Discover Top 100 Audiobooks in Travel & Adventure, Essays & Travelogues

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Title: At Home and Abroad

Author: V. S. Pritchett

Narrator: Roger Clark

Format: Unabridged

Length: 15 hrs and 53 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-02-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 2 votes

Genres: Travel & Adventure, Essays & Travelogues

Publisher's Summary:

Admirers of The Spanish Temper, Marching Spain and his wonderfully evocative books on London, Dublin and New York will need no reminding that V.S. Pritchett is one of the very great travel writers of our time, possessed of an astonishingly accurate eye and a marvellous ability to conjure up the essence of a place, and of the people who live there.

Written for the most part in the 1950s and 1960s, the essays brought together in At Home and Abroad cover South and North America, Spain, Ireland, Portugal, London, Greece, the Pyrenees, Germany, the English countryside and, above all, the Mediterranean.

Victor Sawdon Pritchett (1900-1997) was born over a toyshop in 1900 and, much to his everlasting distaste, was named after Queen Victoria. A writer and critic, his is widely reputed to be one of the best short story writers of all time, with the rare ability to capture the extraordinary strangeness of everyday life.

Members Reviews:

Solid travel narrative from a "fiction" writer

I had read the print book a while ago, recalling that I'd liked it (and nothing else), so decided to drop an Audible credit to re-read it in audio format.

Structurally, the first part consists of (brief) overviews of various Latin American and European nations, based upon Pritchett's visits. Longer, in-depth portraits of the USA, Canada, and England (with London treated separately); I must admit that I wasn't all that interested in the final hour of the narrative, focusing on the author's impressions of Appalachian America. That part aside, I'm glad I bought the book, which I'd recommend as an insight into those places before the homogeneity of globalization.

Narrator reminded me quite a bit of actor James Mason.

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Title: The Spanish Temper

Author: V. S. Pritchett

Narrator: Gildart Jackson

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 22 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-02-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 4 votes

Genres: Travel & Adventure, Essays & Travelogues

Publisher's Summary:

Eliciting comparisons to Orwell's Homage to Catalonia, Pritchett's meditative work on Spain is comprised of a string of sketches, woven around the author's musings on the Spanish character. Having lived in Spain for four years during the 1920s, Pritchett is well placed to deliver such a report, and his resulting narrative is both well informed and delightfully written.

Members Reviews:

Dated

A long generation after Franco, the book really didn't much explain the Spanish character to me; the country has changed too much. Travel narrative section at the end was the strongest, while I fast-forwarded through all of the discussion of bullfighting (yuk!) and most of that concerning the character of Don Juan. Audio narration was okay, although Jackson's Spanish accent wasn't the greatest.

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Title: Walking Home

Subtitle: A Poet's Journey

Author: Simon Armitage

Narrator: Graeme Malcolm

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 53 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-26-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 27 votes

Genres: Travel & Adventure, Essays & Travelogues

Publisher's Summary:

Nineteen days, 256 miles, and one renowned poet walking the backbone of England.

The wandering poet has always been a feature of our cultural imagination. Odysseus journeys home, his famous flair for storytelling seducing friend and foe. The Romantic poets tramped all over the Lake District searching for inspiration. Now Simon Armitage, with equal parts enthusiasm and trepidation, as well as a wry humor all his own, has taken on Britains version of our Appalachian Trail: the Pennine Way.

Walking "the backbone of England" by day (accompanied by friends, family, strangers, dogs, the unpredictable English weather, and a backpack full of Mars Bars), each evening he gives a poetry reading in a different village in exchange for a bed. Armitage reflects on the inextricable link between freedom and fear as well as the poets place in our bustling world. In Armitages own words, "to embark on the walk is to surrender to its lore and submit to its logic, and to take up a challenge against the self."

Members Reviews:

Not necessarily what you might imagine

I wasn't sure what to expect from this one, as I'm not a poetry guy at all, nor am I into extensive descriptions of nature. Well, neither of those were a problem here. There are some poems in the book, but only a few, so that I appreciated the poetry readings he gave along the way. Book is especially recommended for poetry fans, as well as those with a string interest in the English countryside. Audio narration a terrific fit - I kept forgetting Armitage wasn't reading this himself.

Better the second time through

I agree with what other reviewers have said, it takes a bit for this book to take hold. I read the hardcover when it came out, enjoyed it, but forgot about it pretty fast. Then I saw this audiobook and went in for a second journey. The narrator helped bring this book to life for me and I've very much enjoyed my second take on the book. The prose is wonderful, descriptive and takes that British tradition of poking fun at oneself to heart.

AUDIBLE 20 REVIEW SWEEPSTAKES ENTRY

elegant literary stroll

? does the idea of the whole appalachian trail intimidate you

? would the entire pacific crest trail be, just a bit too much

the poet, simon armitage (SA) has a welcoming alternative for you

SA admits that he now lives 3 miles from where he was born

so he has no claims or pretensions, as to being an intrepid explorer

he's pursuing a familiar stroll, in search of overlooked treasures

the united kingdom's 268 mile pennine way fits the bill nicely

it came into being about 40 years after the appalachian trail

mostly it runs north-south down the wet, rocky, windy spine of britian

SA covers about 10-15 miles a day and usually has only a day pack

each night he raises $ and meets new friends by having poetry readings

it lends a quirky, cozy balance to the obstacles and misadventures of the trail

along the way, SA meditates about the therapeutic aspects of walking

he believes it's a remedy for the aches and pains of aging and urban life

if you're an anglophile adult in search of a tidy gem, this book is a good bet

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Title: An Alternative Boating Guide to Southern Puget Sound

Author: James Nugent

Narrator: Stan Jenson

Format: Unabridged

Length: 1 hr and 11 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-26-13

Publisher: James Joseph Nugent; Jr

Genres: Travel & Adventure, Essays & Travelogues

Publisher's Summary:

The far southern reaches of Puget Sound are a beautiful region for sailing, boating, and small craft adventure. Still, people who live there and work there are among the few who get to enjoy it. This alternative guide to the waters of five inlets tells you how and why you might choose to visit these sparsely visited treasures of natural beauty.

If you are the kind of person who wants to get away from it all and live independently on an anchor for days at a time, and if you can read a tide guide and a marine chart, then you might have the tools and temperament to enjoy the area.

Members Reviews:

A good read

Good read about the bottom corners of the Puget Sound

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Title: Dolphins Under My Bed

Author: Sandra Clayton

Narrator: Pamela Garelick

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 40 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-22-13

Publisher: Audible Studios for Bloomsbury

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 8 votes

Genres: Travel & Adventure, Essays & Travelogues

Publisher's Summary:

Proving that sailing is not just the husband's pursuit, this charming narrative of one couple's first long distance voyage is told from the wife's perspective. Writing in a lively, humorous way, Sandra Clayton gives an entertaining account of her and husband David's maiden cruise from the UK, down the Atlantic coast and into the warm waters of the Mediterranean. Conscious that old age or poor health could prevent them from sailing away for much longer, they left the world of work behind to chase their dream of adventure. Conditions are sometimes maddening, occasionally dangerous, but frequently magical.

Marine creatures enchant their days while ships that pass in the night add a touch of romance.

But the book is far more than just the story of the Claytons' 2,000-mile trip. Somewhat unprepared for what faced them on the way, they had to learn from their own mistakes, finding themselves in places and situations where they never expected to be. The book has plenty to offer those who might consider embarking on a similar voyage of their own: Learn how the Claytons did it, which route they took, the beautiful locations they visited, who they met along the way, and their good decisions as well as their bad. A great bunkside read, it may inspire others to make a similar break themselves.

Members Reviews:

Glad I listened to the audio!

Clayton has been accused of "whinging" in other reviews, but I felt that she was presenting the many times that things went wrong as humorous. She has plenty of nice things to say about the people and places she encounters, while the actual sailing mishaps have to do with being rookies at the game. One aspect that I did find dated concerned their mad hunts for accurate weather forecasts, where today a smartphone would work fine. Bear in mind their trip was over a decade ago, reconstructed (quite well) from her notes.

Pamela Garelick's narration works so well that I had to remember it wasn't Sandra herself telling the story directly to the listener. I'm looking forward to hearing the sequel.

A fun book

This is not a technical book on sailing. The author does a very good job of describing their life on their sailboat while hitting the mediterranean.

I thought I would only like technical books on sailing with the author story written in between. This book is quite the opposite, the author does a great job of telling her story with selling techniques written within it.

I really enjoyed this book. As I was listening to it, I could get a Visual in my head about what was going on at that moment. This is a fun book and worth your time.

Let's get a boat and sail

Interesting story, spoilt by narration

What disappointed you about Dolphins Under My Bed?

I am afraid the narrator really spoilt it for me.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

None, the story was fine.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

She had a strident, objectionable tone that I found difficult to listen to.

most realistic sailing book so far

Written with a normality unusual for sailing books. No hype and little action, just subtle English humour and observation. Must buy a yacht.

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Title: Turtles in our Wake

Author: Sandra Clayton

Narrator: Pamela Garelick

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 41 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-21-13

Publisher: Sandra Clayton

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 2 votes

Genres: Travel & Adventure, Essays & Travelogues

Publisher's Summary:

Most people at some point long to escape - from the weather, the commute, the routine. Sailing off in a 40-foot boat called Voyager comes at a price, however. Indeed, for David and Sandra Clayton it meant selling their house and possessions with a lifetime's collection of memories and emotions attached to them. But the result proved life-enhancing.

With her eye for detail and vivid descriptions, Sandra carries the listener with her through some of the Mediterranean's loveliest islands. Charmed by tranquil anchorages, ancient harbours and the people they meet, they also develop a fascination with the sea and its wildlife. And, whilst questioning the things we value and the nature of happiness, this book reveals the growing and sometimes amusing inter-dependence of two people alone at sea.

This is the sequel to the popular Dolphins under my Bed, which charted Sandra and David's first long journey: a 2,000-mile voyage from England, down the Atlantic coast and into the warm waters of the Mediterranean.

Members Reviews:

Good use of a credit

but I'd suggest reading "Dolphins" first to get to know the Claytons; if you liked that one, you'll enjoy this one, too. As for what to expect: an hour or so of pre-trip talk (which I found a bit lengthy), and then they leave the Balearic Islands for Sardinia. At that point, they decide to head back towards Gibraltar, rather than moving further east, so they explore the Balearics in greater detail (they were there in the first book), hit mainland Spain, and then Gibraltar, where they're confined for a while for mechanical repairs resulting from the wake of a huge pleasure craft swamping the inside of their boat earlier. After Gibraltar, they hear head out to the Canary Islands for the final leg, where things get a bit spooky a couple of times.

I've seen readers say that Sandra seems negative, and I understand where they're coming from as things do go wrong regularly for them. However, I feel she's more balanced on the whole, with lots of mention of beautiful places, friendly locals and fellow boaters, etc. To be fair, yachting in itself does attract the self-indulgent rich, and the nouveau riche aren't exactly known for their concern for others.

I didn't think I'd be interested in reading their third book on their trip from the Canary Islands to the Caribbean, but now I would, although I'd strongly prefer an audio version if possible. Pamela Garelick does a good job with the stories.

Intelligently read, warm and humorous

A worthy successor to the first book, this one covers the fraught process of selling their UK home and their passage out of the Mediterranean. Although not intended as a cruising guide, one suspects the writer's observations on the character of people and places visited would prove accurate and helpful information for other travelers.

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Title: Long Way Home

Subtitle: On the Trail of Steinbeck's America

Author: Bill Barich

Narrator: JJ Write

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 58 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-09-13

Publisher: Audible Studios for Bloomsbury

Ratings: 3 of 5 out of 1 votes

Genres: Travel & Adventure, Essays & Travelogues

Publisher's Summary:

"We do not take a trip; a trip takes us," John Steinbeck noted in his 1962 classic, Travels with Charley. In the summer of 2008, Bill Barich stumbled upon a used copy of Travels in Ireland, where he has lived for the past eight years, and it inspired him to explore the mood of the United States as Steinbeck had done almost a half century before. With a hotly contested election looming, and in the shadow of an economic meltdown, Barich set off on a 5,943-mile cross-country drive from New York to his old hometown in San Francisco via Route 50, a road twisting through the American heartland.

Long Way Home is the stunning result of his pilgrimage, an illuminating and perceptive portrait of America at a dramatic point in its history. Where Steinbeck returned from the road depressed about the country's soul, Barich - while not uncritical of the narrow-mindedness and incivility of our present culture - finds brightness among the dark and rekindles his belief in the long view, as exemplified by the unbridled optimism of some high school kids in Hutchinson, Kansas, and by the undaunted spirit of an 80-year-old barber he chanced upon in Jefferson City, Missouri. "The world truly does renew itself while we're looking the other way," he observes.

From the Eastern Shore of Maryland to the spectacular landscape of Moab, Utah, to Steinbeck's own Salinas Valley, filled with memorable encounters and redolent with history and local color, Long Way Homeis a truthful, inspiring account of the country at a social and political crossroad. "The highway snakes into a tunnel," Barich writes about a stretch of Route 50 in West Virginia, "then erupts into the light with the force of revelation."

Members Reviews:

A Worthy Follow-Up to Steinbeck's Journeys

As someone who's always maintained a special place in my heart for "Travels with Charley", I viewed the wide variance in posted reviews as a reason for concern. However, the Kindle sample whetted my appetite just enough to justify the full download, and I'm glad I did.

The book does not seek to follow the actual route undertaken by Steinbeck but instead, attempts to glimpse some of the same aspects of life in America that caught both writers's attention. Experiences are related with insight, awareness, a little humor whenever possible, and (above all) the perspective of someone returning to the country of his birth and attempting to understand some of its myriad contradictions, qualities, problems and circumstances. While politics does occasionally come into play, it is not the focal point of the book, in spite of what other reviewers here have commented on...and while Steinbeck might have been more successful at masking his personal political leanings, Barich uses his perspective to base his outrage over actual/perceived wrongs to powerful effect.

In short, a thoughtful, articulate book that compliments Steinbeck's original book simply and honestly. As a reflection of the country's soul at the time of the last general election, it is worth reading and thinking about.

Not what I hoped

I hoped this book would have the appeal of John Steinbecks Traveling with Charley.

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Title: Queen of the Road

Subtitle: The True Tale of 47 States, 22,000 Miles, 200 Shoes, 2 Cats, 1 Poodle, a Husband, and a Bus with a Will of its Own

Author: Doreen Orion

Narrator: Gwen Hughes

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 47 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-28-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 29 votes

Genres: Travel & Adventure, Essays & Travelogues

Publisher's Summary:

A pampered Long Island princess hits the road in a converted bus with her wilderness-loving husband, travels the country for one year, and brings it all hilariously to life in this offbeat and romantic memoir.

Doreen and Tim are married psychiatrists with a twist: Shes a self-proclaimed Long Island princess, grouchy couch potato, and shoe addict. He's an affable, though driven, outdoorsman. When Tim suggests chucking it all to travel cross-country in a converted bus, Doreen asks, Why cant you be like a normal husband in a midlife crisis and have an affair or buy a Corvette? But she soon shocks them both, agreeing to set forth with their 60-pound dog, two querulous cats - and no agenda - in a 340-square-foot bus.

Queen of the Road is Doreens offbeat and romantic tale about refusing to settle; about choosing the unconventional road with all the misadventures it brings (fire, flood, armed robbery, and finding themselves in a nudist RV park, to name just a few). The marvelous places they visit and delightful people they encounter have a life-changing effect on all the travelers, as Doreen grows to appreciate the simple life, Tim mellows, and even the pets pull together. Best of all, readers get to go along for the ride through 47 states in this often hilarious and always entertaining memoir, in which a boisterous marriage of polar opposites becomes stronger than ever.

Members Reviews:

What a fun listen

I'm normally an action/thriller book person. I friend of mine told me about this book and how it would fit my life. Despite a slightly slow start I find myself drawn in and wanted to listen and listen more I now have a new dream to tour the United States in the same way they did

Wining and Whining on the Road

Premise of story is good and many of the anecdotes are fun. However, I found the heroine quite annoying (I don't suffer whiners gladly). I kept wanting to tell her to buck up and shut up. And, if you didn't know she was an M.D., just wait and she'll remind you every chapter...

The narrator did a good job but I do hate it when someone mispronounces a fairly iconic place name, i.e., Mt. Katahdin, incorrectly. It is the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail. And, the narrator did a great impression of a whining voice.

Laugh Out Loud Funny

There are few books that cause me too really laugh out loud - but this one did. It was a mixture of a travelog, history lesson and people interaction / personal growth. Worth the time. ..

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Title: My City, My New York

Subtitle: Famous New Yorkers Share Their Favorite Places

Author: Jeryl Brunner

Narrator: Susan Ericksen, David Colacci

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 10 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-27-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 13 votes

Genres: Travel & Adventure, Essays & Travelogues

Publisher's Summary:

What do famous people love to do during their free time in the Big Apple?

Most New Yorkers, even famous ones, have cherished rituals and favorite places that connect them to their city in unique ways. They have their beloved restaurants, museums, parks, galleries, landmarks, haunts, and hideaways. It may be watching tango dancers on Saturday nights in Central Park. Or riding a bike over the Brooklyn Bridge for a slice of Grimaldi's pepperoni pizza and a view of the Manhattan skyline from across the East River. Perhaps it entails choosing from the many varieties of bread at Rock Hill Bake House in the Union Square Greenmarket or simply walking across 46th Street and ending up at Joe Allen, the great Broadway hangout.

So imagine a book in which Matthew Broderick shares his favorite bike ride. Nora Ephron describes where she buys discounted roses in every imaginable color. Edward Norton reveals his favorite restaurant. Daniel Boulud describes his favorite pizza joint and where he buys cheese. My City, My New York lets you experience the city as some of your favorite New Yorkers do and get a peek into parts of the town that they hold dear.

In a refreshing step beyond the usual travel guides and tourist listings, My City, My New York quotes VIPs and gives readers something truly unique: a chance to experience the city the way some of its most notable residents do. The activities and establishments included are diverse, often eclectic, and, most-importantly, nonexclusive - you don't need to be a celebrity to enjoy them. While offering new and creative possibilities for exploration, My City, My New York is also a love letter to the Big Apple and will touch even the most jaded New Yorkers.

Members Reviews:

GREAT FOR TOURIST!!!

Would you listen to My City, My New York again? Why?

When listening to this book, it is like having a mentally map of New York. The description of the place make you create a vision or a memory-like imagination of the entire city. I would defintely listen to this book again the next time I'm visiting New York, so I can get to hit up the HotSpots of the city, which is really not visible for everyday commuters.

What was one of the most memorable moments of My City, My New York?

The introduction done by the author. I like her voice and I wanted more of her voice into the mix of the narration. For me it would have added more to the entire book. Still great though :)

What does Susan Ericksen and David Colacci bring to the story that you wouldnt experience if you just read the book?

The interaction between the two narrators, gave you a feeling like you were walking in a group, vsiiting places and been told about the places by different ppl.

How to not do an audiobook

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

Including email address listings in an audiobook doesn't work. After every section there's the email address of the place described. Kills listening when you hear a list of wwwdots every couple of minutes. Might work OK as an informal travel tips kind of physical book, but as an audiobook, not really.

Excellent

Great read for anyone interested in the big apple! Short essays on the city makes for a easy fun read!

Essential listening before a fabulous trip to NYC

Really enjoyed listening to what people love about New York.

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Title: Incontinent on the Continent

Subtitle: My Mother, Her Walker, and Our Grand Tour of Italy

Author: Jane Christmas

Narrator: Eileen Barrett

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 26 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-26-13

Publisher: Post Hypnotic Press Inc.

Ratings: 3 of 5 out of 13 votes

Genres: Travel & Adventure, Essays & Travelogues

Publisher's Summary:

In this travelogue of self-discovery, Jane Christmas brings her wickedly irreverent style to a new mother-daughter experience. Since the beginning of time, mothers and daughters have had notoriously fraught relationships. "Show me a mother who says she has a good or great relationship with her daughter," Jane Christmas writes, "and I'll show you a daughter who is in therapy trying to understand how it all went so horribly wrong."

To smooth over five decades of constant clashing, Christmas takes her arthritic, incontinent, and domineering mother, Valeria - a cross between Queen Victoria and Hyacinth Bucket of the British comedy Keeping Up Appearances - on a tour of Italy. Neither has been to Italy before, but both are fans of ancient art, architecture, and history. Will gazing at the fruits of the Italian Renaissance be enough to spark a renaissance in their relationship?

As they wander along the winding Amalfi Coast, traverse St. Peter's Square in Rome, and sample the wines of Tuscany - walkers, biscuits, shawls, and medications in tow - they revisit the bickering and bitterness of years past and reassess who they are and how they might reconcile their differences.

Unflinching and frequently hilarious, Incontinent on the Continent will speak to all women who have tried to make friends with their mothers.

Critic Reviews:

"The personal journey she shares is one with which more and more of us are dealing as all our lives move, with welcome and enriching detours, down their one-way streets." (Globe and Mail)

"I'm certainly glad we had the trip. The book shows we had a wonderful time. It was good. It's no fun with a walker. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." (Toronto Star)

Members Reviews:

Beyond Boring

Would you try another book from Jane Christmas and/or Eileen Barrett?

No, I don't think so.

What was most disappointing about Jane Christmass story?

It simply wasn't interesting, and the humor was literally the same thing, page after page, chapter after chapter, until it became annoying rather than pleasurable.

Would you be willing to try another one of Eileen Barretts performances?

The narrator was decent enough, it was the material she was given that was the issue.

What character would you cut from Incontinent on the Continent?

This just seems completely insincere, as if the author decided when she and her mother had decided on this trip that she'd take good notes and turn it into a book of some kind after in the hopes of making some money and paying for the trip. The problem is the author, her mother, and the people she meets just aren't interesting, their escapades aren't interesting, the humor isn't interesting or funny, and it's just the same thing over and over and over again, ad nauseum.

Any additional comments?

Avoid like the plague.

Whiny Rant

This book was a disappointment. It wasnt funny; it just came across as a whiny rant. Too bad because the subject matter had the potential to be very funny!

I also did not like the narrator her Italian sounded Spanish.