1. Londoners: the days and nights of London now – as told by those who love it, hate it, live it, left it and long for it by Craig Taylor
80 stories of life in London as told by true Londoners, capturing one of the world’s most iconic cities in all its various shades. Stories are told by a Buckingham Palace guard, a cab driver, and the woman who voiced the announcements for the London Underground, amongst others.
2. Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts
Australian convict Lindsay escapes imprisonment and flees to Mumbai, quickly becoming entrenched in the never-ending excitement, chaos, and diversity of the city. Based on a true story.
3. The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson
Centenarian Allan Karlsson has no desire to celebrate his 100th birthday in his Swedish nursing home, so he escapes out the window, embarking on an international adventure while recalling the escapades of his youth.
4. The Bucket List: 1000 Adventures Big & Small by Kath Stathers
The ultimate guide to traveling out of your comfort zone and around the world, and what to do while you’re at it.
5. The Garden of Evening Mists by Tan Twan Eng
Shortlisted for the Booker Prize and winner of the Man Asian Literary Prize, The Garden of Evening Mists explores Malaysian life in the aftermath of the Japanese occupation. Former prisoner of war and Supreme Court judge Teoh Yun Ling apprentices under a Japanese gardener, hoping to build a memorial for her sister, who perished during the occupation.
6. Lonely Planet’s Where to go When
A month-to-month trip planner for every type of adventure possible – you’ll never run out of travel inspiration with this guide.
Reading makes immigrants of us all. It takes us away from home, but more important, it finds homes for us everywhere.
- Jean Rhys
7. The Falcon of Siam by Axel Aylwen
Perfect for history lovers, this 17th century tale is the first of a trilogy, and follows the life of a young Greek stowaway who slips aboard a British East India Company ship destined for the Kingdom of Siam. The young man finds himself amidst the most colourful and diverse of characters in a time of luxury, power battles and intrigue.
8. The Glass Palace by Amitav Ghosh
How does the past define the present? The Glass Palace weaves its way through a century of life in South and Southeast Asia (specifically India, Burma, Bengal and the Malayan Peninsula) – following characters who live through the British Empire and the Second World War.
9. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
This bestselling story is a magical tale of destiny and follows a young shepherd from Spain’s Andalusian region on a quest for his own Personal Legend through Africa, desert oases and finally the pyramids of Egypt, meeting kings, fortune tellers, and finding love along the way.
10. The Beach by Alex Garland
A British backpacker sets off to Thailand in search of a secret beach utopia untouched by tourism, and known to only a few. He finds a secluded community of foreigners living there, but paradise isn’t as it seems.
