Travel Book Reviews

As a travel writer, I also read a lot of travel books.

Below, in no particular order (though my new reads will be near the top) are some of the travel books, travelogues, travel memoirs, and other such books I have read. I hope my ratings and thoughts will be be helpful to others looking for a good travel novel to lose themselves in.

A note on my preferences: I tend to prefer travel books that not only tell a good story (that’s a must) and have vivid description of a place, but that also teach me something about the culture, history, or geography of that place as well.

My scale:

1 star = few if any redeeming qualities
2 stars = major issues and I wouldn’t recommend it for most readers
3 stars = maybe not my favorite, but a solid book and recommended for some readers, especially lovers of the genre or travelers to that specific destination; might be more of a memoir, science book, or focused less on travel and place than I prefer
4 stars = standouts for a number of reasons and recommended to most
5 stars = outstanding and recommended even if you don’t think you’ll like a travel book

And yeah, I put in half stars, because I believe in being nuanced!

If you want to read more travel writing, these websites are a great way to start: