Book cover of Figures in a Landscape: People and Places

Book description

The Sunday Times bestseller Paul Theroux collects a rich feast of his writing and essays - from travel to personal memoir - published all together here for the first time

Drawing together a fascinating body of writing from over 14 years of work, Figures in a Landscape ranges from profiles…

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

1 author picked Figures in a Landscape as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

As a lifelong reader of travel literature, this collection of essays was a real eye-opener.

Each chapter features a different writer, whether it’s about how Thoreau truly felt about living in the wilderness or Summerset Maugham’s traveling companion, Theroux delves deep into what made these people tick—what drove them to travel as much as why they wrote.

The collection made their work more understandable and made the writers seem more human.

If you love Figures in a Landscape...

Book cover of Pioneer Paddles of the Colonial South

Pioneer Paddles of the Colonial South by William D. Auman,

Award-winning novelist William Auman, author of If Trees Could Testify..., takes the reader on a time-traveling odyssey featuring 345 bodies of water in six states within the historical context through which they unfold.

Journey into remaining Colonial-era wilderness with stories of pirate treasure, epic frontiersmen, Indigenous Peoples, and Revolutionary…

Want books like Figures in a Landscape?

Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 84 books like Figures in a Landscape.

Browse books like Figures in a Landscape

Book cover of The Razor's Edge
Book cover of Papillon
Book cover of Shantaram

Share your top 3 reads of 2025!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,340

readers submitted
so far, will you?

📚 If you like Figures in a Landscape, you might also like...

Book cover of Noodle Trails

Noodle Trails by Eileen Kay,

Did a heartbreak ever make you want to move to the other side of the planet?

Failed comedian and heartbroken idiot escapes to a jungle hut on an obscure island in Thailand. Warm sunshine, new friends, and fresh mangoes heal most wounds.

“Funny, wise and thought-provoking, outspoken, touching, surprising, and…

Book cover of Honeymoon at Sea: How I Found Myself Living on a Small Boat

Honeymoon at Sea by Jennifer Silva Redmond,

When Jennifer Shea married Russel Redmond, they made a decision to spend their honeymoon at sea, sailing in Mexico. The voyage tested their new relationship, not just through rocky waters and unexpected weather, but in all the ways that living on a twenty-six-foot sailboat make one reconsider what's truly important.…

5 book lists we think you will like!