New Books To Thrill The Travel Lovers On Your Christmas List

Without a doubt, Lonely Planet has become one of my favorite go-to publishers for entertaining travel books.  We all know they publish terrific travel guides, but now they also have a series of really wonderful ‘coffee table’ travel books.  Recently they released a number of extraordinary books that will tempt you to keep a copy for yourself, as well as thrill your favorite globetrotter.

Here’s a look at our favorite travel books of the season:

Food Lover’s Guide To The World
Experience The Great Global Cuisines – Lonely Planet
This is a book that begs to be savored page after delicious page.  Part cookbook, part travel guide, part cultural immersion, it is a foodies’ delight. From France, to India, to New Zealand, readers are introduced to the signature foods, festivals and specialty recipes of cultures across the globe.  For me half the excitement of travel is the anticipation of experiencing new foods and beverages.  This entertaining book also reveals surprises about foods we think we know well.  For instance, I learned that French baguettes are actually a modern day tradition, gaining popularity after World War II.  And here I had assumed they were always part of the French table.  This book will have you salivating as pages and cultures unfold,  and will have you planning your next great culinary escape in no time.

Great Adventures
Experience The World At It’s Breathtaking Best – Lonely Planet
There are no ho-hum wanderings in this guide to the best adventure trips on the planet.  Stunning photography leads readers through great outdoor adventures like paragliding from Mont Blanc in France, tracking mountain gorillas in Uganda or perhaps cycling through Nepal.  The reader will be enticed to hike, dive, bike and climb; above the earth, below the oceans, and on top of mountains.  This is truly a candy box of adventures of a lifetime.  Every endorphin seeking traveler will love this book.

Great Journeys
Travel The World’s Most Spectacular Routes – Lonely Planet
For those adventurers seeking a grand sojourn to fill their memories for decades, this compilation of 77 of the world’s greatest journeys is sure to deliver hours, if not days, of entertainment.  From hiking the Inca Trail, to traversing the Khyber Pass, to riding the Blue Train in South Africa, or motoring along iconic Route 66, masterful photography will reveal spectacular journeys that have intrigued and delighted adventurous travelers for centuries.

A Beach Less Traveled
From Corporate Chaos to FLip-Flop Perfumer – by John Berglund
For everyone with a persistent dream of throwing off the shackles of the office 9 to 5, shoveling snow and wearing winter down; for the chance to move to a Caribbean island and begin life anew, John has some sage advice and inspiration to encourage you follow your dreams.  John and his wife Cyndi left their established corporate life in the US for the soft sand beaches and azure waters of St. Martin to start a new life as purveyors of custom blended Perfumes.  Follow John’s decision path, anxieties, strategies and success as he and Cyndi build a new life and business in their Caribbean paradise.  A great winter read!