Last updated on May 14th, 2023
Great Reads to Inspire Travel
JourneyWoman Book Club
Travel by Book
Women’s Travel Memoirs: Women Authors Share Their Solo Journeys
Join us on May 25 to learn about these four inspiring solo travel memoirs written by women from the JourneyWoman community.
Join Our Monthly Book Club Meeting
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.
Book Club meetings are hosted by Wendy, Sally and Carolyn and are held the third Wednesday of each month at 8 pm EDT. If you purchase a book, please use the links on our site. We recommend you order books in advance, check your local library, use audiobooks or share!
Please support our book club by buying your book or ebook using the links on our site.
2023 Book Club Selections
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.
“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.
Previous Book Club Selections
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.
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.
Explore the World by Book
Step Into a Timeless World in “A House in Corfu: A Family’s Sojourn in Greece” by Emma Tennant
In Emma Tennant’s memoir “A House in Corfu” we visit Greece and celebrate the joy of a timeless world, one of vine, olive and sea.
23 Women Whose Travel Memoirs Will Inspire Your Next Journey
There is no shortage of incredible travel memoirs written by women. Here are 23 of our favourite authors, as recommended by our readers.
Travelling the World Through Dance: How Aliénor Salmon Found Happiness by Taking the First Step
In Finding Rhythm: An International Dance Journey, Aliénor Salmon embarks on a dance journey around the world, discovering how beautiful life can be when you take the first step.
Leslie Ehm: Lessons From My Mother, the Original JourneyWoman, Evelyn Hannon
With the publication of her new book, ‘Swagger’, Leslie Ehm shares lessons learned from her mother, Evelyn Hannon, the founder of JourneyWoman.
Biking Across The Silk Route in Kate Harris’ Memoir “Lands of Lost Borders: Out of Bounds on the Silk Road”
The JourneyWoman book club traces Marco Polo’s steps in the adventure travel memoir ‘Land of Lost Borders: Out of Bounds on the Silk Road’, by Kate Harris.
Easy-Walking Europe: Accessible Travel and Mobility Tips for the Young at Heart
Author Elizabeth Bingham shares tips for accessible travel in Europe from “Easy-Walking Europe: Tips and Suggested Tours for the (Somewhat) Mobility Impaired.
Books, Films and Documentaries to Learn About Racism
Books, films and courses recommended by our community, friends and family to help us learn about bias and anti-racism.
JourneyWoman Book Club: Books to Transport you to Faraway Places
Books recommended by our community to take you to faraway places. Join our JourneyWoman Book Club!
Being Brave in 2020: Tips for courageous travel
The decision to travel solo, particularly to new destinations, isn’t one that always comes easily. Find out how you can tap into your courage to embrace the unknown. (VIDEO)
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
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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
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Rating: 3 boots / 5 – Empowering and inspiring!
Egypt
Mistress of Nothing
by Kate Pullinger
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Rating: 3.5 boots / 5 – a step back into history
Portugal
300 Days of Sun
by Deborah Lawrenson
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Rating: 3.5 boots / 5 – learned about spies!
Iraq, Ethiopia, Egypt, Pakistan, Morocco
Travels with my Hat
by Christine Osborne
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Rating: 4.5 boots / 5 – a must-read for solo travellers
Ireland
By the Lake
by John McGahern
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Rating: 3.5 boots / 5 – a classic, beautifully written!
United States
The Kitchen House
by Kathleen Grissom
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Rating: 4.5 boots / 5 – illuminating and engaging
SPAIN
Driving Over Lemons
by Chris Stewart
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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
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Rating: 3 boots / 5 – history + wine, a great combination
BALI, MEXICO + MORE
Tales of a Female Nomad
by Rita Golden Gelman
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Rating: 4.5 boots / 5 – loved it all!
Silk Route
Lands of Lost Borders: Out of Bounds on the Silk Road
by Kate Harris
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Rating: 4 boots / 5 – an unexpected ride
TANZANIA
Our House in Arusha
by Sara Tucker
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Rating: 3.5 boots / 5 – wanted more of her story
ARCTIC CIRCLE
The Magnetic North: Notes from the Arctic Circle
by Sara Wheeler
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Rating: 3 boots: an intellectual read!
CUBA
The Cuban Chronicles: A True Tale of Rascals, Rogues and Romance
by Wanda St. Hillaire
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SICILY
From Scratch: A Memoir of Love, Healing and Finding Home
by Tembi Locke
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“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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