Around the world in nine books
Editor’s note: Today’s Read section of the Advisory is for those of you who are spending your ‘summer holidays’ at home working like me. You can put the AC on, make yourself a cocktail and let these books transport you to some of the greatest cities in the world. Here is a list full of my favourite works of travel-writing full of food, adventure, new people, new places, heartbreak, discovery, history and culture.
Written by: Tarini Uppal is a seasoned publishing professional having worked at Penguin Random House India for close to a decade. She has worked with some of the country’s bestselling and award-winning writers—from Amitav Ghosh—to Ramachandra Guha. She loves all things ‘food’ and has published some gorgeous cookbooks. You can follow her food journey on Instagram @toopsie.
Over to Tarini…
Summer has always just meant ‘summer holidays’ to me (Work—what’s that?). But this year, for the first time in ages, I have decided to stay put. That means no reading cosy mysteries by a fireplace in the hills or rom-coms with a cocktail by the pool. Here instead is my fave list of books that transport me to distant shores even when I am stuck on my couch at home.
The Half Known Life by Pico Iyer: Starting the list off strong with one of the finest travel writers to walk this Earth. I suggest starting with this TED talk of his and then reading everything he has ever written. After being a traveller and writer for over fifty years, Pico goes in search of the ever-elusive idea of ‘paradise’ spanning cultures and continents, religions and conflict. From Jerusalem to Iran, North Korea to Varanasi, it is a brilliant journey around the world but also into the human mind and soul.
Notes from a Small Island by Bill Bryson: This one is a classic if you’re new to the genre of travel writing. I read it first when I was still 12 or 13 and found the writing so funny, light and just readable that I went around telling everyone that Bill Bryson was my favourite writer. An American, living in England for decades as a journalist, he decides to take one last tour of England before heading back to the US. It is like a book length roast of the British people and their quirks and trust me, he does not hold back. The funny thing is that among all the snark you actually get some pretty good travel tips on where to go if you were planning a trip to the UK.
A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle: In this charming memoir, Peter Mayle and his wife fulfil a lifelong dream of theirs (and everyone else’s?) to live in and renovate a 200 year old farmhouse in a remote village in the South of France. He documents their time there with their kids and dogs with such light prose and wit that each season passes before you know it. It comes highly recommended by the likes of Julia Child no less. George Lang, who was smitten after reading it said, ‘Get a glass of marc, lean back in your most comfortable chair, and spend a delicious year in Provence.’
A Year in Tokyo by Christy Anne Jones: This book is part travel guide, part journal, part memoir and all around adorable. Jones takes you through all the things to do in one of the most overwhelming cities to navigate in the world. She goes over the usual touristy stuff and lists to do but also adds some beautiful hidden gems for all the explorers reading. It is full of little illustrations and pictures making it a beautiful gift for anyone going to Tokyo or just a collectible to adorn your bookshelf. Christy also has a lovely Youtube channel about her life, travel and writing.
City of Djinns by William Dalrymple: Coming closer to home, I still believe that after all these years this is one of Dalrymple’s best works. I thought it would be strange to read about a city I’ve lived in my entire life from an outsider but little did I know. He definitely solidifies his status as a dilliwallah as he travels through time, monuments and dynasties in this beautiful exploration of one of the most fascinating cities in the world that I get to call home. As trendy as it is to hate on Delhi, I hope this book will leave even the haters humbled by the sheer richness of its past.
National Dish by Anya von Bremzen: When I think of travel, I mostly think of all the food I’m going to try. That’s why this is my favourite kind of travel writing, focused entirely on the food of a place. Anya tries to unpack the idea of a ‘national dish’ (no, there is no khichdi) and how they originated usually from a place of necessity and how they evolve over time. We go from the ramen in Japan to the pizzas of Italy, travelling through parts of Mexico and Spain. She covers dishes from around the world that make a place iconic. Warning: you will get hungry while reading this so keep a snack handy.
Born to Run by Christopher McDougall: An odd choice for a travel list but trust me on this one. This isn’t only a book about endurance running or discovering the secrets of the superhuman tribe of people in the copper canyons that can run hundreds of miles without breaking a sweat. This is a book about exploration, discovering new places, new people, new cultures, which is what travel writing is about right? McDougall goes and stays with the reclusive Tarahumara tribe in one of the most difficult and dangerous places to get to and it is one hell of an adventure! The motivation to run after you read this book is just a good bonus.
The Return by Hisham Matar: I love a good cry. And I love a book that can make me bawl. This is one of the most beautiful, heartbreaking memoirs as Matar returns to his home country of Libya to uncover the truth behind his father’s disappearance under Gaddafi’s dictatorship over a decade ago. We are taken on this painful discovery with the author, meeting family members and political agents, as we, like him, still cling on to the hope that we might find his father. It is a very short book and perfect to read over a weekend.
In an Antique Land by Amitav Ghosh: I’ve always thought Ghosh should be better known for his travel writing as all his books manage to capture the essence of a place so perfectly with the right mix of history, anthropology and imagination. In this book he covers the time he spent in Egypt, travelling to small unknown villages for his doctoral thesis when he was at Oxford. He learns Arabic and returns, discovering forgotten documents and unearthing stories of India’s ancient connection with Egypt. There are some particularly interesting characters of merchants, holy men and Ghosh himself!
