When we planned our year trip, I started to read everything. Books, blogs, magazines, interviews with long-term travelers. I looked at Instagram accounts and listened to audio books. I became obsessed with learning everything I could about how to be the best traveler I could be. Absorbing all that information helped, but mostly I learned what to do in real time, on the road. We read the advice, and still did things wrong. We started with way too many clothes in our backpack and with too much of a plan for where to go and how long to stay in each place. Although I’m glad I read some of the tactical advice books, I mostly enjoyed the travel memoirs. Memoirs gave me the inspiration and excitement to make it happen. So, I’ve compiled a list of both—the how-to books that help you get started and the stories that make you dream.

8 Books To Inspire You To See The World

LOVE WITH A CHANCE OF DROWNING

A young Australian woman meets a boy in San Francisco who wants to sail around the world. Despite her debilitating fear of the ocean, they fall in love and set out to sea on a wild adventure together. Although this sounds like a cheesy romantic novel, it’s filled with life-threatening sailing stories, life lessons and tales of a magical experience.

THE WORRIER’S GUIDE TO THE END OF THE WORLD

Written by the same author as Love with a Chance of Drowning, Torre DeRoche goes on a final journey after 10 years of travel. She heads to Europe after breaking up with the man she fell in love with in the last book to grieve the end of her relationship and the death of her mother. She ends up making a life long friend and they walk their way through Italy and surprisingly, India.

TRAVEL THE WORLD ON $50 A DAY

This was the first book I bought when planning our trip. Matt Kepnes provides essential tips for long-term travel on a budget. Although you may already know a lot of the information in this book, it’s a great place to start for the novice international traveler.

HOW NOT TO TRAVEL THE WORLD

Lauren Juliff tells her solo-travel story in a unique way—chronicling all the bad things that happened to her so you never make the same mistakes. You’ll laugh and cringe through her unfortunate debacles.

VAGABONDING

More trips and tricks about long-term travel. Rolf Potts distinguishes the tourist from the traveler and encourages you to learn and understand the culture in each country you visit. A must-read for anyone planning on taking a long-term travel break from everyday life.

WHAT I WAS DOING WHILE YOU WERE BREEDING

This turned out to be different than I expected—comedy writer, Kristin Newmann, tells stories of her travel escapades and sexual encounters along the way. While friends were getting married and having babies, she was seeing the world. She’s funny, self deprecating and extremely honest.

YOU ARE A BADASS

If you like self help books, this is a great choice. Jen Sincero is funny, engaging, and helps you gain the confidence to go after what you want. It may even help you make the decision to get out there and travel the world!

WILD

You’ve probably seen the movie by now, but the book is even better. Cheryl Strayed grieves and heals after the death of her beloved mother by walking the PCT alone. As a novice hiker, she experiences all kinds of pain and tribulation, but comes out the other side a changed woman.

If you have a favorite travel memoir I missed, please share it in the comments! I’m always looking for my next read.

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