Recommend this book:

Destination Dachshund

A Travel Memoir: Three Months, Three Generations and Sixty Dachshunds
Lisa Fleetwood

2017 Gold Medal
272 Pages
Check current price
Non-Fiction - Travel

2017 Gold Medal
With teenage children and in-laws in tow, the Fleetwood family embark on their 3 month family vacation just days after the tragic loss of their beloved dachshund, Coco. When two miniature dachshunds in smart winter coats are spotted in Moscow, it’s game on! A riotous, often hilarious dachshund spotting competition for the lovable, long-bodied dog ensues across 15 countries. Filled with love, laughter, and sadness at times, Destination Dachshund offers a unique twist on the travel memoir with remembrance for those who have been loved and lost, at the heart of one family’s extraordinary adventure through Turkey, Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Germany, France, the UK, and the United States. Through the wonder of travel, this remarkable travelogue explores the bond of extended family, the abiding love we have for our pets and the grieving for loved ones, both human and hound.Winner: Gold Medal for ‘Non-Fiction – Travel’ in the Readers’ Favorite International Book Award Contest.Editorial Reviews"A likable author makes for a likable, dog-centric travel book." - Kirkus Review"Fleetwood’s resulting chronicle of a multigenerational family trip—86 days, 15 countries, and 60 dachshund spottings—has an invitingly chatty tone that makes one feel like one is traveling with her." - Kirkus ReviewReader Reviews'What a wonderfully captivating read! Destination Dachshund is a humorous, yet moving memoir of a three generational family’s journey through Europe and the USA.' -- 5 stars, Melissa, Sydney'Together with knocked kneed grandparents who can never work out the wifi code, pigeon chasing children, mishaps on the backroads between Russia and Estonia and loads of laughs, Lisa Fleetwood's chronicle of her world-wide trip with the kids and grandparents will keep you entertained from start to finish. Have the tissues ready though, as there are times when the loss of their beloved pet and sorely missed family members will hit home for many.'

Recommend this book:

Destination Earth

A New Philosophy of Travel by a World-Traveler
Nicos Hadjicostis

2017 Silver Medal
184 Pages
Check current price
Non-Fiction - Travel

2017 Silver Medal
Updated 2nd Edition 2019
 
Gold Medal Winner: International Book Award in the Travel Category, 2017
Gold Medal Winner: Independent Press Award in the Travel Category, 2017
Silver Medal Winner: Reader's Favorite Award in the Travel Genre, 2017

"In his book, Destination Earth, Nicos Hadjicostis shares the ultimate 'budget travel tip': how to make your travels transformational." - Rick Steves, Travel Writer and TV Presenter

"An epic journey with a master philosopher." - Daniel Klein, New York Times best-selling author

"I know a potential best seller when I see one. This will be soon! As a world traveler, I found Nicos's book to be spot on with his philosophies, introspection, and cultural experiences. It was a delightful book to read." - Tina Dreffin, Award-winning author of 'Bluewater Walkabout: Into Africa'

"Destination Earth conveys the fascinating journey of an exceptional world-traveler. Nicos not only writes in an engaging style that allows readers to share his experiences, but his philosophical reflections provide unique insights into the process and value of education through travel." - Ron Leonard, Professor of Philosophy, University of Nevada, Las Vegas

"Nicos's letters were among the most incisive I received in 33 years of guidebook writing." - David Stanley, South Pacific travel expert and author of the 'Moon Handbook South Pacific'

More a guide to travel than a travel guide, Destination Earth transforms how you view travel and its relation to Life. It also provides a philosophical framework for embarking on more meaningful and purposeful travels, whether it is an around the world journey, or an exploration of a region, or even a city. Destination Earth is the product of the author's unique 6.5-year continuous around the world journey, during which he visited 70 countries on 6 continents and treated the world as if it were a single destination. From Chile and Argentina to Thailand and Japan, Destination Earth explores the delicate and invisible interconnections of nations and countries, people and cultures, and delves deep into all aspects of travel and its transformational power:

· Why long-term and world travel is the ultimate university
· How to create a wise-line of travel through any region
· How to go about capturing the Soul of a country
· How to deal with the unpleasant realities of the world while on the road
· Balance the relationship between travel planning and spontaneity
· How a Travel-Journey is related to our Life's-Journey
· Practical advice on how to plan the exploration of regions and countries
· 25 inspiring travel stories from the author's journey that augment the main text
· 60 color photos from various places around the world

Ideas, experiences, stories and photographs are interwoven into a newly created Philosophy of Travel that is practical and easy to read.

This is not your typical paperback. It is a large book measuring 7x10 inches, printed on high quality paper with color photos, and a stitch-binding that allows you to open the book flat without the pages falling out while reading on a desk.

Recommend this book:

Lost, Kidnapped, Eaten Alive!

True Stories from a Curious Traveler
Laurie McAndish King

2017 Silver Medal
282 Pages
Check current price
Non-Fiction - Travel

2017 Silver Medal
Laurie McAndish King’s adventures may have seemed like a good idea at the time: Tracking lions on foot, without a gun, in Botswana. Taste-testing the world’s most expensive coffee—which happens to be made from the excrement of a small Balinese mammal. Marrying a Maasai warrior in Kenya, searching the Irish countryside for an erotic goddess, and attempting to eat a horse in southern Italy. Whether she is lost in Melbourne, kidnapped in Tunisia, or eaten alive in Queensland, King’s travel adventures tend toward the quirky. And her retelling is poignant, thoughtful, occasionally unsettling, often funny, and always appealing.

Recommend this book:

A Camino of the Soul

Learning to Listen When the Universe Whispers
Katharine Elliott

2017 Bronze Medal
130 Pages
Check current price
Non-Fiction - Travel

2017 Bronze Medal
“ Start writing. Don’t ask what or why...just start” My sister Jeannie, deceased 7 years earlier, wrapped her angel arms around me that September day on the Camino Santiago de Compostela and guided me to my purpose. What is it that magically draws us to step outside our normal realm of existence? That unexplainable energy that sings a calling to our soul? A knowing which came in the late summer of 2011, my pilgrimage was the culmination of several years in which I began learning to listen to the energies of the Universe. Listen to the knowledge my soul cradles deep within. Listen to the love and guidance of my guardian angels. Believe that all I need to know, all I need to understand, is available to me if I simply remain open to the forces of the Universe ...and listen. In September 2014 I followed my soul knowledge and embarked on the Camino Santiago de Compostela, an ancient pilgrimage path some 500 miles crossing the French Pyrenees and west across the north of Spain. A Camino of the Soul - Learning to Listen When the Universe Whispers shares my Camino story and, more importantly, a lesson of growth and transformation.

Recommend this book:

Living in Italy: The Real Deal

Hilarious Expat Adventures
Stef Smulders

2017 Bronze Medal
282 Pages
Check current price
Non-Fiction - Travel

2017 Bronze Medal
Read the Dutch bestseller, now available  in translation! Already over 30.000 copies sold!
Would you dare to follow your dream and move or retire to Italy to live La Dolce Vita? Have a Reality Check first!
Stef & Nico did take the leap, although their dog Sara had her doubts. Now from your comfortable armchair you can share in the hilarious & horrendous adventures they experienced when they moved to Italy to start a bed and breakfast.

For lovers of amusing travelogue memoirs who like a good laugh. And for those interested in practical advice on how to buy a house in Italy there is useful information along the way, pleasantly presented within the short stories.

Glossary of Italian words included! Learn the true meaning of Italian phrases and expressions like "non ci sono problemi", "di fiducia", "persone serie", "tutto a norma" and many more. Learn a bit of the foreign language before going to Italy.

Recognition:
  • Reader Views 2016/17 Literary Awards Winner
  • Readers Favorite 2017 Award Winner Travel category
  • Eric Hoffer Award Finalist
  • 2017 ELIT Award Winner Travel category
  • IAN Book of the Year Finalist Travel & Humor/Comedy/Satire categories
  • New York & Amsterdam Book Festival Honourable Mentions

Reviews:
  • "a comical, often downright hilarious account" Reader's Favorite Review ☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️
  • "Smulders' storytelling artistry is wildly entertaining" Blogcritics/Reader Views ☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️
  • "Stef Smulders ... does what a good writer does: He writes what he observes and leaves the judgement to you, the reader. No constant bellyaching from Mr. Smulders. I like that. I really like that." James Martin, Italy expert, wanderingitaly.com
  • "Fantastico! I am a tough critic and have nothing but kudos for this book. Buy this book!!" Elliana on Amazon
  • "There is more of the flavor of Italy in this book than in ... Frances Mayes' 'Under the Tuscan Sun'" Amazon review by Grady Harp HALL OF FAME TOP 100 
  • "now I can add Stef Smulders to the list of my favorite expat authors" N.N. Light

Summary:
In 2008 Stef Smulders, his partner Nico and their dog Saar emigrated to Italy to start a new life and set up their B&B Villa I Due Padroni. They sold their home, left their friends and family behind and took a leap into the unknown. Now Stef shares his experiences in a collection of witty short stories. The book treats the trials and tribulations of an emigration.

The reader is introduced to a full range of Italian characters, from the trustworthy to the rogue, from the gentle to the shameless, flesh and blood Italians. Some are stereotype, others unexpectedly original. Yet they never fail to amuse and entertain. 

For lovers of books like
  • Michelle Damiani's Il Bel Centro
  • Katherine Wilson's Only in Naples
  • Tim Parks' Italian Ways & Italian Neighbours
  • Frances Mayes' Under the Tuscan Sun & Bella Tuscany
  • Gerald Durrell's Corfu Trilogy
  • Bill Bryson's Neither Here Nor There & The Road to Little Dribbling
Readers' reviews:
  • "I was hooked"
  • "Couldn't put the book down"
  • "What a fantastic read!" 
  • "Hilarious!" 
  • "Addicting!" 
  • "Recommended!"

Recommend this book:

Footnotes from the World's Greatest Bookstores

True Tales and Lost Moments from Book Buyers, Booksellers, and Book Lovers
Bob Eckstein

2017 Honorable Mention
176 Pages
Check current price
Non-Fiction - Travel

2017 Honorable Mention
A New York Times Bestseller

From the beloved New Yorker cartoonist comes a collection of paintings and stories from some of the world’s most cherished bookstores. 

This collection of 75 evocative paintings and colorful anecdotes invites you into the heart and soul of every community: the local bookshop, each with its own quirks, charms, and legendary stories. 

The book features an incredible roster of great bookstores from across the globe and stories from writers, thinkers and artists of our time, including David Bowie, Tom Wolfe, Jonathan Lethem, Roz Chast, Deepak Chopra, Bob Odenkirk, Philip Glass, Jonathan Ames, Terry Gross, Mark Maron, Neil Gaiman, Ann Patchett, Chris Ware, Molly Crabapple, Amitav Ghosh, Alice Munro, Dave Eggers, and many more.  

Page by page, Eckstein perfectly captures our lifelong love affair with books, bookstores, and book-sellers that is at once heartfelt, bittersweet, and cheerfully confessional.

Recommend this book:

Australian Memories

Discover Aussie Land and the Mysterious Red Center
Ndeye Labadens

2017 Finalist
83 Pages
Check current price
Non-Fiction - Travel

2017 Finalist
Take a journey through Australia. From arrival to departure, the experiences provided within the pages of this book are rich and full of the beauty and excitement that surrounded the trip.

In Sydney, there were tons of restaurants and a lot of time was spent in those establishments due to jet lag. However, the Botanical Gardens were beautiful, abundant in plant life as well as colorful birds. Though there are lots of ways to get around, the Circular Quay was the best option during this trip. Usually, it was bustling with people, but in the evening. Cafes and shops are abundant, but one of the most memorable occasions was a concert right out in the street.

Alice Springs was exceptional. Though it is advertised as having a red center, it was green with the abundant vegetation at first sight. Experiencing a thunderstorm in the driest part of the desert is something quite amazing. In the evening, Uluru, a sacred area, was a beautiful red- a truly magnificent sight to behold!- And finally offered the advertised coloring.

Kakadu Park was gorgeous in Aborigine history and culture. Though the time of the year made for dangerous crocodile conditions and many shops closed, it was worth the cultural experience. The river was refreshing, though the wildlife was a bit intense.

Tasmania is a place that isn't easily forgotten. The cities located in Tasmania were remarkable. The boating trip that was taken was memorable, despite a couple of bad experiences. The road trip had its downfalls, especially when the 4-wheel drive vehicle broke down.

Between the multitude of birds that could be watched from various lookouts and gardens, whales, alligators and other small reptiles, dolphins, and other sea creatures, the wildlife is extraordinary!

Melbourne was spectacular to visit. The wildlife was amazing from sea creatures to feathered friends, to mammals like the kangaroo and wombats.

Recommend this book:

A Camino of the Soul

Learning to Listen When the Universe Whispers
Katharine Elliott

2016 Silver Medal
130 Pages
Check current price
Non-Fiction - Travel

2016 Silver Medal
“ Start writing. Don’t ask what or why...just start” My sister Jeannie, deceased 7 years earlier, wrapped her angel arms around me that September day on the Camino Santiago de Compostela and guided me to my purpose. What is it that magically draws us to step outside our normal realm of existence? That unexplainable energy that sings a calling to our soul? A knowing which came in the late summer of 2011, my pilgrimage was the culmination of several years in which I began learning to listen to the energies of the Universe. Listen to the knowledge my soul cradles deep within. Listen to the love and guidance of my guardian angels. Believe that all I need to know, all I need to understand, is available to me if I simply remain open to the forces of the Universe ...and listen. In September 2014 I followed my soul knowledge and embarked on the Camino Santiago de Compostela, an ancient pilgrimage path some 500 miles crossing the French Pyrenees and west across the north of Spain. A Camino of the Soul - Learning to Listen When the Universe Whispers shares my Camino story and, more importantly, a lesson of growth and transformation.

Recommend this book:

Fourteen

A Daughter's Memoir of Adventure, Sailing, and Survival
Leslie Johansen Nack

2016 Bronze Medal
300 Pages
Check current price
Non-Fiction - Travel

2016 Bronze Medal

Winner of 5 independent book awards, including NIEA, Next Generation Indie, Independent Press Award, Beverly Hills Book Awards and Readers’ Favorites
After her mother and father divorce at age seven, Leslie quickly learns the hard lessons of being Dad's favorite. The abuse begins at age nine and doesn't end until she begins to fight back, finally, at age fourteen. Her father, a larger-than-life Norwegian, assumed full custody of Leslie and her two sisters and moved the family from their 63-acre rustic ranch in Northern California to a 45-foot sailboat in Southern California. The family spent two years living aboard their boat preparing for the trip of their father's dreams: a trip around the world. On February 5, 1975, the family set sail for French Polynesia. Intense and inspiring, Fourteen is a coming-of-age adventure story about a young girl who comes into her own power, fights back against abuse, becomes an accomplished sailor, and falls in love with the ocean and the natural world. The outer voyage is a mirror of her inner journey, and her goal is to find the strength to endure in a dangerous world, and within a difficult family.

Recommend this book:

Kilimanjaro Diaries

Or, How I Spent a Week Dreaming of Toilets, Drinking Crappy Water, and Making Bad Jokes While Having the Time of My Life
Eva Melusine Thieme

2016 Honorable Mention
266 Pages
Check current price
Non-Fiction - Travel

2016 Honorable Mention
When expat blogger and mother of four Eva Melusine Thieme first harbors the idea of ringing out her three years in Africa on the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, it sounds easy. In fact, it has all the trappings of a dream vacation: no cooking, no fighting kids, and an army of porters to lug everything up the mountain. What can go wrong? Tag along as Eva takes you on her journey up the slopes of Kilimanjaro together with her teenage son and a group of hilarious South African friends. From planning the trip to shopping for supplies to trudging uphill wishing with all her heart for an ice cold sip of water untainted by chlorination tablets, you will follow her step by step on her quest to scale the world's highest free-standing mountain. But the list of challenges is long: sub-zero temperatures, blistered feet, long drop toilets (of which, you may learn, the drops are not nearly as long as they have once been, if you get the drift), and the ever-threatening altitude sickness no one can quite escape from. Eva's climb turns into the most difficult test she has ever faced, and ultimately she must make a fateful decision on that mountain. Thieme's debut travel memoir is equally poignant and laugh-out-loud funny. Part guide book, part travel memoir, and part history lesson, her story will keep you hooked until the last page - whether you're a seasoned hiker nodding your head in recognition, an aspiring Kilimanjaro trekker searching for tips, or an armchair traveler reveling in adventure stories from the comfort of your home.