Mar 19 2009
Adventures Around the World
Adrift: 76 Days Lost at Sea by Steven Callahan– Callahan was an avid lover of the sea. He entered into a race but there was bad weather from the start. Undeterred, he went ahead with it, his boat began to take on water, and Callahan then spent the next month trying to survive in an inflatable raft. Although it isn’t exactly a travel book, his tale of survival–which spent more than 35 weeks on the best-sellers list–is true journey and adventure. A nonfiction book review is available. (Contribution from Nonfiction Lover.)
Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert—This extremely popular memoir (soon-to-be-movie starrig Julia Roberts) follows the author as she escapes an unhappy marriage and searches for pleasure, spirituality, and a balance between the two in Italy, India, and Indonesia. Readers will enjoy and appreciate the journey as she explores the food, people, spirits, and culture around her. Although the book was somewhat controversial, many readers did enjoy the book, like this review. Another detailed review is also available. (Contribution from The Mindful Tourist and My Nguyen).
Full Tilt: Ireland to India with a Bicycle by Dervla Murphy—In 1963, Dervla Murphy - known for her travel writing - decided to depart on the journey she had resolved to take when she was just ten years old. For her tenth birthday, she received a bicycle and an atlas, and on that very day she set the goal to bike all the way from her home in Ireland to India. The result of this gruelling trip, which took over 4 months to complete, is Full Tilt. Reading a review of Murphy’s book will reveal a bit more. (Contribution from Andrea Beca.)
Long Way Round: Chasing Shadows Across the World by Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman—Although written by two well-known English actors, this is not a typical celebrity spin-off but a story of two mates on a motorcycle adventure of a lifetime. Followed by a single cameraman (their journey is also available as a TV series on DVD), McGregor and Boorman leave their families for four months and discover the power of UNICEF, the loneliness of life on the road, and a great adventure. Read a review with more about Long Way Round. (Contribution from Martin P. Wilson.)
Tales of a Female Nomad: Living at Large in the World by Rita Golden Gelman— When a marriage ends, Rita Golden Gelman rediscovers herself and the beautiful people in the world through her journeys and adventures as a female nomad. With journeys to remote mountain villages in Indonesia, cooking lessons in Thailand, and participation in sacred rituals and ceremonies in Bali, Gelman shares the joys and tragedies of a nomadic life. A book review on Tales of a Female Nomad will help readers explains more. (Contribution from Journeys and Adventures.)
