“That’s the thing about books,” says the British-American author Jhumpa Lahiri. “They let you travel without moving your feet.”
A destination read can be the best place to curb your wanderlust without leaving a carbon footprint. Journeys to spirited North African ports or the dazzling azure waters of the Caribbean can be achieved without so much as a baggage claim or airport delay, meaning that there is truly no corner of the globe we cannot reach if we have a great book in hand. And for those of us who are jet-setting this season, a book can be as essential as our passport. Often, nothing can bring a location to life more than the power of exquisite storytelling.
So, we asked booksellers, authors and industry experts to select the transportive tomes most likely to carry us to far-away seas and diverting cultural hotspots across the globe. Whether you are travelling from the comfort of your home or wanting to enhance your holiday experience with an immersive read, these are the books to dive into this summer – and the destinations they will take you to.
1. The Book: Love Overboard by Ada Barumé
The Destination: Amalfi Coast, Italy
Recommended by Amy Mae Baxter, founder of books magazine Bad Form Review
“This is the dream Italian-Euro-summer book Set on a luxury yacht making its way around the Amalfi coast, Love Overboard is a steamy enemies-to-lovers romance between a chef and bosun. It’s full of sexy food descriptions, romantic rendezvous on the sea and will make you lust for your own Roman holiday.”
2. The Book: Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
The Destinations: Busan, South Korea & Osaka, Japan
Recommended by Chrissy Ryan, founder of London bookshop and winebar, BookBar
“Following the intimate lives of four generations and eight decades of one family against the backdrop of huge world events, this novel about a Korean family who immigrates to Japan in the early 20th century is one of my all-time favourite novels. If your idea of holiday reading is a meaty epic to keep you occupied for your entire stay, look no further than this heartfelt tale about family and immigration that is full of rich historical detail about the relationship between these two nations.”
Read Service95’s Pachinko recommendation here
3. The Book: You Are Here by David Nicholls
The Destination: The Lake District, England
Recommended by Okechukwu Nzelu, author of Here Again Now
“You Are Here brilliantly evokes the Lake District. What I like most about it is that even though it doesn’t try to sugarcoat the difficulties or discomforts of hiking, it reminds you just how beautiful the landscapes of the north of England can be, whether experienced alone or with a companion.”
4. The Book: The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton
The Destination: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Recommended by Isabelle Schuler, author of Lady MacBethad
“Burton evokes beautiful mystery and drama in her story set on the streets of Amsterdam and in the cloistered home of Petronella. The city comes alive in Burton’s writing, and with so much of the architecture unchanged, when you visit it is as if you are stepping into the world Burton has created.”
5. The Book: Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
The Destination: Lagos, Nigeria
Recommended by Funmi Fetto, journalist and author of Hail Mary
“Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s books for the most part are set in Nigeria, particularly in the buzzy city of Lagos, and, while I wouldn’t say they elicit ideas of holidays per se, what they do is give you an insight into the people and the language. For me, this is what really embodies the place and truly brings the charm of this country to life.”
Read Service95’s Americanah recommendation here
6. The Book: The Time Of Cherries by Montserrat Roig
The Destination: Barcelona, Spain
Recommended by Samantha Meeson, bookseller at London independent bookshop chain, Daunt Books
“It is spring 1974 and in Barcelona, revolution is in the air. Franco is still in power but while the older generation wrestles with the ghosts of the Civil War, the younger generation yearns for freedom, a springtime of joy, a time of cherries. Considered one of the great novels of Catalan literature, Roig’s book brings this simmering city on the brink of change to life and weaves the high hopes of revolution into the mess of everyday life.”
