Can’t Travel To Your Dream Destinations Yet? These 7 Books Will Take You There
Before I could get a passport, I always had books to take me on adventures to places I’d only dreamed of one day visiting. Whether fiction or nonfiction, I’ve enjoyed reading books set in exotic destinations or places where cultures, tastes, and sounds are very different from my current existence. They allow me to escape without breaking the bank, dealing with crazy customs lines, or having to map out an itinerary and hope for the best.
Many have also allowed me to get to know a country’s history, why communities operate the way that they do, and how I can gain an understanding beyond the narrow lens of tourism. The stories are harsh, saddening, enlightening, and invigorating. Some have prepared me to meet people where they are and enjoy travel experiences in a way that prioritizes empowerment, increases connection, and embraces empathy.
If you find yourself with a wanderlust that can’t be tamed but you’re not quite ready to book that plane ticket yet, these seven books will take you to your dream destinations—in the comfort of your home—one character, narrative, and plot at a time:
South Africa: Kaffir Boy By Mark Mathabane
As a child, I stumbled upon this book among the many on my mother’s library shelves. You’ll definitely need to say a few prayers, take a few breaks, and really sit with this book, but trust me, it’s worth it. It’s an autobiography that unapologetically covers the effects of growing up in apartheid while paying homage to one’s coming of age. I read this before seeing “Sarafina,” the award-winning film (adapted from a play), starring Whoopi Goldberg. Despite the sadness and anger I felt at the time, this book sparked an obsession with learning more about South Africa and vowing to one day visit. I was blessed to do just that, more than 20 years later, on a whirlwind 10-day trip across several cities, including Johannesburg and Cape Town.
One of my favorite parts in my favorite books from Angelou’s autobiographical series is when she details her time living and working in Cairo. It’s my first introduction to the possibility that a Black woman can not only travel solo, but build a whole new life, land a gig, and build community on her own in a country she’d never been to before. We were often taught about the pyramids, hieroglyphics, mummies, and royalty in school, but this made things that much more relatable in terms of actually seeing myself among those relics and boldly embarking on solo travels of my own.
Nigeria: The Lagos Wife By Vanessa Walters
While this is a fictional murder mystery, it includes vivid depictions of life on Victoria Island, within the ritzy world of Lagos, Nigeria. I’ve known many people from all over Nigeria, including Lagos, and even met two former presidents of the country (one of whom I interviewed for a publication), so I am often intrigued and inspired by the wealth, proud legacies, and complicated history of the country. This book is no exception, as it includes vivid imagery of a woman’s life there, the food, sights, and sounds of a divided city, and more intriguing reasons to actually go there for yourself.
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When I first saw the TV series, starring Jill Scott, I knew I had to read the books. And while initially I thought they were set in South Africa, it was refreshing to know and research more about Botswana, a destination that was oftentimes connected with imagery of war, suffering, and sorrow. As is always the case, there’s a vibrant heritage, amazing food, magnificent safaris, and beautiful people who are far more than what the traditional news often portrays. This definitely led me to want to see more of southern Africa, where I can also visit another neighboring favorite, South Africa.
A mixture of recipes, folklore, and love saga, this book spans generations and is set during the Mexican Revolution. You get to experience Mexico through lyrical storytelling, amazingly enticing food, and mystical affairs through the lens of Tita. She’s forbidden to marry the love of her life (who ends up wedded to her sister!) and finds ways to communicate through food. There’s one family meal where everyone is consumed with passionate sorrow because she literally incorporates her repressed emotions, in the form of tears, as a vital ingredient. You can imagine the backdrop of northern Mexico, get into the rich culture, and hopefully, like me, follow an immediate urge to journey beyond the usual tourist hotspots of Cabo and Puerto Vallarta.
Historical fiction always has a special place in my heart, and this book about the daughter of the first Black woman to become a doctor in New York State is a top favorite. The main character, born and raised in Brooklyn, N.Y., marries a smart Haitian man and travels there to start a new life, against the wishes of her very accomplished mother. The book offers a beautiful glimpse into what’s not often promoted when it comes to Haiti, especially the lush landscapes, the proud family lineages, and the allure of spirituality within a legacy marked by profound achievement but enduring conflict as the first independent Black republic in the world.
This is another book adapted into a film (starring Zoe Saldana), and it’s a beautiful saga of love, self-discovery, food, and family bonds. There are themes of empowerment, Joy, heartbreak, and culture in Thembi’s summers spent in Sicily, and you get a sense of the adventure and wonder of going to Italy throughout each page. It’s a great way to enjoy the perspective of someone who finds love and ultimately loses the love of her life, all while enjoying the beauty that is Italy in the process.
