8 Books to Read on Your Next Vacation

Warning: if you read this memoir during your trip, you might just be inspired to swap your current life for one as an expat living in an adorably cozy villa in the Italian countryside. Mayes’s tale of doing just that is told through lyrical prose that’s meant to be read while sipping a morning cappuccino on the veranda. But the best part of Mayes’s story is that it’s both dreamlike and real; settling into her perfect Italian lifestyle after a heartbreaking divorce requires enduring loneliness, plenty of hard work, and self-discovery. Even if you don’t put the book aside to buy your own Tuscan home, her story will stick with you for many future trips to come.

The next best thing to reading a coming-of-age story about a family with lots of drama? Reading a coming-of-age-story about a family with lots of drama—set in a sparkling beach-town. Straub’s novel takes place in the Balearic island of Mallorca off the coast of Spain, where we meet the Post family. There are parents halfheartedly trying to save their marriage, a daughter who falls for her Spanish tutor, and a son with a less-than-liked, much-older girlfriend. If that’s not enough to draw you in, the author’s descriptions of sunny beaches and delicious post-swim Mallorcan meals will.

When you think of Liz Gilbert and travel, you probably think of her Italy-India-Indonesia travel memoir Eat Pray Love. But her oft-overlooked novel shouldn’t be missed. It tells the tale of Alma Whitaker, an intrepid young scholar whose passion for adventure and fierce determination were unique for a woman during the 19th century. We won’t give away too much, but know that this book is brimming with rich descriptions of botany, breathless explorations in South American jungles, and the familiar, fervent search for the meaning of love and family.

Now that it’s a little bit easier to visit this gorgeous island, it’s time to go ahead and book your ticket—and if you do, tuck this novel into your suitcase. García’s multigenerational tale begins in the 1930s with matriarch Celia del Pino, and continues through to 1980 as her family struggles with Communism, idealism, and poverty in one of the world’s most beautiful yet complex countries. And if that’s not gripping enough for you, the author includes her own unique touches of magical realism throughout the novel. The only thing that might get you to put down this book is an icy mojito.

This novella is often acclaimed as one of the best of the 20th century, and for good reason. It’s so twisted and haunting, it’s hard to summarize without any plot spoilers, but a quick overview: the protagonist is an aging German author searching for inspiration. He heads to Venice to find it but instead discovers a young Polish boy who changes his life. The backdrop is the cold, mysterious, and ethereal Venice, dark yet somehow so alluring that you’ll sigh whenever you finish a chapter.

Some of the best relaxing vacation reads center on the stressful challenges of family. Go figure! Shipstead’s novel about the Van Meter clan is no different, beginning on the eve of daughter Daphne’s nuptials on the Nantucket-like fictional island of Waskeke. The story is mostly told through the eyes of the father of the bride, with a little help from his wife, his younger daughter, and an escaped lobster, resulting in a fast-paced drama that ends with one memorable wedding. Don’t dog-ear this one too hard—you’ll want to pass it on to your traveling partner when you’re finished.

Richard is a wide-eyed traveler backpacking his way around Thailand. An encounter with a strange man leads him to search for an idyllic island in the Gulf, using nothing more than a hand-drawn map as a guide. On his journey, he meets a host of interesting characters and—after some jungle treks and harrowing adventures—ends up at the sought-after island. The story morphs into the tale of a self-sufficient community that has built itself up on “The Beach”—and how this completely unexpected discovery changes the once-naïve British traveler, for better or for worse.

Many people remember Dr. Angelou as a brilliant writer and prolific poet, but what some tend to forget is that she was also an intrepid traveler, picking up in her early 30s and moving to Africa. This seventh volume in her collection of autobiographies begins when Dr. Angelou is 33 and has recently moved to Accra, Ghana. She narrates her encounters with romantic prospects, adjusting to life on an entirely different continent, and searching for connections between herself and her ancestors. In the end, she returns to America, as will the reader—but like Angelou, you’ll likely never forget this magical land.