Books that will make you fall in love with the world
These travel reads inspire serious wanderlust.
Those of us who follow the way of wanderlust are wild romantics. When we encounter the pheromone of the unfamiliar, we feel, see, touch, taste, and smell more keenly. Our minds are on high alert, noticing and processing everything—from the geometry of cobbled paths and thatched roofs to the tones of stray dogs and wild birds to the smell of new flowers and old dust.
We fall in love with the world.
Here are four books that capture wanderlust:
A Moveable Feast (1964) is Ernest Hemingway’s nostalgic remembrance of his days as a struggling young writer in the heady expat world of Paris in the 1920s. It’s a tender portrait of a time and place that had a lasting impact on his life. As he famously said, “If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life, it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast.”
In Pilgrim at Tinker Creek (1974), Annie Dillard eloquently employs the flora and fauna of the Blue Ridge Mountains as a springboard for wide-ranging ruminations on solitude, writing, faith, the wonders of the natural world, and the interconnectedness of everyday life, from a tiny patch of Virginia earth to the edges of the cosmos.
Pico Iyer moved to Kyoto with the goal of studying to become a monk. He quickly abandoned that dream but stayed in the ancient capital and became a student of Japan instead, falling in love with the culture and with a Japanese woman. He enchantingly unfolds the tale of this dual romance in The Lady and the Monk (1991).
My life was changed by Peter Matthiessen’s The Snow Leopard (1978). Matthiessen exquisitely interweaves three threads: an account of his expedition to Nepal to find the elusive snow leopard; a personal elucidation of Buddhism’s history, principles, and practices; and poignant reflections on the unraveling relationships in his own family. This is a book about making leaps in the world, and the rewards that can ensue.
Related Topics
Go Further
Animals
- When did bioluminescence evolve? It’s older than we thought.When did bioluminescence evolve? It’s older than we thought.
- Soy, skim … spider. Are any of these technically milk?Soy, skim … spider. Are any of these technically milk?
- This pristine piece of the Amazon shows nature’s resilienceThis pristine piece of the Amazon shows nature’s resilience
- Octopuses have a lot of secrets. Can you guess 8 of them?
- Animals
- Feature
Octopuses have a lot of secrets. Can you guess 8 of them?
Environment
- This pristine piece of the Amazon shows nature’s resilienceThis pristine piece of the Amazon shows nature’s resilience
- Listen to 30 years of climate change transformed into haunting musicListen to 30 years of climate change transformed into haunting music
- This ancient society tried to stop El Niño—with child sacrificeThis ancient society tried to stop El Niño—with child sacrifice
- U.S. plans to clean its drinking water. What does that mean?U.S. plans to clean its drinking water. What does that mean?
History & Culture
- Gambling is everywhere now. When is that a problem?Gambling is everywhere now. When is that a problem?
- Beauty is pain—at least it was in 17th-century SpainBeauty is pain—at least it was in 17th-century Spain
- The real spies who inspired ‘The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare’The real spies who inspired ‘The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare’
- Heard of Zoroastrianism? The religion still has fervent followersHeard of Zoroastrianism? The religion still has fervent followers
- Strange clues in a Maya temple reveal a fiery political dramaStrange clues in a Maya temple reveal a fiery political drama
Science
- NASA has a plan to clean up space junk—but is going green enough?NASA has a plan to clean up space junk—but is going green enough?
- Soy, skim … spider. Are any of these technically milk?Soy, skim … spider. Are any of these technically milk?
- Can aspirin help protect against colorectal cancers?Can aspirin help protect against colorectal cancers?
- The unexpected health benefits of Ozempic and MounjaroThe unexpected health benefits of Ozempic and Mounjaro
- Do you have an inner monologue? Here’s what it reveals about you.Do you have an inner monologue? Here’s what it reveals about you.
Travel
- What it's like to hike the Camino del Mayab in MexicoWhat it's like to hike the Camino del Mayab in Mexico
- Follow in the footsteps of Robin Hood in Sherwood ForestFollow in the footsteps of Robin Hood in Sherwood Forest
- This chef is taking Indian cuisine in a bold new directionThis chef is taking Indian cuisine in a bold new direction
- On the path of Latin America's greatest wildlife migrationOn the path of Latin America's greatest wildlife migration
- Everything you need to know about Everglades National ParkEverything you need to know about Everglades National Park