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TRAVEL

Travel is something I've always enjoyed, although at times the relentlessness of movement from one city to another, through one airport after another, pursuing business interests without having time to see anything else, has taken the edge off the enjoyment. How pleasant it is to be able to leave home and explore both new and familiar places at one's leisure. When that is not possible the travel book comes into its own, in a comfortable armchair

There are, however, more uses for travel books than the vicarious visiting of places we've never seen. In preparation for a visit they help us anticipate the delights to come. When actually in a place they guide us to interesting sights and experiences. Afterwards they remind us of what we saw and the people we met; and point us to the trips we now wish we'd had time to fit into our overcrowded schedule so that we determine to return.

Our travel section is in process of reconstruction as part of our "Read-the-World" initiative. This increasingly will cross-link travel, history and world affairs to give easy access to a wide range of books on different aspects of a continent, country or region. Meanwhile, here is a selection of books that we think you will find interesting, covering many different areas of the world. Click on the directory above-right to go to the various subsections. From several of the geographic sections you can now navigate laterally between travel, history and world affairs, as well as return to the top of the page.

Travel: British Isles    Return to top

As it is the BrunleaBooks home country we ought really to devote more space to travel in the United Kingdom and Ireland, but as with other areas of the world, it will have to wait until our next edition. For the time being here is a selection. Two of the books explore the coast line, fascinating studies ranging from the White Cliffs of Dover to the rocky outcrops of the far north. The historical battles of Britain's periodically warlike past are the basis of another series of travels, while gardener Alan Tichmarsh takes us around the islands to look at the variety of their natural history.

Travel: Europe    Return to top

To attempt to cover Europe with just five books is really quite disgraceful, but consider this as a space marked out for something greater to come, and to compensate for this derisory treatment of such a great and varied continent we've included a collection of excellent books which are not what you would typically find in a high street store.

Coming soon: Cities of Europe

Travel: Africa     History     World Affairs     Return to top

I have been highly privileged to travel to many parts of Africa, and quickly fell in love with both land and people. Here is just a small subset of what is to come in this section. Our World Affairs department also carries books on Africa, sadly in many cases documenting the human tragedies of this beautiful continent.

Travel: Middle East     History     World Affairs     Return to top

Events in the Middle East over recent years have inspired a considerable degree of interest in this fascinating part of the world. Politicians now talk in terms of "BMENA", the Broader Middle East and North Africa, but within that extensive region there are wide varieties of landscape, cityscape and culture. From the Berber lands of North Africa via Cairo to the Gulf States, across into Iran, back north and west to the Eastern mediterranean countries there is a richness which can only be touched upon in this short page. But more in later versions ...

Travel: China     History     World Affairs     Return to top

From the ancient travels of Marco Polo to a modern day guide to the Silk Road, explore China in its great variety.

Travel: East (excl. China)    Return to top

From India to Borneo and Japan, here is very short selection of both well-known and lesser known books on this vast region of the world.

Travel: Central/South America    Return to top

My personal experience of Central and South America is restricted to only four countries, and I wish I had time to read each of the volumes here in detail to learn much more. My appetite has been wetted. Landscapes are staggering, the people are fascinating, and the history is only now beginning to be known and a little understood in the wider world. A more extensive South American section will follow in future.

© 2006-2008, David Murray (BrunleaBooks).
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