It is late Saturday night, and you have just settled in for the night. It was a rough week, so you are hoping to find an escape from real life. You pour a glass of red wine and open the book on your table. Instantly, you are transported to a beautiful Costa Rican black sand beach. You spend the night learning about the rainforest and all of the wonderful life that lives in it. Before you know it, you tell all your friends how you must visit Costa Rica to experience the rainforest.
A good book should do more than tell a story, and it should inspire the reader to want to experience the tale. One of the best ways to enjoy the story is by traveling. While there are many shelves lined with books to transport a reader to a new adventure, a few great reads genuinely inspire readers to go where the story takes place. Here are three books that may help plan your next vacation.
1. The Zoo Keepers Wife by Diane Ackerman
This true story transports a reader back to Poland in the 1940s, where they learn about the family that runs that Warsaw Zoo. They are struggling to keep their zoo open during WWII. Not only is this courageous family fighting to save their beloved zoo, but they used it as a place to hide their Jewish friends. As the story develops, this secret becomes a struggle that could possibly tear the family apart and close the zoo for good.
Once you close this book, you will be excited to visit Poland. It is full of history, colorful houses, and breathtaking landscapes but is still home to the original Warsaw Zoo. There is no better way to experience history than emerging yourself in the exact place that a story happened.
2. Wild by Cheryl Strayed
Wild is a memoir of a woman that decided she needed to disconnect and find herself after realizing her life is going astray. To do that, she decided to hike the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), a task she had not prepared for when she set out on her journey. While on her journey of self-discovery, she not only finds herself; but a love for the outdoors and the kindness of people around her.
While this book may also cause reflection, it will inspire the reader to get outdoors and spend time in new parts of the coast. The PCT covers over 2600 miles of hiking and adventure. Your next vacation could lead you into the woods, onto the beach, or climbing a mountain. Sometimes the best places to visit are in your backyard.
3. The Little Book of the Hidden People by Alda Sigmundsdottir
This book is a unique look at Icelandic Folklore. It allows the reader to experience how elves have become part of Icelandic culture. The pages in this book are a collection of 20 short stories about elves and other fascinating aspects of Iceland’s culture. Reading this book will leave a reader wondering more about the country and its one-of-a-kind history.
This book will make readers laugh, cry, and research new things. However, it is also a great starting point to discovering Iceland and all the island offers. A trip to Iceland can go in many directions, but mainly in a circle (because they are home to the ring road). When visiting Iceland, there are ample opportunities to see elves' houses, soak in hot baths, and enjoy tasty sweetbreads.
While there are many places to visit globally, it is essential to realize there are also a million different books that can take you there. Some books can take you from your backyard to outer space. Readers can prepare themselves for anything with the right book. Turning the page in a good story is the ideal place to start a vacation. If you have already finished a book that makes you want to explore new lands, schedule a consultation with me.
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