7 Summer Travel Must-Reads

Now its officially summer! Well, in the United States anyway, here in Paraguay its officially winter. But, lets just go with it. One of my favorite things about summer is sitting on the beach reading a good book. So here is a list of some great summer reads that will also help you with the travel bug! Most of these are relatively older books, but, if you haven't read them before they are definitely worth it.

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Little Princes: One Man's Promise to Bring Home the Lost Children of Nepal (Nepal) : Follows the story of Connor Grennan who gave up is job to travel around the world for a year, three months of which would be spent volunteering at an orphanage in Nepal. Unsure of how he will be able to help, Connor eventually learns that the children are not in fact orphans but victims of child traffickers and he sets out on the, dangerous and seemingly impossible, task of reuniting them with their families. 

The Historian (Netherlands, France, Hungary, Romania, Turkey, Bulgaria & the United States): After finding an ancient book and old mysterious letters in her father's library they go off on an adventure in search of Dracula. Interweaving stories from past and present this book will keep you on the edge of your seat as you traverse the European continent.

The Lost Girls: Three Friends. Four Continents. One Unconventional Detour Around the World. (Around the World): Jen, Holly, and Amanda have recently quit their jobs and left their fast paced New York City lives behind them to travel around the world for a year. Follow along a they step outside their comfort zones and embrace any adventure that comes their way as the journey through four continents and over a dozen countries. (They now have a fabulous website that gives travel help to other lost girls like them.)

In a Sunburned Country (Australia): Another Bill Bryson classic, this is a report on what he found in the country that doubles as a continent. A place with the most welcoming natives, the hottest and driest climate and some the weirdest and most deadly wildlife.

The Routes of Man: Travels in the Paved World (Vintage) (Nigeria, Peru, China, Israel, India & Kenya): A story that aims to show us how roads connect us, metaphorically and literally, and how roads have the great power to transform communities and their people. Follow along as we explore six unique roadways around the world.

Wanderlust: A Love Affair with Five Continents (Around the World): Spanning over 15 years, this story follows the life of Elizabeth as she pursues her never-ending hunger for the new and unfamiliar. Starting in her sophomore year of college, she journeys through four continents in search of culture and romance. 

The Woman Who Fell from the Sky: An American Woman's Adventures in the Oldest City on Earth (Yemen): Unsettled in her life and career, Jennifer accepts a short-term job to teach a journalism class to the staff of the Yemen Observer. Excited by the eagerness of the staff reporters she extends her stay for a year as editor and chief of the paper. This book offers a rare glance into the role of the media in a Muslim country.

What are some of your favorite travel reads this summer?