Travel & Travel Writing

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

For people who enjoyed the Atlas of Cursed Places comes this equally eerie companion. Atlas of Lost Cities illuminates the fragility of civilization and offers an artfully illustrated look into the past. Aude de Tocqueville uses old maps, original artwork, and compelling narratives to tell the stories of the rise and fall of cities around the world. Some, like Pompeii, are recognizable, while others, such as Villa Epecuén, an Argentinean town submerged under water, will be unfamiliar to most readers.  —Jade

I admit that I picked this book up in part because I’m afraid of flying, and I’m so glad I did. Reading Vanhoenacker’s literary memoir reminded me of the way being on a plane can feel like hovering between two worlds. Skyfaring has a lot to offer, both for aviation buffs and for those who tense up during turbulence. It might just make you rethink that upcoming business trip. —Kat

Even the laziest couch potato will be inspired to embark on a wilderness adventure after flipping through this book. Santella packs the pages with gorgeous photos and helpful camping tips that will be appreciated by novices and seasoned explorers alike. Whether you want to stay local or travel internationally, Fifty Places to Camp will motivate you to make your travel daydreams a reality.  —Jade

This engaging collection of essays about East Asia is written in a style that strikes a near-perfect balance between erudite and poetic, which is no surprise coming from award-winning author and poet Gary Snyder, a long-time practitioner of Zen. The Great Clod is the result of his 20-year love affair with East Asia, from the Pacific coast of Japan to the Great Steppes of Mongolia to the Yellow River of China.  —Aric

Creative Action Network has done a spectacular job in creating this compact book of art and history about our national parks. It can be so easy to forget about or dismiss these pieces of land held in trust, but See America inspires us to care more deeply for (and take greater advantage of) these priceless aspects of our national heritage. Take a look, I promise you’ll enjoy every page.  —Jax