A road trip is a great opportunity to catch up on some reading. And what better topic or theme to enjoy as the black top passes under the wheels than travel? I’ve picked out a few options for your delectation. So let’s see if you appreciate my choices shall we?
Perhaps the most quintessential of all books to read on a road trip, On The Road is a modern classic that details the adventures and obstacles of a group of young friends as they travel across the expanse of America. An intoxicating novel full of sex, drugs, and jazz!
amazon.com
The true account of 25-year-old journalist Nellie Bly’s attempt in 1889 to circumnavigate around the world in a faster time than it took Phineas Fogg in Jules Verne’s smash hit novel Around The World In 80 Days. Spoiler alert, she made it! Her journey is amazing and inspirational.
amazon.com
Gaining recent notoriety due to the brilliant big screen adaptation starring Reese Witherspoon, Cheryl Strayed’s emotional memoir about her attempts to rediscover herself by hiking the entire length of the Pacific Coast Trail is so inspiring that you may find yourself wanting to do the very same thing. Perfect for a road trip.
amazon.com
Not on such a grand scale as some of the others but endearing nonetheless, Anywhere But Here is a story about a single mother and her daughter moving across the United States from Wisconsin to Los Angeles. Described as a modern take on Huck Finn, the novel is funny and sentimental and a great road trip read.
amazon.com
Another travelling film that has been the subject of a recent big screen adaptation, this time starring actress Mia Wasikowska, Tracks tells the 1977 story of Robyn Davidson and her outlandish venture of making it across 1700 miles of Australian outback with four camels for company. The memoir of her travels became a bestseller.
amazon.com
Something a bit more weird and wonderful here, a graphic novel by Erika Lopez about a young woman travelling across the United States on a motorcycle. Full of rebellion, hilarious encounters and more than just a touch of rebellion, Flaming Iguanas is enough to turn even the most innocent road trips bad!
amazon.com
Made famous by a Hollywood adaptation starring Julia Roberts, Eat, Pray, Love is a memoir by Elizabeth Gilbert about the world travels of a heart broken woman trying to find solace in the scenery and rediscover herself along the way. Travelling through Italy, Bali and India, the book will certainly help to get the travel and adventure juices flowing.
amazon.com
A really interesting and captivating novel about an American family driving from the Deep South to California in preparation for what they believe is The Rapture. The story is told from the point of view of the family’s two daughters and is full of interesting questions and an engrossing family dynamic.
amazon.com
An engrossing and endlessly interesting memoir by acclaimed French writer Simone De Beauvoir detailing her travels from New York to Hollywood and back again in 1947. Travelling by car, train and bus, the writer encounters many weird and wonderful American pastimes, from slamming tequila shots to sampling chili con carne for the first time. A really interesting travel log that shows many cultural differences.
amazon.com
I’d love to hear your own suggestions because I might just be able to find room on my floor for a couple more books ^_^