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You are here: Backpacker Resources > Travel Books > Top 5 Books for February 2010

Top 5 Books for February 2010

1. The Rough Guide to Japan from Rough Guides
   

   On the trek to and from Oz, and New Zealand you might be lucky enough to get a lay over in Tokyo - so if this wondrous occurrence should take place, this is the book you need to make the most of it. Now the guide doesn’t quite cover every one of the 6800 islands that make up Japan but it does a pretty good job with the ones you stand a chance of visiting in a single human lifetime. As a country that prided itself on a state of self imposed isolation until a point only 150 years ago, Japan has certainly changed and today offers visitors startlingly punctual public transport, paddy fields, the biggest department stores on the planet, monkeys with a penchant for natural hot tubs and more! Beyond this the guide offers an insight into unique island traditions such as the Kanamara Matsuri on Kawasaki, where on the first Sunday in April, all sorts of phallic fun is had by attendees who ride through town on giant wooden … ahem, while enjoying appropriately shaped lollipops. This is just a drop in the reservoir of the good times to be had in Japan so if you want a clue about to what to do in any part of the country, then this guide is worth every penny.

   The Rough Guide to Japan is published by Rough Guides (paperback; £16.99). It is also available through roughguides.com and all good booksellers.

2. The Scotland Travel Pack from Lonely Planet
   

   I’ve been guilty of neglecting my guide book roots in the top fives of late so to make up for this crime against travel fashion, I present you with a triple whammy, all about my second favourite patch of the UK, Scotland. Warming up your literary synapses we have the Edinburgh Encounter Guide – a handy square shaped and pocket sized guide. With a mere 176 pages it’s very much to the point but Scottish born and bred author Neil Wilson, still covers all the major sights. More importantly there’s a whole page dedicated to the best walking tour in Edinburgh – led by Adam Lyal, the deceased and articulate ghoul behind the Cadies and Witchery Tours. The Scotland Travel Guide (co authored by the same Mr Neil Wilson) goes into a great deal more depth and best of all, it includes the Wee Curry Shop in Glasgow – an establishment which in my humble opinion, serves up the tastiest curries this side of Delhi. Finally for the backpackers who enjoy a good hike we have the Walking in Scotland Guide, which boasts a whopping 66 jaunts across this great northern country. My pick of the day in this hiking repository has to be the Orkney walks that kick off on page 272. The 68 Orkney islands six miles off the coast of northern Scotland, offer some of the most spectacular and rugged landscapes in the UK, and the recommended walks give you the opportunity to wave hello at the Old Man of Hoy – a free standing sea stack that’s nearly 500 feet tall. The history buffs will also appreciate the chance to check out the Royal Navy’s old stomping grounds in Scapa Flow. When you buy all three guides together you also save ten quid. Bargain!

   The Scotland Travel Pack is published by Lonely Planet (paperback; £23.78). It is also available through shop.lonelyplanet.com and all good booksellers.

3. Momma and the Meaning of Life by Irvin D. Yalom
   

   I’ve been a fan of Dr Yalom ever since I read Love’s Executioner – a collection of outstanding and true to life psychotherapy tales. Having successfully executed a pateint’s life halting love for her former therapist, Yalom picks up the mind altering trail in Momma and the Meaning of Life with a tear jerking battery of what it means to deal with death. From the loss of his mother to a ten-year group therapy project that successfully extended the lives of the terminally ill, this professional retrospective offers some fascinating insights into how we deal with the inevitable. A particularly memorable case is that of Irene – a long standing friend of Yalom who seeks a more professional relationship with the doctor after discovering that her husband has terminal cancer. The Seven Advanced Lessons in the Therapy of Grief that grow out of these years of personal boundary breaking therapy are heartbreakingly frank and ultimately, successful. After years of conversational minefields and seemingly inexhaustible reserves of anger, Irene learns that even accomplished surgeons like herself can’t control everything and begins to move forward. It’s not a light read by any measure but by documenting the strife and complexity of grief to this degree, Yalom once again delivers the goods.

   Momma and the Meaning of Life by Irvin D. Yalom is published by Piatkus Books (paperback; £8.99). It is also available through amazon.com and all good booksellers.

4. The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
   

   The God of Small Things is the only novel to come from Arundhati Roy, which is a shame because it’s a beautifully written account of how exiting it can be when not a lot happens. The novel follows the lives of fraternal twins Rahel and Estha, and their fates as decided by the smallest of decisions during their childhood. Set in Ayemenem in Kerala, the story switches between the hopeful childhood days of 1969 and the disappointing adulthood of 1993. Between the two points of narration, the twins are separated only to be reunited when broken dreams and mental illness have set in. Communism, the caste system and Syrian Christianity all play a prominent part in the aforementioned fate sealing, decision making but the tastiest part, and the reason why this badger won the Booker Prize, comes right at the end. It’s the written equivalent to the money shot but you’ll just have to read it yourselves to find out why.

   The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy is published by Harper Perennial (paperback; £7.99). It is also available through amazon.com and all good booksellers.

5. Backpackers Britain – Scotland: Volumes Three and Four by Graham Uney
   

   Sticking with the Scottish circumstances from earlier on I present you with two volumes in a travel series, written specifically for backpackers. Volume three focuses on the northernmost highlands and islands, with off the beaten track highlights that include the snow capped Fannichs Traverse, and the otter populated Applecross Peninsular. The recommended walks in this one aren’t for the weak willed but they do take you to the spectacular pointss where you can spot Golden Eagles and more. Volume four on the other hand brings the focus to the central and southern highlands, with a good deal of detail devoted to the Scottish 4000’ers Traverse. This 143km trail kicks off in the Glenmore Forest Park and finishes in Fort William, so in between you’re challenged with 4000 feet peaks, the Lairig Ghru river, and most famously Ben Nevis. Throw in a selection of camping options and youth hostels along the way, and you’re set. Just make sure you wear comfortable shoes!

   Backpackers Britain – Scotland: Volumes Three and Four by Graham Uney are published by Cicerone (individual paperbacks: £12.00). They are also available through amazon.com and all good booksellers.

- Rob Savage