If you’re looking for reviews of the latest and best new travel books, I don’t have you covered. But if you’re looking for inspiration for your next trip, actionable travel advice or a better understanding of the world you’re exploring, this list is for you.
This running list of books has given me valuable insight into places and cultures, inspired me to travel or made me think more deeply about the way we move around the world. I’m lucky to count lots of excellent writers among my friends, and you’ll find some of their books—and mine—here.
Happy reading!
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Beginner’s Guide To Japan by Pico Iyer
I read this while cruising through Asia and ahead of a 12-hour layover in Tokyo, my first visit to Japan. If you’re looking for a practical guide with train tips and sightseeing recommendations, this isn’t it. But if you’re looking to better understand Japanese culture and Japanese people, A Beginner’s Guide to Japan is a must-read.
By sharing his perspective as a sort of local, Pico Iyer helped me better understand the sleeping businessmen I encountered on the train from Haneda International Airport, the giggling schoolgirls I came across in Shibuya and the unwritten rules I observed being followed all around me. Reading this before stepping off the plane in Tokyo helped me get more out of a short trip and has me inspired to head back to Japan already.
This isn’t a travel guide by any means. It’s more of a cultural guide, and it’s a must-read for anyone traveling to Japan.
Devil in the White City by Erik Larson
If you’re into architecture, true crime or like to dive deep into the cities you visit, this book is for you. The Devil In The White City tells the stories of Daniel Burnham, the architect behind the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago, and H. H. Holmes, widely believed to be the first serial killer in the U.S.
This book is historical nonfiction that reads like a murder mystery novel. As a Law & Order addict, I was all in. Reading feels like walking through the streets of Old Town, a neighborhood filled with opulent mansions built in the late 1800s around the time of the World’s Fair. This book will transport you to Humboldt Park’s idyllic boat house, the Ferris wheel at Navy Pier and a shadier time in Chicago history.
Chicago Scavenger Hunt by Jessica Mlinaric
For a more up-to-date guide to Chicago, check out this interactive guidebook to the best of Chicago’s hidden treasures. With Chicago Scavenger Hunt, Chicago-based author Jessica Mlinaric takes visitors on an interactive adventure across the city. This journey will take you to 17 neighborhoods in search of 300 pieces of local treasure.
Use the clues in this book to find little-known museums, vibrant examples of public art and historical markers worth the stop. Have a drink at Chicago’s smallest bar. Walk the Yellow Brick Road. Visit the nation’s first Black art museum or stay in the city’s most unique accommodations—a Bed & Breakfast run by monks.
Lonely Planet Iceland
If you’ve asked me for Iceland travel tips over the years, I’ve now got an entire guidebook for you. I wrote several introductory chapters and chapters on Reykjavik and southwest Iceland for Lonely Planet Iceland. A couple of Icelandic colleagues and an American colleague covered the northern and eastern parts of the island and taught me so much more about the country.
For my sections, I dove deep into Icelandic history and nature. I visited the LAVA Center, which has turned out to be an especially insightful experience considering how many volcanic eruptions have happened in southwestern Iceland since. What I’m most proud of, however, is getting an entire section of reasons travelers shouldn’t mimic Justin Bieber by editors and having the perspective to mention Bollywood films shot here as well as Hollywood blockbusters.
We also include lots of money-saving tips and demystify everything from Iceland’s unusually broad array of milk choices to its cultural fascination with elves.
Lonely Planet New York City
New York is a beast of a city to have to find your way around even as a seasoned traveler. This Lonely Planet New York City guide from a team of expert writers and current/former residents is designed to help.
I wrote the Toolkit and History of New York City in 15 places for this guide, and am so glad I got to put all the research I’ve done on Stone Street, the city’s museums and countless points in between over the years. I’m also thrilled to have my work alongside others whose work I admire and to see mentions of several of my favorite places across the boroughs.
A few key tips for your trip to New York City:
- Don’t accept rides from airport hustlers.
- Don’t plan to experience everything in one trip. It took me about eight years of living in New York to experience most of the things I wanted to do in the city, and I still have a few upstate day trips to make.
- Expect to spend more on accommodations than in other cities, but remember many of the best things to do in New York City are free.
- Never pay full price for Broadway tickets.
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