Armchair Travel
December 2019
Recent Releases
A Beginner's Guide to Japan: Observations and Provocations
by Pico Iyer

What it is: lyrical, thought-provoking snippets and essays that ponder life in Japan, covering such varied topics as silence, signage, emotion, clothing, anime, baseball and more. 

About the author: British-born bestselling travel writer Pico Iyer is married to a Japanese woman and the country is his adopted home. 

Want a taste? "Being in Japan has taught me to say, 'I wonder,' more often than 'I think.'"
Classic Krakauer: Essays on Wilderness and Risk
by Jon Krakauer

What it is: a compelling collection of ten essays, all previously published between 1985 and 2014, that profile adventures and adventurers around the globe, including a poignant look at surfer Mark Foo's last ride.

Reviewers say: "A solid mix of conversations, background, and travel adds up to cleareyed reportage that still shocks" (Kirkus Reviews).

Read this next: For a more lighthearted collection about outdoor exploits, pick up Out There by the editors of Outside magazine. 
On the Plain of Snakes: A Mexican Journey
by Paul Theroux

What happened: Erudite 70-something travel writer Paul Theroux drove the entire length of the U.S.-Mexico border alone, crossing over the border multiple times; he also visited Mexico City, Oaxaca, Chiapas, and other areas.

Why you should read it: Theroux saw the border situation up close, met locals, witnessed the monarch butterfly migration, visited historic locations, taught writing, and learned about drug cartels and corruption.

Read this next: Richard Grant's God's Middle Finger, about his trip through the Sierra Madres; or, for a penetrating look at both U.S. borders, try Stephanie Elizondo Griest's All the Agents and Saints. 
The Dog Went Over the Mountain: Travels with Albie: An American Journey
by Peter Zheutlin

What it's about: Sixty-four-year-old journalist Peter Zheutlin and his beloved aging rescue dog Albie took a 9,200-mile road trip across the U.S. in a BMW convertible.

Don't miss: the musical references and locations, including visits to Winslow, Arizona and Woody Guthrie's Oklahoma hometown.

Read this next: John Steinbeck's Travels with Charley (the book that inspired this one), Rob Kugler's A Dog Named Beautiful, or Philip Caputo's The Longest Road.
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