Travel & Travel Writing

Somewhere deep in the Amazon jungle, the story went, there was a city made of gold. The only problem was that no one knew where it was, and the surrounding region was filled with fierce tribes that killed outsiders on sight. This is the story of the people, some lucky, some tragically not so, who tried to find it.  

With no prior rowing experience, Adam Rackley decided to cross the Atlantic Ocean in a 7-meter-long wooden boat with one other person. It took them 76 days. If that’s not enough to make you want to read their story, this book combines Rackley’s first-person narrative with the intense history of trans-Atlantic rowers, beginning with two Norwegian fisherman in 1896—and many more, some of whom didn’t make it. Adventure, obsession, and survival at its best.

I’ve always loved maps, but previously knew very little about the history of cartography, so I found this fascinating. While clearly delineating the technical advances of the great cartographers (Ptolemy, Mercator, Cassini, Google Earth, and others) Brotton discusses the political, economic, and/or religious objectives that, to greater or lesser degrees, distort all maps. This is a perfect book for map lovers, history buffs and fans of well-researched general nonfiction.

This lushly illustrated coffee-table book celebrates the best and most iconic trails in the United States, from the famous (the Pacific Crest and the Appalachian) to the lesser known (the Potomac Heritage and Natchez Trace). The author, who has herself logged more than 17,000 trail miles (!), covers hikes in 49 states and eight national parks, providing maps and descriptions for each. The photographs are awesome, underscoring the raw beauty and ecological diversity of North America.

Ever dream of getting out of town? Island in the middle of nowhere out of town? If so, you need this book. The new pocket edition of the Atlas of Remote Islands charts remote islands that have captured atlas-loving Schalansky’s heart. Though she’s never been to any of them, her essays on each island paint a vivid, soulful image of what are otherwise isolated dots on a map, making this a lovely little book.

San Francisco is my favorite city in the world, and this book gives so many reasons to fall in love all over again—and is also an intriguing and lovely introduction for any stranger to the foggy shore. Starting from a physical exploration, Gary Kamiya takes you on a temporal, environmental, and ideological tour of this small, wonderful place. As individual pieces or as a complex mosaic, no regrets for any time spent within these pages.

The second installment in Thomas Campbell’s Slide series captures surf and life in Morocco, where the Bonny Doon–based filmmaker and artist would retreat to paint and surf. Retaining the DIY aesthetic for which he is known, Campbell shoots surf spots off the beaten path and surfers doing creative things outside the mainstream. Sometimes lo-fi, often sublime, and full of emotion, Campbell captures surfers doing what they love to do, and it is intoxicating and inspiring.

This selection of writings from local author Dan Haifley’s Sentinel column “Our Ocean Backyard” charts the history of the Santa Cruz harbor from its roots in Woods Lagoon through the Army Corps construction, the tsumani devastation, and beyond—highlighting the people who have shaped it and the problems it has faced. Haifley’s passion for this sheltered port is contagious as he champions its crucial role in our community.

Slow is Fast chronicles a unique 700-mile bicycle journey down the California coast by a group of surfers and filmmakers. Along the way they document their travels, repair flat tires, surf remote breaks, visit friends and fellow journeymen and pitch in to help out artisans and organic farmers—including some in Santa Cruz—all in an effort to tell a simple story of livelihoods crafted in tune with our oceans and fields.

“A train is a train is a train, isn’t it?” Tim Parks may have thought that when he began his journey of traveling Italy by rail, but he soon came to realize that train travel not only gave him incredible views of the cities, towns, and countryside, but of the people of Italy as well. His encounters with conductors and ticket collectors, ordinary Italians and scholars, gave him a unique insight into Italian life. “This is the best book I’ve ever read about Italy. Never have I encountered a more insightful and hilarious insider/outsider portrait of the country at the center of Western civilization.” —Sean Wilsey, author of Oh the Glory of It All