Books

This is my virtual bookshelf created to share the books I enjoy and have used in my travels. The title links bring you to amazon.com if you wish to add any of them to your own collection. Please submit your book recommendations and feedback on the ones I have listed at the bottom of the page!

Lonely Planet Signspotting and Lonely Planet Signspotting 2 : The World’s Most Absurd Signs

These are great coffee table books that highlight funny signs from around the world. Check out signspotting.com for daily pictures of signs submitted by travelers.

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The Rough Guide to First-Time Around the World, Edition 2

This is the book I used to prepare for my first backpacking trip in Europe after hearing the author Doug Lansky speak at Xavier University on cheap student travel. Highly recommended for all things travel related!

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London A-z (Street Atlas)

This is a London must and staple in all Londoners’ homes. When I lived in the city, this was always in my purse!

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Rick Steves’ Europe Through the Back Door 2008

This book traveled with me through Europe and does a wonderful job going in depth on lesser-known and up-and-coming cities. My favorite recommendation is Cinque Terre, Italy where visitors can hike through 5 villages lining the Mediterranean.

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Rick Steves’ Mona Winks: Self-Guided Tours of Europe’s Top Museums (5th Edition)

This is the travel book version of museum guide podcasts – a great addition to anyone interested in all of Europe’s great museums!

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Let’s Go Thailand 3rd Edition

This was my Thailand bible. It definitely trumps Lonely Planet’s and all other guides on focused recommendations that are right on target.

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Thai: Lonely Planet Phrasebook

This little phrasebook came in handy and is very user-friendly for those of us with language issues.

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Volunteer: A Traveler’s Guide to Making a Difference Around the World

I bought this book when I was researching voluntourism in Thailand. It’s extremely thorough and a great starting point for anyone interested in volunteering abroad.

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Fodor’s Citypack Tokyo’s Best, 4th Edition

This was the Japan trip’s companion. It highlights the top must-see places and offers a good sampling of Tokyo for a quick visit for first-time travelers to the city. Not highlighted in the book, but my brother and I’s favorite activity was checking out the karaoke bars!

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Frommer’s Boston 2008

This helped introduce Boston to me when I first moved to the city. Every once in a while I still glance at it as it’s proven itself useful.

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Frommer’s Irreverent Guide to Boston 2008

Similar to the Frommer’s Boston description, this book is useful for anyone wanting to explore Boston. This book’s take is blunt and avoids all the fluff of most travel guides which I love.

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Hiking Trails of the Smokies

Anyone interested in hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains should add this book to their collection. It’s practical and thorough covering all the trails in the Smokies.

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The Travel Book: A Journey Through Every Country in the World

This is my cliche addition to this list. I don’t own it but always flip through it at book stores! It has great images from all over the world that will have you salivating and wanting to book your next trip immediately and to somewhere new and exotic!

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The Road Less Traveled

This book feeds the soul and is a highly recommended read for everyone!

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Taxi Driver Wisdom

This is one of my favorite coffee table books that has great life insights from New York City taxi drivers!

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The Green Book

This book provides practical things that anyone can adopt to become a little more eco-friendly. It has an extensive list of references in the back that I find the most useful aspect of the book. Websites that cover everything from how to stop junk mail to how to recycle cell phones are covered in the reference section.

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Women in Green: Voices of Sustainable Design

I met one of the authors, Kira Gould, at her book signing at the Institute for Human Centered Design. This book is extremely enlightening on sustainability and what it means today. Women in Green is a must read!

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The Earth from the Air

When I was studying in London, there was an outdoor exhibit near the London Tower showing blown-up pictures and facts presented in this book. The photographer offers an exceptional perspective of our world and unbelievable pictures!

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Fatal Harvest: The Tragedy Of Industrial Agriculture

This book was recommended by Dr. Vandana Shiva, an activist who spoke at Xavier in 2005 about the state of agriculture in the world. She opened my eyes to many issues surrounding the food we eat. This book does an unparalleled job of revealing unsustainable, industrial agricultural practices.