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Literary Nonfiction » Travel

Most Recommended Books

The Road to Oxiana by Robert Byron

“Oxiana is a coinage of his, and it doesn’t geographically specifically exist. It was a way of saying Persia (as it was to him) and Afghanistan. Byron’s journey starts in Venice and ends in what is now Pakistan. He went there in 1933-34, not long before he died in World War II, drowned when his ship was torpedoed. Although the book is terrifically chauvinistic – he’s appalling when he writes about the local people, almost always without sympathy and sometimes with extreme colonial arrogance – it’s full of wonderful descriptions.”

Colin Thubron, Travel Writer

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The Travels of Ibn Battutah by Ibn Battutah (edited by Tim Mackintosh-Smith)

“If you read this book, it seems quite chaotic, but there is an underlying structure to it. I think there are two elements to this structure.”

Tim Mackintosh-Smith, Travel Writer

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The Quiet American by Graham Greene

“The Quiet American is much more about America than it is about Indo-China. The titular character is an idealistic young man in Indo-China, probably working for the CIA, whose well-meaning actions cause havoc. That is a sort of microcosm for what has actually happened in various parts of the world because of American intervention.”

Ian Buruma, Journalist

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The Way of the World by Nicolas Bouvier

“Bouvier follows some of the trail of Robert Byron, travelling to the Khyber Pass in 1953-54. But the book is mostly set in Turkey and western Iran, where they get stuck. Bouvier never wrote another book comparable to this one. I loved it for its humanity, for its footloose feeling. He says somewhere, “You think you are making a trip, but soon it is making you – or unmaking you.” And you feel that he’s a very vulnerable traveller. I love that sense of not having a planned journey – it might go anywhere. He travelled in this funny little car, a Fiat Topolino. I travelled in Russia in a Morris Marina, which people laughed at, and it secures your independence.”

Colin Thubron, Travel Writer

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The Worst Journey in the World by Apsley Cherry-Garrard

“The worst journey in the world which he describes isn’t Scott’s race to the pole, it’s Cherry-Garrard’s trip with two other men to find the emperor penguins. The book is framed by Scott’s expedition, but the quest for the penguins is the centre of it.”

Paul Theroux, Travel Writer

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Browse book recommendations:

Literary Nonfiction

  • Biography
  • Essays
  • Memoir
  • Travel
  • True Crime

Which are the best travel books? What makes a good travel book?  Below you'll find reading recommendations from and interviews with some of the world's best known travel writers, including Paul Theroux and Colin Thubron, on what they regard to be the best travel books. We also have the best books by or about some of the most significant travel writers of the past, including Bruce Chatwin.

    The Best Travel Books, recommended by Paul Theroux

  • Read
    The Best Travel Books - The Worst Journey in the World by Apsley Cherry-Garrard

    1

    The Worst Journey in the World
    by Apsley Cherry-Garrard

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    The Best Travel Books - Following the Equator by Mark Twain

    2

    Following the Equator
    by Mark Twain

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    The Best Travel Books - The West Indies and the Spanish Main by Anthony Trollope

    3

    The West Indies and the Spanish Main
    by Anthony Trollope

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    The Best Travel Books - Christ Stopped at Eboli by Carlo Levi

    4

    Christ Stopped at Eboli
    by Carlo Levi

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    The Best Travel Books - An Area of Darkness by VS Naipaul

    5

    An Area of Darkness
    by VS Naipaul

The Best Travel Books, recommended by Paul Theroux

Travel is a leap in the dark, says Paul Theroux and one that will leave you a different person at the other end. He recommends five travel books that inspired him, from Mark Twain at sea to VS Naipaul in India

    The Best Books by Adventurers, recommended by Alastair Humphreys

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    The Best Books by Adventurers - As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning by Laurie Lee

    1

    As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning
    by Laurie Lee

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    The Best Books by Adventurers - No Picnic on Mount Kenya by Felice Benuzzi

    2

    No Picnic on Mount Kenya
    by Felice Benuzzi

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    The Best Books by Adventurers - Tracks by Robyn Davidson

    3

    Tracks
    by Robyn Davidson

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    The Best Books by Adventurers - Carrying the Fire by Michael Collins

    4

    Carrying the Fire
    by Michael Collins

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    The Best Books by Adventurers - Paddling North by Audrey Sutherland

    5

    Paddling North
    by Audrey Sutherland

The Best Books by Adventurers, recommended by Alastair Humphreys

One morning in early June, Laurie Lee said goodbye to his mum at the garden gate and went off on an adventure. Is now the moment for you to do the same? Bestselling author and adventurer Alastair Humphreys recommends five books written by adventurers that can’t fail but inspire you to ‘go simple, go solo, go now.’

    The Best Travel Writing, recommended by Colin Thubron

  • Read
    The Best Travel Writing - The Road to Oxiana by Robert Byron

    1

    The Road to Oxiana
    by Robert Byron

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    The Best Travel Writing - The Way of the World by Nicolas Bouvier

    2

    The Way of the World
    by Nicolas Bouvier

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    The Best Travel Writing - In Patagonia by Bruce Chatwin

    3

    In Patagonia
    by Bruce Chatwin

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    The Best Travel Writing - A Time of Gifts by Patrick Leigh Fermor

    4

    A Time of Gifts
    by Patrick Leigh Fermor

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    The Best Travel Writing - Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino

    5

    Invisible Cities
    by Italo Calvino

The Best Travel Writing, recommended by Colin Thubron

The much-travelled author Colin Thubron reflects on more than 40 years of writing about other cultures, and shares his own favourite travel reading with us

    The Best Books on the Philosophy of Travel, recommended by Emily Thomas

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    The Best Books on the Philosophy of Travel - Mountain Gloom And Mountain Glory: The Development of the Aesthetics of the Infinite by Marjorie Hope Nicolson

    1

    Mountain Gloom And Mountain Glory: The Development of the Aesthetics of the Infinite
    by Marjorie Hope Nicolson

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    The Best Books on the Philosophy of Travel - Letters written in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark by Mary Wollstonecraft

    2

    Letters written in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark
    by Mary Wollstonecraft

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    The Best Books on the Philosophy of Travel - Walden by Henry David Thoreau

    3

    Walden
    by Henry David Thoreau

  • Read
    The Best Books on the Philosophy of Travel - The Art of Travel by Alain de Botton

    4

    The Art of Travel
    by Alain de Botton

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    The Best Books on the Philosophy of Travel - How to Talk About Places You've Never Been: On the Importance of Armchair Travel by Michele Hutchison (translator) & Pierre Bayard

    5

    How to Talk About Places You've Never Been: On the Importance of Armchair Travel
    by Michele Hutchison (translator) & Pierre Bayard

The Best Books on the Philosophy of Travel, recommended by Emily Thomas

At its best, travel broadens our minds, expands our horizons and allows us to see the world we live in differently. But it has also played an important role in the history of philosophy. Emily Thomas, author of The Meaning of Travel: Philosophers Abroad, explores the connections between her two passions—philosophy and travel—at a moment when most of us are unable to leave our houses: perhaps the perfect moment to reflect on travel’s significance for human beings.

    Bruce Chatwin: Books that Influenced Him, recommended by Nicholas Shakespeare

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    Bruce Chatwin: Books that Influenced Him - The Road to Oxiana by Robert Byron

    1

    The Road to Oxiana
    by Robert Byron

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    Bruce Chatwin: Books that Influenced Him - Labyrinths by Jorge Luis Borges

    2

    Labyrinths
    by Jorge Luis Borges

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    Bruce Chatwin: Books that Influenced Him - Journey to Armenia by Osip Mandelstam

    3

    Journey to Armenia
    by Osip Mandelstam

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    Bruce Chatwin: Books that Influenced Him - Planet and Glow-worm by Edith Sitwell

    4

    Planet and Glow-worm
    by Edith Sitwell

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    Bruce Chatwin: Books that Influenced Him - The Rings of Saturn by W.G Sebald

    5

    The Rings of Saturn
    by W.G Sebald

Bruce Chatwin: Books that Influenced Him, recommended by Nicholas Shakespeare

With his books In Patagonia and The Songlines, Bruce Chatwin reinvented travel literature. Nicholas Shakespeare, his biographer, lifts the lid on a complex life and selects five books that influenced Chatwin’s work.

    The best books on Southeast Asian Travel Literature, recommended by Cat Barton

  • Read
    The best books on Southeast Asian Travel Literature - The Quiet American by Graham Greene

    1

    The Quiet American
    by Graham Greene

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    The best books on Southeast Asian Travel Literature - Selected Poems by James Fenton

    2

    Selected Poems
    by James Fenton

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    The best books on Southeast Asian Travel Literature - The Gate by François Bizot

    3

    The Gate
    by François Bizot

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    The best books on Southeast Asian Travel Literature - Stay Alive, My Son by Pin Yathay

    4

    Stay Alive, My Son
    by Pin Yathay

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    The best books on Southeast Asian Travel Literature - The Beach by Alex Garland

    5

    The Beach
    by Alex Garland

The best books on Southeast Asian Travel Literature, recommended by Cat Barton

The Bureau Chief for the Agence France Presse in Dhaka discusses South East Asian travel literature. Particularly interesting on Cambodia. Further recommended reading from Graham Greene and James Fenton

    Books about Travelling in the Muslim World, recommended by Tim Mackintosh-Smith

  • Read
    Books about Travelling in the Muslim World - The Travels of Ibn Battutah by Ibn Battutah (edited by Tim Mackintosh-Smith)

    1

    The Travels of Ibn Battutah
    by Ibn Battutah (edited by Tim Mackintosh-Smith)

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    Books about Travelling in the Muslim World - The Road to Oxiana by Robert Byron

    2

    The Road to Oxiana
    by Robert Byron

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    Books about Travelling in the Muslim World - A Year Amongst the Persians by Edward G Browne

    3

    A Year Amongst the Persians
    by Edward G Browne

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    Books about Travelling in the Muslim World - The Sindbad Voyage by Tim Severin

    4

    The Sindbad Voyage
    by Tim Severin

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    Books about Travelling in the Muslim World - Night and Horses and the Desert by Robert Irwin (editor)

    5

    Night and Horses and the Desert
    by Robert Irwin (editor)

Books about Travelling in the Muslim World, recommended by Tim Mackintosh-Smith

Author and Arabist Tim Mackintosh-Smith tells us about the rich tradition in Islam of travelling to gain knowledge, and directs us towards some of those, both Western and Arab, who’ve inspired with their tales of life on the road.

    The best books on Hong Kong, recommended by Jason Ng

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    The best books on Hong Kong - Hong Kong by Jan Morris

    1

    Hong Kong
    by Jan Morris

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    The best books on Hong Kong - Hong Kong Noir: Fifteen true tales from the dark side of the city by Feng Chi-shun

    2

    Hong Kong Noir: Fifteen true tales from the dark side of the city
    by Feng Chi-shun

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    The best books on Hong Kong - Hotel China by the Hong Kong Writers Circle

    3

    Hotel China
    by the Hong Kong Writers Circle

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    The best books on Hong Kong - The Heritage Hiker’s Guide to Hong Kong by Pete Spurrier

    4

    The Heritage Hiker’s Guide to Hong Kong
    by Pete Spurrier

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    The best books on Hong Kong - Ghetto at the Center of the World: Chungking Mansions, Hong Kong by Gordon Mathews

    5

    Ghetto at the Center of the World: Chungking Mansions, Hong Kong
    by Gordon Mathews

The best books on Hong Kong, recommended by Jason Ng

In 2014 Hong Kong’s ‘Umbrella Protests’ made news around the world. But will continuing protests in Hong Kong lead to advances in democracy or crackdowns by Beijing? Jason Ng, lawyer and author of Umbrellas in Bloom, chooses five of the best books for understanding China’s ‘foster child’ city.

    The best books on Americans Abroad, recommended by Charles Glass

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    The best books on Americans Abroad - Innocents Abroad by Mark Twain

    1

    Innocents Abroad
    by Mark Twain

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    The best books on Americans Abroad - Daisy Miller by Henry James

    2

    Daisy Miller
    by Henry James

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    The best books on Americans Abroad - Catch 22 by Joseph Heller

    3

    Catch 22
    by Joseph Heller

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    The best books on Americans Abroad - Horn of Africa by Philip Caputo

    4

    Horn of Africa
    by Philip Caputo

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    The best books on Americans Abroad - The Quiet American by Graham Greene

    5

    The Quiet American
    by Graham Greene

The best books on Americans Abroad, recommended by Charles Glass

The much-travelled writer and broadcaster tells us about misunderstandings and misadventures of Americans in foreign lands

    The best books on Wild Places, recommended by Robert Macfarlane

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    The best books on Wild Places - Arctic Dreams by Barry Lopez

    1

    Arctic Dreams
    by Barry Lopez

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    The best books on Wild Places - Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy

    2

    Blood Meridian
    by Cormac McCarthy

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    The best books on Wild Places - The Peregrine by JA Baker

    3

    The Peregrine
    by JA Baker

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    The best books on Wild Places - The Living Mountain by Nan Shepherd

    4

    The Living Mountain
    by Nan Shepherd

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    The best books on Wild Places - Desert Solitaire by Edward Abbey

    5

    Desert Solitaire
    by Edward Abbey

The best books on Wild Places, recommended by Robert Macfarlane

Robert Macfarlane, author of an acclaimed trilogy of books about landscape and human thought tells us about the intrepid, sometimes misanthropic writers who inspired his own investigation of wilderness. He chooses some of his favourite books of nature-writing.

    The best books on Indian Journeys, recommended by Roy Moxham

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    The best books on Indian Journeys - Foxy-T by Tony White

    1

    Foxy-T
    by Tony White

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    The best books on Indian Journeys - The Way of the World by Nicolas Bouvier

    2

    The Way of the World
    by Nicolas Bouvier

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    The best books on Indian Journeys - In an Antique Land by Amitav Ghosh

    3

    In an Antique Land
    by Amitav Ghosh

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    The best books on Indian Journeys - Twilight in Delhi by Ahmed Ali

    4

    Twilight in Delhi
    by Ahmed Ali

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    The best books on Indian Journeys - Raag Darbari by Shrilal Shukla (translated by Gillian Wright)

    5

    Raag Darbari
    by Shrilal Shukla (translated by Gillian Wright)

The best books on Indian Journeys, recommended by Roy Moxham

The author and Senior Conservator of the University of London’s Senate House Library discusses books on Indian Journeys. Interesting selections that offer good insights into the authors themselves

    The Best Books of Landscape Writing, recommended by Dan Richards

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    The Best Books of Landscape Writing - Train Dreams: A Novella by Denis Johnson

    1

    Train Dreams: A Novella
    by Denis Johnson

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    The Best Books of Landscape Writing - The White Album by Joan Didion

    2

    The White Album
    by Joan Didion

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    The Best Books of Landscape Writing - A Fortunate Man: The Story of a Country Doctor by John Berger and Jean Mohr

    3

    A Fortunate Man: The Story of a Country Doctor
    by John Berger and Jean Mohr

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    The Best Books of Landscape Writing - Dart by Alice Oswald

    4

    Dart
    by Alice Oswald

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    The Best Books of Landscape Writing - Field Work by Seamus Heaney

    5

    Field Work
    by Seamus Heaney

The Best Books of Landscape Writing, recommended by Dan Richards

Good writing offers readers an invitation to explore and engage with the world around them, says Dan Richards—author of Outpost and Climbing Days—as he recommends five brilliant books that exemplify the skill of landscape writing.

    The best books on Modern Iran, recommended by Jasmin Darznik

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    The best books on Modern Iran - Shah of Shahs by Ryszard Kapuściński

    1

    Shah of Shahs
    by Ryszard Kapuściński

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    The best books on Modern Iran - Mirrors of the Unseen by Jason Elliot

    2

    Mirrors of the Unseen
    by Jason Elliot

  • Read
    The best books on Modern Iran - Sin: Selected Poems by Forugh Farrokhzad (translated by Sholeh Wolpe)

    3

    Sin: Selected Poems
    by Forugh Farrokhzad (translated by Sholeh Wolpe)

  • Read
    The best books on Modern Iran - Women Without Men by Shahrnush Parsipur

    4

    Women Without Men
    by Shahrnush Parsipur

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    The best books on Modern Iran - My Uncle Napoleon by Iraj Pezeshkzad

    5

    My Uncle Napoleon
    by Iraj Pezeshkzad

The best books on Modern Iran, recommended by Jasmin Darznik

Everyday life in Iran is often mischaracterised, says the Iranian author and academic – especially when it comes to the struggles of its women. She recommends five books that give us a window on Iranian history and family life

    The best books on India, recommended by Mark Tully

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    The best books on India - Kim by Rudyard Kipling

    1

    Kim
    by Rudyard Kipling

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    The best books on India - The Argumentative Indian by Amartya Sen

    2

    The Argumentative Indian
    by Amartya Sen

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    The best books on India - Bhowani Junction by John Masters

    3

    Bhowani Junction
    by John Masters

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    The best books on India - Raag Darbari by Shrilal Shukla (translated by Gillian Wright)

    4

    Raag Darbari
    by Shrilal Shukla (translated by Gillian Wright)

  • Read
    The best books on India - The English Teacher by RK Narayan

    5

    The English Teacher
    by RK Narayan

The best books on India, recommended by Mark Tully

The veteran journalist, who has lived in India for most of his life, talks about the country’s new-found self-confidence and recommends books to better understand its history and complexities

    The best books on Spain, recommended by Jason Webster

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    The best books on Spain - The Journey of the Soul by Ibn Tufail & translation by Dr Riad Kocache

    1

    The Journey of the Soul
    by Ibn Tufail & translation by Dr Riad Kocache

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    The best books on Spain - My Last Sigh by Luis Buñuel

    2

    My Last Sigh
    by Luis Buñuel

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    The best books on Spain - As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning by Laurie Lee

    3

    As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning
    by Laurie Lee

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    The best books on Spain - Deep Song and Other Prose by Federico García Lorca

    4

    Deep Song and Other Prose
    by Federico García Lorca

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    The best books on Spain - Operation Garbo by Juan Pujol with Nigel West

    5

    Operation Garbo
    by Juan Pujol with Nigel West

The best books on Spain, recommended by Jason Webster

From the book Robinson Crusoe was based on to surrealist filmmakers, Jason Webster chooses five books that illustrate the power of the Spanish imagination.

    The best books on The Diplomat’s Wife, recommended by Brigid Keenan

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    The best books on The Diplomat’s Wife - Out of Africa by Isak Dinesen

    1

    Out of Africa
    by Isak Dinesen

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    The best books on The Diplomat’s Wife - The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver

    2

    The Poisonwood Bible
    by Barbara Kingsolver

  • Read
    The best books on The Diplomat’s Wife - An English Lady in Chinese Turkestan by Lady Catherine Macartney

    3

    An English Lady in Chinese Turkestan
    by Lady Catherine Macartney

  • Read
    The best books on The Diplomat’s Wife - The Inner Life of Syria, Palestine and the Holy Land by Isabel Burton

    4

    The Inner Life of Syria, Palestine and the Holy Land
    by Isabel Burton

  • Read
    The best books on The Diplomat’s Wife - The Jewel in the Crown by Paul Scott

    5

    The Jewel in the Crown
    by Paul Scott

The best books on The Diplomat’s Wife, recommended by Brigid Keenan

The author discusses a varied selection of books about young women living abroad. Draws on her own experiences as a Diplomat’s Wife. Features Out of Africa and The Jewel In The Crown with three more travel classics

    The best books on Foreign Memoirs, recommended by Jennifer Steil

  • Read
    The best books on Foreign Memoirs - River Town by Peter Hessler

    1

    River Town
    by Peter Hessler

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    The best books on Foreign Memoirs - Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson

    2

    Three Cups of Tea
    by Greg Mortenson

  • Read
    The best books on Foreign Memoirs - The Zanzibar Chest by Aidan Hartley

    3

    The Zanzibar Chest
    by Aidan Hartley

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    The best books on Foreign Memoirs - The Caliph’s House by Tahir Shah

    4

    The Caliph’s House
    by Tahir Shah

  • Read
    The best books on Foreign Memoirs - The Sex Lives of Cannibals by J Maarten Troost

    5

    The Sex Lives of Cannibals
    by J Maarten Troost

The best books on Foreign Memoirs, recommended by Jennifer Steil

The first five books in the genre, as picked by a writer, journalist and actor who wrote a memoir about running a newspaper in Yemen.

    The best books on Travel in the Muslim World, recommended by Ziauddin Sardar

  • Read
    The best books on Travel in the Muslim World - The Travels of Ibn Battutah by Ibn Battutah (edited by Tim Mackintosh-Smith)

    1

    The Travels of Ibn Battutah
    by Ibn Battutah (edited by Tim Mackintosh-Smith)

  • Read
    The best books on Travel in the Muslim World - Travels with a Tangerine by Tim Mackintosh-Smith

    2

    Travels with a Tangerine
    by Tim Mackintosh-Smith

  • Read
    The best books on Travel in the Muslim World - Meetings with Remarkable Muslims by Barnaby Rogerson and Rose Baring

    3

    Meetings with Remarkable Muslims
    by Barnaby Rogerson and Rose Baring

  • Read
    The best books on Travel in the Muslim World - The Fugitive by Pramoedya Ananta Toer

    4

    The Fugitive
    by Pramoedya Ananta Toer

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    The best books on Travel in the Muslim World - The Road from Damascus by Robin Yassin-Kassab

    5

    The Road from Damascus
    by Robin Yassin-Kassab

The best books on Travel in the Muslim World, recommended by Ziauddin Sardar

The Professor of Postcolonial Studies at City University, London, talks to us about Islamic travel books. Explains how travel should be both a physical and a mental exercise focussed on immersing oneself in local culture

    The best books on The Nile, recommended by Dan Morrison

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    The best books on The Nile - The Black Nile by Dan Morrison

    1

    The Black Nile
    by Dan Morrison

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    The best books on The Nile - The White Nile by Alan Moorehead

    2

    The White Nile
    by Alan Moorehead

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    The best books on The Nile - A Different Shade of Colonialism by Eve M Troutt Powell

    3

    A Different Shade of Colonialism
    by Eve M Troutt Powell

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    The best books on The Nile - The Nile by Robert O Collins

    4

    The Nile
    by Robert O Collins

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    The best books on The Nile - Emma’s War by Deborah Scroggins

    5

    Emma’s War
    by Deborah Scroggins

The best books on The Nile, recommended by Dan Morrison

Journalist and author of The Black Nile, who spent six months travelling the famous river, discusses some of the turbulent times that the Nile has witnessed – and praises its extraordinary beauty.

    The best books on Mexico, recommended by Hugh Thomson

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    The best books on Mexico - Under the Volcano by Malcolm Lowry

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    Under the Volcano
    by Malcolm Lowry

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    The best books on Mexico - The Underdogs by Mariano Azuela

    2

    The Underdogs
    by Mariano Azuela

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    The best books on Mexico - The Conquest of Mexico by Hugh Thomas

    3

    The Conquest of Mexico
    by Hugh Thomas

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    The best books on Mexico - Robbery Under Law by Evelyn Waugh

    4

    Robbery Under Law
    by Evelyn Waugh

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    The best books on Mexico - The Treasure of the Sierra Madre by B Traven

    5

    The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
    by B Traven

The best books on Mexico, recommended by Hugh Thomson

Explorer, film-maker and writer, Hugh Thomson, picks the best books on Mexico, from the revolution in 1910, to the conquistadors, to gold mines, to the fatalism of Mexico and more.

    The best books on The Andes, recommended by Michael Jacobs

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    The best books on The Andes - The Condor and the Cows by Christopher Isherwood

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    The Condor and the Cows
    by Christopher Isherwood

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    The best books on The Andes - The Conquest of the Incas by John Hemming

    2

    The Conquest of the Incas
    by John Hemming

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    The best books on The Andes - Patagonia: A Cultural History by Chris Moss

    3

    Patagonia: A Cultural History
    by Chris Moss

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    The best books on The Andes - The White Rock by Hugh Thomson

    4

    The White Rock
    by Hugh Thomson

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    The best books on The Andes - Devil in the Mountain by Simon Lamb

    5

    Devil in the Mountain
    by Simon Lamb

The best books on The Andes, recommended by Michael Jacobs

The respected author and prominent Hispanist examines the history and people of The Andes. Selects and reviews five great reads, including classics from Isherwood and Hemming

    The best books on India, Ancient and Modern, recommended by William Dalrymple

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    The best books on India - Indian Summer: The Secret History of the End of an Empire by Alex von Tunzleman

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    Indian Summer: The Secret History of the End of an Empire
    by Alex von Tunzleman

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    The best books on India - In Spite of the Gods by Edward Luce

    2

    In Spite of the Gods
    by Edward Luce

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    The best books on India - The Argumentative Indian by Amartya Sen

    3

    The Argumentative Indian
    by Amartya Sen

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    The best books on India - The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy

    4

    The God of Small Things
    by Arundhati Roy

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    The best books on India - Mahabharata by Peter Brook

    5

    Mahabharata
    by Peter Brook

The best books on India, Ancient and Modern, recommended by William Dalrymple

The award-winning writer selects five books on India and says that the Mahabharata, eight times the length of the Bible, is one of the great works of literature of mankind – and every bit as good as it’s made out to be

    The best books on The Polar Regions, recommended by Sara Wheeler

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    The best books on The Polar Regions - The Worst Journey in the World by Apsley Cherry-Garrard

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    The Worst Journey in the World
    by Apsley Cherry-Garrard

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    The best books on The Polar Regions - Arctic Dreams by Barry Lopez

    2

    Arctic Dreams
    by Barry Lopez

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    The best books on The Polar Regions - An African in Greenland by Tete-Michel Kpomassie

    3

    An African in Greenland
    by Tete-Michel Kpomassie

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    The best books on The Polar Regions - The Reindeer People by Piers Vitebsky

    4

    The Reindeer People
    by Piers Vitebsky

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    The best books on The Polar Regions - The Ice by Stephen J. Pyne

    5

    The Ice
    by Stephen J. Pyne

The best books on The Polar Regions, recommended by Sara Wheeler

The acclaimed author discusses the Polar Regions. She says an African In Greenland is the best book ever written on Greenland – the story of a man from Togo who went there in the 1960s

    The best books on The Khyber Pass, recommended by Paddy Docherty

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    The best books on The Khyber Pass - Soldier Sahibs by Charles Allen

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    Soldier Sahibs
    by Charles Allen

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    The best books on The Khyber Pass - Desert of Death by Leo Docherty

    2

    Desert of Death
    by Leo Docherty

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    The best books on The Khyber Pass - Descent Into Chaos by Ahmed Rashid

    3

    Descent Into Chaos
    by Ahmed Rashid

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    The best books on The Khyber Pass - Genghis Khan by John Man

    4

    Genghis Khan
    by John Man

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    The best books on The Khyber Pass - The Languages of the World by Kenneth Katzner

    5

    The Languages of the World
    by Kenneth Katzner

The best books on The Khyber Pass, recommended by Paddy Docherty

Historian discusses five books on one of the world’s most enigmatic and dangerous places. “The atmosphere inside the Khyber is certainly very tense. You don’t see people strutting around having a nice time”

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