Reading inspires travel

Are you a bookworm or more of magazine page flipper?  

I love to read, and I go in spurts of reading.  The whole kids, homeschooling, after school tutoring, and household managing thing might have something to do with my reading dry spells, but if I haven't read anything in a while I get a hankering for a good book.  

I have always loved historical fiction, but as I was thinking about this blog topic I noticed that many of my favorite novels have dynamic settings that have inspired my travel.  

This next part might give away my nerdy historical book secret away, but hang with me.  One of my favorite authors is Edward Rutherford.  He writes epic novels which focus on a specific place.  His stories carry the reader through tens of thousands of year of history and I love them.  He sets the stage by introducing the reader to a handful of character families that live in the chosen area of his book (Ireland, New York, Russia, Paris), and then each chapter follows the lives of these families through generations of history and how the families' lives intertwine.  What attracts me to Rutherford's writing, and keeps me going back, is the way he builds the city of the setting up over each chapter, making history come alive for me.  This was especially true when I read The Princes of Ireland and then the continuing story: The Rebels of Ireland.  So much so, that it helped inspire my 10 year wedding anniversary to Ireland.  

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When my husband and I got off the plane in Dublin and started exploring that amazing city, I felt like I already knew it.  Visiting Trinity College and strolling along the River Liffy brought back characters and events and totally enriched my experience.  

So what about you?  Do you have an inspirational book that lead to a great adventure?  Here are some links to get you started. 

17 TRAVEL BOOKS FOR EXPLORERS, DRIFTERS, AND PEOPLE WHO DON'T MIND GETTING LOST
http://www.bustle.com/articles/35071-17-travel-books-for-explorers-drifters-and-people-who-dont-mind-getting-lost/page/17

20 Books That Will Inspire You to Travel
http://www.more.com/books-that-inspire-travel

And what about the kids?  This infographic makes me so happy because it allows children to see that even fantasy and fairy tale comes from the beauty of real places.  Click on the picture to see the full graphic with many kid's stories.

Kids Are a Trip is a blog that has book picks for Ireland, Spain, France, and Italy for kids and parents alike.
http://kidsareatrip.com/

Tell me about your inspirational books and let us help you plan your next adventure!

Happy roving (and reading!),

Kyleen

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