Books that make us travel 1

Mountain and adventure literature invites us to explore the limits of human endurance, untamed nature, and epic journeys.

1."Ebony" (1998) by Ryszard Kapuściński

• Kapuściński takes us through his experience as a journalist in Africa, exploring the complexities of the continent's history and culture.

2. "Travels with Herodotus" (2004) by Ryszard Kapuściński

• In this work, Kapuściński combines his own experiences with the stories of Herodotus, the "father of history," creating a rich and unique narrative.

3. "The Odyssey" (circa 8 BC) by Homer

A timeless classic that follows the journey of Odysseus as he faces supernatural challenges and struggles to return home after the Trojan War.

4. "The Iliad" - The Epic Song of Ancient Greece

To speak of "The Iliad" is to delve into one of the greatest treasures of ancient literature, an epic tale that has resonated throughout the centuries as a monument to the human condition, glory, war, and tragedy. Attributed to the blind poet Homer, "The Iliad" is a masterpiece that presents an epic panorama of the Trojan War and its immortal heroes.

5. "Don Quixote of La Mancha" (1605) by Miguel de Cervantes

• Although not a mountain story, Don Quixote's idealistic quest and adventures have inspired literary explorations and left a lasting mark.

6."In Patagonia" (1977) by Bruce Chatwin

• Chatwin guides us through Patagonia, weaving fascinating stories about the people, the geography, and the human connection to the land.

7."The Snow Leopard" (2003) by Peter Matthiessen

• A captivating tale that follows the author in his search for the snow leopard in the remote Himalayan mountains.

8. "The Pilgrim" (1678) by JA Baker

• For ten years, from autumn to spring, J.A. Baker set out to track the peregrine falcons that visited his region in eastern England daily, at a time when these birds were thought to be in danger of extinction. He pursued them with love and obsession, observing them in the air and on the ground: the way they flew, hunted, fed, and rested—activities Baker records with an exquisite combination of accuracy and poetry.

9. "The Conquest of the Useless" (2009) by Werner Herzog

• Herzog recounts his experiences filming "Fitzcarraldo" in the Amazon rainforest, exploring the limits of determination and obsession.

10."Altitude Sickness" (1997) by Jon Krakauer

• A powerful chronicle of the 1996 Mount Everest tragedy, where Krakauer also reflects on human nature and the challenges of the mountain.

11. "Heart of Darkness" (1899) by Joseph Conrad

• A poetic and terrifying exploration of the darkness of human nature in the Congo, which served as the backdrop for the famous film "Apocalypse Now."

12."Robinson Crusoe" (1719) by Daniel Defoe

• The classic story of survival and adventure that follows Robinson Crusoe after he is stranded on a deserted island, facing challenges and discovering solitude.

13. "The Road to Mecca" (1954) by Muhammad Asad

• A combination memoir and travelogue, it told the story of a convert to Islam who had crossed the spiritual deserts of Europe and the sandy wastes of Arabia, on a journey that ultimately led him to the oasis of Islamic belief.

14. "The Doors of Perception" (1954) by Aldous Huxley

• Speaking of travel literature, it's worth mentioning the journey the writer undertook to narrate the fantastic visionary experience produced by taking mescaline , the active ingredient in peyote . Two years later, he published Heaven and Hell , in which he continues to explore the unity between the mind and the cosmos . These essays, as unique as they are pioneering, are in themselves experiences of self-transcendence.

15."The Island" (1962) by Aldous Huxley

• A philosophical and dystopian exploration of a utopian island in the Pacific, where alternative forms of government and spirituality are experimented with.

16. "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea" (1870) by Jules Verne

• An exciting underwater adventure that follows Captain Nemo and his submarine Nautilus on a journey across the world's oceans.

17"Walking, a Philosophy" by Frédéric Gros

• Walking is much more than putting one foot in front of the other. What if you could only think well through your feet? "An admirable book that will excite even the most inveterate sedentary."

  

18. "From the Earth to the Moon" (1865) by Jules Verne

• A science fiction novel that tells the story of a daring project to send a missile to the Moon from Florida.

19. "Around the World in 80 Days" (1872) by Jules Verne

• The unforgettable story of Phileas Fogg and his quest to circumnavigate the world in 80 days, taking readers across diverse continents and cultures.

20"IN PRAISE OF WALKING" by David Le Breton

• Enjoyment of time, of places, walking is an escape from modernity, a way of mocking it, of leaving it standing, a shortcut in the frantic pace of our lives and a way of distancing ourselves, of sharpening our senses.

This selection ranges from classic epics to contemporary narratives, offering a rich and diverse look at mountain and adventure literature. These masterpieces not only take us to distant places but also explore the depths of the human condition amidst wild nature and daring journeys.