Last updated on December 1st, 2023
Books + Movies to Inspire Travel
JourneyWoman Book Club
Featured Book Club Meeting: Lisa See, Author of “Lady Tan’s Cirlce of Women” (November 2023)
Join Our Women’s Travel Book Club
We partner with TripFiction to present you with compelling reads set in incredible locations. The TripFiction database has thousands of location-based books set all around the world to transport you to a location of your dreams – or, perhaps one you are about to visit. Looking for book ideas? Visit TripFiction’s Great Reads page and use the map to find the book of your dreams.
Since our book club began in 2021, we’ve read over 40 books and reviewed many others. In 2024, we will be holding quarterly virtual book club meetings. All meetings are recorded on our YouTube channel. Please check our Events page for the next one. If you are purchasing a book, please support us by using the links on our site. We recommend you order books in advance, check your local library, use audiobooks or share!
2023 Book Club Selections
Abi Daré’s Book “The Girl With the Louding Voice” Inspires Hope
Abi Daré’s debut novel, “The Girl With the Louding Voice”, is the unforgettable story of Adunni, a 14-year-old Nigerian girl.
Travel to Japan with Rebecca Copeland’s Suspenseful Novel “The Kimono Tattoo”
Set in Kyoto, Japan, Rebecca Copeland’s thriller “The Kimono Tattoo” shows a deep reverence for Japanese culture.
Set in New Zealand, “Remember Me” Asks ‘Are Some Secrets Best Left Buried?’
Charity Norman’s latest book “Remember Me”, set in New Zealand’s mystical Ruahine Range, is a suspenseful story of love, secrets and loss.
JourneyWoman Book Club: Six Inspiring Travel Books For Women in 2023
The JourneyWoman Book Club announces our next six reads, designed to spark your wanderlust and connect us as women.
Travel by Book to Tangier, Morocco with “Tangerine” by Christine Mangan
For our March 2023 book of the month, we return to Morocco, for a gripping psychological thriller set in 1950s Tangier.
Travel by Book to South America with Isabel Allende’s “Eva Luna”
Set in South America, our February Book is Isabel Allende’s “Eva Luna” which explores the transformative power of words and stories.
Previous Book Club Selections
JourneyWoman Book Club: Six Inspiring Travel Books For Women in 2023
The JourneyWoman Book Club announces our next six reads, designed to spark your wanderlust and connect us as women.
Travel by Book to Tangier, Morocco with “Tangerine” by Christine Mangan
For our March 2023 book of the month, we return to Morocco, for a gripping psychological thriller set in 1950s Tangier.
Travel by Book to South America with Isabel Allende’s “Eva Luna”
Set in South America, our February Book is Isabel Allende’s “Eva Luna” which explores the transformative power of words and stories.
Please support our book club by buying your book or ebook using the links on our site.
Explore the World With Books + Movies
5 Books by Women About Women for International Women’s Day 2023
For International Women’s Day 2023, we feature five recently published books written by women, about women.
Discover the Wonders of Asia and India With These 10 Books
JourneyWoman travel book club partner TripFiction recommends 10 books to help solo women travelers discover the wonders of Asia.
Spark Your Curiosity With These 10 Books Set in South America
TripFiction’s Tina Hartas shares 10 books set in Central, Latin, and South America that capture the heart and soul of the countries in this incredibly culturally rich and beautiful part of the world.
Bruce Poon Tip on “The Last Tourist”, Women and Sustainable Travel
JourneyWoman’s Carolyn Ray and G Adventures founder Bruce Poon Tip, executive producer of “The Last Tourist”, talk about sustainable travel.
Claudia Laroye’s New Book Features Heartwarming Family Travel Stories
Claudia Laroye’s book “A Gelato a Day” includes short stories from leading travel writers that show the true impact of family travel.
Five Inspiring Books Set in the Middle East
TripFiction’s Tina Hartas recommends five books set in the Middle East, a region overflowing with history, beauty and culture.
Five Great Books to Inspire Travel to New Zealand
TripFiction’s Tina Hartas shares her top picks for women to explore New Zealand with books that reflect this rural and bucolic country.
5 Great Books to Read Before a Trip to Australia
TripFiction’s Tina Hartas recommends five books that allow travellers to see Australia through an author’s eyes.
Cambodian Author Loung Ung: A Call to Action For Women
Meet Loung Ung, a life-long activist, solo traveller, and author of ‘First They Killed My Father, a 2017 movie directed by Angelina Jolie.
With “Travel Mania”, Karen Gershowitz Hopes to Inspire Women to Travel Solo
Karen Gershowitz’ new book, “Travel Mania”, shares a lifetime of travel stories as inspiration for solo women travellers to take the first step.
10 Books to Make You Fall in Love With Italy… Again
Tina Hartas fromTripFiction shares 10 books about Italy that will make you fall in love with this country all over again.
Margaret’s Travel Treats: 10 of the Best Travel Documentaries to Feed a Curious Mind
As we look to future travel, here are a fresh selection of films and documentaries shared by JourneyWoman Margaret Byrne in Australia to ease her border blues.
Need more travel inspiration?
Listen to our JourneyWoman TravelReady Playlist on Spotify and add your own songs.
Click here to listen!
JourneyWoman Book Club: 2020-2021 Reads
Please check for upcoming book clubs on Eventbrite. All Book Clubs are recorded and available on our YouTube channel. Subscribe here.
GReeCE
A House in Corfu: A Sojourn in Greece
by Emma Tennant
ABOUT THE BOOK
Rating: 2 boots / 5 – below expectations
THE CARIBBEAN
An Embarrass-ment of Mangoes
by Ann Vanderhoof
ABOUT THE BOOK
Rating: 4 boots / 5 – fun – made us want to live on a sailboat!
Morocco + Mali
Morocco to Timbuktu: An Arabian Adventure
by Alice Morrison
ABOUT THE BOOK
Rating: 3.5 boots / 5 – loved its authenticity
Africa
Nervous Conditions
by Tsitsi Dangarembga
ABOUT THE BOOK
Rating: 3 boots / 5 – Empowering and inspiring!
Egypt
Mistress of Nothing
by Kate Pullinger
ABOUT THE BOOK
Rating: 3.5 boots / 5 – a step back into history
Portugal
300 Days of Sun
by Deborah Lawrenson
ABOUT THE BOOK
Rating: 3.5 boots / 5 – learned about spies!
Iraq, Ethiopia, Egypt, Pakistan, Morocco
Travels with my Hat
by Christine Osborne
ABOUT THE BOOK
Rating: 4.5 boots / 5 – a must-read for solo travellers
Ireland
By the Lake
by John McGahern
ABOUT THE BOOK
Rating: 3.5 boots / 5 – a classic, beautifully written!
United States
The Kitchen House
by Kathleen Grissom
ABOUT THE BOOK
Rating: 4.5 boots / 5 – illuminating and engaging
SPAIN
Driving Over Lemons
by Chris Stewart
ABOUT THE BOOK
Rating: 3.5 boots / 5 – Fun and authentic
Italy
Lady in the Palazzo
by Marlena de Blasi
ABOUT THE BOOK
Rating: 3 boots / 5 – rambling but interesting
France
The Lost Vintage
by Ann Mah
ABOUT THE BOOK
Rating: 3 boots / 5 – history + wine, a great combination
BALI, MEXICO + MORE
Tales of a Female Nomad
by Rita Golden Gelman
ABOUT THE BOOK
Rating: 4.5 boots / 5 – loved it all!
Silk Route
Lands of Lost Borders: Out of Bounds on the Silk Road
by Kate Harris
ABOUT THE BOOK
Rating: 4 boots / 5 – an unexpected ride
TANZANIA
Our House in Arusha
by Sara Tucker
ABOUT THE BOOK
Rating: 3.5 boots / 5 – wanted more of her story
ARCTIC CIRCLE
The Magnetic North: Notes from the Arctic Circle
by Sara Wheeler
ABOUT THE BOOK
Rating: 3 boots: an intellectual read!
CUBA
The Cuban Chronicles: A True Tale of Rascals, Rogues and Romance
by Wanda St. Hillaire
ABOUT THE BOOK
SICILY
From Scratch: A Memoir of Love, Healing and Finding Home
by Tembi Locke
ABOUT THE BOOK
“For some of us, books are as important as almost anything else on earth.
What a miracle it is that out of these small, flat, rigid squares of paper unfolds world after world after world, worlds that sing to you, comfort and quiet or excite you. Books help us understand who we are and how we are to behave. They show us what community and friendship mean; they show us how to live and die.”
– Anne Lamont, Bird by Bird
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We only recommend things that are suggested by our community or through our own experience that we believe will be practical and helpful for you. We welcome your questions and feedback about any articles published on our site.
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