Books
Spring may just have sprung, but I am already dreaming of summer travel, and I don't think I'm the only one. If you find yourself sick with a case of wanderlust and no way to remedy it with a real vacation, cure yourself with one of these fiction books about travel you can read over the weekend. Even if you're really stuck spring cleaning, these short titles will make you feel like you're on an adventure of a lifetime.
Traveling is an amazing experience, but unfortunately, it's not one that the demands of real life can often afford most people. Luckily, when plane tickets are too expensive and time off from work isn't an option, books always are. From road trip romances and summer getaways, to family pilgrimages and Eat, Pray, Love-style personal adventures, the world of literature offers cheap tickets to just about anywhere in the world. That is, if you know where to look.
If you're itching to get away but don't have the time or money to take an actual trip, treat yourself to one of these five short fictional travel books instead. Trust me when I say, everyone deserves a literary vacation now and again, and these titles are your chance to take one.
'The Last Laugh' by Lynn Freed
Hardcover Page Count: 208
If you've ever dreamed of escaping your needy family, The Last Laugh is the perfect travel novel for you. In it, three older women of a certain age say goodbye to their husbands, lovers, children, and grandchildren, and head to a quiet island on the Aegean sea where they plan to spend a year doing nothing but drinking, eating, and watching sunsets. That is, until life throws one curveball after another at the women who find themselves drowning in drama rather than sea water. A quick and delightful read, this witty novel is a perfect read for anyone looking for a little fun in the sun.
'One Summer Day in Rome' by Mark Lamprell
Hardcover Page Count: 272
Narrated by the city itself, One Summer Day in Rome follows three different couples who travel to Italy's mesmerizing capital with one purpose in mind, only to find out Rome has other plans for them. An enchanting story of love — both lost and found — this romantic novel will have readers reaching for their passports.
'Forest Dark' by Nicole Krauss
Hardcover Page Count: 304
Following his parents' deaths, his divorce from his wife, and his retirement from a law firm that was more or less his whole life, Jules Epstein is determined to change his life, so he travels to Israel where he plans to honor his mother and father in some way. On a journey of her own, a well-known but flailing novelist hopes to escape her crumbling marriage and finally break through her writer's block while staying at the Tel Aviv Hinton. In Forest Dark, both narratives are woven together to create a remarkable novel of identity and transformation.
'Layover' by Amy Andelson and Emily Meyer
Hardcover Page Count: 272
What's travel without a little delay? In Layover, one missed flight changes the lives of three teens who find themselves on the adventure of a lifetime through the sunny streets of Los Angeles. Fun and heartwarming, this YA road trip romance offers a charming escape.
'Awayland: Stories' by Ramona Ausubel
Hardcover Page Count: 240
It may not be travel fiction in the most traditional sense, but Ramona Ausubel's short story collection is sure to take you places you've never been before. In Awayland, readers will find themselves transported to sunny shores of the Caribbean islands one moment, and the gates of Heaven in the next.A wonderful romp through geographies both real and imagined, this breathtaking collection will have you dreaming of adventure.
