Your favourite travel book
 

Hi all.

We recently published our first travel book (while travelling). We decided to start with an eBook (which is free to publish and you dont need middle men) and see how it goes. After a partially successful crowdfunding campaign, we raised some good money to print it and have it available as a paperback.

We have more than 3 months to add (or remove) stuff from the printed copy and here I am to ask for your contribution.

In the paperback, we want to add a section with useful readings & publications (we have online resources only and smartphone apps) that will add some value to our book as well as provide the future reader with more valuable resources and of course spread the word of other worth reading travel resources through my resource. I think it is called collective thinking!

Our target audience is people who are getting prepared for the epic trip (which will preferably last for a long time), people who need inspiration through real life stories of others who quit everything, sold everything and started living in the road & people who look for travel resources and real life practical examples to get ideas & tips etc.

So, ideally, the list of books that I want to include in my Useful Resources Section must be about preparation (no matter the vehicle since we analyze all modes of transportation in our book) but travel literature is not excluded!

Needless to say, that the writers must be real travellers-explorers, not digital nomads, corporations, ghost writers and HOW TO guides written from Instagram neo-gurus!

So far, I want to add the books & guides below:

1. Adventure Motorcycling Handbook: A Route & Planning Guide by Chris Scott

2. Jupiters Travels: Four Years Around the World on a Triumph by Ted Simon

3. Dreaming of Jupiter: In Search of the World--Thirty Years On by Ted Simon

4. Motorcycle Messengers: Tales from the Road by Writers Who Ride by Jeremy Kroeker

5. Through Dust and Darkness: A Motorcycle Journey of Fear and Faith in the Middle East by Jeremy Kroeker

6. Motorcycle Therapy: A Canadian Adventure in Central America by Jeremy Kroeker

7. Overlanders' Handbook: Worldwide Route And Planning Guide (Car, 4Wd, Van, Truck) by Chris Scott

8. Don't Go There. It's Not Safe. You'll Die.: And other more rational advice for overlanding Mexico & Central America by Jared McCaffree , Jessica Mans , Kobus Mans

9. Left Beyond the Horizon: A Land Rover Odyssey by Christopher Many

10. On the Road by Jack Kerouac

11. Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer

12. Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne ,

13. One Life to Ride: A Motorcycle Journey to the High Himalayas by Ajit Harisinghani

14. Adventure Cycle-Touring Handbook: Worldwide Cycling Route & Planning Guide by Neil Pike

15. Work Less to Live Your Dreams: A practical guide to saving money and living your dreams by Dan Grec

16.Spark your Dream: A true life Story where Dreams are fullfilled and we are inspired to conquer ours. by Herman & Candelaria Zapp

17. Who Needs a Road: The Story of the Longest and Last Motor Journey Around the World by Harold Stephens& Albert Podell

18. Η ΧΑΜΕΝΗ ΤΕΧΝΗ ΤΟΥ ΤΑΞΙΔΙΟΥ. ΑΠΟ ΤΟΝ ΤΑΞΙΔΙΩΤΗ ΣΤΟΝ ΤΟΥΡΙΣΤΑ. ΕΝΑΣ ΕΝΑΛΛΑΚΤΙΚΟΣ ΟΔΗΓΟΣ ΑΝΑΖΗΤΗΣΗΣ ΒΑΡΒΑΡΕΣΟΣ ΣΤΕΛΙΟΣ



Which is your favorite book?


Thank you all!




P.S.: there is a HU giveaway running here: http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...al-guide-91538

https://www.amazon.co.uk/One-Caravan.../dp/1884313051

And the accompanying video

Twice upon a Caravan | Horizons Unlimited

Nice mix of books. I see some are more traditional narrative books, like Kerouac and Ted Simon's first book. Others are more nuts & bolts technical guides like Chris Scott's and travel guides.

Others listed are NON motorcycle related, like Krakauer (whose credibility has been seriously questioned) I think he's a fraud, based on acquaintances who climbed with him 40 years ago.

I like both types of books but narrative travel books that are good reads are rare. I would include Dan Walsh's book: These Are The Days That Must Happen To You, By Dan Walsh | The Independent
https://www.amazon.com/Endless-Horiz.../dp/0760336040
(AKA:Endless Horizon)

But it's a new world and frankly I believe most get travel info on forums on line. ADV Rider is huge. Hundreds of thousands browse that site daily. But only one in million of ADV's Ride Reports are readable, IMHO. But a few gems lurking there if you can find them. Some good stuff has been posted on ADV over the years. (since about 2000) Very few books have come out of it however.

Most of the famous (and unknowns too) Motorcycle writer/travelers have long since diversified their act, getting into touring round doing paid presentations, DVD sales ... and of course books.

HUBB travelers meetings are loaded with these struggling vagabonds. Even Ted Simon has had to travel round the world to peddle his books and his travelers foundation ... and Ted is probably one of the most successful out of hundreds doing the hard scrabble Adventure Travel game, trying to make travel pay.

Once folks get travel stories FREE on the internet, very hard to convince them for fork over cash for your book.
But as always .. best of luck! ... and remember a traveler with hundreds of stamps in his passport ... does not a writer make! (or photographer either!)

Much appreciate your reply mollydog.

1. Its true that I am trying to include a mix of readings from very technical to travel literature with actual travel stories/documentaries. The future adventurers/ travellers need both.

2. Its also true that I am trying to put together readings for all types of transportation. I have a big chunk comparing all 4 types of travellers (in car, moto, bicycle & backpack), so the potential traveller can get a clue of the prons & cons.

(I value HUBB opinions and this is why I am looking for suggestions here even though its a moto world)

3. Would you be kind to rephrase your very last sentence? Or explain? I am not getting the message. (..does what writer makes?)

4. Initially, we created and published this book to add a little more value to the travellers community with our experiences, misfortunes and pictures. Needless to say that it is not THE BOOK! Come on.. We know it is just another book..

Plus, We dont count on sales at all to finance our long RTW trip and we basically have other sources of income (passive income and working along our way). We are 100% aware of the difficulties to promote and actually sell your book (especially if you self-publish) and we could literally talk about disappointing sales for the first 4,5 months since the eBook launch.

The crowdfunding campaign that helped us to raise some money in order to print a good number of copies could be a little success story but so far, this "trip" has been full of challenges.

Regarding the promotion initiatives that other travel writers employ, I copy from the prologue:

"At this point, I will try something a little unusual, if not completely weird! While trying to provide the reader with some insight, I will give you some reasons NOT to read my book. I have never been a big fan of books and this made me consider the publication of a personal story, or even fiction, an extremely selfish and vain act. In my opinion, every piece of art must be priceless which in fact does not mean it is worthless. How can you set a price or make a living out of a personal drama or science fiction and what makes a motivational or practical reading different or exceptional? No matter if you want to present your personal experience or make a living out of it, the results are the same. Another book on a huge pile of pretty much similar readings! So, my intentions are not for this book to be read by as many as possible, but to attract the right type of reader that will appreciate it at the end and maybe will get empowered and motivated."


"First of all, I am neither an author nor an artist, at least not in professional terms. I do not make or plan to make a living out of this, I have never before published anything of any significance (besides our famous “pin stories” in our Greek travel blog), and so I have decided to self-publish and distribute my work without the interference of a publishing company. The initial idea is to share this book, and so my knowledge as well as try to encourage people to experience a big life change."


Again, thanks a lot for your insight, much appreciate!

Good comments overall. :thumbup1:

My above comment is not directed towards you and not meant as a criticism to any specific person. bier

But my experience reflects that just because someone has 5 passports full of stamps, this does not guarantee they will be readable as a travel writer. ("... does not a writer make." )

I've probably read more moto travel books than average, I reviewed moto books when worked for City Bike, San Francisco ('1989 to 2005) Sadly, found few books to recommend highly. Some books were not forwarded to us for review, so sourced on my own.

I mostly did bike reviews, not book reviews. Attended press launches, also reviewed gear and misc.products too ... and books.

Today, seems on-line forums like this one do a fine job at preparing riders with basics for world travel. Check out Grant & Susan's instructional DVD's at top of main page. No better primer out there IMO with THOUSANDS of links to writer's tales, tips, sites and tech info with general A to Z info regards international travel.

If you're a good public speaker and can "hold your own" with a crowd (not easy!) then that seems to be a decent way to market your books. Ted Simon is pretty funny in a very layed back way. I first heard his presentation (slides and talk) in early 90's, long before the current ADV craze.

Best presentation I've seen was from Austin Vince. Funny guy with great advice and incomparable experiences to relate. I bought both his movies.

Long Way Round showed the obvious: "movies are the best way to reach travelers". IMO, A well done film (also, not easy to do!) will carry you a lot further than a book.

Austin Vince's two movies are perfect examples. Both Mondo Enduro and Terra Circa illustrate this. As crude as Mondo was, still hits home with many. Terra Circa also gets great response from crowds, even holds up over multiple viewings.

But movies don't always fill the heart and soul the way a good novel can. If it's theme is motocentric, so much the better. Does it have to be NON fiction? IMO, absolutely not.

Maybe publish a few chapters of your book here on HUBB? bier

Not sure if this is within the brief but I loved Dark Star Safari by Paul Theroux.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Of course it is. Thanks a lot anydavenow!

There's a book I really like even if is not bike related (but is travel related in a sense). Musashi by Eiji Yoshikawa. If you have an e-reader like kindle you can download it free at the Internet Archive

It looks like a heavy reading! Thanks a lot for your suggestion though ;-)

The book may looks like a daunting reading because of the sheer size of it but it's an incredible addictive reading (at least for me).

Good luck with your book. I don't really have a favourite but everything I've read by Paul Theroux has been good. Also Graham Greene - Journey Without Maps, Wilfred Thesiger - Arabian Sands, Peter Mathiessen - The Snow Leopard and Eric Newby - A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush.

No doubt that it can be the favorite book of bikers (and cyclists) when they camp under the stars in the middle of nowhere.

Appreciate!

I put them all in the section of inspirational readings. Seems to be what the travellers need after a long day in the road (or to get inspiration while they are dreaming the great escape).

Thank a lot for your contribution Paul.

There is a HUBB Free Giveaway but -funny enough- nobody have claimed his free copy!

Check it here: http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...538#post569054

Don't give up ... maybe break it up into chapters or bits (like trailers?). Post as a ride report in Ride Tales forum here on HUBB? Do a new chapter every month ... or whatever.

This may at least get word of your book around the MC world even though does not bring immediate revenue.

These "teasers" May snag a few to buy and read your work. Not sure how much more you can do other than blag stuff on other forums and maybe do a Book Launch speaking tour ... like many travel writers do.

bier

We already in a RTW tour the last 5 years and after printing the book, we will literally be in a book tour! No complaints. Typical writers have to pay & organise this (or their publishing house). For us, it is just our current life.

Also, I dont consider myself as a travel writer.. As you said, two passports full of stamps, doesnt make you a writer. I rather prefer to be considered as a traveller who just tried to create something decent (of course from my personal viewpoint with lots of generalizations according to my travelling experience & pictures I have in the back of my head).

Once again, I much appreciate your advice & tips given for my reading. :thumbup1:

I've not got many overland books, but my favourite is the Vehicle Dependant Expedition Guide

Checked & listed! Thanks for your contribution ;-)

I just looked on my shelf, and I also have "Sahara overland" by Chris Scott, and an interesting book "First overland" by Tim Slessor which is about the two series 1 LRs that went around the world years back.

I love reading peoples blogs if they link them somewere but never buy any books. Searching webpages for special keywords I usuarly find the information im looking for much faster then reading a book. A blog can also be saved and is not havy to carry. I think scince internet is available we should collect a list of the best blogs with a word of warning: Reading other peoples blogs makes you want to leave the office and travel as well ;)

You are absolutely right. Long time travellers dont want to carry books and those who are getting prepared want to limit down their books purchases because most probably they will end up in the storage.. When people are getting prepared & look for resources, they look for fresh, updated, close to reality information.

For this reason, it is always good (even mandatory) for the people who create a travel resource with practical info (not a narrative), to have it available as an eBook. All eBooks are easy to be accessed, use keywords, save info, copy & paste and so on like you would do in a website (especially if you are going through it using a PC/ laptop but also in a tablet).

Paperbacks & the smell of paper is ideal for well written travel stories & narratives, for those who can afford to see their resource being printed/ published and for those who love to have a nice reading in their library.

^^^^ Agree other peoples blogs are good. and they definately make you want to get up & out! :scooter:

Not read the book but that is one awesome film...It was shown as the starlight showing one year at Austin Vince's Adventure Travel Film Festival on the outdoor screen which is where I saw it....It was a percect summers evening and that film was enchanting and incredible in equal measures.

Got agree with mollydog about Dan Walsh's book too...I might read that again one day it was very entertaining !

I'll second that and add 'Quiet for a Tuesday' also by Tom Sheppard

Side Note on Mr. Walsh ... while he was on the road riding Dan was published as a monthly columnist in UK's BIKE magazine for years. His "on the road" reports were The Best ever.

Dan's reports started from Africa then over to USA. Then came a good break for him. He got funded by Motorcyclist magazine (big USA glossy mag); they bought Dan a BMW GS Dakar and provided some small funding.

Dan wrote installments from the road for MC mag and for BIKE too. Not sure what happened to his deal with BIKE. They'd have been wise to hang onto him, best writer they have ever had ... by a lot!

You could look at Dan's BIKE articles as sort of a prologue for his book, but really, these articles were even better than the book, especially his early adventures in Africa, and they cover more ground than the book. Just GREAT stuff ... and so funny!

One thing Dan was master at was HUMOR ... so few can even get close to writing with humor. Dan's tale does get depressing when he goes on a bender while living in a Buenos Aires hotel. Sad, but he pulled out of it ... but perhaps has never fully recovered? Dunno!

PS HUBBERS: Dan is a long time member here on HUBB, was here from the beginning. Dan23. Come Back Dan!
Dan is a brilliant writer ... a shame he's not on the bike scene now. I hope he's doing well whatever he's up to.

Graham Field is a good read, Utopia and in search of greener grass, very good reads, very witty and gets you thinking about the reason for living and life in general.

He has a very flowing writing style as all the story comes from his diaries of his trips

Just placed an order for the Dan Walsh book, are his articles accessible?

You might try the BIKE archives in UK. They must have them somewhere, although this was about 10 years ago.

You could also check the Motorcyclist archives too. Although they only published a few installments of Dan's ... maybe 3 or 4 max? BIKE ran his stories for years, nearly every month with some gaps. bier

If I can be permitted a second choice Elspeth Beard's recently publish book Lone Rider is a good read, the first British woman to make a solo RTW motorcycle trip she is very open about the trials and tribulations of being alone on the road.

The Rugged Road by Theresa Wallach (2nd edition intro and appendices by Barry M Jones).
I am sure you must have read it, two Women in late 1934 riding a Panther combination + trailer from Ealing to Cape Town. Including riding across the Sahara before it had been mapped. No help or back up, they didn't even have a compass. Great book, love it.
As an aside, I loved Jupiter's Travels but really couldn't get into the sequel at all. Seemed so totally different in style, could not finish it sadly.