Travel Books

1. When Nietzsche Wept by Irvin D. Yalom
   

   If you also read and adored Yalom’s books chronicling his patient cases as a therapist in America, you might also be nervous about such a great observer branching out into the world of fiction. I peeled back the front cover of When Nietzsche Wept with the same trepidation but thankfully there was no merit for such anxiety. This is a superbly entertaining tale of a doctor (Breur), a young and yet to be famous colleague (Freud) and a patient destined for equally dizzying heights – philosopher Nietzsche. It’s a beautiful exploration of psychology full of delicious quotes such as: “I am pregnant here (he tapped his temple) with books, books almost fully formed, books only I can deliver. Sometimes I think of my headaches as cerebral labor pains.”

   When Nietzsche Wept by Irvin D. Yalom is published by Harper Perennial (paperback; £9.99). It is also available through amazon.com and all good booksellers.

2. Dance Dance Dance by Haruki Murakami
   

   I thoroughly enjoyed Murakami’s Wild Sheep Chase so when I discovered the plot line tie ins with Hard Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World, it made me happy. When I read Dance Dance Dance and discovered more interweaving threads, I was almost giddy. In this read the plot follows your unnamed lead who’s a commercial writer – like in A Wild Sheep Chase. Said character is drawn to the Dolphin Hotel – the very same hotel where he stayed with the love of his life, before she disappeared – also in a Wild Sheep Chase. The hotel has changed but the lover and also the prophetic Sheep Man – both encountered during his first stay – are back, appearing to him this time in surreal visions. This results in two mysteries that without a doubt, will mess with your head – in a good way.

   Dance Dance Dance by Haruki Murakami is published by Vintage (paperback; £7.99). It is also available through amazon.com and all good booksellers.

3. Mission Mongolia by David Treanor
   

   The sub title on this read sums up the plot of the book in a pretty apt fashion: “Two men, one van, no turning back.” The two men are David Treanor and Geoff Stayton, the van is a Nissan and a big part of the no turning back is the fact that the journey to Mongolia was embarked upon in support of Save The Children. The concept of David and Geoff – two men who have seen pretty much everything as BBC current affairs editors – leaving the office to see that same everything first hand, is enthralling. The fact that they battled corrupt border officials, dangerously eroded roads and the elements of Siberia to do it, is incredible. The result and the money they raised for charity is simply amazing, so buy this book and do some good.

   Mission Mongolia by David Treanor is published by Summersdale (paperback; £8.99). It is also available through amazon.com and all good booksellers.

4. Economy Gastronomy by Allegra McEvedy and Paul Merrett
   

   A hardback cookbook might not seem like the perfect companion for the modern backpacker but the premise of this badger is advice on how to eat better and spend less – so bear with me. When you are in self catered digs the thought of cooking can seem like more of a chore than a culinary treat, but Economy Gastronomy turns that around. The one pot stews make up a top chapter and with recipes like tomato stew with meatballs, chorizo, white beans and red wine sauce feeding four, at a cost of less than £10, everybody wins.

   Economy Gastronomy by Allegra McEvedy and Paul Merrett is published by Michael Joseph (hardback; £20). It is also available through amazon.com and all good booksellers.

5. Europe for Independent Travellers from Lonely Planet and Busabout
   

   Times are changing and so too is Lonely Planet. After the BBC buy out we saw the birth of the magazine and now in the same vein of commercial ventures from BBC World – we have a guidebook produced by Lonely Planet – exclusively for the customers of tour company - Busabout. You can pick up a copy with a backpacker discount when you book a trip with said company and while it does usefully cover all of the European stopping points on the Busabout map, the content has been streamlined compared to the old pedigree books. It’s a great shopping list item if you’re doing a big tour with Busabout but otherwise, you might find the location specific real deal or the Rough Guides - Europe on a Budget, more useful.

   Europe for Independent Travellers from Lonely Planet is published by Lonely Planet and Busabout.

- Rob Savage