So many people bring a book on a plane, but what if you haven’t found the perfect plane ticket yet or are still looking for inspiration to fly somewhere? Take one of your favorite travel hobbies, reading, and grab one of these books, curl up on your couch, pour yourself a glass of wine or tea and get inspired to book a flight.
10 Nowhere For Very Long by Brianna Madia
If the van life trend has you selling anything you can make a living off of a car, this book is for you. Brianna Madia chronicles her life as she lived in a bright orange, battered van with her two dogs. She doesn’t shy away from the hard-to-swallow details, and she doesn’t sugarcoat everything as if everything is glamorous. This book is the epitome of letting go and trusting the universe, unlearning the conventional ways most of us were raised to do, trusting our gut and going with the flow.
9 Unlikely Destinations: The Lonely Planet Story by Tony and Maureen Wheeler
Everyone who travels even a little bit has heard of Lonely Planet. It’s one of the best travel sites out there, offering travel guides from everywhere from Timbuktu to Tunisia. Ever wonder how one of the world’s best travel guides got started? Look no further than this book. This book explains the authors’ upbringing, as well as some of the less far-off and more technical business aspects of how they got their company to where it is today. This book is great for someone who also wants to start a travel business from scratch.
8th Cruising Attitude by Heather Poole
If you’re looking for more insider information about the world of travel, Heather Poole’s Cruising Altitude is sure to have you covered. She tells about her life as a flight attendant for 15 years and gives an insider insight into everyday flight life Yes, really how. Guaranteed a laugh and farewell with a few travel tips, this is an easy read for anyone who loves to travel.
7 Shaking Your Sleeping Self by Jedidah Jenkins
Ever wanted to quit your job to travel? Get inspired by Jedidiah Jenkins, a man who gave up his dream job and spent sixteen months biking from Oregon to Patagonia. His chronicles will have you wondering what constitutes a fulfilling, meaningful life. He doesn’t shy away from subjects like religious upbringing and the internal conflicts that it can create inside and outside of a person, but no matter what, he stays true to the book’s subject and focuses on its original purpose: travel.
6 Catch Me If You Can by Jessica Nabongo
Jessica Nabongo had a mission as she visited her 60th country: to be the first black woman on record to visit every country in the world. She has since achieved that goal, writing a book of admirable adventures and phenomenal photography spanning her journey from start to finish. She makes a point of acknowledging nations around the world that experience less love, and she casts a positive light on seeking adventure in places less traveled.
5 Expedition 196 by Cassie DePecol
Cassie de Pecol made waves back in 2017 when she reportedly became the first woman ever to travel to every country in the world. She accomplished this feat at the age of just 27, breaking the Guinness Book of Records at the time by being both the youngest and fastest person to visit all 196 sovereign nations. She has written a book about her experiences and it is quick and easy to read and mentions nations like Mongolia, North Korea and Italy. Check out for inspiration from a seriously motivated woman.
4 Tales of Alvaro Rojas
Speaking of people who have visited every country in the world, Alvaro Rojas has completed his journey to all 196 nations as the youngest Spaniard to have visited all nations. His book tells a simple story from each nation he has visited (meaning every single one) and each is paired with impeccable photography. He talks about how he eventually quit his job to travel full-time and used his photography skills to fund the trips. He remains honest about feeling bored at times, overwhelmed at times, and lonely at other times, but overall he did what he set out to do and completed this remarkable journey.
3 Cheat, Gamble, Live by Lisa Edwards
A clear nod to Eat, Pray, Love, this book tells the chronicle of a woman who gets divorced and sets out to meet attractive men on beautiful beaches around the world. What she later finds in Goa, India is the power of sobriety and a more peaceful life. Her memoir is a journey as she reads her ups and downs through healing from childhood trauma and transforming from a once chaotic life to one with only room for self-love.
2 Tales of a Female Nomad: Living at Large in the World by Rita Golden Gelman
Rita Golden Gelman tells the remarkable story of how she left everything behind at the age of 48 to move to Mexico. She left her glamorous life on paper in Los Angeles behind, sold all her belongings, left her husband and took a giant leap by embracing the nomadic lifestyle. She connected with women all over the world and learned to connect with her inner child. If you feel like you’re stuck in a rut of the everyday hamster wheel lifestyle, maybe Rita can provide a little inspiration to change it up and take a leap.
1 My life on the road by Gloria Steinem
Perhaps one of America’s most notable women’s rights advocates, Gloria Steinem recounts her long journey to becoming a global activist. She specifically references her time spent in India and, like Americans, often oo’s and ahh’s in explaining the time spent in Zimbabwe, but yawned when discussing the time spent in Kansas. She encourages travelers to look into her own backyard while sharing her incredible story of how travel has helped hone her craft in the fight for women on a global scale.
