Primer’s Picks: Suggested Books for Travelers
Summertime is upon us. A quick look at your schedule and you might see several trips and outings by yourself. If you are looking for a travel companion, Primer is here to list down the books perfect for your vacation! Jump into these wonderful stories of friendships, journeys, love, and war without taking you too far off from your surroundings and your destination.
Vincent and Theo: The Van Gogh Brothers by Deborah Heiligman
IMAGE grabbed from Deborah Heiligman website
Vincent van Gogh’s art is a worldwide sensation thanks to his brother Theo. Theo was Vincent’s champion, and Vincent was Theo’s inspiration. This book tells the story of two brothers who, despite a stormy relationship, loved and supported each other. The author writes this bibliography to paint a picture of two brothers through the 700 letters between them. Read through brotherly love, anger, sorrow, and triumph in this award-winning book Vincent and Theo: The Van Gogh Brothers.
The Best Things In Life Are Free from the Lonely Planet
IMAGE grabbed from LonelyPlanet.com
This list would not be complete without an actual “travel companion.” In this book, experts from the Lonely Planet have brought together the most worthwhile experiences within a certain budget. Find public parks, free classes, street market, viewing points, and affordable food without missing out on the culture of the country where you are at. Included in The Best Things In Life Are Free are over 60 major cities around the world that should definitely be on your bucket list, allowing you to check them out without breaking the bank.
Faking Friends by Jane Fallon
IMAGE grabbed from janefallon.com
In Faking Friends, Amy and Melissa have been the best of friends but it ended in a shocking revelation. Instead of falling to pieces, Amy finds a new hobby: revenge. Friendships could get very dirty and this provocative, and this hilarious new book is all about taking it too far with plotting and getting even—enough to make the reader reflect on their own relationships. It truly is a hurtful experience to come back from your travel only to find your fiancé together with your best friend.
Sampaguita and Gold Button by Leo Orii
IMAGE grabbed from gmanetwork.com
Love is beautiful, and so are Filipino women as Yuji will find out early on. He falls in love and the country falls into war. Sampaguita and Gold Button is a story of laughter, joy, and agony. Let the artist Leo Orii, who denies being called an author, draw a picture of the Philippines before World War II, dragging your heart through our wartorn land and finally give you Hope at the end. Perfect for a travel to Cebu or in Japan where the book is set.
The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Ari Kawa
IMAGE grabbed from waterstones.com
As any travel junkie would know, the journey is not about the destination but about the getting there. What better way to travel than with your friend, your cat. The Travelling Cat Chronicles is a story is narrated by Nana, a cat who is traveling with her owner, Satoru who does not tell her where the road leads them. Only the reader knows that he is looking for a friend to take care of her as he regretfully has to let her go. A story of connecting but also of goodbye, let this novel accompany you on your trip and feel like you are traveling alongside Nana.
Silence by Shusaku Endo
IMAGE grabbed from runspotrun.com
Recently adapted into a movie of the same title, Silence tells the tale of Catholic missionaries suffering repression in 17th-century Japan. Jesuit missionaries traveled to Japan to offer the word of God and gained a few converts then called kakure kirishitan (hidden Christian) in a time when the country tightly restricted European influence. Suffering terrible persecution and anguish, one character questions his faith until he finally hears the voice of God. A good read of determination and compelling faith, let this classic novel travel with you!
