23 Books That Everyone With Wanderlust Should Read

23 Books That Everyone With Wanderlust Should Read

474868512
(Photo Credit: Getty Images)

Wanderlust is notoriously difficult to manage. Once you've tasted the adrenaline rush of travel, it can feel unbearable to sit at home, knowing that adventure is out there waiting to be had.

But if you can't always get out and explore, then it's best to let a book do it for you. The wanderlust-quenching adventures below aren't the same titles you'll find on run-of-the-mill lists of "beach reads." Instead, they're a collection of tales -- both quippy and dense -- that'll take you from the beach to a mountaintop to the outback to Paris, all in a matter of pages. Read up!

1
The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera
A young Czech physician struggles with political unrest in 1960s Prague. See more here.
2
Istanbul: Memories and the City by Orhan Pamuk
An Istanbul native paints a portrait of his city ... and himself. See more here.
3
My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante
Two friends grow up in a neighborhood on the cusp of Naples, Italy. See more here.
4
My Documents by Alejandro Zambra
A puzzle of short stories documents Chilean life both before and after Pinochet's regime. See more here.
5
The Scapegoat by Daphne du Maurier
An Englishman and a French aristocrat change places after a chance meeting in a railway station. See more here.
6
The Blue Sky by Galsan Tschinag
In Mongolia's Altai Mountains, natives are forced to encounter the modern world. See more here.
7
The Twenty-One Balloons by William Pene du Bois
A professor journeys to an imaginary island in his luxury hot air balloon. See more here.
8
Crowfall by Shanta Gokhale
The novel follows a treasure chest of characters during an eventful year in Mumbai. See more here.
9
Richard Halliburton's Complete Book of Marvels by Richard Halliburton
An intrepid narrator takes readers swimming in the Panama Canal, climbing on the Golden Gate Bridge and exploring in Fujiyama, Japan, among other adventures. See more here.
10
Stamboul Train by Graham Greene
The Orient Express train chugs across Europe, but not without scandal. See more here.
11
Mission to Paris by Alan Furst
A tense read pits a Hollywood filmmaker against Nazi forces. See more here.
12
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
A Spanish shepherd boy takes off on a classic quest for treasure. See more here.
13
Shantaram: A Novel by Gregory David Roberts
Bombay's underground society comes to life. See more here.
14
On the Road by Jack Kerouac
In this classic, Beat-generation friends travel across America. See more here.
15
The Dharma Bums by Jack Kerouac
These stories are inspired by Jack Kerouac's stopover in 1950s California. See more here.
16
The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway
A crew of expats leaves 1920s Paris to watch a bullfight in Spain. See more here.
17
Life of Pi by Yann Martel
The son of a zookeeper finds himself in a lifeboat with a hyena, a tiger, an orangutan and a zebra. See more here.
18
Summer Sisters by Judy Blume
Two friends work out the kinks in their relationship between opulent Martha’s Vineyard and New York City. See more here.
19
Up In the Air by Walter Kirn
A "career transition counselor" seeks frequent flier status ... and more. See more here.
20
A Field Guide to Getting Lost by Rebecca Solnit
A collection of essays explores the art of getting lost in the unknown. See more here.
21
Sea and Sardinia by D.H. Lawrence
An author makes his way to Sardinia in the 1920s. See more here.
22
A Walk In The Woods by Bill Bryson
No other book will make you want to hike The Appalachian Trail with such gusto. See more here.
23
The Paris Wife by Paula McLain
Because who doesn't want to get caught up in the glamor of Jazz-Age Paris? See more here.

Before You Go

Fez, Morocco

Best Places To Travel In 2015

Popular in the Community

Close

HuffPost Shopping’s Best Finds

MORE IN LIFE