Twenty-Three Novels to Transport You to Foreign Lands

An epic tale by a spectacular author, this inter-generational story tells tales of family amidst some much darker themes. Hosseini’s writing style is so skilful that by the end you will feel you have run the dusty back streets of Kabul to feast on fistfuls of juicy pomegranates for yourself. A masterfully told story, that I read and reread and devour frequently, and continue to be heartbroken by.

Uplifting, beautiful and transformational. Sue Monk Kidd’s writing will pick up right up and plonk you down in the heart of a George peach farm. This story tells the tale of sisterhood, and the bond between mother and daughter through the eyes of 14-year-old Lily Owen. Set in the 1960’s to a background of racial violence, Lily runs away from her abusive father with her beloved nanny Rosaleen in search of her mother, who she shot and killed when she was just a baby.

East meets West when Ella Rubenstein is first introduced to the Eastern mystic Rumi and his companion Shams of Tabriz. Through editing a novel she begins to grow and learn more about herself and love. Although it sounds rather chick-lit-esque, this novel provides a beautiful integration of Rumi poetry and the life of these two wandering Dervishes. I didn’t initially love Ella’s character – but the wonderful narration of Rumi’s story, and beautiful integration of life in thirteenth century Middle East turned me around on this story. Most of the other characters are vibrant and fascinating, and the undercurrent of spirituality and love is interesting but not sickly.

Despite being set in LA, this novel is anything but. This magical story tells the tales of Tilo, a young woman from another time who has a gift for the art of spices. Through ingenious storytelling and a mouth-watering knack for choosing words, Chitra weaves a magic tale of love and spices from inside the walls of this incredible spice shop. Not only an excellent example of travel writing, but delectable food writing as well. An excellent read if you need transporting to somewhere rather magical and exotic.

Skillful story telling, wonderful character development and delightful scene-setting make this delicious novel something special. Nina takes us to Paris, through the eyes of Monsieur Perdu. Monsieur Perdu lives aboard his beautifully restored barge on the Sienne – his literary apocathery. It is here that he prescribes books for all of life’s hardships. After suffering many years of heartbreak, he finally decides to haul up anchor and set sail down through small town France to discover what happened to his long lost love, all those years ago.

This gorgeous book has me pining for traditional Mexican dishes and time-traveling back to my numerous times spent in Mexico. A beautiful and at times devastating story of life, magic, feasts and recipes. This story is of Tito, the youngest daughter who has been condemned by traditions to look after her mother until she dies. But despite being forbidden to marry, she falls in love with Pedro. He, in turn, is utterly seduced by her cooking and in an act of desperation to stay near to her, marries her sister. It is only through a string of tragedies that the two lovers are finally reunited. A spellbinding story of life in turn-of-the-century Mexico.

This was the favourite book of both my parents. But it took me a few tries & my own visit to Greece to truly fall in love. It wasn’t until I re-read as an adult that I came to appreciate this book, and the immersive storytelling involved. A feast for the mind and senses, the Magus brings us to a remote Greek island where our protagonist, Nicholas Urfe, finds himself entangled in the psychological games of a master trickster. A true classic of exceptional writing, John Fowles uses exceptional imagery and mind-bending writing to transport readers to the mythical islands of Greece and the mysteries that lie within it.

Many people know of the Leonardo DiCaprio film..but in my opinion, I prefer the novel. In search of his own personal paradise, Richard follows a map he’s given to an unknown island, and the secluded beach contained within. With it comes a new way of life, and revelations more exciting, more extraordinary and more frightening than anything of his wildest dreams. A true tale of intrepid travel and adventure, this thrilling story is a lush insight into Asia and Thailands most paradise-worthy beaches.

An epic classic of monumental proportions. Although a short read, over 2 million readers consider this novel a must-read masterpiece. A well loved universal classic that tells the tale of an Andalusian shepherd boy on a journey to follow his dream, and the revelations, characters and events that happen along the way. One of these, of course, happens to be the alchemist. And so begins a beautiful mentor-student relationship and a story that lingers in your heart and mind for long after you’ve read it.

After the death of her beloved grandmother, a Marisol Ferrera travels to Havana, where her Grandmother grew up. This story captivated me completely. I read it in just a few days, rapturously.

It tells the tale of two stories at once – modern day Marisol and that of her grandmother living as a wealthy sugar heir during the Cuban revolution.

It’s a must read to better understand more of the culture and history of such an incredible, resilient, and fascinating place.

As a wildlife lover, this story written by a wildlife scientist spoke to my adoration of the natural world. Delia Owens tells a marvellous tale of murder, mystery, womanhood, growing up, and love – amidst many other themes. But what really speaks to me, what made this book unforgettable and kept it glued to my fingertips until the very last page was the incredible descriptive writing of the North Carolina Marsh and all that inhabit it.

After being introduced to the Inspector Gamache series I immediately became drawn to the pull of exploring Quebec.

Louise Penny has a knack for developing those kinds of places and characters you’d love to jump on in with and spend some time, and each of these I read brings me closer and closer to planning my own visit to the smaller towns of the French Canadian region.

I read this book somewhere incredibly far removed from the wet, hot, dense Amazon jungle. Instead I was in a toast warm yurt out on the Mongolian Steppe with snow falling outside. I picked up this book, and I spent the entire day reading it – until I’d finished. I quite literally didn’t put it down (other than a dinner break!)

I’m obsessed with the Amazon. The river, the rainforest, the region – in fact, I’m obsessed with jungles, trees, plants, wildlife and all things wild, really.

When I visited Morocco for the very first time, I was lured into the magic of North Africa by learning about the storytellers.

Those who would have crowds gathering around in the the Jemaa el Fna square of Marrakech to tell stories. There is a saying in Marrakech that “when a storyteller dies, a library burns.”

This book is a collection of such stories, written down finally to keep them alive and save them from being lost along with the traditional storytellers. It’s absolutely mesmerising.

Miranda Innes bought a dilapidated riad to renovate, and so begins an insiders tale of life, riads, and renovations in Morocco. This story is focused primarily on the experience of buying and renovating a house in Marrakesh, but also dips and delves into everyday life in the Cinnamon City of Marrakesh.

Full of flavours, fragrances, and complications of moving to a foreign country, this is an easy read for a swift dip into Moroccan life.

This novel is almost as charming as the Périgord region itself. When Guillaume Ladoucette’s barbershop faces certain redundancy, he must find a new way to earn a keep in his small village in the Southwest of France.

This is how Guillaume finds himself starting up in the business of love, and becoming a matchmaker. But his attempts are somewhat disastrous, often hilarious and utterly delightful.

A light and easy read – I found it an excellent pick-me-up read that transported me right back to smalltown France.

Part memoir of Greek ancestry, and part recipe book. Spiri brings Greek food and culture to life in a way that had me drooling onto the page and recounting just how enchanted I was by Greece during my own time there.

Afternoons in Ithaka reflects on life, family, love and creativity. It traverses between her many trips between Australia and Greece, and brings together what it means to be Greek growing up in Australia.

Nina George has made her way into two spots on this list with her wonderful ways of transporting us right into the heart of France. First with The Little Paris Bookshop, and now with the Little Breton Bistro, her writing continues to be full of heart, beautiful writing, and narrative I want to follow through until the very last page.

The Little Breton Bistro is a tale of second chances and falling in love with a host of unforgettable locals.

After having spent a handful of summers living in Bretagne for myself, I loved how much Breton folklore and stories were brought into this book. It’s a wonderful way to explore a part of France many people don’t get to.

“Two people, one city, different times; connected by a memoir. Can love exist in a city destined for decades of misery?”

A heartfelt tale of the conflict and tragedy facing Iraq; a forbidden love story between two people from very different worlds and times in Iraqs history, and the romance of living and surviving in these two very different worlds today.

The Gardener of Baghdad is a must read for anyone who’s not known more of Iraq than a war torn country. For those who want to know the beauty, culture and history of Iraq.

When I was traveling in Nepal this book was on every book shelf, every store, in the hands of most hikers wandering down the streets of Kathmandu.

It’s a classic for a reason, it is a radiant and deeply moving account of a “true pilgrimage, a journey of the heart.” as Peter Matthiessen spent five weeks hiking through the Nepalese Himalayas to study the Himalayan blue sheep and, possibly, to glimpse the rare snow leopard.

I found myself immersed in Erica Jong’s recreation of the poet Sapphos after myself spending time on the Island of Lesbos, home of Sapphos – the greatest love poet the world has even known.

This book is, in true Jong style, rather amorous.. so if you’re not into that kind of story, perhaps give this one a miss. Otherwise swan dive into this magnificent story, taking us from Lesbos to Delphi to Egypt, and even to the Land of the Amazons and the realm of Hades.

I always describe Murakami’s books like being in a dream. Nothing makes sense, but the storytelling is so compelling that you emotionally invest and go along for the ride all the same.

He is one of the most talented storytellers I know of, and all of his magical, surreal books include the most wonderful of characters, delving into suburban Tokyo life, classical music and talking cats. I can’t really describe this book in any further detail – but I do highly recommend it for an incredible journey.

A work of beauty, each time I devour this novel I am transported back to Gion, Kyoto. A city I fell in love with at first site, this story is a tragic and beautiful account of the life of a Geisha. The language is strikingly lovely, and I could read this over and over just for the experience of highlighting new favourite passages.

While there is some controversy, and ultimately a much more fascinating story would come from the true memoirs of a Geisha – this is still a fascinating introduction to Japanese culture and a great way to escape to a foreign land for a few evenings.