Nothing says summer vacation like having a tall, cold drink in one hand and a great book in the other. Whether you plan to travel far and wide or stick closer to home this summer, a book will take you out of your everyday routine and expose you to new ideas and experiences. The right book can inspire you to put the book down, get up, and go live your own adventure – and we designed a list of reads to help you do just that.
Whether you prefer fiction or nonfiction, our selection is a great way to inspire wanderlust in all readers. This fresh list of new releases is bound to offer something you haven’t read yet.
Memoirs
The Trail Provides: A Boy’s Memoir of Thru-Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail
By David Smart
People choose long-distance hiking for a variety of reasons, though often it is as much about what they are leaving behind as it is the goal they are pursuing. Smart’s memoir takes readers along on a journey of friendship and self-discovery over the 2,650 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail between Mexico and Canada.
Bumping Down Highways: From Boardrooms to Back Roads in an RV
By Jenni Raney Edwards
Jenni Raney Edwards was an accomplished businesswoman and entrepreneur but felt something was still missing. Follow her adventures as a single woman hitting the road to redefine the meaning of success in her life. A perfect read for anyone who has ever thought of leaving it all behind to pursue a dream.
Biography
Queen of the Mountaineers: The Trailblazing Life of Fanny Bullock Workman
By Cathryn J. Prince
In the second half of the 19th Century, a woman’s place was at home and certainly not on a mountaineering expedition. Fanny Bullock Workman disagreed. This groundbreaking American explorer was one of the first female mountaineers, and while she broke records and shocked the establishment, she also wrote about her adventures. Prince digs deeply into her writings and other source documents to create a rich and inspirational biography that immerses readers in the perils of exploration in the Victorian era. Workman’s story is sure to inspire others to defy expectations in pursuit of their dreams.
Inspirational
She Explores: Stories of Life-Changing Adventures on the Road and in the Wild
By Gale Straub
“For every woman who has ever been called outdoorsy comes a collection of stories that inspires unforgettable adventure.” Gale Straub, host of the She Explores podcast, compiled this collection of inspirational stories, photographs, and artwork to celebrate adventurous women. She Explores features first-person accounts of 40 different women from different walks of life with a shared passion for exploration, nature, and travel. Readers will find collections of tips and planning guides to prepare them to act upon the inspiration they receive.
Outlandish: Fuel Your Epic
By Morgan Sjogren
Part inspirational collection of personal stories, part guide to creating your own, Outlandish gives readers something to dream about and then helps them make those dreams come true. Sjogren shares stories, recipes, photographs, and advice born from personal experience on the road and in the wild. It’s part memoir, part cookbook, and part photography collection in a winning combination that’s sure to inspire readers to try something new!
Parenting
Wild Play: Parenting Adventures in the Great Outdoors
By David Sobel, MD
As an expert in child development, Sobel raised his children to bond with nature and explore the world in developmentally appropriate ways. Wild Play is both a moving memoir of the Sobel family’s journey and an informative guide to how other parents can do the same. Parents will be inspired and equipped to encourage their children’s free and independent play in nature.
Fiction
Surviving the Forest
By Adiva Geffen
In this historical novel based on a true story, readers follow a Jewish family in Poland during World War II who flee to the forest to escape certain death at the hands of the Nazis. The family must survive among wild animals and the dangers of the forest, all while concealing themselves from an even more life-threatening enemy. A compelling story of survival and the human spirit that combines history, nature, and adventure into one satisfying package.
The Lovely and the Lost
By Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Kira’s earliest memories are of living alone and wild in the woods. A family of search and rescue professionals finds and adopts her, but the mysterious start of her life remains a part of her. She has skills that help her excel in the family business, and as a teenager, she becomes part of a search for a missing child. The case forces her to face her past scars even as it turns up dangerous family secrets that could threaten the life she has come to know. An entertaining, suspenseful journey set against a beautiful, untamed wilderness backdrop.
Young Adult
The Other Side of Lost
By Jessi Kirby
Mari is a teenage internet phenomenon who tires of maintaining her perfect facade. When her carefully constructed life starts to fall apart, Mari needs to escape the spotlight and all the bridges she’s burned along the way. Impulsively, she decides to thru-hike the John Muir Trail. Life on the trail presents plenty of challenges, especially for an inexperienced hiker, but few as difficult as facing her own inner turmoil. Can Mari find her way through the wilderness within and without? A novel about the pitfalls of modern life and the healing power of nature.
For the Kids
Wherever You Go
By Pat Zietlow Miller Illustrated by Eliza Wheeler
A lovely picture book about roads and all the different places they can take us. With an engaging rhythm and rhyme, and beautiful illustrations, children will love exploring the world on the page. Children and adults can enjoy this book together and awaken their wanderlust to explore the next road. Finally, the story reminds us that the same roads that lead us away on adventures will also lead us home again.
Watch a video trailer for Wherever You Go.
Grab one or two of these titles, put your feet up, and relax. Then get up and follow wherever inspiration leads you. Adventure awaits around that next bend in the trail or fork in the road. Where will your summer reading take you?
