For every country, there’s a book you just have to read before you go! These are some of the best:
IF YOU’RE GOING TO: India
READ: Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts
Nary a traveler has been to this country without hearing much advice. On the top of the list (after street food warnings) is usually a recommendation to read Shantaram — and with good reason. Gregory David Roberts’ epic novel, set mostly in Mumbai, is rife with observations and insights into Indian culture, people and history. It’s also, above all, a gripping story that you won’t want to put down.
IF YOU’RE GOING TO: Cambodia
READ: First They Killed My Father by Loung Ung
Loung Ung’s firsthand account of the Cambodian genocide (under the Khmer Rouge) is incredibly touching and beautifully told, if a little tough to read. It’s important, however, in understanding the tough sites you may see on your trip, including S21 prison and the Killing Fields.
IF YOU’RE GOING TO: Australia
READ: In a Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson
There is no one quite as magical a storyteller as Bill Bryson; and his recounting of experiences in the land Down Under is no exception! You will laugh at his stories (a particular man-of-war incident comes to mind) and learn countless facts, like “80 percent of all that lives in Australia, plant and animal, lives nowhere else.”
IF YOU’RE GOING TO: Bolivia
READ: Marching Powder by Thomas McFadden and Rusty Young
You can’t set foot in La Paz, Bolivia without hearing tales of the infamous San Pedro Prison. Its corruption is legendary and until recently, the prison was so lackadaisical that tourists (and parties!) were allowed inside inmates’ cells. This book recounts the story of British prisoner Thomas McFadden told in a series of visits with Rusty Young.
IF YOU’RE GOING TO: Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
READ: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson and Ralph Steadman
While the 1960s Vegas that Thompson recounts is quite different than today’s, certain sinful themes are timeless like over-the-top partying, frivolous gambling and alcohol-fueled benders. We suggest perhaps reading it as a cautionary tale while enjoying yourself responsibly on the strip.
(Main image: LWY)
