Last updated on June 17th, 2024
Books + Movies to Inspire Travel
JourneyWoman Book Club
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A Book for Bookstore Lovers: “The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry”
Set on a fictional island in the US, “The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry” is a powerful reminder about what saves us from loneliness and isolation.
Six Travel Guidebooks to Explore Less-Travelled Places and Travel at Home in Canada
Written by local travel writers, these guidebooks for Canada will help you plan your travel to Eastern Ontario, Alberta or Saskatchewan.
“Brightening My Corner”: Ruth Malloy’s Memoir Shares Dreams Fulfilled
Chinese-Canadian journalist Ruth Lor Malloy, 91, shares her life’s work to foster intercultural dialogue and justice for marginalized groups.
Join the JourneyWoman Travel Book Club (it’s free!)
In 2024, our book club meetings are quarterly, at 8 pm ET. Upcoming dates are August 21 (The Widows of Malabar Hill by Sujata Massey, set in India), and November 20, 2024 (The Crimson Thread by Kate Forsyth). Read more about the books here. Sign up for and watch club events on our Events Page here. Email [email protected] with any questions.
JourneyWoman Book Club Selections
Lisa See’s “Lady Tan’s Circle of Women” Celebrates the Bonds Between Women
Meet bestselling author Lisa See, Author, “Lady Tan’s Circle of Women”, at our November 15 Book Club.
Pip William’s “The Dictionary of Lost Words” Shows How Language Shapes our World
Our October 2023 Book of the Month, “The Dictionary of Lost Words”, explores the creation of the Oxford English Dictionary and how words mean different things to men and women.
Six New Travel Books for the 2023-24 JourneyWoman Book Club
Our JourneyWoman Book Club members have spoken! Announcing six new book selections to help women learn and travel by book.
Please support our book club by buying your book or ebook using the links on our site.
Explore the World With Books + Movies
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.
5 Books by Women About Women for International Women’s Day
For International Women’s Day 2023, we feature five recently published books written by women, about 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.
The JourneyWoman Book Club Travels to Ukraine With Erin Litteken’s “The Memory Keeper of Kyiv”
JourneyWoman readers have chosen Erin Litteken’s “The Memory Keeper of Kyiv”, set in Ukraine, as our January 2023 Book of the Month.
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.
Introducing the 2023 JourneyWoman Travel Book Club Selections
Introducing our first round of books for the 2023 JourneyWoman Travel Book Club, as chosen by our readers.
Laura Maya’s Memoir “Tell Them My Name” Celebrates Curiosity and Exploration
Laura Maya’s new memoir, “Tell Them My Name”, takes us to Nepal to explore the beauty of our differences and the joy of exploration.
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.
“The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society” Affirms the Nourishing Power of Books
Our October book of the month explores the little-known history of the German occupation of Guernsey and affirms the power of the written word.
G Adventures’ 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.
Travel to Morocco With Vendela Vida’s “The Diver’s Clothes Lie Empty”
Set in Morocco, Vendela Vida’s novel “The Diver’s Clothes Lie Empty” features a solo traveller on her own journey to identity.
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.
Alka Joshi’s “The Henna Artist” Takes Us To 1950s Jaipur, India
Alka Joshi’s debut novel “The Henna Artist” brings 1950s Rajasthan to life with themes of freedom and independence that connect all women.
Journey to the Back Woods of Cape Cod in “The Paper Palace” by Miranda Cowley Heller
Set in the back woods of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, Heller’s ‘The Paper Palace’ shares a story that unfolds over 24 hours and across 50 years.
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.
Set in Cambodia, “In the Shadow of the Banyan”, is a Novel of Hope and Resilience
Our June Book of the Month is Vaddey Ratner’s novel “In the Shadow of the Banyan”, a story of hope and resilience set in Cambodia.
Announcing Three New Selections for the 2022 JourneyWoman Travel Book Club
The votes are in! Our next three books take us to India, New Zealand and Guernsey.
Silvia Moreno-Garcia Blends Mexican History and Mythology in Adventurous Novel
Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s “Gods of Jade and Shadow” is a fantastical novel set in 1920s Mexico. blending mythology and history.
Set in Cyprus, “The Island of Missing Trees” by Elif Shafak is About Belonging and Identity
In the book “The Island of Missing Trees,” Elif Shafak gives voice to a fig tree from Cyprus to tell a story of belonging and identity.
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.
Books for Adventurous Women: JourneyWoman and TripFiction Share Top Travel Reads for 2022
JourneyWoman and TripFiction are uniting women book lovers to bring a fresh perspective to books to expand your travel bucket list.
Tembi Locke’s Book “From Scratch”: A Memoir on Healing and Love Set in Sicily
Our December book club pick is Tembi Locke’s memoir, “From Scratch: A Memoir of Love, Sicily and Finding Home”, about her transracial romance with her Italian husband and her grief after his untimely death.
Wanda St. Hilaire’s Memoir Explores Solo Travel, Love and Adventure in “The Cuban Chronicles”
The JourneyWoman Book Club heads to Cuba as solo traveller Wanda St. Hilaire explores love and adventure in her 2009 memoir, “The Cuban Chronicles.”
Journey to the Arctic Circle With Sara Wheeler’s “The Magnetic North”
Travel with best-selling author Sara Wheeler to one of the earth’s most pristine places in “The Magnetic North: Notes from the Arctic Circle.”
Travel to Tanzania With “Our House in Arusha,” a Memoir by Sara Tucker
Set in Tanzania, “Our House in Arusha” by Sara Tucker is part of our “Once-in-a-Lifetime’ book series including Africa, Spain and Antarctica.
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.
In “The Long Road Home” Alesa Teague Reclaims her Life Along the Camino de Santiago
As part of our Once-in-a-Lifetime Travel Experiences series, we feature Alesa Teague’s Camino de Santiago memoir “The Long Road Home”.
10 Books to Make You Fall in Love With Italy… Again
Tina Hartas from TripFiction 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.
Women’s Travel Memoirs: Kelly Lewis Inspires With Stories of ‘Unstoppable Women’ in ‘Tell Her She Can’t”
Entrepreneur and traveller Kelly Lewis shares stories of women overcoming adversity in her new book “Tell Her She Can’t: Inspiring Stories of Unstoppable Women.”
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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