Travel Books

Everyday life in Iran is often mischaracterised, says the Iranian author and academic Jasmin Darznik – 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 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

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

Travelling is not the same as going on holiday, says Ziauddin Sardar, the writer, broadcaster and cultural critic He recommends five books about travellers in the Muslim world—from 14th-century Morocco to 20th-century Damascus by way of Indonesia.

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.

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 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 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