Doerr, Anthony
Four Seasons in Rome: On Twins, Insomnia, and the Biggest Funeral in the History of the World
RC 66811
Prize-winning novelist recounts moving with his wife and six-month-old twin sons to Italy for a yearlong literary fellowship. Describes visiting the Pantheon, the Sistine Chapel, and other historical sites; attending the vigil of Pope John Paul II; and learning Italian. Also discusses raising a family. 2007.
Duncan, Dayton
Horatio's Drive
RC 57572
Account of the first cross-country automobile trip in the United States. In 1903 Horatio Jackson, a thirty-one-year-old Vermont doctor, bet fifty dollars that he could drive from San Francisco to New York despite only 150 miles of paved roadway in the entire nation. Introduction by Ken Burns, maker of a companion PBS documentary. 2003.
Fagan, Brian
From Stonehenge to Samarkand: An Anthology of Archaeological Travel Writing
RC 64015
Anthropology professor's anthology of excerpts from some of history's greatest travel accounts. Includes Herodotus at the pyramids, Mark Twain in Egypt, Hiram Bingham at Machu Picchu, and Paul Theroux on the Nile. Traces the history of archaeological tourism at locations from the Holy Land to the Silk Road. 2006.
Geist, Bill
Way Off the Road: Discovering the Peculiar Charms of Small-Town America
RC 66185,
CL 13099
Emmy Award-winning television news correspondent profiles unique places and people he calls "resourceful, eccentric...and at times just plain batty--yet oddly inspiring". Describes his encounters with the Grand Canyon mail carrier who makes deliveries by mule train and with the mayor and sole resident of Monowi, Nebraska. 2007.
George, Don
A House Somewhere: Tales of Life Abroad
RC 65183
Twenty-six essays capturing the pleasures and pitfalls of finding a home in a foreign country. Chilean author Isabel Allende recounts falling for California's Marin County and the man who showed it to her. In an excerpt from Italian Neighbours (RC 35775), Tim Parks describes some curious acoustics of Italian dwellings. 2002.
Gilbert, Elizabeth
Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India, and Indonesia
RC 61789
Successful young author, recently divorced, seeks distraction and solace during a year of travel. She describes finding culinary pleasure in civilized Italy, ascetic meditation on an ashram in India, and a love affair in Bali. 2005.
Lansky, Doug
There's No Toilet Paper...On the Road Less Traveled: The Best of Travel Humor and Misadventure
RC 58588
Twenty-six writers relate embarrassing, frustrating, comical, but certainly memorable moments from their sojourns abroad. Bill Bryson takes an enlightening stroll through Paris, while Dave Barry attempts to learn Japanese in five minutes. Peter Mayle, P.J. O'Rourke, and Mary Roach, among others, also share their outrageous travel experiences. 1998.
Mahoney, Rosemary
Down the Nile: Alone in a Fisherman's Skiff
RC 67048
Rower and award-winning author recounts her 120-mile solo journey along the Nile between the Egyptian cities of Aswan and Qena. Describes her search for a boat, her excitement in finding ancient ruins, and the obstacles she faced as she confronted searing heat and cultural differences. Strong language. 2007.
Roberts, Jason
A Sense of the World: How a Blind Man Became History's Greatest Traveler
RC 62703
Biography of Englishman James Holman (1786-1857), who was blinded at twenty-five after serving in the Napoleonic wars and who then achieved fame as a world traveler. Quoting from Holman's memoirs, describes how he fought slavery in Africa, survived captivity in Siberia, charted the Australian outback, and published three books. 2006.
Vowell, Sarah
Assassination Vacation
RC 61591,
CL 12608
Journalist visits sites associated with the first three assassinated American presidents: Abraham Lincoln, James Garfield, and William McKinley. Relates pieces of historical trivia, including the fact that Robert Todd Lincoln was present at all three shootings. 2005.
Webster, Edward D.
A Year of Sundays: Taking the Plunge (and Our Cat) to Explore Europe
RC 64156
Recounts author's yearlong 1997 European trip with his visually impaired, menopausal wife, Marguerite, and sixteen-year-old cat, Felicia. Describes putting careers on hold to realize their dream and embarking "on a quest for adventure," exploring eateries, tourist destinations, and romantic locales in France, Greece, Holland, Spain, Germany, Italy, and Austria. 2004.
Weiner, Eric
The Geography of Bliss: One Grump's Search for the Happiest Places in the World
RC 65862,
CL 13396
National Public Radio foreign correspondent and self-proclaimed curmudgeon Weiner describes the places he visited during a yearlong hunt for the happiest people. Investigates conditions in the Netherlands, Switzerland, Bhutan, Qatar, Iceland, Moldova, Thailand, Great Britain, India, and the United States. Bestseller. 2008.
If you're interested in any of these books or in finding books like them, please contact the library.
Revised July 2009
