Travel books

Originally published in the Ketchikan Daily News, April 2012; written by Lisa Pearson.

There are two basic types of travel books. There are the extremely helpful, but deadly dull, guidebooks that list accommodations, restaurants, museum hours, and transportation options. Then there are the books that actually inspire you to buy those plane tickets, reserve those hotel rooms and plot out your train routes. In the book review journals that I read, these are always promoted as “great for armchair travelers”. They capture the spirit of a place and peel back the layers of tacky tourist traps to reveal the points of interest that captivate even the locals. We know those spots in Ketchikan; they’re the places we take our visiting relatives who want to experience the ‘real Alaska’. To be able to learn about these gems in another state or another country is a good trick, and we have three new books at the public library that will interest travelers looking for something special.

“The Appian Way: ghost road, queen of roads” by Robert A. Kaster follows the millennia-old road from Rome to Brindisi, on the Adriatic Sea. Built in stages over the course of about 50 years, the road was a military necessity in Roman times. There are still sections of the road where the Roman paving stones are in place, still tombs and sepulchers lining the road, still milestones and triumphant monuments leftover from the days when the Appian Way was the supply line between Rome and the military bases that dotted southern Italy. Kaster takes us along each mile (or kilometer), pointing out the historical significance of each site as well as talking to the locals who have lived for generations in the shadow of the ancient Romans. Kaster is a professor of classics at Princeton University, so his focus is mainly on the earliest history of the Appian Way, but the road is also dotted with churches, and it was an important route for pilgrims and crusaders on their way to the Holy Land. The road also witnessed the Battle of Anzio in World War II. To be able to walk along those stones, to see the tombs of those who died thousands of years ago, would be an inspiring trip.

Another one of our new travel books is really a guide to lodging in the United States, but it is the type of lodging that makes this book so interesting. “Sanctuaries, the complete United States: a guide to lodgings in monasteries, abbeys and retreats” by Jack and Marcia Kelly is the perfect book for travelers who are looking for some mental and spiritual refreshment on their trip. The places listed in this guide range from traditional Catholic monasteries to Buddhist retreats to New Age communes. Frequently, guests are invited to join in spiritual activities, prayer groups, meditation sessions or group retreats. Some of the sanctuaries are more of a place for guests to pursue their spiritual journey on their own, in solitude. Each listing describes the history and religious philosophy of that particular sanctuary, and provides contact information.

The final travel book is very small – only 88 pages – but it’s a great read. “Scotland’s ghastly ghosts” by Charles Sinclair tells the spooky tales of some of Scotland’s most famous ghosts. A whole section of Haunted Hotels and Hostelries will help you plan your itinerary the next time you go to Scotland and their website addresses are helpfully listed in the back of the book. Many of Scotland’s famous castles are also featured in Sinclair’s book, and he points out which ones are open to the public (it’s not easy for your average 21st-century Laird to heat and staff an entire castle without a little extra income). When you get to Fyvie Castle, be sure to ask to see the Drummond Room. And don’t forget to pack your raingear; it is Scotland, after all.