In the last 10 years I lived many lives, in different eras and in several places: I crossed the US, coast to coast; and I climbed Himalayas, reaching Lassa, in Tibet. Europe was not exception, as I lived some months in Ligurian trees, in Italy, and I took part in the history of the Balkans.
Nevertheless, I delivered correspondence in the Chilean island of Isla Negra and I survived to an epic journey in Congo River. The truth is that, among my best friends, I count sailors, spies and magicians. Thanks to Literature…
Thanks to literature, and more than one thousand books read in the last decade, I had the chance to do several Round the World Trips for free! And you can also do it: by simply registering in the closest public library you have access to everywhere – no visas or invitation letters needed 🙂
Now that 2015 is approaching, my suggestion it’s in the maps below: it compiles 30 novels (not travel books!!) that correspond to 30 destinies where actions took place: itinerary starts in Lisbon, my home town, stops in every Continent, and ends in Fez, Morocco. Enjoy this literaTour:
01 – José saramago – The Year of the Death of Ricardo Reis – Lisbon, Portugal
02 – Carmen Laforet – Nada – Barcelona, Spain
03 – James Joyce – Dubliners – Dublin, Ireland
04 – Tracy Chevalier – Girl with a Pearl Earring – Delft, The Netherlands
05 – Italo Calvino – The Baron in the Trees – Liguria, Italy
06 – Thomas Mann – The Magic Mountain – Davos, Switzerland
07 – Thomas Bernhard – Gargoyles – Styria, Austria
08 – Ivo Andric – Bridge on the Drina – Višegrad, Bosnia and Herzegovina
09 – Orhan Pamuk – The New Life – Istanbul, Turkey
10 – Nicolai Gogol – Evenings on a Farm Near Dikanka – Poltava, Ukraine
11 – Venedikt Erofeev – Moscow to the End of the Line – Moscow, Russia
12 – Åsne Seierstad – The Bookseller of Kabul – Kabul, Afghanistan
13 – Aravind Adiga – The White Tiger – Bangalore, India
14 – Heinrich Harrer – Seven Years in Tibet – Tibet
15 – Haruki Murakami – After DarK – Tokyo, Japan
16 – Jack London – White Fang – Yukon Territory, Canada
17 – Margaret Atwood – The Robber Bride – Ontario, Canada
18 – Jack Kerouac – On the Road – USA
19 – Paul Auster – New York Trilogy – New York, USA
20 – John Kennedy Toole – A Confederacy of Dunces – New Orleans, USA
21 – Graham Greene – Our Man in Havana – Havana, Cuba
22 – Mario Vargas Llosa – Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter – Lima, Peru
23 – Antonio Skármeta – The Postman: A Novel – Isla Negra, Chile
24 – Julio Cortazar – The Winners – Buenos Aires, Argentina
25 – Clarice Lispector – The Hour of the Star – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
26 – José Eduardo Agualusa – My Father´s Wives – Luanda, Angola – Maputo, Mozambique
27 – Ondjaki – The Transparent Ones – Luanda, Angola
28 – Joseph Conrad – Heart of the Darkness – Congo
29 – Albert Cossery – Proud Beggars – Cairo, Egypt
30 – Paul Bowles – Spider´s House – Fez, Morocco
P e d r o L 
Adorei a ideia!!! Tambem eu ja viajei pelo mundo inteiro atraves da leitura mas nunca antes tinha tido a ideia de tracejar num mapa os pontos recorridos. 🙂
obrigado pelo comentário 🙂 fico contente que tenhas apreciado a ideia 🙂 também pensei na possibilidade de escrever um artigo sobre as viagens no tempo que podemos fazer pela literatura 😛
e as viagens no tempo essas sim sao unicas, pois duma forma ou outra viajar a outros paises ‘e posivel. Porem, viveres no seculo 15 ou 31 so mesmo atraves da leitura 🙂
What an awesome post ! Thanks so much for sharing!
I´m glad you enjoyed 🙂 enjoy the trip 😉
Reblogged this on Estelea's Blog and commented:
My kind of Xmas present! The list I will probably send to Santa(mazone) 😉
Wow!!! Amazing. What a compilation!!!
enjoy the trip as you enjoy the novels 😉
You are a voracious reader!!!
So……….vicarious travel? Reading or going there? A novel is not the same as living/visiting a country or enjoying its culture, food, religions, beauty, and people. You cannot experience a country by reading about it or watching it on CNN/Fox News or by reading a novel. Am I getting this wrong? I live and travel and have for 30 years. Hitchhiking and backpacking and sailing and wandering. I am a noob at travel compared to others. Perhaps to you as well. Teach me.
such a pity you didn´t understand the article… personally, I don´t experience a country by watching it on CNN etc, but I can tell you that it happens when I read a well written book. When I read I do my own interpretation of a place and it can be even better than reality. but of course, not everyone is the same. thank you for your feedback 🙂
Superb idea, Estelea! A big smile to you! 🙂
I´m glad you enjoyed!
A grand journey and a most interesting list of literature. Thanks for sharing.
Greetings from Germany,
Salva
thank you for reading 🙂
🙂
I love this! What a brilliant idea 🙂 Thanks for following Creative Writing Ibiza. I look forward to catching more of your travels…
I´m glad to know you enjoyed 🙂
Hi Pedro! I stopped by to say thanks for following my blog, but I also found this post and love it! Literature is also one of my true loves, and I’ve read a few novels from places I’m going or have been. This idea is really great though. Your own story is so interesting, and I’m really glad I got a chance to explore your site a little!
I´m glad to know you had a great journey with this article 😛 thank you for your support and for stopping by 😛 ur page is always amazing!!!!
Bom dia! I’ve already visited a lot of these books, and I will have to check out the rest. Obrigado for the recommendations and for following my blog. 🙂
I read all of these books and I had a great journey 😉 enjoy cheers PedroL
I agree, brilliant to come up with a list like this! I will definitely add some of these to my own reading list! Thank you!
dear Taraisa, thank you so much for your words 🙂 hope you can read all these books and feel free to add also some to my list eheh regards PedroL
I do this as well when I travel!! It’s such a wonderful way to introduce yourself to the society and culture of a new place, thanks for all the suggestions!!
Thank you for commenting and reading my article!! Best regards PedroL
I loved the idea, and I loved your post even more.
I have always been a bookworm, ever since I started reading during my first year of elementary school. It definitely gave me the chance to travel a lot by simply laying on my bed and turning the pages of a book, and above all, it gave me the chance to learn and get in touch with cultures and people far away from my reality. Reading is a powerful medium and I’m so glad that I let it positively influence me.
I will definitely check out the books included in your literatour: “Bridge on the Drina” has been on my wishlist since forever, maybe it’s time to finally convince myself to read it! 🙂
glad you read and enjoyed my article 🙂 about Andric’s ‘Bridge On the Drina’ you should definitely read this book, it is one of my favorites and I totally recommend it 🙂 let you know your impressions and happy travels, PedroL