Travel Books

Crazy Penguin

I'm a student, kinda, I'm a part time post grad student who has lost a job I hated and has gone mad reading book after book after book. I've taken up Travel Books-not a lot of info on the place but the stories created there. I loved "A Year in the Merde" (I've no idea who wrote it) but it's something I would like to keep reading....Any suggestions for something similiar I can read?

Sergeant

Bill Bryson wrote a series of travel books, Notes from a Small Island being possibly the best known of them.

McCarthy's Bar by Pete McCarthy is entertaining.

Holidays in Hell by P.J. O'Rourke is extremely funny, as he travels to some of the most desperate, conflict torn areas in the world. He is a right wing columnist, so it might rile some people.

Crazy Penguin

Thank you so much!!
I've read McCArthy Bar but I will def look for the others when I hit the library tomorrow.

DazMarz

Not sure if it'd be the kind of thing you're after, OP, but Crime by Irvine Welsh is a tale of a 'fish-out-of-water' Scottish police officer in Miami and the experience he has there trying to perform heroics to save a young girl. Not a true story, but a damn good one and a cracking thriller that I find myself re-reading an awful lot.

I'd highly recommend this to anyone.

Crazy Penguin

Thanks Daz! It certainly sounds like my kinda book!! With exams looming at the end of the summer I'm in denial and reading everything I can to avoid study!! Thanks for the suggestions!! I'm loving this!

matrim

You could try Down and Out in London and Paris by George Orwell

bullpost

Anything by Philip Marsden:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Barefoot-Emperor-Ethiopian-Tragedy/dp/0007173466/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1270819242&sr=1-3

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Spirit-Wrestlers-Philip-Marsden/dp/0006388779/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1270819242&sr=1-4

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Chains-Heaven-Ethiopian-Romance-non-fiction/dp/0007173482/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1270819242&sr=1-7

tawfeeredux

If you liked A Year in the Merde (stephen Clarke btw), I'd say you'd like Tim Moore's French Revolutions, read it last year in France & i nearly pis*ed meself laughing at some of it.

Also in the travel mode is Geert Mak's In Europe, combines travel & a history of Europe in the 20th century, fascinating stuff.

jonnybadd

A good author that kinda qualifies is Tony Hawks, the lad who went hitch-hiked around Ireland with a fridge. One of his more recent ones is concerning a house he bought in rural France and the experiences he renovating it and becoming known in the village. He has a few but the two mentioned above would be my favourites. Like the OP mentioned its not so much about the place, but the people and the experiences

smallerthanyou

There are a few of those Merde books. Possibly 3. They're all hilarious!

Crazy Penguin

SO glad I checked this tonight before hitting the lilbrary!! All these sound fantastic I didn't know there were more in the merde books so looking forward to me library trip tomorrow!! Ill fly through these now that exams are coming closer thanks guys

Monkeybonkers

Here's a link to Stephen Clarkes site with a list of his books. I've read a few myself and they're all pretty funny.

http://www.stephenclarkewriter.com/index.php

cailinoBAC

Some travel books I've liked, sorry, I don't have all the details of authors and all
In Patagonia
In Siberia (Colin Thubron)
I wasn't really mad on Tony Hawks to be honest.
I liked Dave Gorman's books, I know they're not exactly travel.
Nul Points, Tim Moore I think,
On the Couch
I've read loads more but have to try and remember them...

_TheLegend_

jonnybadd wrote: »

A good author that kinda qualifies is Tony Hawks, the lad who went hitch-hiked around Ireland with a fridge. One of his more recent ones is concerning a house he bought in rural France and the experiences he renovating it and becoming known in the village. He has a few but the two mentioned above would be my favourites. Like the OP mentioned its not so much about the place, but the people and the experiences

i read his Book about hitchhiking with a fridge.....found it in a charity shop great book..has anyone tried anything similiar since then ??

_TheLegend_

Does anyone know of any mad books about doing ****ty jobs abroad such as grape picking, washing up in sleezy restraunts and that sort of thing?

sammalone

A frind of mine wrote and published a travel book recently of his times travelling in india, china & tibet. "The High Road To Tibet" by John Dwyer - i'm not sure where you can purchase it outside of Waterstones & Easons in Cork.
Has anyone any ideas on getting the book out there actually? It would be nice after he has it published to sell a few copies. Any ideas would be gratefully accepted

Benny_Cake

Peter Moore is a very funny travel writer, Swahili for the Broken-Hearted was particularly good.

Anything by Bill Bryson or Dervla Kirwan is usually pretty good too.

paulanthony

Try Paul Theroux - http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/search?searchTerm=paul+theroux&search=search

Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck - http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/book/9780141186108/Travels-with-Charley

Peter Mayle, A year in Provence - http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/book/9780140296037/A-Year-in-Provence

Bruce Fogle, Travels with Macy - http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/book/9780091899158/Travels-with-Macy

Bill2673

I've read a good few travel books.

My favourite ones would have been

Full Tilt - Dervla Murphy
The Brendan Voyage - Tim Severin
Seven Years in Tibet (can't remember the chaps name)