Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on
bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
Australia, A Traveler's Literary Companion
by Robert Ross
Arranged geographically, this collection of works by mostly local writers, including Patrick White, Peter Carey and other luminaries, introduces the cultures, geography and mindset of Australia.
Parting the Desert
by Zachary Karabell
A compelling account of the politics, intrigue and engineering challenges of the Suez Canal. It's in part a portrait of Franco-Egyptian relations and the making of the modern Middle East. The Canal was inaugurated to great fanfare on November 17, 1869.
Wildlife of Australia
by Iain Campbell, Sam Woods
This compact photo guide covers commonly encountered birds, mammals, reptiles and frogs across Australia, including 350 species of birds.
Journey to Mauritius
by Bernardin de Saint-Pierre, Jason Wilson (Translator)
A lyrical account of colonial society, daily life and nature in Mauritius, newly translated and with an introduction by Jason Wilson.
The Fortunes of Africa, A 5000-Year History of Wealth, Greed and Endeavor
by Martin Meredith
Covering the epic story of colonialism in Africa, Meredith’s magisterial history depicts empire-hungry kings, missionaries, tribal warlords, mining barons -- even modern multinational corporations. An expansive but entertaining read.
Elephant Complex, Travels in Sri Lanka
by John Gimlette
This exuberant travelogue by an award-winning writer takes stock of Sri Lanka, from the capital city of Colombo through the remotest interior. Gimlette mixes his narrative with colonial history and plenty of lucid observations.
Running in the Family
by Michael Ondaatje
Award-winning author Ondaatje returns to his native Sri Lanka in this hypnotic travelogue. His lovingly traced family memoirs are interspersed with poetry and ruminations on the island's post-colonial history.
In a Sunburned Country
by Bill Bryson
The intrepid, ever-resourceful Bryson revels in Australia's eccentric characters, dangerous flora and fauna and other oddities in this wildly funny, effortlessly informative travelogue.
Evening Is the Whole Day
by Preeta Samarasan
Set in post-colonial Malaysia, this richly textured debut novel depicts the unraveling of a wealthy family and the six-year-old daughter left reeling from losses and departures. Samarasan's unflinching yet tender examination of one immigrant family's experience exposes the complexities and layered history of Malaysia itself.
True History of the Kelly Gang
by Peter Carey
Carey's powerful, daring novel, steeped in the colonial history of late 19th-century Australia, won him a second Booker (the first was for Oscar & Lucinda). Outlaw, folk hero, thief and patriot, the Irish immigrant Ned Kelly and his clan figure large in the Australian mindset.
Tracks, A Woman's Solo Trek Across 1700 Miles of Australian Outback
by Robyn Davidson
The true story of a woman's trek across the Australian Outback -- an adventurous tale shot through with a feel for the landscape and empathy for the Aborigines she meets along the way. Has also been made into a movie.
Chasing Kangaroo
by Tim Flannery
In this ode to the kangaroo, Flannery weaves his own coming of age as a scientist with tales of the strange marsupial, past and present.
Hong Kong
by Jan Morris
A wonderful portrait of Hong Kong by one of our favorite travel writers. Morris enumerates the many personal pleasures of the city, deftly interweaving reportage, history and culture.
City of Gold, Dubai and the Dream of Capitalism
by Jim Krane
This close-up portrait of Dubai by an award-winning journalist describes how the city transformed from a little-known village in 1960 to the cutting-edge capitalist metropolis and tourist haven it is today.
Long Walk to Freedom
by Nelson Mandela
An unpretentious tale of an extraordinary life, Mandela's autobiography is essential reading for an understanding of South Africa. His grace and his love for his country shine throughout.
Ghosts of Spain
by Giles Tremlett
Tremlett captures the Spanish character, history and modern politics in this masterful portrait, interweaving the story of his love for the country (where he has lived for 20 years) with interviews, anecdotes and observation.
Wildlife of Southern Africa
by Martin B. Withers
This Princeton Pocket Guide, featuring 400 color photographs by Withers and co-author David Hosking, covers all the birds, mammals, lizards and insects you are likely to encounter.
The Travel Book, A Journey Through Every Country in the World
by Lonely Planet Publications
Bigger and better than ever (the third edition of the best-selling original), we can't keep our hands off this celebration of the world. Each country, no matter how big or small, gets a colorful double-page spread in this glossy A-to-Z of travel from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe.
King Rat
by James Clavell
The first in Clavell's acclaimed Asia series, this book describes the life of a POW in Japanese-occupied Singapore during World War II, richly evocative of its setting
The Eaves of Heaven, A Life in Three Wars
by Andrew X. Pham
Pham recounts the story of his father's life during the French occupation, Japanese invasion and the American War, weaving such momentous events with anecdotes from his childhood and details of family, friends, food and daily life.
A History of the Arab Peoples
by Albert Hourani
Called a landmark, masterpiece and essential to understanding the Middle East, Hourani's acclaimed chronicle of the political, spiritual, religious and cultural traditions of the Arab peoples is brought up to date with an afterword by noted Islamic scholar Malise Ruthven.
