Eight “Soulful” Travel Books

Thank you to JourneyWoman and Christine Winebrenner Irick for featuring BRAVE-ish in “Eight New “Soulful” Travel Books by Women to Add to Your Reading List“

Women authors inspire others to embark on their own travel journeys

by Christine Winebrenner Irick, originally published on SoulofTravel.com

The Soul of Travel Podcast guests have published an incredible lineup of books that will inspire you to travel, heal, and live life to the fullest. These women continually show up in big ways to shift the narrative around who is travelling. The result: Getting more memoirs and travel stories written by women on bookshelves around the world and inspiring future generations of travellers.

These books cover themes such as solo travel adventures, personal growth, finding joy in everyday experiences, mindful travel, impactful global movements, and self-discovery across different cultures and continents. Grab one or two (or all of them) and toss them in your bag to take on your travels, camping, or sitting poolside this summer.

Travel books by women to inspire new journeys

1. Jen Ruiz: 12 Trips in 12 Months: Make Your Own Solo Magic

Jen Ruiz, also known as Jen on a Jet Plane, is a lawyer turned travel blogger who decided to send out her twenties with an epic challenge.  She shares her journey in 12 Trips in 12 Months: Make Your Own Solo Travel Magic. Read more about Jen’s work and listen to her episode here.

Jen Ruiz with her book 12 Trips in 12 Months

2. Beth Santos: Wander Woman

Beth Santos is the founder of Wanderful, an international community and social network with the active participation of over 40,000 women and gender-diverse people of all ages and backgrounds.

Wander Woman: How to Claim Your Space, Find Your Voice and Travel the World, Solo is a little bit of a travel guide and a whole lot of soulful advice to inspire your solo travel adventures. Buy Wander Woman here. Read more about Beth’s work and listen to her Soul of Travel episodes here and here.

Beth Santos holding her new book Wander Woman

3. Nikki Vargas: Call You When I Land

Call You When I Land, by Fodor’s editor Nikki Vargas, includes all the makings of a great story: heartbreak, adventure, uncertainty, romance, and even murder. Her journey is relatable, vulnerable, and inspiring. Listen to her recent episode here and about her book Wandress on the Soul of Travel Podcast 

Nikki Vargas getting onto an airplane holding a copy of her book, Call You When I Land

4. Lisa Niver: Brave-ish: One Breakup, Six Continents, and Feeling Fearless After Fifty

Lisa Niver was nearly fifty when she found herself moving back in with her parents and starting over. She began taking one tiny “brave-ish” step at a time which led to the challenge of trying fifty new things before turning fifty. In her memoir, Brave-ish: One Breakup, Six Continents, and Feeling Fearless After Fifty she shares these adventures and her growth along the way. Listen to Lisa’s episode on the Soul of Travel Podcast here.

5. Maria Baltazzi: Take a Shot at Happiness

Maria Baltazzi’s book draws lessons from her life as a television producer, her travels, world events, and media that we all know and love. Each chapter teaches on what Maria calls “The Happiness Essentials,” all to help readers discover a life they love. Maria shares that her book is for anyone early in their wellbeing journey, and everyone looking for a new perspective to living a happier, more purposeful life.Find Take a Shot at Happiness on Amazon here. Listen to Maria’s episode on the Soul of Travel Podcast here.

Maria Baltazzi- Take a Shot at Happiness Book Cover

6. Kat Medina: The Joys of Jetlag

When Kat Medina discovered that she could unlock a life of joy through adopting a traveller’s mindset, she created a guidebook to help travellers do the same. She encourages readers to find the awe and amazement in everyday life from the grocery store to journeys halfway around the world. Find The Joys of Jet Lag here on Amazon. Listen to Kat’s episode on the Soul of Travel Podcast here.

Kat Medina holds a copy of her book, Joys of Jet Lag Photo

7. Dr. Anu Taranath: Beyond Guilt Trips

One of the most profound and perspective-shifting texts available regarding mindful travel, Dr. Anu Taranath speaks from her own experiences and expands the journey to unpack thought-provoking questions about who we are when we travel, how we interact with the people and the world around us, and how we navigate our differences with compassion, connection, and grace. Buy Beyond Guilt Trips here. Listen to Anu’s episode on the Soul of Travel Podcast here.

8. Celeste Mergens: The of Power of Days

In The Power of Days, author Celeste Mergens shares the stories of the struggles and triumphs that led her to create Days for Girls. This global movement supports women and girls with menstrual health education and sustainable menstrual solutions You’ll be moved by the power of impact created by individuals and communities aligned by a shared purpose. Find The Power of Days on Amazon here. Listen to Celeste’s episode on the Soul of Travel Podcast here.

Thank you to Christine Winebrenner Irick for including me in her Soul of Travel series! Find me in Season 2 ~ Voices Of Women Episode 15: January 25, 2021

WATCH HERE: Lisa Niver on Soul of Travel

Soul of Travel interview series features conversations with tourism professionals and travelers sharing their stories; their heart, soul, and passion that drives them to be a part of the travel community.

Show notes: I hope you enjoy this lively conversation with Lisa Ellen Niver, M.A. Education. We discuss her travels, which have taken her to over 100 countries on 6 continents, and how she brings these experiences to the classroom and programs for We Said Do Good. We also dive into her recent article for Teen Vogue, “How a Swimming Lesson From Olympian Markus Rogan Changed My Life” and I look forward to diving in (pun is probably intended) to this experience. We also talk about saying “yes” to opportunities and asking for what we want!

SPOTIFY:

“You crave to be the person you are when you travel when you come home.” In this lively episode, ‘Diving Journalist’ Lisa Niver shares tales of her epic moments of travel, including 7 years at sea and a walk across Asia – amongst other incredible things. This episode will transport you to Thailand, the Galapagos, and more, and connect you to the question: “why do I travel?”

WATCH ON FACEBOOK:

https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?ref=watch_permalink&v=247246466836283

WATCH ON STITCHER
https://www.stitcher.com/show/soul-of-travel/episode/we-said-go-travel-with-lisa-niver-84407742

Lisa Ellen Niver

Lisa Niver is an award-winning author, travel journalist and international speaker who has explored 102 countries on all seven continents. This University of Pennsylvania graduate sailed across the seas for seven years with Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean, and Renaissance Cruises and spent three years backpacking across Asia. Discover her articles in publications from AARP: The Magazine and AAA Explorer to WIRED and Wharton Magazine, as well as her site WeSaidGoTravel. On her award-winning global podcast, Make Your Own Map, Niver has interviewed Deepak Chopra, Olympic medalists, and numerous bestselling authors, and as a journalist has been invited to both the Oscars and the United Nations. For her print and digital stories as well as her television segments, she has been awarded five Southern California Journalism Awards and four National Arts and Entertainment Journalism Awards and been a finalist thirty-five times. Named a top travel influencer, Niver talks travel on broadcast television, her YouTube channel with over 2.5 million views, and in her award-winning memoir, Brave-ish: One Breakup, Six Continents and Feeling Fearless After Fifty.