The books that we read, whether travel-focused or not, may influence the way in which we understand the process or experience of travel. This multidisciplinary work provides a critical analysis of the inspirational and transformational role that books play in travel imaginings. Does reading a book encourage us to think of travel as exotic, adventurous, transformative, dangerous or educative? Do different genres of books influence a reader’s view of travel in multifarious ways? These questions are explored through a literary analysis of an eclectic selection of books spanning the period from the eighteenth century to the present day. Genres covered include historical fiction, children’s books, westerns, science-fiction and crime fiction.
Cuprins
Chapter 1 – Introduction: Extraordinary Journeys
Chapter 2 – The Gift Shop at 221B Baker Street
Chapter 3 – A Misspent Youth (Children’s Fiction and Travel)
Chapter 4 – Murder They Wrote
Chapter 5 – The Past is a Foreign Country
Chapter 6 – No Country for Old Men
Chapter 7 – Once Upon a Time in the West
Chapter 8 – The Explorer’s Quest
Chapter 9 – Re-enacting the Past
Chapter 10 – Fantastic Journeys
Chapter 11 – Transformations
Chapter 12 – They All Lived Happily Ever After
Chapter 13 – Conclusion