While reading and travel might appear to be rather different pastimes – one typically solitary and in place, the other a chance to meet new people far from home – they can evoke many of the same feelings.
Remember reading as a child and discovering for the first time how you might drift outside yourself and into another time and place? On the page as on a trip, you can meet strangers who soon became familiar, and even might feel almost indistinguishable from yourself. Both are an opportunity to see the world through the eyes of another “I” and connect in unexpected ways.
It should come as no surprise, then, that during the COVID-19 pandemic, while we’re practicing social distancing, staying home, or self-quarantining, sales of literature are on the rise – as much as 33% in some countries. Reading is offering everyone a chance to roam from home, drawing you out of mundane routines into imaginative adventures. This is a chance to redefine our experience of staying put; let’s consider it as settling in.
With just a bit of good prose, you can embark on someone else’s journey, whether that’s through wagons, planes, bicycles, or walking 800 miles along the El Camino de Santiago. Here are several exceptional travel memoirs that can transport you to distant lands and inspire future explorations while allowing you to enjoy the comforts of your favorite reading nook at home.
Solitary Wanderlust
The Longest Way Home: One Man’s Quest for the Courage to Settle Down by Andrew McCarthy.
This memoir honors solitary wanderlust while urging us to cherish our commitments. Andrew McCarthy recounts his yearlong pilgrimage around the world, visiting places like Spain, Patagonia, the Amazon, and Kilimanjaro, while also reflecting on his journey from vagabond to married man. He expresses:
“There’s something in the act of setting out that renews me, filling me with a feeling of possibility. On the road, I rely on instinct and intuition, experiencing kindness from strangers that reveals who I truly am.”
Facing Your Fears
West with the Night by Beryl Markham
You might turn to West with the Night for an exploration of fear. Beryl Markham reflects on her childhood in Kenya and her thrilling aviation feats, including the first solo east-to-west flight across the Atlantic in 1936. She describes:
“A map in a pilot’s hands is a testament of trust and confidence. It says to you, ‘Read me carefully, follow closely, and doubt me not. Without me, you are alone and lost.’”
Staying Present in Ordinary Moments
The Snow Leopard by Peter Matthiessen
This memoir documents Matthiessen’s trek into the Himalayas with zoologist George Schaller. He aims for both a scientific and spiritual experience, revealing the importance of being present in each moment. He writes:
“In that split second, eternity intersects with present time. Thought and action are not different, and everything around is one. The exhilarating awareness extends even into ordinary moments.”
Traveling at Home
Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard
Annie Dillard’s memoir invites readers to be attentive to the present moment. It chronicles her explorations along Tinker Creek while the world around her shifts. She reflects on her experience:
“I am a frayed and nibbled survivor in a fallen world, getting along. I am wandering in awe on this splintered wreck I care for, drawn to the beauty that exists even amidst imperfections.”
We, too, are charged with caring for our surroundings and each other during this inexplicable moment. Whether traveling across the globe or remaining in our homes, we still belong to this world. Dillard’s insights remind us that existence persists despite uncertainty. To navigate these circumstances, travelers learn to adapt, seek new paths, and ultimately find their way back home.
