The best books for travel lovers

Why am I passionate about this?

Ultimately, I’m someone who enjoys a good adventure. Prior to the age of twenty, I had never gone on a vacation or been camping, and the only place I saw Mickey Mouse was on television. Determined to experience a more fulfilling life, I set my sights on becoming a world traveler. I’ve done almost everything to transform the dream into a reality. I’ve studied abroad, served as a Peace Corps Volunteer, worked for an international NGO, served in the U.S. Navy, and done some off-the-grid exploring. After spending nine years abroad and visiting thirty countries, I’m finally a published author. Life Travel And The People In Between is my debut memoir.


I wrote...

Life Travel And The People In Between

By Mike Nixon,

Book cover of Life Travel And The People In Between

What is my book about?

Life Travel And The People In Between is not only a memoir of one man’s journey to becoming a world traveler, but it’s also a love letter to the people, places, and cultures around the world that unite us in the human race. From the breathtaking mountains of Shenandoah to the countryside of Mongolia—travel offers a transformative experience that millions are not only yearning for, but are in desperate need of. Entertaining and purposeful, Life Travel And The People In Between explores the idea of living a meaningful life and challenges the reader to take stock of theirs. 

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The books I picked & why

Book cover of The Bird Man and the Lap Dancer: Close Encounters with Strangers

Mike Nixon Why did I love this book?

For me, it’s the stories that make The Bird Man and the Lap Dancer one of the best travel books that I’ve had the pleasure of reading. Some are powerful and heartful while others are strange and hilarious. The stories take place in different parts of the world, and somehow Eric Hansen finds himself in the middle of all of them. From cooking lessons with an elderly Russian lady who lives in a dangerous Manhattan project to bird-watching field trips with strippers, Eric’s stories are adventurous, inspiring, and deeply human. This is a must-read for all those who love travel reads!

By Eric Hansen,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Bird Man and the Lap Dancer as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Eric Hansen survives a cyclone on a boat off the Australian coast, cradles a dying man in Calcutta, and drinks mind-altering kava in Vanuatu. He helps a widower search for his wife's wedding ring amid plane-crash wreckage in Borneo and accompanies topless dancers on a bird-watching expedition in California. From the Maldives to Sacramento, from Cannes to Washington Heights, Eric Hansen has a way of getting himself into the most sacred ceremonies and the most candid conversations.


Book cover of Gravel Roads

Mike Nixon Why did I love this book?

When faced with heartbreak, Ryan Crain questions his will to continue living. Feeling a tremendous amount of grief, Ryan quits his job and decides to circumvent the world in order to find his inner person. This book is more than just a travel story. Gravel Roads is about taking risks, challenging those who don’t understand our purpose, and choosing to live a life without any regrets. Despite the risks and costs, Ryan proves that pursuing the journey to find inner peace is worth everything! 

By Ryan Crain, Kayla MacArthur,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Gravel Roads as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

By thirty years old, Ryan Crain had everything he thought he wanted—a steady career, a budding relationship, and a high-rise apartment in downtown Oklahoma City. Then, an unexpected phone call he received while backpacking through Europe uprooted it all—everything that had defined him. In a desperate attempt to save his life, Ryan made a bold promise—he would use adventure to climb out of the dark trenches of his grief.

In the most mysterious of ways, this one decision would lead him to set foot on every inhabited continent during a round-the-world journey of epic proportions. From windswept beaches in Portugal…


Book cover of Not That Anyone Asked: A Travel Memoir about Sex, Drugs, Love, and Finding Purpose

Mike Nixon Why did I love this book?

Not that Anyone Asked is a story about Travis King who literally personifies the idea of a person who is just trying to make it in the world or, better yet, around the world. While some of his adventures are as wild as the title implies, they are not a turnoff. Travis is honest and his stories are real so almost anyone can relate to them. From being down to his last dollars, experiencing heartbreak, and ending up in prison, all while abroad, Not that Anyone Asked is entertaining, funny as well as purposeful. By the time readers get to the end of the book, they’ll be asking themselves, why didn’t they discover the book sooner?

By Travis Wesson King,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Not That Anyone Asked as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Travis’ path was similar to most other suburban-raised, middle-class white kids from Milwaukee—that is, until he found himself in Colombia, making his own cocaine with one of Pablo Escobar's former top scientists. After finishing a Master’s Degree at the age of 28, Travis couldn’t bring himself to follow the blueprint laid out for success in the U.S., so he took off to South America. That first flight was the start of an adventure around the world—an adventure that his friends didn’t understand and of which his father openly disapproved.

Over four years and four continents, Travis chased a different version…


Book cover of Three Weeks with My Brother

Mike Nixon Why did I love this book?

I must admit that I didn’t know who Nicholas Sparks was prior to reading this book. Had he stuck to romance novels, I would’ve never discovered his amazing life story. Three Weeks with My Brother is so unique that it’s almost unfitting to call it a travel memoir. Instead, it’s a heartfelt international journey down memory lane as Nicholas and his brother Micah take the reader through the ups and downs of their lives. Readers not only get to experience an adventure around the world, but they also encounter a story filled with love, tragedy, success, and everything that makes a person who they are. In this case, that person is Nicholas Spark, a best-selling author, and screenwriter. 

By Nicholas Sparks, Micah Sparks,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Three Weeks with My Brother as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The story of two brothers deeply bound by love and tragedy and an extraordinary chronicle of a life-affirming trip

In January 2003 Nicholas Sparks and his brother Micah set off on a three-week trip around the world.

An adventure by any measure, this trip was especially meaningful as it marked another milestone in the life journey of two brothers who, by their early thirties, were the only surviving members of their family. As Nicholas and Micah travel the globe, from the Taj Mahal to Machu Picchu, the story of their family slowly unfolds.

Just before Nicholas' marriage he and Micah…


Book cover of From Excuses to Excursions: How I Started Traveling the World

Mike Nixon Why did I love this book?

From Excuses to Excursions is the story of social media influencer, Gloria Atanmo. Trust me, it’s not just a highlight reel turned into a couple of hundred pages. What I enjoy most about this book is the way that it’s written. It makes you feel like you’re listening to a best friend telling you about her interesting life which includes some fascinating travel experiences. I fell in love with Gloria’s wit and sense of humor, and I was inspired by her courage to travel. While this is not the kind of book that may earn a Pulitzer Prize, it’ll definitely win your attention and keep you engaged from beginning to end!  

By Gloria Atanmo,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked From Excuses to Excursions as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

From Excuses to Excursions: How I Started Traveling the World chronicles the life of a girl who grew up with a colorful imagination but not nearly enough funds to support it. The book is broken up into four parts: The Dream, The Journey, The Adventure, and The Destination. Each details the struggles, victories, and natural consequences of life when you put yourself out there and find the universe will often reciprocate your boldness. This book will take you on a vicarious adventure and have you rethinking the life you thought you wanted and replacing it with one that's much more…


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A Beggar's Bargain

By Jan Sikes,

Book cover of A Beggar's Bargain

Jan Sikes Author Of The Edge of Too Late

New book alert!

Why am I passionate about this?

Author Avid reader Lover of Music Astral Traveler Tarot Reader Grandmother

Jan's 3 favorite reads in 2023

What is my book about?

Historical Fiction Post WW2.

A shocking proposal that changes everything.

Desperate to honor his father’s dying wish, Layken Martin vows to do whatever it takes to save the family farm.
Once the Army discharges him following World War II, Layken returns to Missouri to find his legacy in shambles and in jeopardy. A foreclosure notice from the bank doubles the threat. He appeals to the local banker for more time—a chance to rebuild, plant, and harvest crops and time to heal far away from the noise of bombs and gunfire.

But the banker firmly denies his request. Now what?

Then, the banker makes an alternative proposition—marry his unwanted daughter, Sara Beth, in exchange for a two-year extension. Out of options, money, and time, Layken agrees to the bargain.

Now, he has two years to make a living off the land while he shares his life with a stranger. If he fails at either, he’ll lose it all.

A Beggar's Bargain

By Jan Sikes,

What is this book about?

A shocking proposal that changes everything.

Desperate to honor his father's dying wish, Layken Martin vows to do whatever it takes to save the family farm.

Once the Army discharges him following World War II, Layken returns to Missouri to find his legacy in shambles and in jeopardy. A foreclosure notice from the bank doubles the threat. He appeals to the local banker for more time-a chance to rebuild, plant, and harvest crops and time to heal far away from the noise of bombs and gunfire.

But the banker firmly denies his request. Now what?

Then, the banker makes an…


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