Books That Send You Packing...

There are so very many great travel tales.   I am partial to non-fiction.  I enjoy reading well researched, historical accounts of the human drama that is within the scenery.

 I enjoy writing that gives a strong sense of place and context to what I see.

" The Old Patagonian Express " by Paul Theroux

" The Pillars of Hercules " by Paul Theroux

" Cut Stones and Crossroads: A Journey to Peru " by Ronald Wright

" Basin and Range " by John McPhee

" Two Years Before the Mast " by Richard Henry Dana, Jr.

" Hawaii " by James A. Michener

I enjoy a good fiction book as well as non-fiction, especially if the writer is skilled.

I really liked "Travels" by the late great Michael Crichton, my favorite of the nonfiction travel books I've read..

"Robinson Crusoe" made me want to visit tropical islands as a boy.

"Fantastic Voyage" by Isaac Asimov intrigued me with traveling at a cellular level, within a human body no less (maybe lead to my current day job?)

And my all-time favorite, "2001: A Space Odyssey".  Made me want to travel to the moon, Jupiter, Saturn and beyond.  Sadly, this will be a journey only of my imagination. 

I love museums,natural sights and architecture ,but what really  makes  to travel is the interesting people I meet. Some books seem to capture those unique characters that you meet while traveling, especially on a budget.I'm reading" Down and Out in Paris  and London "now and George Orwell  has brought up a flood of memories of the different people I've met and that  keeps me wanting to travel more and more.