100 Books Like Bad Tourist

This is classic literature in the realm of American travel.

I had no idea that “blue highways” existed, and even though Heat-Moon went cross-country back in the 1970s in his van equipped with his igloo cooler and makeshift bed (not like the $100k fancy campers you find today), the type of people you meet and experiences you have in this amazing country are still relevant today.

In Blue Highways Revisited, I was shocked to read how long it took for this book to get published and the stacks of printed-out drafts he had of it (I think it was like four feet high). If there are any travel writing classes taught as part of a creative writing program, then Blue Highways better be on the list. 

Anyone who has ever worked in the food or hospitality industry—as a cook, a waitress, a hostess, a barista, or otherwise—can identify with this book.

The restaurant business is a different beast, and Anthony Bourdain took a huge risk in writing this and burning bridges with his bosses and coworkers. But in doing so, he unlocked the universal hidden language that food and hospitality workers share.

As a former hostess/waitress myself who spent most of her college years with a part-time job at IHOP and the Golden Waffle, I could relate to a lot of what Bourdain experienced working in NYC, especially with minority groups and how they were treated during that time. He was a huge inspiration to a lot of people, including me. 

I was fortunate enough to join a writers group that this author was the founder of, and he had just released Refraction.

I read one of his other pieces of writing and was quite impressed by his ability to pull a story together so eloquently, so I went out and bought this. And I was blown away…it was well-written, had a nice flow, and covered themes such as the impact the oil industry had on native Alaskans, working in a harsh environment, and how Bruce was able to go back and forth between these diverse worlds.

I think anyone who is concerned about the environment would enjoy this book.  

I love to eat, travel, and write about it, and no one did that better than Anthony Bourdain. Weirdly enough, I only got into his TV shows after I read his books and I still like his books a lot more.

It’s such a shame that he isn’t around anymore to produce amazing work, but fortunately more stories can be told through his colleagues and friends…which is where Tom Vitale comes in. Tom traveled extensively with “Tony” filming places for his TV series and shares crazy behind-the-scenes stories about what happened during that time and what his working relationship was like with Bourdain.

I was captivated and laughing out loud listening to this audiobook as we drove through Thailand.

This is about one woman’s journey from pain to discovering an identity she hadn’t considered.

You need to be vulnerable to make a big change. This book reminded me that sometimes you must break yourself down, to realize what you truly want. This book will make you think about whether you are living the life you want to live.

Glennon Doyle is forced on a journey to discover that, and as a reader, we go on that journey with her. I learned a lot about my own life and my own choices while reading about how she found her true self and the life that was right for her.

A big part of lifelong learning involves experimenting, trying new things, and picking up new skills. I must confess this can be challenging for me; I’m one of those people who sometimes gets frustrated or embarrassed when I try something new and find it doesn’t come easily to me. Maybe you’re the same way--if so, all the more reason to take inspiration from Vanderbilt’s book, which chronicles his efforts to learn how to play chess, surf, sing, juggle, and more. Woven in with those entertaining experiences are larger lessons about how we learn, and why it’s so beneficial to keep doing so. In the hands of a less skilled writer, a book like this--in which a journalist tries on a series of new hats--might seem gimmicky. But Vanderbilt is an insightful observer and storyteller who can even make traffic fascinating (that was the subject of a previous book of his,… show more.

There are lots of books out there that emphasize positivity—keeping a positive attitude, visualization, and realization.

What I love about Rising Strong is that it showed me how to recover from failure, defeat, and disappointment. It’s only human to make mistakes and feel disappointed. I’ve been there—with jobs, with relationships, with the challenges of everyday life.

I love the fact that Brené Brown shares her own stories, showing me how we all suffer disappointments and how I can rise back up with courage and determination. Her ability to combine personal stories with research helps me believe that I can recover from shame at defeat by owning my feelings and learning from them. That’s rising strong. 

I recommend this book because it resonated deeply in my professional life, as I often encounter patients seeking to eradicate anxiety, convinced that happiness lies in the absence of negative feelings.

Harris debunks this notion, revealing it as a trap. His philosophy aligns with my own—true satisfaction and happiness stem from navigating through anxiety towards what genuinely matters. Harris masterfully imparts wisdom and techniques rooted in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Those grappling with stress and the elusive pursuit of happiness will find solace and direction in Harris's pragmatic advice.

This book is a valuable guide for anyone seeking a more fulfilling life.

There's a theory in psychology that alongside our basic traits, our personalities are also defined in part by the stories we tell about our lives – what's known as your narrative identity. In this inspirational book, Hardy shows how you can change who you are by reinterpreting your own past and, in effect, retelling your own story. As part of this process, you can think of past events as happening 'for you' instead of 'to you'. What's especially compelling about this book is that Hardy has made these changes in his own life and personality. You get to hear how he left behind his difficult youth, transformed into a dramatically more conscientious person, built a successful career as a psychologist, and became a loving husband and father.

I love this book as it helps explain to my female clients the shame they feel about mothering their children. I love that she describes in detail the vicious cycle from generation to generation that adult daughters can break through by understanding the lack of nurturance, protection, and guidance that was missing.

I like that this book gives tools and interventions to correct and heal their parenting and foster genuine emotional relationships.