Travel Muse Magazine
Stories, tips, & joy.
Category: Books
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Literary Travel Guide to Cairo and the Pyramids inspired by Paulo Coelho’s “The Alchemist”
There are some places you read about once and never forget, and for me, Egypt has always been one of them. Ever since I was a kid, I’ve been fascinated by pyramids, pharaohs, and ancient civilizations. Egypt, especially Cairo and the Giza Plateau, is a place where history feels almost unreal, with ancient landmarks rising…
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Literary Travel Guide to The Netherlands, Inspired by Tracy Chevalier’s “Girl with a Pearl Earring” Novel
Renowned for the emotional intensity and quiet brilliance of his paintings, Johannes Vermeer belongs to a world of soft light, still rooms, and unspoken feeling. In Girl with a Pearl Earring, Tracy Chevalier reimagines that world with such care that the city of Delft itself begins to feel alive, muted, intimate, and quietly tense beneath…
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Literary Travel Guide to England inspired by Julia Whelan’s “My Oxford Year”
A study abroad romance. That’s exactly what I needed. After watching the new film adaptation of My Oxford Year (2025) on Netflix, I knew I had to dive further into the world crafted by Julia Whelan so I picked up her novel (2018). I’ve never been to Oxford, England, (though I have been lucky enough…
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Literary Travel Guide to Baghdad, Inspired by Sinan Antoon’s “The Baghdad Eucharist”
Some places feel deeply familiar before you ever set foot in them. For me, Baghdad was always one of those places. Having heard stories from family endlessly, I knew that visiting Baghdad for the first time wasn’t going to be like any other trip. It was vital for me to visit. It would be the…
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Literary travel guide to Berlin inspired by Bea Setton’s “Berlin: A Novel”
Traveling to a new city can be overwhelming, but moving to a new city without telling anyone, ditching your roommate and cat in London, and turning into a compulsive liar is another! Meet Daphne Ferber, the protagonist in Bea Setton’s debut, Berlin: A Novel, who takes what we would call a leap of faith and…
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Literary Travel Guide inspired by Emily St. John Mandel’s “The Glass Hotel” Novel
Even greater than the mystery of water is the mystery of the woman whose mother was taken by it. This sentiment is at the center of Emily St. John Mandel’s The Glass Hotel (2020). The intriguing title character of the novel is the (fictional) Caiette Hotel, made of glass walls that let the beauty of…
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Literary Travel Guide to Spain Inspired by Elana Armas “The Spanish Love Deception” Novel
It would never have crossed my mind to bring a coworker as my fake boyfriend to my sister’s wedding. However, The Spanish Love Deception made this scenario feel oddly tempting, to see if my arrangement could also turn into something real. Elena Armas’s debut novel follows an enemies-to-lovers storyline across her home country of Spain,…
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Literary Travel Guide to The John Muir Trail inspired by Suzanne Roberts’ Almost Somewhere
“Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves.” This is one of the many quotes by naturalist John Muir that inspired Suzanne…
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Literary Travel Guide to Martha’s Vineyard Inspired by Jenn McKinlay’s “Summer Reading” Novel
It begins and ends on a ferry, surrounded by the hum of engines and the tang of ocean air, but everything that matters lives in between: in warm night breezes, the soft creak of porch swings, and home-cooked candlelit dinners. Set on the island of Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts, Summer Reading (2023) by Jenn McKinlay…
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Literary travel guide to Rio de Janeiro inspired by Clarice Lispector’s “Complete Stories”
The first thing you see when you pick up Clarice Lispector’s Complete Stories are her all-knowing eyes; those made-up lashes and the piercing gaze that questions everything. It’s because of those eyes — how she envisioned Rio and the people that inhabit it — that Lispector was able to see into the depths of her…