4 Amazing Novels That Will Transport You To Another Land

|

We can’t always travel but we should still be growing and learning. Even when we’re stuck at home, we have the opportunity to better understand the world and expose ourselves to different cultures through the powerful stories of today’s award winning authors.

I read all four of these books within the last year or so, and each one has left a lasting impression. I haven’t been anywhere near these parts of the world yet, so it’s a privilege to be able to get a glimpse of these places, people, and cultures and learn from them.

I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the TalibanI Am Malala

by Malala Yousafzai and Christina Lamb

This is the powerful, true story of a young girl who stood up to the Taliban for her right to go to school. Enduring persecution to the point of being shot in the head by a terrorist, Malala miraculously survived to continue her family’s legacy advocating for girls’ education in Pakistan. She is the youngest nominee for a Nobel Peace Prize award.

Although under the threat of terrorism, it is courage and passion that radiate from this story, rather than fear or misery. It also paints a vivid picture of village life in a beautiful Pakistani mountain region, both before and during Taliban occupation, transporting the reader inside Malala’s home and classroom as she goes through her daily life.

AmericanahAmericanah

by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

This is an insightful story of Ifemelu, a young Nigerian woman, who reluctantly leaves her home country and her first love to attend school in the United States. As she navigates culture shock and hardship, she disconnects from her love, Obinze, who coincidentally is enduring the perils of being an undocumented immigrant in London. Eventually the two return separately to settle in Nigeria.

In this novel, the reader is transported into the culture of Nigeria and the experience of African refugees in the West through masterfully crafted characters.

What is the WhatWhat is the What

by Dave Eggers

This remarkable novel is based on the life of Valentino Achak Deng who fled his village home in Sudan during an attack and became one of the “Lost Boys,” traversing three countries on foot to escape. The story follows him from his displacement at age seven, his trek across deserts with thousands of other youth, his experience in refugee camps, and his struggle to make a life as a refugee in the U.S.

Though the circumstances are tragic, it is a compelling story that sparks passion and compassion. The reader gains a deep appreciation for those trapped amidst civil war and for the complex, surprising disappointments of reaching the “land of the free.”

Cutting for StoneCutting for Stone

by Abraham Verghese

This is a masterfully woven tale of Marion and his twin brother, Shiva, who grew up amidst a hospital compound in Ethiopia with their adopted parents, both doctors. The rest is hard to describe – sometimes gritty, sometimes bordering miraculous, and often in the tension between broken and being repaired. The story transports the reader to India, Ethiopia, and inner-city New York as the protagonist encounters conflicts and triumphs throughout his life. Note: Be warned, there is quite a bit of medical imagery (i.e. descriptions of surgery) throughout. While you don’t have to be a physician to appreciate what’s written, but if you don’t do well with blood, it could be upsetting.


[separator_with_icon icon=”fa-plane” color=”#f3c180″]

The Answer to the Riddle is Me by David Stewart MacLean

Vagabonding by Rolf Potts

Bangkok 8 and its sequels, by John Burnett. Fictional police detective, Sonchai Jitpleecheep, former monk and devout Buddhist, forever battling to protect his karma from the assaults of morally compromising cases. Good exploration of differences of thinking from east to west and some adventure for fun.

Confederates in the Attic is a travel journal of Tony Horwitz and while it was written over twenty years ago, the description of the “unfinished” civil war rings true today with racial tensions in our country. It was the first travel journal I actually finished, and it made me want to see some places in the southern states, but also made me a bit more aware of certain sad truths.

woman authors around the world: The Good Women of China, In the Time of Butterflies (Dominican Republic), The Favored Daughter (Afghanistan), Sworn Virgin (Albania), The Unwomanly Face of War (Belarus), Dreaming in Cuban, and The Girls of Ridayh (Saudia Arabia).

We’re always looking for recommendations. What books have you read that gave you the itch to travel, or helped you understand a culture without going there yourself?

 

Similar Posts

4 Comments

  1. Oh I haven’t read Cutting for Stone yet, great recommendation!!

    Even though I love Dave Eggers, I couldn’t get into What is the What like I could his other books. But I think if you liked that, I bet you’d also really like A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah. Sierra Leone instead of Sudan, but still very compelling, and the protagonist is the author!

    Happy reading! 🙂

  2. I keep meaning to read I am Malala, it’s on my shelf I just haven’t made the time, perhaps this summer. Another book I read in the last year with a similarly inspiring story is The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind. It is an easy and quick read and really speaks to human ingenuity and the desire to rise above ones circumstances though knowledge and hard work. I enjoyed it quite a bit.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.