Key Takeaways
- I’ve been terrible this year when it comes to books. I started off with a reading bang, but writing my own book and planning TravelCon took up so much
- By the end of the day, I just didn’t have the energy to process words. I used to read a book every week or so; this year, it’s sometimes taken me mont
- I broke a habit — and now getting back into the flow again is proving tougher than I thought (though I am setting a specific time during my day to rea
I’ve been terrible this year when it comes to books. I started off with a reading bang, but writing my own book and planning TravelCon took up so much time that I must admit that I haven’t read a lot this year.
By the end of the day, I just didn’t have the energy to process words. I used to read a book every week or so; this year, it’s sometimes taken me months to finish one.
I broke a habit — and now getting back into the flow again is proving tougher than I thought (though I am setting a specific time during my day to read again, so that’s good).
And that is why it’s been a long time since we had a “best travel books of the year” list. I’ve been asked for recommendations, but I just haven’t had many to give. However, I finished a few books in the last couple of weeks, so I finally feel I have enough suggestions to warrant a new post!
So here is a new post on my favorite books of 2018 (so far). There are a lot of non-travel books on this list, as I’m trying to expand my reading genres!
Dune, by Frank Herbert
I love the cheesy Syfy channel movies based on this book and finally decided to pick up this massive 800-page tome. The story centers around Paul Atreides and the desert planet Arrakis, one of the most important planets in the cosmos because it produces the “spice.” The world building is amazing. I couldn’t put this book down. It had character depth, intrigue, and action mixed in with philosophy and what it means to have power and lead a good life. It’s no surprise that this is one of the most epic and important sci-fi works ever written.
Souvenir (Object Lessons), by Rolf Potts
From the best-selling author of the backpacking bible Vagabonding, this new book by Rolf Potts explores the hidden lives of ordinary things. Potts goes back several millennia to examine the relic-driven journeys of Christians as well as the gimmicky souvenirs you’ll find at any shop in any tourist destination. It’s a short — but insightful — read that is a great treatise on the power of souvenirs and why we buy the things we do when we travel.
Conspiracy, by Ryan Holiday
This is a real-life story of how Gawker outed PayPal founder and billionaire investor Peter Thiel as gay and how, seeking revenge, Thiel helped fund the Hulk Hogan lawsuit that, in the end, brought down the Gawker empire (Gawker was sued by Hogan for publishing his sex tape). Featuring interviews with all the key players, this book is a fascinating and sometimes scary read about how one man can bring down an empire, ego, and the insidious nature of conspiracies.
Tip of the Iceberg, by Mark Adams
Back in 1899, Edward H. Harriman (a rich railroad magnate) converted a steamship into a luxury cruise for some of America’s best scientists and writers and embarked on a summer voyage around Alaska. Now, author Mark Adams retraces that expedition, traveling over 3,000 miles along the coast of the state. Mark is one of my favorite writers, and this book is very reminiscent of Turn Right at Machu Picchu. Mark brings insight into the people, history, and culture of the state in a way he did with his other book.
The Black Penguin, by Andrew Evans
Andrew Evans’s life was laid out for him: church, mission, university, marriage, and children. But as a gay kid stuck in rural Ohio, he escaped to the pages of Nat Geo (which he now works for). After being shunned by his family, Evans set out on an overland journey halfway around the world. This is the story about his 12,000-mile journey over mountains and through deserts and jungles until he eventually reaches his ultimate goal: Antarctica. This is a really beautiful read that touches on faith, family, and self.
Atomic Habits, by James Clear
Not travel related, but Atomic Habits gives you a solid framework for improving yourself every single day. In this book, Clear discusses habit formation and reveals strategies that will teach you how forming good new habits will break the bad ones. It’s practical, insightful, and eye-opening. As he says: “
