Do the brimming racks of the library enchant you? Or the stale yet nostalgic smell of the book makes you wonder about tales? The world of literature is magical. It brings ambivalent thoughts, beliefs, values, and cultures to you under one shade. Broadly, literature refers to the collection of written works. These written works are classified as art forms, fiction, drama, poetry, and many more.
Today, the strings in the literary world continue to expand vividly and seamlessly. We cannot but appreciate how every literary era brought us something new to read and learn about. If Shakespeare’s Romeo Juliet spoke about boundless and eternal love, then Bram Stoker’s Dracula, instilled the gothic flavors of horror fiction. With time, new forms of literary compositions thrive, which we all are enthusiastic to explore deeper. Travel fiction is one such timeless flavor that both kids and adults relish. Therefore, Podium brings you this teeny little guide on the best picks from travel fiction which will help you traverse places and find comfort in cities and towns!
Knowing Travel Literature
Literature, as we know, has a pot full of different shades and forms. One of its forms is travel literature. It is a form of literature that consists of written works devoted to travel journeys, discovering lands, places, and all about journeys to untouched adventurous spots.
Travel literature can be of an ambivalent array of writing genres. They can also be essays, novels, novellas, epistolary, memoirs, and others. They can be either informative, humorous, poignant, or serious. The first traces of this form of literary composition were found in medieval China, Arabic literary pieces, and ancient Greek texts.
Features Of Travel Literature
Travel literature is usually non-fiction and they take shape out of personal experiences. This type of literary composition has a first-person narration, which further adjoins the personal journeying of the writer. This kind of written works is descriptive as they tell you more about the place the writer has been to and is writing about.
The purpose of this type of written work is to inform and at the same time let the readers enjoy reading about different places. An ideal piece of travel literature requires you to be good at sensing and expression. You, as a writer, must be open in sensing places and expressing about it in the best imaginative patterns. You also need to be inculcated well of social skills, to interact and touch the roots to know the land you are traveling in.
Must-Read Pieces Of Travel Literature
With ambivalent choices to read from the travel literature world, it might sometimes be hard to decide on what to read first. Here is a list from Podium School, suggesting to you the best literary pieces from the travel world, which must be read.
The Motorcycle Diaries By Ernesto Guevara
A travel memoir, The Motorcycle Diaries was penned by Ernesto Guevara. The memoir narrates the journey of Marxist, Ernesto Guevara along with his friend Alberto Granado across South America and their hometown Argentina. His travels include visiting well-known places of Latin America such as the Atacama Desert, Machu Picchu, and others. The memoir is also about graving social issues including the difficulties of mineworkers, communists’ difficulties, and shredded stories of Inca civilization.
This memoir is also well known for its vivid and deep description of traveling in Cuba. This tale of self-exploration coupled with personal and political views has been a New York Times bestseller for many years. Once you start from the first page, you cannot but let your eyes wander to different places in South America. The book also inspired a film of the same name. You can check out the trailer here!
The Alchemist By Paulo Coelho
Got a young heart and wild spirit? If yes, then you must not miss reading The Alchemist penned by Paulo Coelho. A travel novel, the story narrates the expedition of a young shepherd from Egypt to Spain. The book will not just swirl you with the protagonist’s ups and downs in exploring the world but also inspire you staunchly in its simple yet powerful words and quotes.
The novel takes you to new places, teaches you to encounter flaws, and at the end of the day, follow what your heart desires. It also emphasizes how unknown roads can take you to beautiful destinations and can fulfill the dreams floating in your vision. Add this gem to your collection of memorable reads and buy a copy here!
The Bone Man of Benares By Terry Tarnoff
If you are looking to visit numerous places at once, reading The Bone Man Of Benares by Terry Tarnoff will surely give you that experience. This book has the right blend of traveling the world and living every moment of life. This autobiographical tale, narrated the experiences of Terry Tarnoff as he traveled across places in Thailand, Laos, Amsterdam, Sweden, Kenya, Greece, Nepal, Paris, India, and Indonesia.
The book also witnesses Terry meeting people with different beliefs and values which he then inculcates only to see himself as a growing person each day. If you love to see how destinations influence your personality, this book should be on your must-read list. Intrigued much? Then buy your own copy of this timeless travel read, here!
In a Sunburned Country By Bill Bryson
Penned by one of the most prominent writers in travel literature, Bill Bryson’s In a Sunburned Country will ride you through what has been forgotten. The book will take you on an expedition across Australia. However, the twist element in this book is that you will not see what is enormous and famous.
Instead, you will visualize a country from east to west, which has forgotten cities, towns, and canopies with pathways. It will also familiarise you with different species of living kinds in Australia. To read this book, you just do not need a strong understanding of the language but also a daring heart to remember the past and meet living beings other than humans.
All Roads Lead To Ganga By Ruskin Bond
Looking for a literary piece soaked in Indian flavors? Ruskin Bond’s All Roads Lead to Ganga will give you glimpses of the Himalayas and its beauty. The book takes you on a journey in the Himalayas and introduces the colors and diversities of cultures available amidst its same white snow.
The book is a travel memoir, highlighting the lives of villages on the banks of Ganga, the holy river which emerges from the Himalayas. The tales in the memoir will also take you through the different places in India. Once you start reading the book, you cannot help but feel the coolness and richness of the Himalayas.
These are some of the must-read pieces of travel literature you should read. Apart from this, you can also start writing your travelogues, travel memoirs, novellas. To help you enrich your creativity and writing skills, we at Podium School will keep bringing you resources to enhance your creative writing skills. We intend to help you nourish what you have and express the best in terms of words.
We want to look out for you all the time and help you in growing the writer in you. Apart from this, we also have different courses which will further help you establish your expressive skills, communication skills, and others. We cannot wait to have you with us and try out some best courses, designed with a framework to aid and grow you. Lastly, we eagerly wait for your suggestions on your experiences at our blog and value your thoughts. We wish you happy reading and blooming.
Till then, keep traveling, reading, and penning. Adios!
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