|
Relax with a good
read this summer
The summer holidays are here and you've
studied hard to learn your new language throughout the year ...
so now you deserve to relax with a good read. Grab the chance to
learn a little about the culture of another country.
What started with 'A Year in Provence' and Bill Bryson has spawned
a whole bookshelf of amazing travel writings. We've selected 50
of the best travel books and novels about travel - some are classics,
some are new for 2002 and some are just our favourites! So why not
browse through our special feature and pack a book into your suitcase
- or read it at home to get you into the mood for your holiday!
|
50
of the best travel books and novels
|
We've listed
our recommended books by country for France, Italy and Spain and
by region for Africa, Asia, Australasia, Europe, Latin America and
North America. We've given short outlines of the books that are
new for this summer season of 2002, and listed some from other years
that you may want to read too!
We've added publishing dates as a guide only so you can see the
most recent books out there (note that there are different publishing
dates in different regions and for hardback/paperback versions of
books). Some are even available as talking books on audio cassette.
All versions are paperback, unless indicated as hardback (h), audio
cassette (cass) or audio CD (cd).
|
|
Buy
from |
|
French
Revolutions
Tim Moore
2002 |
This book
has nothing to do with an account of the recent French Presidential
elections. Au contraire! It is a comic account of how British
writer Tim sets out to cycle the course of the Tour de France,
giving observations on the French life he sees around him
and the way he survives to the finishing line.
|
amazon.com
(h)
amazon.co.uk
|
| |
|
|
|
Instructions
for Visitors
Helen Stevenson
2002 |
British
novelist Helen tells the story of life and love in a village
in South West France, giving a great idea of the local culture
and what it really means to live there.
|
amazon.com
amazon.co.uk |
French
Lessons
Peter Mayle
2002 |
The
reknowned author of a 'Year in Provence' sets off around France
to visit the various food festivals. This book gives wonderful
insights into France, the country, as well as into French cuisine.
|
amazon.com
amazon.co.uk
(h)
amazon.co.uk
(cass)
amazon.co.uk
(cd) |
Five
Quarters of the Orange
Joanna Harris
2002 |
From
the author of 'Chocolat', this new book tells the tale of a
family in post-war France through the eyes of a child and again
through the eyes of an adult. It again uses the culinary theme
of Chocolat and Blackberry Wine.
|
amazon.com
amazon.co.uk |
The
Olive Farm
Carol Drinkwater
2001 |
When
British author Carol and her husband set off to start a new
life in France, they buy an old olive farm in the South. This
book tells the story of the work involved in cultivating the
land and their life together in new surroundings.
|
amazon.com
amazon.co.uk |
| More
books on France ... |
|
|
Coastliners
Joanna Harris, 2002 |
amazon.com
(h) | amazon.co.uk
(h) | amazon.co.uk
(cass) |
|
Blackberry
Wine
Joanna Harris, 2001 |
amazon.com
| amazon.co.uk
|
|
Chocolat
Joanna Harris, 2000 |
amazon.com
| amazon.co.uk
| amazon.co.uk
(cass) |
|
Encore
Provence
Peter Mayle, 2000 |
amazon.com
| amazon.co.uk
|
|
Anything
Considered
Peter Mayle, 1997 |
amazon.com
| amazon.co.uk
|
|
Hotel
Pastis
Peter Mayle, 1994 |
amazon.com
| amazon.co.uk
|
|
Toujours
Provence
Peter Mayle, 1992 |
amazon.com
| amazon.co.uk
|
|
A
Year in Provence
Peter Mayle, 1991 |
amazon.com
| amazon.co.uk
| amazon.co.uk
(cass) |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Buy
from |
 |
Extra
Virgin
Annie Hawes
2002 |
Armed
with some Italian, Annie and her sister decide to go to Liguria
for 10 weeks to escape the dreary London winter. She tells
the wonderful story of how she ended up staying.
|
amazon.com
amazon.co.uk
|
| |
|
|
|
An
Italian Affair
Laura Fraser
2002 |
Dumped
by her new husband, the author leaves San Francisco and heads
for a holiday with friends in Italy. She escapes to a tiny island
where she falls in love with a Frenchman. A beautiful tale of
Italian life and mending a broken heart.
|
amazon.com
amazon.co.uk
|
A
Season with Verona
Tim Parks
2002 |
From
the author of 'Italian Neighbours' and 'Italian Education',
Tim takes a year to follow his beloved Verona football team
around Italy. This books gives a fantastic insight into more
aspects of Italian life, which may not necessarily be as savoury
as previous books in parts.
|
amazon.com
(h)
amazon.co.uk
(h) |
A
Thousand Days in Venice
Martena de Biasi
2002 |
The
author is pursued by an Italian bank manager during visits to
Venice. When he follows her home to the US, she agrees to return
to marry him. This book tells the story of their life together
and the overcoming of clashes between Italian and American viewpoints.
|
amazon.com
(h)
amazon.co.uk
(h) |
| More
books on Italy ... |
|
|
Trieste
and the Meaning of Nowhere
Jan Morris, 2001 |
amazon.com
| amazon.com
(h) | amazon.co.uk
|
|
Bella
Tuscany
Frances Mayes, 2000 |
amazon.com
| amazon.co.uk
|
|
Midnight
in Sicily
Peter Robb, 1999 |
amazon.com
| amazon.co.uk
|
|
Under
the Tuscan Sun
Frances Mayes, 1997 |
amazon.com
| amazon.co.uk
|
|
Italian
Education
Tim Parks, 1996 |
amazon.com
| amazon.co.uk
|
|
|
Italian
Neighbours
Tim Parks, 1993
|
amazon.com
| amazon.co.uk
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Buy
from |
 |
A
Parrot in the Pepper Tree
Chris Stewart
2002 |
A sequel
to the popular Driving over Lemons, Chris Stewart continues
to tell the story of his move to a remote mountain farm in
Southern Spain. He contrasts the part a parrot plays in his
very different life in Spain as a family man, with his former
life of rock bands and sheep shearing.
|
amazon.co.uk
Not
available from amazon.com when we checked August 2002
|
| |
|
|
|
The
Enchanted Mountains
Robin Fedden
2002 |
The
author tells of his adventures to climb the Pyrenees in Northern
Spain. A chance meeting sets them on the dangerous trail for
a mountain peak called Los Encantados or the 'Enchanted Mountains'. |
amazon.co.uk
Not
available from amazon.com when we checked August 2002
|
| More
books on Spain ... |
|
|
Mañana
Mañana
Peter Kerr, 2001 |
amazon.co.uk
Not
available from amazon.com when we checked August 2002
|
|
|
Snowball
Oranges
Peter Kerr, 2000
|
amazon.com
(h) | amazon.co.uk |
|
Driving
over Lemons
Chris Stewart, 1999 |
amazon.com
| amazon.co.uk |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Buy
from |
 |
Apricots
on the Nile
Collette Rossant
2002 |
This
book describes Collette's adventures on arriving in Cairo at
the age of 5 and living in a wealthy world centred on food.
A fabulous extra to the book are the authentic recipes included
along the way. |
amazon.co.uk
Not
available from amazon.com when we checked August 2002
|
| |
|
|
|
The
Poisonwood Bible
Barbara Kingsolver
1999 |
A political
novel about a missionary sent from the US to the Belgian Congo
at the time of the country's fight for independence. This
book gives an amazing feel for the life at the time in Africa.
|
amazon.com
Not
available from amazon.co.uk when we checked August 2002 |
| |
|
|
|
|
Buy
from |
 |
Red
Dust
Ma Jian
2001/2002 |
Crossing
to Asia, Red Dust is a travel book with a difference. It follows
the three-year journey of the author escaping the confines
of Beijing for the deserts and other cities of China. It details
his quest to sort out his own life in a time of personal and
political turmoil, while giving an extraordinary account of
everyday China.
|
amazon.com
amazon.com (h)
amazon.co.uk
|
| |
|
|
|
River
Town
Peter Hessler
2001/2002 |
A
young American arrives in Fuling as a Peace Corps Volunteer.
He begins to teach English at a local college, not used to 'foreigners'.
He tells the story of teaching English and adapting to his new
Chinese culture and language. |
amazon.com
amazon.co.uk
|
| More
books on Asia ... |
|
|
The
River's Tale
Edward A Gargan, 2002 |
amazon.com
| amazon.com
(h) | amazon.co.uk
(h)
|
|
Beyond
the Last Village
Alan Rabinowitz, 2001 |
amazon.com
(h) | amazon.co.uk
(h) |
|
Memoirs
of a Geisha
Arthur Golden, 1998 |
amazon.com
| amazon.co.uk
| amazon.co.uk
(cass) |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
Buy
from |
 |
Down
Under
Bill Bryson
2001 |
Bill
Bryson's latest work takes him to Australia where he once again
amuses us with his travel stories as he crosses this massive
wild country. |
amazon.co.uk
Not
available from amazon.com when we checked August 2002
|
|
|
|
In
a Sunburned Country
Bill Bryson
2001 |
Bill Bryson's
latest work takes him to Australia where he once again amuses
us with his travel stories as he crosses this massive wild
country.
|
amazon.com
Not
available from amazon.co.uk when we checked August 2002
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Buy
from |
 |
The
Grand Tour
/Continental Drifter
Tim Moore
2002 |
Tim recreates
the Grand Tour of Europe, following in the footsteps of the
first ever British tourist who walked to Venice and back to
become 'cultured' in the 1600's. The author, however, buys
an old Rolls Royce and travels the route from England, to
France, Italy, Switzerland and Holland before coming back
home to tell his hilarious story.
|
amazon.com
amazon.co.uk
|
| |
|
| More
books on Europe ... |
|
McCarthy's
Bar
Pete McCarthy, 2001 |
Tours
around Ireland.
amazon.com
(h) | amazon.co.uk
|
|
Playing
the Moldovans at Tennis
Tony Hawks, 2001 |
Comedy
about getting the Moldovan football team to play tennis.
amazon.com | amazon.co.uk |
|
Strange
Places, Questionable People
John Simpson, 1999 |
Autobiography
of travels across the world.
amazon.com | amazon.co.uk
|
|
Round
Ireland with a Fridge
Tony Hawks, 1999/2001 |
Tours
around Ireland.
amazon.com
| amazon.co.uk
|
|
Notes
from a Small Island
Bill Bryson, 1996/1997 |
Tours
around the UK.
amazon.com
| amazon.co.uk
|
|
Captain
Corelli's Mandolin
Louis de Bernieres, 1995/1997 |
Story
from Greece.
amazon.com
| amazon.co.uk
| amazon.co.uk
(cass)
|
|
Neither
Here nor There
Bill Bryson, 1993 |
Tours
around Europe.
amazon.com
| Not
available from amazon.co.uk when we checked August 2002
|
|
Mother
Tongue
Bill Bryson, 1991/1996 |
A
book about the English language
amazon.com | amazon.co.uk |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Buy
from |
 |
Bel
Canto
Ann Patchett
2002 |
In South
America, this novel's rather incredulous beginning turns into
an amazing read for any language lover. When the kidnapping
of a President at an international gathering goes wrong, the
translator becomes the hero of the day negotiating for terrorists
and lovers alike. Award-winning novel!
|
amazon.com
amazon.co.uk
|
| |
|
|
| More
books on Latin America ... |
|
A
Simple Habana Melody
Oscar Hijuelos, 2002 |
A
story from Cuba.
amazon.com
(h) | amazon.co.uk
(h) | amazon.co.uk
(a)
|
|
Cuba
Diaries
Isadora Tattlin, 2002 |
A
story from Cuba.
amazon.com
(h) | amazon.co.uk
(h) |
|
Adios
Muchachos
Daniel Chavanrria, 2001 |
An
award-winning story from Cuba.
amazon.com
| amazon.co.uk
|
|
Touching
the Void
Joe Simpson, 1990/1991 |
A
mountaineering adventure in the Peruvian Andes.
amazon.com
| amazon.co.uk
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Buy
from |
 |
Ciao,
America
Beppe Severginni
2002 |
An Italian
takes a view on the American way of life.
|
amazon.com
(h)
amazon.co.uk
(h) |
| |
|
|
Prodigal
Summer
Barbara Kingsolver
2001 |
Having
returned from the Congo, the author settles in the Appalachian
mountains and this story weaves its way with an ecology theme.
|
amazon.com
amazon.co.uk
|
I'm
a Stranger Here Myself
Bill Bryson
2000 |
Bryson
explains his reaction on his return to America after 20 years
away.
|
amazon.com
Not
available from amazon.co.uk when we checked August 2002
|
| More
books on North America ... |
|
Notes
from a Big Country
Bill Bryson, 1999 |
amazon.co.uk
| Not
available from amazon.com when we checked August 2002
|
|
Made
in America
Bill Bryson, 1996/1998 |
amazon.com
| amazon.co.uk
|
|
The
Lost Continent
Bill Bryson, 1990 |
amazon.com
| Not
available from amazon.co.uk when we checked August 2002
|
|
|
|
|
|
If we've not
listed your favourite travel book or novel here, then email us with
its name and a short review and if we like it, we'll add it to our
list!
Please email
us on contribute@languageadvantage.com
If
you would like to subscribe to our newsletter and be kept up-to-date
with any new language and cultural providers and other developments
in the language world, please subscribe to our newsletter at www.languageadvantage.com/newsletter
Also,
visit our bookstore and our languagestore
for more of the best and most innovative language providers in the
world.
| previous
special features |
For
previous special features go to our
library archive of special
features.
|
