One for the Road – China: Oracle Bones

by Kelly Amabile on

As a sidebar to this month’s Chinese Buffet series, throughout August, One for the Road will highlight travel guides, reference books and other recommended reads related to life or travel in China.

The one book I knew I had to read before I left for China was Oracle Bones: A Journey Through Time in China. I had read countless rave reviews about Peter Hessler’s narrative non-fiction about life in modern day China, and I had a feeling it would be the perfect crash course book for me to read. My hunch was right — it’s a gem that reads like a novel, weaving a well-told background of ancient history with tales of what life is like for a variety of Chinese living today in cities like Beijing and Shenzhen. The story of Hessler’s friendship with a Uighur named Polat is especially captivating, revealing details of what life is like for a Chinese alien living in the U.S.

I’m glad I waited to read it until the paperback copy came out in early May — it’s still a thick book at just under 500 pages, but the lightweight version worked well reading on the go. I intend to re-read Oracle Bones, as well as Hessler’s first book, River Town, an earlier memoir which chronicles his two years of Peace Corps service in Fuling, along the Yangtze. I highly recommend Oracle Bones to anyone visiting China for the first time — it gave me the perfect framework of what life is like in China, and made it easier to learn more once I began traveling through the country.

One for the Road: The Year of the Goat

by Kelly Amabile on

Here’s a heads up about a unique road trip memoir hitting shelves next month: The Year of the Goat: 40,000 Miles and the Quest for the Perfect Cheese. The title alone suggests that if you can tell a good story, you can write a travel book on just about any topic these days!

In 2003, six months into the Year of the Goat, Margaret Hathaway and her then-boyfriend Karl Schatz left New York in search of greener pastures. Part food memoir and part travel narrative, the book tells the story of the couple’s fascinating food obsessed journey, introducing a cast of characters that they encounter along the way. Readers can follow along with the “goat mobile” as Margaret and Karl meet with farmers, breeders, cheese makers and chefs, learning everything there is to know about the goats and cheese. Slow food advocates should enjoy this one too, since the story focuses on getting back to the land.

It actually sounds quite charming, and even though goat cheese does nothing for me, I’d consider reading this one. If you can’t wait for the book, there’s a nifty DVD called Goat Love that captures the journey on film. Margaret and Karl are married now, so I guess goat love got to them too!

One for the Road: Osterie & Locande D’Italia

by Kelly Amabile on

Travelers who love Italy (are there any who don’t?) and those interested in the Slow Food movement will want to get their hands on a copy of Osterie & Locande D’Italia, which combines two older Slow Food guides into one. Published by Slow Food Editore and distributed in the US by Chelsea Green, this guide contains listings for 2,100 traditional places to eat and stay in Italy.

Recommended by the Slow Food organization, these traditional taverns, inns, trattorias, wine shops and hotels are guaranteed to give you a taste of Italy’s regional diversity — the cheese, the seafood, the fresh produce, the wine!! The book is organized by region –from Piedmont (where the Slow food movement was born in 1986) to Sicily, and everywhere in between. It also contains a handy glossary of Italian culinary terms and a place index in the back. Published for the first time in English, this comprehensive guide will be a useful tool for food lovers planning their next Italian gastronomic adventure. Mangia!


One for the Road: More Sand in My Bra

by Kelly Amabile on

Travelers Tales has released another title in their hilarious travel story series. First, there was the Leo Trio:Bra, Panty and Thong — three books bursting with funny tales from female travelers. Then the anthology series turned to the gents for their rip-roaring stories in What Color is Your Jockstrap. And now the series comes full circle, returning to the original sandy bra for yet another scoop of silliness and humor from wanderlust ladies.

More Sand in My Bra: Funny Women Write from the Road, Again! is a collection of on-the-road mishaps that is sure to entertain. Leo teamed up with fellow traveler Julia Weiler to co-edit this latest batch of travel blunders–take a booze cruise in Vietnam, get lost at a sex camp and tag along on tour with Ellen Degeneres. Throw this one in your beach bag ladies–I’m fairly certain that these 29 tales will keep you laughing all summer long.

One for the Road: Lonely Planet’s Guide to Volunteering

by Kelly Amabile on

There are already loads of online resources, books and magazines about volunteering that suggest opportunities to folks who are looking for meaningful ways to give back while traveling. The team at Lonely Planet has recently joined the club with their own Guide to Volunteering — a handbook meant to inspire and help travelers make a difference as they move through this world. The guide offers advice on how to choose the right volunteer experience, raise the funds and extend the goodwill once you get home.

Traveling responsibly means looking for ways to make a difference, whether it’s a small act of giving back while on holiday, committing to a long-term overseas assignment, or establishing a grassroots movement or charity. The book has case studies and interviews with dozens of volunteers, and is organized by type of experience: structured or do-it-yourself. If you are considering a volunteer encounter on your next trip, this is a great new resource to turn to for ideas on how to get started.