, full color photos will spark the wanderlust in anyone looking to take the road less traveled and to revel in the strange and wonderful hidden corners of the world. - Sylvie

An enthralling window into the extreme world of Amazonian exploration and the many people who have dedicated themselves to it. Deep in the dense, deadly, and unpredictable jungle that is at once beautiful and terrifying, Grann retraces the steps of the great explorer Percy Fawcett, a man consumed by his desire to find the fabled lost city of Z. Thoroughly researched and consistently thrilling, it kept me on the edge of my seat. –Jade

A long-time Santa Cruz resident and the author of The Cactus Eaters, White dazzles with this funny and very engaging history of camping in America. From 19th-century woodcraft to backpacking to family tent camping to “glamping” (glamour camping, where your every outdoor need is met—for a price), he covers it all. The chapter in which he rents an RV and tries to drive his family across the backroads of Arizona is worth the price of admission alone.  —Rico