A Soulful Summer Reading List for 2024
Our Soul of Travel Podcast Guests have published an incredible lineup of books that will inspire you to travel, heal and live life to the fullest.
Grab one or two (or all of them) and toss them in your bag to take on your travels, camping, or sitting poolside this summer.
12 Trips in 12 Months
Twelve months, twelve trips, no excuses!
Jen Ruiz, also known as Jen on a Jet Plane, is a lawyer turned travel blogger who decided to send out her twenties with an epic challenge. She shares here journey in 12 Trips in 12 Months: Make Your Own Solo Travel Magic.
Available now! Find it on Amazon.
Read more about Jen’s work and listen to her episode here.
Wander Woman
Beth Santos is the founder of Wanderful, an international community and social network with the active participation of over 40,000 women and gender-diverse people of all ages and backgrounds.
Wander Woman: How to Claim your Space, Find your Voice and Travel the World, Solo is a little bit travel guide and whole lot of soulful advice to inspire your solo travel adventures.
Buy Wander Woman. Read more about Beth’s work and listen to her episodes here and here.
Call You When I Land
Call You When I Land, by Fodor’s editor Nikki Vargas, includes all the makings of a great story: heartbreak, adventure, uncertainty, romance, and even murder. Her journey is relatable, vulnerable, and inspiring.
Find Call You When I Land on Amazon.
Read more about Nikki’s work and listen to her recent episode here.
Want more?! You can hear about her book Wandress or buy it here.
Brave-ish
Lisa Niver was nearly fifty when she found herself moving back in with her parents and starting over. She began taking one tiny “brave-ish” step at a time which led to the challenge of trying fifty new things before turning fifty.
In her memoir, Brave-ish: One Breakup, Six Continents, and Feeling Fearless After Fifty she shares these adventures and her growth along the way.
Buy Brave-ish .
Listen to Lisa’s episode here.
Take a Shot at Happiness
Maria Baltazzi’s book draws lessons from her life as a television producer, her travels, world events, and media that we all know and love. Each chapter teaches on what Maria calls “The Happiness Essentials,” all to help readers discover a life they love.
Maria shares that her book is for anyone early in their wellbeing journey, and everyone looking for a new perspective to living a happier, more purposeful life.
Find Take a Shot at Happiness on Amazon.
Listen to Maria’s episode here.
The Joys of Jetlag
When Kat Medina discovered that she could unlock a life of joy through adopting a traveler’s mindset, she created a guidebook to help travelers do the same. She encourages readers to find the awe and amazement in everyday life from the grocery store to journeys halfway around the world.
Find The Joys of Jet Lag on Amazon.
Listen to Kat’s episode here.
Beyond Guilt Trips
One of the most profound and perspective-shifting texts available regarding mindful travel, Dr. Anu Taranath speaks from her own experiences and expands the journey to unpack thought-provoking questions about who we are when we travel, how we interact with the people and the world around us, and how we navigate our differences with compassion, connection, and grace.
Buy Beyond Guilt Trips.
The Power of Days
In The Power of Days, author Celeste Mergens shares the stories of the struggles and triumphs that led her to create Days for Girls. This global movement supports women and girls with menstrual health education and sustainable menstrual solutions.
You’ll be moved by the power of impact created by individuals and communities aligned by a shared purpose.
Other Books We Love by Soul of Travel Guests
Lola Akinmade - In Every Mirror She’s Black, Everything is Not Enough, Lagom: The Swedish Secret of Living Well - Listen to Episode
Christine Reed - Blood, Sweat and Tears and Alone in Wonderland
Tess Millhollon - Sherbert Skies - Listen to the Episode
Shivya Nath - The Shooting Star - Listen to the Episode
Sahara Rose Devore - Hey You, Just Go! - Listen to the Episode
Alice Morrison - Adventures in Morroco and Walking with Nomads - Listen to the Episode
Jennifer Mac Niven - Mind, Body, Soulmate - Listen to the Episode
Dr. Emily Thomas - The Meaning of Travel: Philosophers Abroad - Listen to the Episode
Alice Ford - 10 Steps to Happiness - Listen to the Episode
Kristina Liu - The Inside Out Journey: An Elusive Search for Self Across Three Continents - Listen to the Episode
The Shooting Star - Shivya Nath - Listen to the Episode
Lydia Dean - Light Through the Cracks and Jumping the Picket Fence - Listen to the Episode
Quick note: This post contains affiliate links. This means I may earn a commission should you choose to make a purchase using my link.
Use these links to support me, or visit any of the author’s websites or your locally owned or women-owned book store.