I’m a traveler. For me, there’s nothing like that moment when your plane lands on foreign soil. I feel free when I’m somewhere I’ve never been, where I don’t speak the language, understand the menu, or know a single person. It is the ultimate sense of release. I’ve done a great deal of solo traveling, which I thoroughly enjoy, and fortunately for me, my family understands (or at least accepts). From the Congo to Xian to Paris, I’ve never seen enough.
I bought this book 3 times. Bryson’s self-deprecating humor and vibrant descriptions of his trek along the Appalachian Trail with his friend are hilarious. I love a book that makes me laugh and also teaches me something new. I liked the book so much I lent it to my neighbor, and of course, never got it back. (Don’t lend your books.) So, I bought it again. I was carrying it around with me and I left it in a doctor’s office waiting room. I called them the next day. They said they didn’t see it. (Liars, every one of them.) So, the third time I bought it on audible. I still listen a bit now when I’m driving. It brings joy.
From the author of "Notes from a Small Island" and "The Lost Continent" comes this humorous report on his walk along the Appalachian Trail. The Trail covers 14 states and over 2000 miles, and stretches along the east coast of America from Maine in the north to Georgia in the south. It is famous for being the longest continuous footpath in the world. It snakes through some of the wildest and most specactular landscapes in America, as well as through some of its most poverty-stricken and primitive backwoods areas.
This is a charming fish-out-of-water adventure. The author has a witty understated style. I enjoyed the tribulations and chaos as he found his way around rural France. The locals in this book felt authentic, which I certainly appreciated.Renovations are hard in a country you know, but this author found humor and understanding, as he floundered around trying to get things done. There’s quite a bit about food, which was entertaining, and is what I would expect in a book set in France. (Personally, I think Italy far outperforms the French when it comes to great food. Give me fresh pasta.)
A personal description of Provencal life as seen through the eyes of the author and his wife when they move into an old farmhouse at the foot of the Luberon mountains between Avignon and Aix. The bestselling work of non-fiction in paperback of 1991 in the UK.
Okay, cards on the table, I cannot be trusted when recommending this book. I have learned more from Anthony Bourdain than from any other traveler, chef, citizen of the world. His open-minded approach to the world is contagious and inspiring. He lets his readers into the untraveled unknown corners of the planet and I’m grateful he shared his journey. I can recommend all of his books, his TV shows, and his essays. The world is sadder without him.
'Terrific ... His love for his subjects - both the food and the cook - sings' Telegraph
'Christ, could Bourdain weave words ... the guy wrote like a poet' Guardian
A celebration of the life and legacy of one of the most important food writers of all time - the inimitable Anthony Bourdain
Anthony Bourdain saw more of the world than nearly anyone. His travels took him from his hometown of New York to a tribal longhouse in Borneo, from cosmopolitan Buenos Aires, Paris, and Shanghai to the stunning desert solitude of Oman's Empty Quarter - and many places beyond.…
A memoir of clever and entertaining essays. The author takes us on a ride into the ups and downs of life, kids, pets, moms, shopping, and she gives us reasons to laugh at it all. This is an uplifting read and worth a spot on your nightstand. You can dip in and out of it when sleep eludes.
The incomparable Lisa Scottoline, along with daughter Francesca, is back with more wild and wonderful wit and wisdom: My Nest Isn't Empty, It Just Has More Closet Space.
Critics and readers loved Lisa Scottoline's first collection of true-life stories, which only encouraged her—now she's back with these all-new, exciting adventures. She's farther down the road now, and the scenery has changed—ex-husbands Thing One and Thing Two are in her rear-view mirror, daughter Francesca has moved into an apartment, and Lisa's finding the silver lining in her empty nest, which has lots more room for her shoes. And some things have…
This book by Frances Mayes is a stunning memoir of her personal journey in Tuscany. It’s about loving and feeling deeply connected to a place. Her writing is authentic and evocative. She describes her time in Italy with such devotion it borders on poetic, as she transports you into her home, her daily life, and her kitchen. Under The Tuscan Sunis a love letter to what is best about Italy. It is part personal journey of discovery, part travelogue, part history, and part cookbook: it’s the best of all those worlds. If you’re so inclined, then cook up a few of the recipes she recommends. This is the kind of book that makes you want to pack your suitcase. I challenge anyone to read this lovely memoir and not crave a bowl of gnocchi with a large glass of Chianti. If you can’t get away to Italy, then sit back in your chair at home and let Frances take you there.
Discover the New York Times bestseller that inspired the film. The perfect read for anyone seeking an escape to the Italian countryside.
When Frances Mayes - poet, gourmet cook and travel writer - buys an abandoned villa in Tuscany, she has no idea of the scale of the project she is embarking on.
In this enchanting memoir she takes the reader on a journey to restore a crumbling villa and build a new life in the Italian countryside, navigating hilarious cultural misunderstandings, legal frustrations and the challenges of renovating a house that seems determined to remain a ruin.
When sisters, Deborah and Nancy, discovered that motherhood was a temp job they decided to run away from home. It happened right after the kids moved out, and Nancy’s husband found her weeping nostalgically in front of the acne wipes, while Deborah’s husband arrived home to learn their house was for sale. 2 Broads Abroad is a funny, irreverent, occasionally poignant, always enjoyable, travel tale of the sisters’ impulsive, and unexpectedly comic, road trip around Ireland.
I’m an OB/GYN, passionate about adventuring beyond what’s expected. This has led me to pivot multiple times in my career, now focusing on writing. I’ve written a play, The Post-Roe Monologues, to elevate women’s stories. I cherish the curiosity that drives outer and inner exploration, and I love memoirs that skillfully weave the two. The books on this list feature extraordinary women who took risks, left comfort and safety, and battled vulnerability to step into the unknown. These authors moved beyond the stories they’d believed about themselves–or that others told about them. They invite you to think about living fuller and bigger lives.
Tap Dancing on Everest, part coming-of-age memoir, part true-survival adventure story, is about a young medical student, the daughter of a Holocaust survivor raised in N.Y.C., who battles self-doubt to serve as the doctor—and only woman—on a remote Everest climb in Tibet.
The team attempts a new route up the East Face without the use of supplemental oxygen, Sherpa support, or chance for rescue. When three climbers disappear during their summit attempt, Zieman reaches the knife edge of her limits and digs deeply to fight for the climbers’ lives and to find her voice.
The plan was outrageous: A small team of four climbers would attempt a new route on the East Face of Mt. Everest, considered the most remote and dangerous side of the mountain, which had only been successfully climbed once before. Unlike the first large team, Mimi Zieman and her team would climb without using supplemental oxygen or porter support. While the unpredictable weather and high altitude of 29,035 feet make climbing Everest perilous in any condition, attempting a new route, with no idea of what obstacles lay ahead, was especially audacious. Team members were expected to push themselves to their…
