Spring is finally here and it's time to shake off the last remnants of winter and get out and explore - be it close to home or farther afield. Here is a selection of books to help provide some inspiration.
"The Road to Little Dribbling: Adventures of an American in Britain" by Bill Bryson
Twenty years after writing his classic travelogue, "Notes from a Small Island," Bill Bryson sets off again to discover if the Britain he wrote about still remains. Traveling by car, train, and on foot, Bryson journeys south from Bognor Regis in the south to Cape Wrath in the north - a route he christens the Bryson Line. Along the way, he provides the reader with wry and witty observations into Britain's people, politics, history and culture, and its evolving and enduring landscape.
"The Yellow Envelope: One Gift, Three Rules, and a Life-changing Journey Around the World" by Kim Dinan
Before leaving their settled life behind to travel the world, Dinan and her husband are given a yellow envelope from friends containing a check for $1,000, along with instructions to give the money away to others they meet on their trip. As the couple travels through Ecuador, India, Nepal, and beyond, they try to determine the best way to disperse of the generous gift, and in so doing, discover the act of giving - not of money, but of themselves - has a power in and of itself.
"All Over the Place: Adventures in Travel, True Love, and Petty Theft" by Geraldine DeRuiter
In this touching and hilarious memoir, the writer behind the popular blog, The Everywhereist, recounts the seven years she spent accompanying her husband on his world travels after being laid off from her job as a copywriter in Seattle. In her explorations, DeRuiter learns that "you can find yourself exactly where you need to be - even if you aren't quite sure where you are."
"Green Travel Guide to Southern Wisconsin: Environmentally and Socially Responsible Travel" by Pat Dillon and Lynne Diebel
Written for folks who want to leave a smaller environmental footprint when they travel, this helpful book offers a compelling catalogue of the best green restaurants, lodgings, shops, and activities available in southern Wisconsin. As defined by the authors, green means a focus on the local - locally owned, locally sourced, locally crafted - and having a low impact on resources, while still offering a great deal of fun.
"On Rue Tatin: Living and Cooking in a French Town" by Susan Herrmann Loomis
In this delightful book, journalist and chef Loomis recounts her and her husband's loving, and often frustrating, restoration of a rundown convent in the small town of Louviers in Normandy. Filled with rich descriptions of the town and its inhabitants, along with a slew of delectable French recipes, "On Rue Tatin" is a savory read that leaves you with a pleasant sense of well-being. If you like the book, consider traveling to France to take a cooking class with Loomis at On Rue Tatin.
"The Great Wisconsin Touring Book: 30 Spectacular Auto Trips" by Gary Knowles
It's time to get off the beaten path - or Interstate, in this case - and discover a host of Wisconsin roads filled with spectacular scenery and rich history. The book includes 30 driving tours, plus thorough, easy-to-use maps of each route, and listings of roadside attractions and points of interest along the way.
"Homestead" by Annick Smith
Smith, a filmmaker, writer and co-producer of "A River Runs Through It," shares her moving, personal story of coming to Montana with husband and boys in 1964, where they settled on a 163-acre ranch near the Big Blackfoot River with a view of creek, hills, and the Rattlesnake Mountains. There, on a land both simple and majestic, she comes to know herself and her place in the world.
"Welcome to the Universe: An Astrophysical Tour" by Neil deGrasse Tyson, Michael A. Strauss, and J. Richard Gott
Inspired by the introductory astronomy course they taught at Princeton, renowned astrophysicists Tyson, Strauss, and Gott take their readers on a tour to the farthest reaches of our universe and beyond. Covering topics from planets, stars, and galaxies to superstring theory, worm holes, and time travel, the authors offer up the latest discoveries in astrophysics in a way that's both accessible and awe-inspiring.
"101 Baseball Places to See Before You Strike Out" by Josh Pahigian
Baseball fans and travelers alike will enjoy this compilation of notable attractions devoted to America's favorite pastime. From museums and statues to gravesites and bars, Pahigian has pulled together a winning list of baseball's greatest hits, including the St. Paul Saints' Midway Stadium, the Billy Goat Tavern, the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, and Shoeless Joe Jackson Memorial Park, to name a few.
"Crossing the Driftless: A Canoe Trip through a Midwestern Landscape" by Lynne Diebel
In this local travel journal, author Lynne Diebel details the trip she and her husband, Bob, took traveling by canoe across the Driftless Area from Faribault, Minnesota, to their home in Stoughton - a journey covering 359 river miles and five portages. As they follow the couple's travels, readers will get a clearer understanding and appreciation for the dynamic waterways - the Cannon, Mississippi, and Wisconsin rivers - and the geological wonder they cut through.
Explore these and other great travel books available to check out in print, digital, or audio formats at Monroe Public Library.
- Cover to Cover is provided by the Monroe Public Library and is published the fourth Wednesday of the month.
"The Road to Little Dribbling: Adventures of an American in Britain" by Bill Bryson
Twenty years after writing his classic travelogue, "Notes from a Small Island," Bill Bryson sets off again to discover if the Britain he wrote about still remains. Traveling by car, train, and on foot, Bryson journeys south from Bognor Regis in the south to Cape Wrath in the north - a route he christens the Bryson Line. Along the way, he provides the reader with wry and witty observations into Britain's people, politics, history and culture, and its evolving and enduring landscape.
"The Yellow Envelope: One Gift, Three Rules, and a Life-changing Journey Around the World" by Kim Dinan
Before leaving their settled life behind to travel the world, Dinan and her husband are given a yellow envelope from friends containing a check for $1,000, along with instructions to give the money away to others they meet on their trip. As the couple travels through Ecuador, India, Nepal, and beyond, they try to determine the best way to disperse of the generous gift, and in so doing, discover the act of giving - not of money, but of themselves - has a power in and of itself.
"All Over the Place: Adventures in Travel, True Love, and Petty Theft" by Geraldine DeRuiter
In this touching and hilarious memoir, the writer behind the popular blog, The Everywhereist, recounts the seven years she spent accompanying her husband on his world travels after being laid off from her job as a copywriter in Seattle. In her explorations, DeRuiter learns that "you can find yourself exactly where you need to be - even if you aren't quite sure where you are."
"Green Travel Guide to Southern Wisconsin: Environmentally and Socially Responsible Travel" by Pat Dillon and Lynne Diebel
Written for folks who want to leave a smaller environmental footprint when they travel, this helpful book offers a compelling catalogue of the best green restaurants, lodgings, shops, and activities available in southern Wisconsin. As defined by the authors, green means a focus on the local - locally owned, locally sourced, locally crafted - and having a low impact on resources, while still offering a great deal of fun.
"On Rue Tatin: Living and Cooking in a French Town" by Susan Herrmann Loomis
In this delightful book, journalist and chef Loomis recounts her and her husband's loving, and often frustrating, restoration of a rundown convent in the small town of Louviers in Normandy. Filled with rich descriptions of the town and its inhabitants, along with a slew of delectable French recipes, "On Rue Tatin" is a savory read that leaves you with a pleasant sense of well-being. If you like the book, consider traveling to France to take a cooking class with Loomis at On Rue Tatin.
"The Great Wisconsin Touring Book: 30 Spectacular Auto Trips" by Gary Knowles
It's time to get off the beaten path - or Interstate, in this case - and discover a host of Wisconsin roads filled with spectacular scenery and rich history. The book includes 30 driving tours, plus thorough, easy-to-use maps of each route, and listings of roadside attractions and points of interest along the way.
"Homestead" by Annick Smith
Smith, a filmmaker, writer and co-producer of "A River Runs Through It," shares her moving, personal story of coming to Montana with husband and boys in 1964, where they settled on a 163-acre ranch near the Big Blackfoot River with a view of creek, hills, and the Rattlesnake Mountains. There, on a land both simple and majestic, she comes to know herself and her place in the world.
"Welcome to the Universe: An Astrophysical Tour" by Neil deGrasse Tyson, Michael A. Strauss, and J. Richard Gott
Inspired by the introductory astronomy course they taught at Princeton, renowned astrophysicists Tyson, Strauss, and Gott take their readers on a tour to the farthest reaches of our universe and beyond. Covering topics from planets, stars, and galaxies to superstring theory, worm holes, and time travel, the authors offer up the latest discoveries in astrophysics in a way that's both accessible and awe-inspiring.
"101 Baseball Places to See Before You Strike Out" by Josh Pahigian
Baseball fans and travelers alike will enjoy this compilation of notable attractions devoted to America's favorite pastime. From museums and statues to gravesites and bars, Pahigian has pulled together a winning list of baseball's greatest hits, including the St. Paul Saints' Midway Stadium, the Billy Goat Tavern, the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, and Shoeless Joe Jackson Memorial Park, to name a few.
"Crossing the Driftless: A Canoe Trip through a Midwestern Landscape" by Lynne Diebel
In this local travel journal, author Lynne Diebel details the trip she and her husband, Bob, took traveling by canoe across the Driftless Area from Faribault, Minnesota, to their home in Stoughton - a journey covering 359 river miles and five portages. As they follow the couple's travels, readers will get a clearer understanding and appreciation for the dynamic waterways - the Cannon, Mississippi, and Wisconsin rivers - and the geological wonder they cut through.
Explore these and other great travel books available to check out in print, digital, or audio formats at Monroe Public Library.
- Cover to Cover is provided by the Monroe Public Library and is published the fourth Wednesday of the month.