# The Five Greatest Travel Books Of All Time **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 23, 2006, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-five-greatest-travel-books-of-all-time/373825 "2006-09-23T07:15:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rodgers01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@Rodgers01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodgers01)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2006, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-five-greatest-travel-books-of-all-time/373825/1 "2006-09-23T07:15:45Z")
Simon Winchester has chosen what are, in his opinion, the [five best travel books](http://www.opinionjournal.com/weekend/fivebest/?id=110008988). (For those not familiar with this Five Best feature of OpinionJournal, check out the archive [here](http://www.opinionjournal.com/weekend/fivebest/archive/) – very useful to get some great book ideas.) I thought I knew travel literature fairly well, but I had only heard of one of Winchester’s picks, Robert Louis Stevenson’s [Travels With A Donkey](http://www.amazon.com/Travels-Donkey-Konemann-Classics-Stevenson/dp/3895084603/sr=1-1/qid=1158995234/ref=pd_bbs_1/104-4448975-6753533?ie=UTF8&s=books). But I may not be alone in not hearing of his other picks; two of them ([Oxford](http://www.amazon.com/Oxford-James-Morris/dp/B0006D6XKM/sr=1-2/qid=1158994995/ref=sr_1_2/104-4448975-6753533?ie=UTF8&s=books) by James Morris and [Impossible Journey](http://www.amazon.com/Impossible-Journey-Against-Penguin-Library/dp/0140095993/sr=1-1/qid=1158995080/ref=sr_1_1/104-4448975-6753533?ie=UTF8&s=books) by Michael Asher) don’t have a single review on Amazon, and three of them (the two above plus [Vagrant Viking](http://www.amazon.com/Vagrant-Viking-My-life-adventures/dp/B0006DFEYS/sr=1-1/qid=1158995103/ref=sr_1_1/104-4448975-6753533?ie=UTF8&s=books) by Peter Freuchen) appear to be out of print. The last one ([Eothen](http://www.amazon.com/Eothen-Traces-Travel-Brought-Home/dp/0543967670/sr=1-2/qid=1158995055/ref=sr_1_2/104-4448975-6753533?ie=UTF8&s=books) by Alexander Kinglake) I had never heard of, but apparently this was the book no Winston Churchill claimed taught him how to write! My curiosity is piqued. Has anyone here read any of these books? Are they really among the five greatest travel books of all time? ---
**Author:** ![Meurglys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@Meurglys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meurglys)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2006, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-five-greatest-travel-books-of-all-time/373825/2 "2006-09-23T11:12:46Z")
[QUOTE=Rodgers01] My curiosity is piqued. Has anyone here read any of these books? Are they really among the five greatest travel books of all time? [/QUOTE] Eothen is excellent! The first paragraph: AT Semlin I still was encompassed by the scenes and the sounds of familiar life; the din of a busy world still vexed and cheered me; the unveiled faces of women still shone in the light of day. Yet, whenever I chose to look southward, I saw the Ottoman’s fortress - austere, and darkly impending high over the vale of the Danube - historic Belgrade. I had come, as it were, to the end of this wheel-going Europe, and now my eyes would see the splendour and havoc of the East. and I’ve just found the full text here: [Eothen text](http://etext.library.adelaide.edu.au/k/kinglake/alexander_william/eothen/) It was out as a neat little hardback maybe 6 or 7 years ago, so I’d expect s/h copies to be available… ---
**Author:** ![Caprese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9a28c/32.png) [@Caprese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caprese)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2006, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-five-greatest-travel-books-of-all-time/373825/3 "2006-09-23T11:21:47Z")
The only one I’ve heard of was Travels With A Donkey. No Mark Twain? No Paul Theroux? ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/96bed5/32.png) [@Cat\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Jones)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2006, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-five-greatest-travel-books-of-all-time/373825/4 "2006-09-23T12:35:27Z")
I’d argue strongly that a book which is about a single city is not a “travel” book, especially if the writer is a native of the country in which the city is located. So that knocks James MORRIS’ Oxford off the list as far as I’m concerned. (BTW altho’ still James at the time ‘Oxford’ was written you’ll find the book more easily if you search for Jan Morris as the author.) ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2006, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-five-greatest-travel-books-of-all-time/373825/5 "2006-09-23T13:44:06Z")
What about Bruce Chatwin’s _In Patagonia_ and Peter Matthiessen’s _Snow Leopard_? ---
**Author:** ![well\_he\_s\_back](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3ab097/32.png) [@well\_he\_s\_back](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/well_he_s_back)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2006, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-five-greatest-travel-books-of-all-time/373825/6 "2006-09-23T15:52:55Z")
I agree with Twickster’s choices & I’ll add Brazilian Adventure by Peter Fleming and A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush by Eric Newby. (Well anything by those two authors, but we’re limiting to around 5) ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2006, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-five-greatest-travel-books-of-all-time/373825/7 "2006-09-23T15:55:08Z")
Robert Byron’s “The Road to Oxiana” is a classic of the genre. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Rosewater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/898d66/32.png) [@Mr.Rosewater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Rosewater)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2006, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-five-greatest-travel-books-of-all-time/373825/8 "2006-09-23T17:10:33Z")
I would definitely add _A Tramp Abroad_ by Mark Twain. If it were a slightly longer list I would also add Bill Bryson. ---
**Author:** ![jackelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2006, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-five-greatest-travel-books-of-all-time/373825/9 "2006-09-23T17:24:18Z")
No _Travels with Charley_? I’m not buying it. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2006, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-five-greatest-travel-books-of-all-time/373825/10 "2006-09-23T19:04:49Z")
No Hichhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy? no The Hobbit? 😉 Brian ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2006, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-five-greatest-travel-books-of-all-time/373825/11 "2006-09-25T12:40:10Z")
How can you have a list of great travel books and not include **a Personal Narrative of a Pilgrimage to Mecca and Al-Medina** by Sir Richard Burton? And at least one Twain travel book (although my choice would be **The Innocents Abroad**.) And, it might be purely personal, but I’d include Robert Heinlein’s **Tramp Royale**. How about Paul Theroux’s **The Great Railway Bazaar**? ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2006, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-five-greatest-travel-books-of-all-time/373825/12 "2006-09-25T12:58:23Z")
No Marco Polo? ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2006, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-five-greatest-travel-books-of-all-time/373825/13 "2006-09-25T13:13:20Z")
Perhaps not “the greatest of all time,” but among my favorites are Sean Condon’s [My 'Dam Life](http://www.amazon.com/My-Dam-Life-Journeys-Literature/dp/0864427816/sr=1-3/qid=1159189714/ref=pd_bbs_3/103-2531226-8435057?ie=UTF8&s=books) and Jan Morris’ [Manhattan '45](http://www.amazon.com/Manhattan-45-Jan-Morris/dp/0801859573/sr=1-42/qid=1159189843/ref=sr_1_42/103-2531226-8435057?ie=UTF8&s=books). Oooh! I almost forgot the collected Christopher Morley: [New York](http://www.amazon.com/Christopher-Morleys-New-York-Morley/dp/0823212149/sr=1-3/qid=1159189914/ref=pd_bbs_3/103-2531226-8435057?ie=UTF8&s=books) and [Philadelphia](http://www.amazon.com/Christopher-Morleys-Philadelphia-Morley/dp/082321270X/sr=1-4/qid=1159189914/ref=sr_1_4/103-2531226-8435057?ie=UTF8&s=books). I really must buy my own copies. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2006, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-five-greatest-travel-books-of-all-time/373825/14 "2006-09-25T13:17:19Z")
I’d add **William Least Heat-Moon’s** \*Blue Highways \* and _River-Horse_, but I’m an ignorant slut, and my opinion means nuts. ---
**Author:** ![Rodgers01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@Rodgers01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodgers01)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2006, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-five-greatest-travel-books-of-all-time/373825/15 "2006-09-25T16:23:16Z")
[QUOTE=An Arky] I’d add **William Least Heat-Moon’s** \*Blue Highways \* and _River-Horse_, but I’m an ignorant slut, and my opinion means nuts. [/QUOTE] Jane? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2006, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-five-greatest-travel-books-of-all-time/373825/16 "2006-09-25T16:44:33Z")
[QUOTE=Rodgers01] My curiosity is piqued. Has anyone here read any of these books? Are they really among the five greatest travel books of all time? [/QUOTE] I have never read or even heard of any other than _Travels with a Donkey_. I agree with \*\*Mr. Rosewater \*\* **CalMeacham** and **jackelope** that Bryson, Twain and Steinbeck _(Log from the Sea of Cortez_, too!) would be on my list. Some reviewers delight in making themselves sound highbrow by assembling a list of elitist books that few have ever heard of, rather then their real personal faves. ---
**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2006, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-five-greatest-travel-books-of-all-time/373825/17 "2006-09-25T16:50:28Z")
[QUOTE=DrDeth] Some reviewers delight in making themselves sound highbrow by assembling a list of elitist books that few have ever heard of, rather then their real personal faves. [/QUOTE] Amen to that. I would add Mark Twain’s Roughing It, Following The Equator and Life On The Mississippi to the list of candidates. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2006, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-five-greatest-travel-books-of-all-time/373825/18 "2006-09-25T16:58:28Z")
[QUOTE=Crotalus] Amen to that. I would add Mark Twain’s Roughing It, Following The Equator and Life On The Mississippi to the list of candidates. [/QUOTE] Can’t go wrong with Twain! ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2006, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-five-greatest-travel-books-of-all-time/373825/19 "2006-09-25T17:50:22Z")
I agree with whoever said _A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush_ up-thread, and I’ll add Mary Kingsley’s _Travels in West Africa_. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2006, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-five-greatest-travel-books-of-all-time/373825/20 "2006-09-25T18:58:59Z")
I second or third or whatever _The Innocents Abroad_. I reread it shortly before taking a trip to Italy several years ago, and it made my trip a lot more amusing than it otherwise would have been, I think. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-five-greatest-travel-books-of-all-time/373825.md?page=2)