Here are 100 books that The Catch Me If You Can fans have personally recommended if you like The Catch Me If You Can. Book DNA is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of An African Abroad

Tonia Hope Author Of Traveling Europe on a Budget: An Insider's Guide to Finding Hidden Gems, Avoiding Tourist Traps and Having the Vacation of Your Dreams on the Cheap

From my list on inspire your next travel adventure.

Why am I passionate about this?

Travel has always been more than just a passion for me; it’s a way of life. As a travel content creator and author, I’ve explored countless destinations, immersing myself in different cultures and uncovering stories that often go untold. I believe in traveling with curiosity, finding hidden gems, and experiencing places beyond the typical tourist spots. My journeys have taken me across Europe and beyond, and I love sharing practical tips and personal insights to inspire others. Travel should be exciting, accessible, and deeply enriching, and I hope this list helps spark that same sense of adventure in you.

Tonia's book list on inspire your next travel adventure

Tonia Hope Why Tonia loves this book

I loved this book because it felt like traveling the world through the sharp, witty, and fearless eyes of Olabisi Ajala. His journey across continents was not just about adventure but about challenging stereotypes and embracing the unknown.

The way he navigates different cultures with humor and resilience made me reflect on my own travels in a whole new way.

By Olabisi Ajala ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked An African Abroad as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

When he's not breaking through security to shake the hands of Nikita Khrushchev, he is crashing his scooter through a border between Jordan and Israel in the then partitioned Jerusalem, amidst a hail of gunfire, escaping an assassination attempt in Jordan, or dodging the bullets of eager security agents around the Duke of Edinburgh in Sydney. When he's not trying 'African ju-ju' on pretty Russian girls, he's enjoying a tense audience with Golda Meir in Israel and hobnobbing with Fúnmiláyọ̀ Ransome-Kútì in Moscow. One-man daredevil-traveller, Mashood Ọlábísí Àjàlá saw and did it all, and lived to tell the tale. Now…


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Book cover of Aggressor

Aggressor by FX Holden,

It is April 1st, 2038. Day 60 of China's blockade of the rebel island of Taiwan.

The US government has agreed to provide Taiwan with a weapons system so advanced that it can disrupt the balance of power in the region. But what pilot would be crazy enough to run…

Book cover of Black Girls Take World: The Travel Bible for Black Women with Boundless Wanderlust

Tonia Hope Author Of Traveling Europe on a Budget: An Insider's Guide to Finding Hidden Gems, Avoiding Tourist Traps and Having the Vacation of Your Dreams on the Cheap

From my list on inspire your next travel adventure.

Why am I passionate about this?

Travel has always been more than just a passion for me; it’s a way of life. As a travel content creator and author, I’ve explored countless destinations, immersing myself in different cultures and uncovering stories that often go untold. I believe in traveling with curiosity, finding hidden gems, and experiencing places beyond the typical tourist spots. My journeys have taken me across Europe and beyond, and I love sharing practical tips and personal insights to inspire others. Travel should be exciting, accessible, and deeply enriching, and I hope this list helps spark that same sense of adventure in you.

Tonia's book list on inspire your next travel adventure

Tonia Hope Why Tonia loves this book

This book is the kind of book I wish I had earlier. Georgina Lawton fills every page with encouragement, practical advice, and the kind of stories that make you feel seen. It’s more than a travel guide, it’s a call to adventure, a reminder that the world is ours to explore too. If you’ve ever felt like solo travel wasn’t for you, this book will change that.

By Georgina Lawton ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Black Girls Take World as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Black Girls Take World is the global travel bible for adventurous explorers and travel newbies looking to engage with the concept of solo travel.

Packed full of inspiring essays, advice on budgeting, eating alone, reducing carbon footprints and dealing with passport privilege and discrimination, as well as Q&A's with travel leaders such as Jessica Nabongo (the first black woman to travel to every country in the world) Annette Richmond (founder of Fat Girls Traveling), and Rhiane Fatinikun (founder of Black Girls Hike), this book is for the conscientious and the curious.

Black women understand innately what it means to feel…


Book cover of Hand Luggage Only: Great Britain: Explore the Best Coastal Walks, Castles, Road Trips, City Jaunts and Surprising Spots Across England, Scotland and Wales

Tonia Hope Author Of Traveling Europe on a Budget: An Insider's Guide to Finding Hidden Gems, Avoiding Tourist Traps and Having the Vacation of Your Dreams on the Cheap

From my list on inspire your next travel adventure.

Why am I passionate about this?

Travel has always been more than just a passion for me; it’s a way of life. As a travel content creator and author, I’ve explored countless destinations, immersing myself in different cultures and uncovering stories that often go untold. I believe in traveling with curiosity, finding hidden gems, and experiencing places beyond the typical tourist spots. My journeys have taken me across Europe and beyond, and I love sharing practical tips and personal insights to inspire others. Travel should be exciting, accessible, and deeply enriching, and I hope this list helps spark that same sense of adventure in you.

Tonia's book list on inspire your next travel adventure

Tonia Hope Why Tonia loves this book

I did not expect to enjoy this book as much as I did, but it felt like having two friends guide me through Great Britain in the best way possible. It is not just about the big landmarks; it is packed with little details that make each place feel alive.

I found myself bookmarking spots I had never even considered visiting before. It is the kind of book that makes you want to slow down, explore, and appreciate the beauty of travel in a way that feels personal and exciting.

By Yaya Onalaja-Aliu , Lloyd Griffiths ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Hand Luggage Only as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Hand Luggage Only: Great Britain is a travel guide to the amazing places to be found throughout England, Scotland and Wales. Actually, scratch that - it's about so much more than a celebration of Britain's finest travel destinations! This book will actually help get you out there to explore the country yourself.

There's so much about the UK that even Brits don't know, so Yaya and Lloyd of the successful travel blog Hand Luggage Only are here to share all of their insider tips. Featuring stunning photos, their book covers everything from incredible hikes, amazing castles, beautiful road trips and…


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Book cover of Trusting Her Duke

Trusting Her Duke by Arietta Richmond,

A Duke with rigid opinions, a Lady whose beliefs conflict with his, a long disputed parcel of land, a conniving neighbour, a desperate collaboration, a failure of trust, a love found despite it all.

Alexander Cavendish, Duke of Ravensworth, returned from war to find that his father and brother had…

Book cover of Go Girl!: The Black Woman's Book of Travel and Adventure

Tonia Hope Author Of Traveling Europe on a Budget: An Insider's Guide to Finding Hidden Gems, Avoiding Tourist Traps and Having the Vacation of Your Dreams on the Cheap

From my list on inspire your next travel adventure.

Why am I passionate about this?

Travel has always been more than just a passion for me; it’s a way of life. As a travel content creator and author, I’ve explored countless destinations, immersing myself in different cultures and uncovering stories that often go untold. I believe in traveling with curiosity, finding hidden gems, and experiencing places beyond the typical tourist spots. My journeys have taken me across Europe and beyond, and I love sharing practical tips and personal insights to inspire others. Travel should be exciting, accessible, and deeply enriching, and I hope this list helps spark that same sense of adventure in you.

Tonia's book list on inspire your next travel adventure

Tonia Hope Why Tonia loves this book

This book is a celebration of adventure, resilience, and the power of seeing the world through your own eyes.

I loved how each story brought a different perspective, from exhilarating journeys to deeply personal reflections on what it means to travel as a Black woman. It is inspiring, affirming, and a reminder that the world is ours to explore.

By Elaine Lee (editor) ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Go Girl! as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Go Girl: The Black Woman's Book of Travel and Adventure, edited by Elaine Lee, is the first travel book by and for African American women. Its an anthology of 52 riveting traveler's tales by writers such as Maya Angelou, Gwendolyn Brooks, Audre Lorde, Jill Nelson, Alice Walker and Pearl Cleage.


Book cover of Into the Country of Standing Men

Mina Roces Author Of The Filipino Migration Experience: Global Agents of Change

From my list on Filipino migration from migrants themselves.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a 1.5-generation Filipina who migrated to Australia in 1977 at the age of 17. As a migrant, I know the challenges of moving to a new country without friends and extended family. I have a PhD in history from the University of Michigan and am a professor of History at the University of New South Wales in Australia. I have written five books mostly on Filipino women’s history. My book on Filipino migration, which won the NSW Premier’s General History Prize (Australia) in 2022, analyses the migrant's heroic narrative—an account that resonates with my own migration story. 

Mina's book list on Filipino migration from migrants themselves

Mina Roces Why Mina loves this book

The standing men are the Filipino undocumented migrants to Japan who work as construction workers on a day-to-day basis. They stand on the Kotobuki sidewalk hoping to get selected by a sacho to get a job for the day. 

The book is an in-depth look at their liveshow the men who are considered the underclass in the host country struggle, find love (some of them have second families in Japan), experience leisure, and fulfill masculine ideals of breadwinner in a foreign country.

It is a rare glimpse at the life of an undocumented migrant. This book can be read with Rey Ventura’s Underground in Japan (Quezon City: Ateneo de Manila University Press, 1992).

By Reynald B. Ventura ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Into the Country of Standing Men as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

We all dream of a better future and of a better relationship. We all dream of a better family and of a better life. But how do we go about realizing these dreams? Is the degree of our dreams directly proportional to the degree of sacrifice required to achieve them? When physical separation from the husband, and separation from an only child is demanded of us, is it still worth pursuing that dream? Is not the nearness of a husband, the nearness of a son, the nearness of our family, the nearness of loved ones - a most wonderful dream?…


Book cover of The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet

Matthew Hooton Author Of Typhoon Kingdom

From my list on silenced histories of Korea, Japan, and China.

Why am I passionate about this?

I lived and worked in South Korea for four years, where I first became fascinated with the country’s history, from shamans on Jeju island to the twentieth-century politics of Seoul. I’m the author of two novels and dozens of short stories and essays published in venues around the world, many of which feature some element of Korean history. I’m originally from Canada and now teach creative writing at the University of Adelaide in Australia.

Matthew's book list on silenced histories of Korea, Japan, and China

Matthew Hooton Why Matthew loves this book

What I appreciate most about David Mitchell’s novel is how he grounds the history in scenes full of well-developed characters. So, for example, we don’t begin the novel with a long note about the historical period or the lineage of the ruling class, but rather with the urgency of childbirth gone wrong in the house of a concubine in Nagasaki in 1799.

It’s from this rootedness in the sense-based that we move into a wider exploration of both geopolitics and the magical, which I absolutely fell in love with—this sense that there is an element of the supernatural at play in this otherwise very realistic historical world.

By David Mitchell ,

Why should I read it?

6 authors picked The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The Sunday Times Number One Bestseller, from the author of CLOUD ATLAS and THE BONE CLOCKS.

Longlisted for the Man Booker Prize 2010

'Brilliant' - The Times
'A masterpiece' - Scotsman

Be transported to a place like no other: a tiny, man-made island in the bay of Nagasaki, for two hundred years the sole gateway between Japan and the West. Here, in the dying days of the 18th-century, a young Dutch clerk arrives to make his fortune. Instead he loses his heart.

Step onto the streets of Dejima and mingle with scheming traders, spies, interpreters, servants and concubines as two…


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Book cover of The Duke's Christmas Redemption

The Duke's Christmas Redemption by Arietta Richmond,

A Duke who has rejected love, a Lady who dreams of a love match, an arranged marriage, a house full of secrets, a most unneighborly neighbor, a plot to destroy reputations, an unexpected love that redeems it all.

Lady Charlotte Wyndham, given in an arranged marriage to a man she…

Book cover of Kwaidan: Stories and Studies of Strange Things

Julian Sedgwick Author Of Tsunami Girl

From my list on to explore otherworldly Japan.

Why am I passionate about this?

From the age of 11, and an encounter with an illustrated anthology entitled The World of Zen, I have been drawn to and fascinated by the spiritual, philosophical, and folkloric aspects of East Asian Culture. I studied the subject at Cambridge University and subsequently trained in Zen Shiatsu therapy. Most of my books draw from my passion for East Asian culture, and Japan in particular. I have travelled widely in Japan over the last two decades, and for Tsunami Girl spent four years researching, interviewing survivors, and visiting Fukushima. I am now working on a new book on Japanese yōkai and ghosts…

Julian's book list on to explore otherworldly Japan

Julian Sedgwick Why Julian loves this book

On my very first night in Japan, some twenty years ago, my friend told me a local ghost story as we ascended a deserted, dark back street of Tokyo. It featured no-face ghosts (nopperabo) and, memorably, the chills merged with my jet lag to bring me face-to-almost face with the world of Japanese spirits in my first hours in the country. A couple of days later my friend gifted me a copy of Hearn’s Kwaidan and it remains a treasured book to this day. Hearn’s retellings of classic Japanese ghost stories are as valued to this day in Japan as in the West. He’s a great writer. More importantly, Hearn was a sensitive, thoughtful, and wonderful chronicler of other cultures, particularly supernatural Japan. His life and work continue to be an inspiration to me.

By Lafcadio Hearn ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Kwaidan as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

This collection of Japanese supernatural stories is a classic work in the field of Japanese horror.

Known primarily as an early interpreter of Japanese culture and customs, the famous writer Lafcadio Hearn also wrote ghost stories-"delicate, transparent, ghostly sketches"-about his adopted land. Many of the stories found in Kwaidan, "stories and studies of strange things," are based on Japanese tales told long ago to him by his wife; others possibly have a Chinese origin. All have been re-colored and reshaped by Hearn's inimitable hand.

Some critics attribute Hearn's fascination with eerie tales to his partial blindness. Whatever its roots, he…


Book cover of The Tale of Genji: The Authentic First Translation of the World's Earliest Novel

Alina Lee Author Of Paper Crane Memories

From my list on the history, folklore, and mythology of Japan.

Why am I passionate about this?

Growing up, I was introduced to Japanese culture and history through anime. But I decided to dig a little deeper, reading history books and looking up more and more information. I was fascinated by what was presented of “Old Japan,” both the misconceptions that were spread by pop culture and by the surprising details that it gets right that no one would believe. This fascination is one of the most consistent things about me through the years, and the idea of delving into works of my own that merged samurai drama with lesbian relationships has been a recurring desire of mine for years.

Alina's book list on the history, folklore, and mythology of Japan

Alina Lee Why Alina loves this book

Though potentially incomplete (some scholars argue we're missing one or two chapters, or that the story was never meant to end), The Tale of Genji manages to paint a vivid picture of the life of a lost age, with its own array of traditions, values, and fashions; a world where one's skill with poetry was just as valuable as political acumen and their outlook is so different from a modern perspective. At the same time, it presents the timeless complexity of relationships between men and women, and the social expectations and norms that impact those connections.

By Murasaki Shikibu , Kencho Suematsu (translator) ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Tale of Genji as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Written centuries before the time of Shakespeare and even Chaucer, The Tale of Genji marks the birth of the novel and after more than a millennium, this seminal work continues to enchant readers throughout the world. Lady Murasaki Shikibu and her tale's hero, Prince Genji, have had an unmatched influence on Japanese culture. Prince Genji manifests what was to become an image of the ideal Heian era courtier: gentle and passionate. Genji is also a master poet, dancer, musician and painter. The Tale of Genji follows Prince Genji through his many loves, and varied passions. This book has influenced not…


Book cover of A Clean Kill in Tokyo

Philippe Espinasse Author Of Hard Underwriting

From my list on thrillers set in Asia.

Why am I passionate about this?

I've lived in Asia for more than 22 years and have extensively traveled around the region, both for work and pleasure, from the Middle East and central Asia to Japan, and Australia, New Zealand, and every country in between. Asia is the perfect setting for a thriller, as a region that’s deeply rooted in traditions, but where modernity and growth are also breathless. There can be political instability at times, and even corruption, unsurpassed wealth and shocking poverty, bankers, and prostitutes. I worked for many years as an investment banker and my experiences inspired me to write my debut thriller, Hard Underwriting, in Hong Kong, and uncover the dark side of Asia’s financial capital. 

Philippe's book list on thrillers set in Asia

Philippe Espinasse Why Philippe loves this book

This is one of the best books in Eisler’s John Rain series, featuring half-American, half-Japanese assassin and Vietnam veteran John Rain.

Eisler himself was a covert operative with the CIA’s Directorate of Operations, and his descriptions of fieldcraft, surveillance, torture, and killing techniques all ring so true, as does his extensive knowledge of modern Japan.

Tokyo is, of course, a fascinating playground for Rain’s adventures. Eisler’s books and unputdownable, and well worth discovering.

By Barry Eisler ,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked A Clean Kill in Tokyo as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Previously published as Rain Fall

Name: John Rain.
Vocation: Assassin.
Specialty: Natural Causes.
Base of operations: Tokyo.
Availability: Worldwide.

Half American, half Japanese, expert in both worlds but at home in neither, John Rain is the best killer money can buy. You tell him who. You tell him where. He doesn’t care about why…

Until he gets involved with Midori Kawamura, a beautiful jazz pianist—and the daughter of his latest kill.

A Clean Kill in Tokyo was previously published as Rain Fall, the first in the bestselling John Rain assassin series.


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Book cover of Old Man Country

Old Man Country by Thomas R. Cole,

This book follows the journey of a writer in search of wisdom as he narrates encounters with 12 distinguished American men over 80, including Paul Volcker, the former head of the Federal Reserve, and Denton Cooley, the world’s most famous heart surgeon.

In these and other intimate conversations, the book…

Book cover of Yuki Means Happiness

Kate Innes Author Of The Errant Hours

From my list on young women in big trouble.

Why am I passionate about this?

I grew up in small-town America, very far from where I was born (London), with a strong desire to travel and explore. I also developed a thirst for history—the older the better! At eighteen, I went to work on European digs before studying Archaeology in the UK and teaching in Southern Africa. Across these adventures I both experienced and witnessed the victimization of young women—an even more common ordeal in the past. So now I write historical fiction about resourceful, brave women who strive to be the active, powerful centres of their own stories. I hope you find the books on my list as inspiring as I do!

Kate's book list on young women in big trouble

Kate Innes Why Kate loves this book

I know nearly nothing about the Far East—so was delighted to experience a taste of Japan through this compassionate, original novel told from the point of view of young American nurse, Diana, as she takes the job of nanny to the toddler Yuki, after divorce has forced Yuki’s mother from the family home. Immersed in a different culture, Diana feels confusion, fascination, and a growing love for Yuki. The tension builds as she begins to understand the real danger the child is in. Diana faces psychological peril as she tries to break the chain of damage for Yuki—and herself. As a mother of three, I often can’t bear child jeopardy in a plot, but the author’s intelligent writing is compelling and sensitive, not gratuitous. 

By Alison Jean Lester ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Yuki Means Happiness as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'A mystery, a love story and a fascinating encounter with a different culture, Yuki Means Happiness is an outstanding novel' John Boyne

Diana is young and uneasy in a new relationship when she leaves America and moves halfway around the world to Tokyo seeking adventure. In Japan she takes a job as a nanny to two-year-old Yuki Yoshimura and sets about adapting to a routine of English practice, ballet and swimming lessons, and Japanese cooking.

But as Diana becomes increasingly attached to Yuki she also becomes aware that everything in the Yoshimura household isn't as it first seemed. Before long,…


Book cover of An African Abroad
Book cover of Black Girls Take World: The Travel Bible for Black Women with Boundless Wanderlust
Book cover of Hand Luggage Only: Great Britain: Explore the Best Coastal Walks, Castles, Road Trips, City Jaunts and Surprising Spots Across England, Scotland and Wales

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Interested in Japan, humpback whales, and country music?

Japan 530 books
Humpback Whales 11 books
Country Music 112 books