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Reading My Way Around the World: How Being a Bookworm Inspires Wanderlust

April 23, 2014 By Katie MacLeod 22 Comments

Colourful bookshelves that inspire readingA bookworm is defined as “a person unusually devoted to reading.”  That’s me to a tee – and my childhood bookworm tendencies sowed the early seeds of wanderlust.

I’m one of those people who goes to bed telling themselves “Just one more chapter”, a mental refrain that always ends up at 3am with a finished book. As a child, I owned a bookmark printed with these words:  “A book is a ticket to faraway places, to adventures and friends everywhere; and the best part is, you can travel the world without ever leaving your chair.”  I still remember it, because it rings true.  Books can take you anywhere you want to go, broadening your horizons in a similar way to travel.

Bill Bryson makes me laugh out loud, and I love travel literature as much as the next travel addict, but I don’t believe a book has to be a travelogue to inspire wanderlust; fiction can be equally as effective.

I’m speaking from experience.  If you want to instil a love of adventure in a child, give them an Enid Blyton book.  I spent my childhood building forts in forests and running through fields, thinking there was a secret passage hidden in every house, almost convinced I was the sixth member of the Famous Five.  For me, it was a short hop, skip and a jump from imagining adventure at home to dreaming of adventure abroad.

I progressed to Little House on the Prairie, which had me longing to visit the American Midwest, while Anne of Green Gables made me imagine exploring Prince Edward Island.  Later, Chocolat started dreams of France; Captain Corelli’s Mandolin gave me the urge to go to Greece; and The God of Small Things set the scene of southern India perfectly.

Recently, Beautiful Ruins captured the essence of Italy for me as I read, and devouring Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s novels has made me want to visit Lagos.  In reality, I want to go everywhere, and reading has only fanned the flames of wanderlust.

I’m not the only one.  Writer Frankie Thompson blogs frequently about reading and travelling over at As The Bird Flies (she recently published a book of short stories inspired by travel), while social media maven Jayne Gorman set up a popular ‘Travel Book Chat’ on Twitter.  In honour of World Book Day earlier this year, Telegraph Travel listed what they believe are the best travel books of all time – and many of them were fiction.

Wherever you are in the world, whether you’re an armchair traveller or a seasoned explorer, remember that a book is a ticket to a faraway place.  Pick up a paperback (or your e-reader) and let the adventure begin.

____________________

Do you enjoy reading? Has a book ever inspired you to travel?

Let me know in the comments below, or on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram – I’d love to hear from you!

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Comments

  1. Leasha Waddingham says

    April 23, 2014 at 11:34 pm

    I am exactly the same with books many of times I have read an extra 200 pages instead of two! Interesting link between that and travel here and very true…fiction has made me want to go to many places from new york to McDonald’s!

    Reply
    • Katie MacLeod says

      April 24, 2014 at 5:34 pm

      I definitely know how that feels, Leasha!

      Reply
  2. Moon Dancer says

    April 24, 2014 at 12:19 am

    Beautifully written!

    Reply
  3. Moon Dancer says

    April 24, 2014 at 12:35 am

    Beautifully written! I find books inspiring me all the time too

    Reply
    • Katie MacLeod says

      April 24, 2014 at 5:36 pm

      Thanks Jess! Reading really is great for inspiration of all kinds 🙂

      Reply
  4. Lucy Dodsworth says

    April 24, 2014 at 4:12 pm

    I’ve a terrible binge reader too, I have had to stop myself reading at night as I don’t know when to stop! Love escaping to another world with a book though, it’s the nearest you can get to travel without leaving home.
    p.s. You should come join in the travelbookclub on Twitter! It’s organised by Emily-Ann Elliott (http://thegrownupgapyear.wordpress.com/) and we read and chat about a travel related book each month.

    Reply
    • Katie MacLeod says

      April 24, 2014 at 5:40 pm

      I should really cut down on reading at night too – I don’t know when to stop either. And thanks so much for the heads up about the travel book club, it sounds great! I’m definitely going to get involved 🙂

      Reply
      • Lucy Dodsworth says

        April 24, 2014 at 5:55 pm

        Great, the book we’re reading this month is Slow Train to Guantanamo by Peter Millar and will be talking about it at 9pm on 7 May

        Reply
  5. Suzanne Jones says

    April 24, 2014 at 10:42 pm

    I completely agree with you on ‘just one more chapter’! I often read a book set in a destination I’m heading to inspire me for my upcoming trip.

    Reply
    • Katie MacLeod says

      April 26, 2014 at 2:07 pm

      It’s hard to put the book down, isn’t it?! I try to do that before travelling too – I’ve just read Bill Bryson’s African Diary, as I’m going to Kenya next week.

      Reply
      • Suzanne Jones says

        April 26, 2014 at 4:15 pm

        How exciting – have a wonderful time!

        Reply
  6. Yasmine says

    May 4, 2014 at 10:24 pm

    Sounds so familiar! I had a very similar experience a little while ago: I was going through my course notes of my English lit classes at university and came across Tennyson’s Ulysses poem. I didn’t care for it at university, but 3 years later, having studying abroad and traveled as far and as often as I can, it really hit home. It’s very strange how a combination of words can make you feel so anxious to leave!
    I’ve been struggling with trying to write a post like this; experiencing a book in the way you described it is so hard to put into words.

    Reply
  7. broadsideblog says

    June 21, 2014 at 10:59 am

    I had one of my favorite experiences ever reading Karen Blixen while in Kenya — “I had a house in Africa, in the Ngong Hills” — and could look up and see them. On the other hand, reading Ian McEwan’s scary book about Venice while in Venice….bad idea! I was recently in the Eastern Townships of Quebec reading Louise Penny’s series set there and knew that she was living within a 20 minute drive nearby somewhere.

    The one place I’ve been dying to go since childhood is Corfu after reading My Family and other Animals by Gerald Durrell. And The Elegance of the Hedgehog, a favorite set in Paris, perfectly captures life in an elegant apartment building there as the main character is the concierge.

    Reply
    • Katie MacLeod says

      June 23, 2014 at 6:33 pm

      Isn’t it great reading about a location when you’re in the very place you’re reading about? Karen Blixen is on my to-read list, especially now that I’ve been to Kenya. And I loved The Elegance of the Hedgehog too. The Blackhouse Trilogy by Peter May has encouraged a lot of readers to visit the Hebrides, but I have to say I think he paints my home in too bleak a light!

      Reply
  8. Sara says

    November 25, 2015 at 2:29 pm

    I just found your blog yesterday through this article. I was sold at Bill Bryson, Famous Five, and Anne of Green Gables! I write most about aspiring to write like Bill Bryson. I just took a trip to Corfe Castle to see the inspiration for the Famous Five setting (I always wanted to be George). And PEI is next on my list of places to visit because Anne of Green Gabels! So far I love your blog!

    Reply

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I'm Katie, an expat Scot in the States, and the journalist behind Stories My Suitcase Could Tell, the travel blog which inspires you to explore the world. Read More…

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