At the beginning of this year, I made a promise to myself to read a book every week, and I’m happy to say I’ve been sticking to it. I even started a book club to keep me on track. I’ve always loved reading, thanks to my grandma. It’s a bit shocking that 28% of people haven’t read a book in the past year! I was the kid who read the full version of Les Miserables at 13. After years of reading on and off, I’ve been devouring books this year and it’s been a real treat for my book-loving soul.
Now that summer’s here and people are traveling, I thought I’d share some of my recent favorite reads. A good book can make a long flight feel short. Here are some of my recommendations:
-
A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle: This is an autobiographical novel about the author’s year living in Provence. It’s a wonderful exploration of the challenges and joys of adapting to a new culture. I loved the interesting characters he meets and his description of the slow pace of life in France. This book makes me want to move to France even more.
-
The Art of Travel by Alain De Botton: This book delves into the reasons why we travel. From the anticipation of a trip, the journey, the stay, and the return, De Botton discusses it all. It’s one of the most thoughtful travel books I’ve read in a long time.
-
Eating Viet Nam: Dispatches from a Blue Plastic Table by Graham Holliday: This is a fantastic book about the history and culture of Vietnamese street food. You’ll wander with the author through the backstreets of Vietnam, learning about the street food you see all over the country.
-
Visit Sunny Chernobyl by Andrew Blackwell: This book is about visiting the most polluted places on the planet. It didn’t inspire me to go anywhere, but it did pique my intellectual curiosity about the places that remain hidden from everyday view.
-
Travels with Charley in Search of America by John Steinbeck: This book is about Steinbeck’s travels across the US with his dog Charley. It’s a fun read about the cool road trip we all want to take and the people we wish to meet.
-
The Kindness of Strangers by Mike McIntyre: The author travels across America with nothing but the clothes on his back, relying solely on the kindness of strangers. It’s a nice reminder that people the world over are generally good, kind souls.
And if you’re looking for some non-travel books, these were good too:
-
Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr.: This biography gives you a wonderful insight into the richest man to ever live and how his philanthropy changed the world.
-
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: A classic book on how to organize your time and priorities to lead a better, more thoughtful life.
-
Empire of Cotton: A Global History: An interesting and detailed look at the history of cotton and how it shaped the world.
So there you have it! Nine books to keep you well-read and inspired this summer! If you’re looking for more book recommendations, join our free community book club. Once a month, you’ll receive a list of five books that other community members and I have read and enjoyed.
