Go On A Literary Escape With These Suggestions from Independent Bookstores

These days, the old saying, “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page,” can apply to reading at home.

While global travel is on hold, in amidst of the COVID-19 pandemic, a book can provide a literal escape, with genres covering just about any facet of travel As independent bookstores across the U.S. have turned to self-pick up or mail delivery in keeping their businesses open, Forbes has asked them for suggestions on travel-related titles that provide a getaway through storytelling.

Here they are.

Tell My Horse: Voodoo and Life in Haiti and Jamaica, by Zora Neale Hurston, from Talking Leaves... Books, Buffalo, NY

“Zora Neale Hurston was trained as an anthropologist, so the personal growth at the heart of many travel books is not her goal. In this book she combines her astute observational skills with a deep dive, as an initiate, into another culture and way of looking into the world, to give us a unique, living account of an often demonized and misunderstood singular spiritual practice.” - Jonathon Welch, co-founder

The Seine: The River that Made Paris, by Elaine Sciolino, from  Carmichael’s Bookstore, Louisville, Ky.

“I don't believe there is a more romantic river in the world. Elaine Sciolino invites into on her own seduction by this river and along the way and gives the reader an unforgettable journey through art, history, and love along its 483 miles.” - Kelly Estep, co-owner

Traveling the Trace: A Complete Tour Guide to the Historic Natchez Trace from Nashville to Natchez, by Cathy Summerlin and Vernon Summerlin, from Landmark Booksellers, Franklin, Tenn.

“Only seven national parks have more visitors each year than the Natchez Trace Parkway, a national park of great natural beauty and historical significance that follows a 450-mile course from Nashville, Tenn., to Natchez, Miss. Traveling the Trace explores the parkway and sights within 30 miles of either side of the Natchez Trace. In addition to the well-known stops, the authors visit side roads most tourists ignore or don't know exist.” - Joel Tomlin, co-owner

Any book by Bill Bryson, from Park Road Books, Charlotte, N.C.

“Anything from Bill Bryson. I’m fond of A Walk in the Woods (or how NOT to hike the Appalachian Trail) and In A Sunburned Country (his trip through the Australian Outback).” - Sherri Smith, children's book buyer

A Booklover's Guide to New York, by Cleo Le-Tan, from 192 Books, New York City

“It’s not just because we're featured in it! This colorful guide has all the information you need that’s not only on New York's best bookstores, but also the best bars for writers, the literary landmarks you might have walked by every day without knowing, and the people who make the literary scene here what it is.” - Evan Dent, manager

Haunted Rockford, Illinois, by Kathi Kresol, from Toad Hall Books and Records, Rockford, Ill.

“Haunted Rockford, Illinois tells the history and sometimes horrific stories that happened in old homes and buildings located in Rockford. The author actually gives tours of the downtown throughout the summer and you have to book early because the tours fill up fast.” - Nick Naruz, CEO

Hiking New Mexico's Chaco Canyon: The Trails, the Ruins, the History, by James C. Wilson, from Bookworks Albuquerque, Albuquerque, N.M.

“The national parks are closed now, but you can use this book to prepare for your next trip to the isolated, iconic Chaco, or you can take a virtual tour there through the book.” - Amanda Sutton, marketing and events manager

From Scratch: A Memoir of Love, Sicily, and Finding Home, by Tembi Locke, from R.J. Julia Booksellers, Madison, Conn.

“While studying in Florence, Locke, a black woman from East Texas falls in love with a chef from Sicily.”  - Liz Bartek, marketing manager

Catfish and Mandala: A Two-Wheeled Voyage through the Landscape and Memory of Vietnam, by Andrew X. Pham, from biblion used books & rare finds, Lewes, Del. 

“A former ‘boat person’ heads out from his California home on a year-long, thousands-mile journey through Mexico to Japan and then to Vietnam on two wheels in search of cultural identity. Lyrical and touching.” - Jen Mason, proprietor

In the Empire of Genghis Khan, by Stanley Stewart, from Belmont Books, Belmont, Mass.

“Less well known than Paul Theroux, Stewart is a great writer and a great adventurer - in this case, to Mongolia. He is the only writer to receive the Thomas Cook Travel Book Award twice, one of those awards being for this title.” - Lee Miller, staff member

Turn Right at Machu Picchu, by Mark Adams, from M. Judson Booksellers, Greenville, S.C.

“We love Turn Right at Machu Picchu for the insightful history of Peru and its explorers and the stunning picture that Adams offers of the landscape today, but also the singularly hilarious adventure that he finds himself in, undertaking with one wingnut Australian travel guide and a prayer. Some experiences are best in the telling, and while Adams might bumble his way up the mountainside, he's a brilliant writer.” - Debi Stewart-Horton, event goddess

Out There: The Wildest Stories From Outside Magazine, by The Editors of Outside Magazine, from Square Books, Oxford, Miss.

“Longtime readers have come to understand that Outside's true gift is in chronicling misadventure. That's the common thread among the stories found in Out There —those memorable tales that begin with the promise that, even if no one's life is necessarily hanging in the balance, something may go horribly awry at any moment, and that documenting this misfortune will inevitably yield rich comedic material or a surprisingly poignant moment. Or sometimes both.” - Lyn Roberts, general manager

Open City by Teju Cole, from Greedy Reads, Baltimore, Md.

“Teju Cole's narrator, newly arrived in New York from Nigeria, takes increasingly long walking tours of post 9/11 New York City. We follow him as he encounters people and places, and he gets the rhythm and idiosyncrasies of New York just right. This is one of my favorite books in one of my favorite genres — the ‘walking the city’ story.” - Julia Fleischaker, owner

Super Sushi Ramen Express, by Michael Booth, from Flashlight Books, Walnut Creek, Calif.

“Probably my favorite travelogue of all time. Join Michael Booth (plus his wife and two kids) as they travel the whole of Japan, sampling its cuisine and investigating the history of Japanese cooking. Booth's narrative has the humor and readability similar to Bryson, and the inclusion of his family makes this a great read.” - Shoshana Smith, co-owner

A Cook’s Tour, by Anthony Bourdain, from The Book House, Mableton, Ga.

“I've always loved Anthony Bourdain's voice, and no one recounts loving details of new locales and exciting new food like him. I'm so sorry he's not here to share his take on our new reality, but revisiting his travels and food is the next best thing to actually getting to leave my house!” - Tracie Harris, co-owner

The Milk Lady of Bangalore: An Unexpected Adventure, by Shoba Narayan, from River Dog Book Co., Portland, Ore.

“Charming and informative! After 20 years in New York City, Shoba moves her family back to her native India where she befriends her local milk lady. As Shoba becomes increasingly obsessed with cows, milk, and other cow by-products she embarks on a journey of self-discovery and milk-discovery. Most interesting was Shoba's exploration of her own culture: India is a fascinating mix of urban and rural, where generations, technology, and expectations blend together in a different way for each family.” - BrocheAroe Fabian, founder/owner

The Last Wild Men of Borneo: A True Story of Death and Treasure, Browseabout Books, Rehoboth Beach, Del.

“Two modern adventurers sought a treasure possessed by the legendary ‘Wild Men of Borneo.’ One found riches. The other vanished forever into an endless jungle. Had he shed civilization—or lost his mind? Global headlines suspected murder. Lured by these mysteries, Hoffman journeyed to find the truth, discovering that nothing is as it seems in the world's last Eden.” - Susan Kehoe, managing partner

Our Towns: A 100,000-Mile Journey Into the Heart of America, by Carl Hoffman, from Bank Square Books, Mystic, Conn.

“It speaks to people all over our country, small towns [and] cities and looks at our country as a whole when, in these times, we are so divided, physically and politically.” - Annie Philbrick, owner

Around the World in 80 Trains, by Monisha Rajesh, from Point Reyes Books, Point Reyes Station, Calif. 

“If such a thing existed, Monisha Rajesh would be the laureate of trains. Through two books, first a delightful excursion chronicled in Around India in 80 Trains, and now, expanding her horizons to encompass the world, Rajesh reveals just how conducive to train travel is to experiencing landscape and humanity.” - Stephen Sparks, owner

The Voyage of the Beagle: Charles Darwin’s Journal of Researches, by Charles Darwin (for adults), and All Aboard the Moonlight Train, by Kristyn Crow (for children), from Seminary Co-op Bookstores, Chicago, Ill.

“A classic of the history of science, Darwin's chronicle takes you on a journey to some of the most isolated parts of the globe. In a time when we're all sequestered at home, The Voyage of the Beagle can broaden our understanding of the world—its oddities, the vast systems at work, the expanse of what remains unknowable.”  - Alena Jones, manager

“Cozily in keeping with the tradition of The Polar Express and Jonathan London and Lauren Eldridge’s enchanting Sleep Train, All Aboard the Moonlight Train pairs exotic animals and a dreamily familiar interior, lit with a rhythm that chugs even the most ferocious of readers to rest. We can’t get enough of books that are supposedly meant to be read in pajamas around here, and this is the perfect bedtime alternative to a trip to the zoo. For ages 3 - 7.” -  Colin McDonald, marketing manager