the problem with travel books and wanderlust

I am, and will always been, in love with traveling. Insatiable Wanderlust. Some times all it takes is a quick weekend trip away from everything. Most of the time though, I'm daydreaming of all the other
countries, as well as other states right here in the US, that I want to see.

Unfortunately, I am also a very broke college graduate with rent to pay and a wedding to plan.  I don't exactly have an abundance of time or money.

Luckily I do have an escape, BOOKS. I can take a road trip cross country, learning about new landmarks along with the characters, and revisiting ones that I've been to before. I can travel to different countries that I've dreamed of visiting for well... ever.

I especially like the books that have me sitting with my phone or laptop next to me so that I can google places and facts to learn more. I can know random details, or fun stories of traditions and culture without ever having been there.

Sadly the "without ever having been there", is the kicker. Traveling via book is fantastic, but sometimes it only serves to make me want to jump on the next plane to a new country. I just get in my car and start driving.

So you tell me. Am I just the weird one here? Or are there others like me? Please comment below! Where do you want to go? What are your favorite travel books?? Can't wait to see your replies!

Tahleen takes a literary trip to Hawaii

Ever since my honeymoon, I've been kind of obsessed with reading books set in the beautiful islands of Hawaii. I've read fiction and nonfiction, adult books and children's literature. Anything that takes me back to that place and its people and culture. I've found a good number of books that are not only set there, but are also great reads. Or movies.

Me, on a catamaran tour of the Napali Coast of Kaua'i

The Descendants by Kaui Hart Hemmings

I watched the movie before reading the book, and I have to say I did enjoy the former better than the latter. Though I must say, never have I seen a movie that lifted so much of the dialogue right out of the book it's based on. Both are good.

The Descendants the movie

The movie is much richer visually, for obvious reasons, and thus gives a much stronger sense of place. It also developed the land issue that Matt King must figure out (he is the head of a trust that owns a huge piece of land on the island of Kaua'i and must decide whether to sell or not). I just think the visual medium is a better way to tell this story, and I like the characters better in the way they are portrayed here.

The Calvin Coconut series by Graham Salisbury

 

I love this series, which is aimed at children ages 7-10. It is set on Oahu, and follows the life of 4th-grader Calvin Coconut (yes, it's his real name; his dad is a famous singer who legally changed their name to Coconut before leaving them). I love that the stories are things that aren't about Hawaiian "issues," they are just about Calving getting into trouble or situations and trying to solve them on his own. And yet the Hawaiian culture is such a part of everything regardless, it doesn't need to be explained to readers who might not be familiar with it. And that might be the thing I love the most about this series.

Shark Dialogues by Kiana Davenport

This rich and poignant novel tells the story of Hawaii's history over the course of the lives of seven generations of women. It's a long book, but well worth it—it taught me about the lives of the people of Hawaii during America's seizure of its lands, its annexation, the leprosy plague, and in the late 20th century. It is eye opening and beautiful.

Unfamiliar Fishes by Sarah Vowell

This is a fantastic nonfiction book about Hawaii's history and culture. I listened to this on audio, and Vowell was great, though she did take a little getting used to.

And now I'm going to leave you with a few pictures from when I was in Hawaii.

At Waimea Canyon

Tunnels Beach

Waipi'o Valley

Do you have any places you like to visit in books?

Top Ten Tuesday -- FREEBIE week!

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This feature was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

Each week we will post a new Top Ten list  that one of our bloggers here at The Broke and the Bookish will answer. Everyone is welcome to join. All we ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND add your name to the Linky widget so that everyone can check out other bloggers lists! If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment. Have fun with it! It's a fun way to get to know your fellow bloggers.

This Top Ten Tuesday it's a freebie -- use this week to write a top ten list about ANYTHING in literature. Maybe you have a more specific list you want to do (Top Ten Dystopians, Top Ten Creatures in Paranormal Lit, Top Ten Classics, etc) or something completely your own?

Check here for future topics!

I decided that my (Jamie's) list is going to be:

Top Ten Books That Intensify The Travel Bug In Me

1. Amy & Roger's Epic Detour -- I honestly was starting to plan out my own epic roadtrip while reading this. I'm always the type who wants to go explore faraway lands but this book made me realize all the fun and awesome sites to be seen right in my own country!

2. anything Bill Bryson - if you like good travelogues...Bill Bryson is your man!

3. Eat, Pray, Love -  I know a lot of people hated this one but the descriptions made me salivate. Or maybe it was the food in the Italy section? Gross either way.

4.  French Milk -- This was SUCH an interesting read. It's a graphic novel about a girl and her mom's extended vacation in Paris. It seriously made me want to go back. Again with the food...lots of food descriptions. Food and travel just go hand and hand so well!

5.  Travels With Charley -- This one was another one that REALLY made me want to travel all over the US and see all the amazing places there are right here. Great travelogue!

6. Anna and the French Kiss - This book had me practically dying to get back to Paris. All of the places to be explored. This one made me think of how the city just romanced me to death as opposed to French Milk (above) which just made me want to eat a lot and live there.

7. 360 Degrees Longitude - This one was epic! A husband and wife traveling all around with their two children --- and biking a lot of the way! They went to sooo many places and I just honestly couldn't soak it all in. I learned so much and really felt like armchair traveling.

8. On The Road - Seriously I loved this book but I know lots of people hated it. I loved the meandering plot and just how it evoked that feeling of being on the road.

9. Memoirs of A Geisha -- This book has made me want to explore Japan (and China!) so bad in my life. I just really got a sense of the surroundings and wanted to go explore myself.


Well, only got 9 for today but those are some of the books I've read that really intensify that travel bug in me. It happens a lot to me in travelogues (obvi) and fiction that really has lush descriptions of amazing places.

Can't wait to see all your diverse lists today!!