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Take A Trip with a Book.

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Books take you on magical trips, whether preparing for upcoming travel or filling your ME-TIME enthralled in a mental journey. A good book is irreplaceable. Some of these are even available on Kindle or Audible. These are books I have personally read...
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Guide Books for Expert Trip Planning

Set off on your tri[p with confidence by researching and planning ahead of time.

 
Explore the Magic of Travel - Deborah Gilbert profile picture
My grandson loves Japan and we finally found a special youth group with a tour to Japan last year. We got this book to find details and histories to the places he was going. This book added depth to his trip beyond what the guides prepared. Beautiful...
Japan's World Heritage Sites: Unique Culture, Unique Nature|Hardcover
 
Explore the Magic of Travel - Deborah Gilbert profile picture
He is the travel guru. I got this book a few weeks before I left for my whirlwind trip. I was travelling with a backpack only, so every ounce counted. I ripped out the sections for each planned destination as well as his overall tips, and tucked them...
Rick Steves Best of Ireland|Paperback
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Explore the Magic of Travel - Deborah Gilbert profile picture
He is the travel guru. I got this book a few weeks before I left for my whirlwind trip. I was travelling with a backpack only, so every ounce counted. I ripped out the sections for each planned destination as well as his overall tips, and tucked them...
Rick Steves Best of Scotland|Paperback
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Explore the Magic of Travel - Deborah Gilbert profile picture
Bought this for my trip to Scotland. Andy was on Outlander and hosts several tours besides this book. He brings Scotland's history to life with humour and detail. I took it on my trip and read it on the plane and before going to the sites on my itine...
Lochs and Legends: A Scotsman's Guide to the Heart of Scotland|Hardcover
 
Explore the Magic of Travel - Deborah Gilbert profile picture
This pictorial guide is an adventure in itself. Its beautiful photography and brief descriptions will entice you to create your itinerary for your next trip, while taking you on a mental journey of discovery. It's delightful.
Secrets of Scotland
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Explore the Magic of Travel - Deborah Gilbert profile picture
I love this book. It's divided by region, then state. It skips the big tourist traps and cities and focuses on the beauty of the country roads, parks, nature, and towns. Great way to plan your trips.
National Geographic Guide to Scenic Highways and Byways, 5th Edition: The 300 Best Drives in the U.S.|Paperback
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Explore the Magic of Travel - Deborah Gilbert profile picture
When we plan our day trips or weekend jaunts, this is our go-to book. It highlights by state, the top restaurants, sights-to-see, hotels, mini-histories, and reviews. As we explore new places, we highlight and makes notes in the book so we know what ...
Fodor's The Carolinas & Georgia|Paperback

Specialty Travel and Language Books

Inspirational reasons to travel or dabble in the language and culture of new places. 

 
Explore the Magic of Travel - Deborah Gilbert profile picture
Barns N Noble is like Disneyland for adults. I have a collection of travel books. Just bought, Lochs and Legends by Andy the Highlander for my trip to Scotland. Informational, entertaining, great read.
Barnes & Noble
 
Explore the Magic of Travel - Deborah Gilbert profile picture
One of my favourite inspirational travel books, It's filled with unique photos and quotes that make you think, and/or remind you of the wonders of travel. I've reread it so many times!
Why We Travel: 100 Reasons to See the World|Hardcover
 
Explore the Magic of Travel - Deborah Gilbert profile picture
I got this for my grandson. He is learning Japanese and wanted to learn to write it as well. This is a great guide with pictures and easy to follow instructions and explanations.
Japanese Kanji Made Easy: (JLPT Levels N5 - N2) Learn 1,000 Kanji and Kana the Fun and Easy Way (Online Audio Download Included)|Paperback
 
Explore the Magic of Travel - Deborah Gilbert profile picture
My mum gave my sisters, our cousins, and I, this book one year for Christmas. It includes words and phrases, recipes, song lyrics, and so much more. My sister and I got a kick out of our first day in Ireland. We opened the door to our Airbnb in Kilal...
The Feckin' Book of Everything Irish: A Gansey-Load of Deadly Craic for Cute Hoors and Bowsies|Hardcover

Memoirs of Discovery and Transformation

I loved these books for the emotional and new perspectives they brought to life!        Well worth the read.

 
Explore the Magic of Travel - Deborah Gilbert profile picture
My sister sent this to our mum. Unfortunately she passed away before she could read it, so I read it. Due to the nature of this book, it was particularly poignant. I had also lost my son 20 months before that. This is much more than a travel diary. I... It's a compelling read celebrating a journey of self-discovery and his changing perspectives through the people and experiences he navigates around the world. Don't miss this.
Look for Me There: Grieving My Father, Finding Myself|Hardcover
 
Explore the Magic of Travel - Deborah Gilbert profile picture
This is a fascinating read of southern life in the 40s, including the spiritual growth combining Sally's Scots Presbyterian family and the voodoo she learned from the household staff. It also encompasses the love story between she and her husband Ben...
Finding Magic: A Spiritual Memoir
 
Explore the Magic of Travel - Deborah Gilbert profile picture
The ultimate travel journal. The essence of this book is Rick's transcription of his travels with his buddy in 1978 from Istanbul to Kathmandu. He is transcribing his journal with the emotions and adversities of that time. Even though I don't aspire ...
On the Hippie Trail: Istanbul to Kathmandu and the Making of a Travel Writer
 
Explore the Magic of Travel - Deborah Gilbert profile picture
I spent my formative years living in England as an  American Air Force Brat. Bill Bryson is an American married to an English woman, living in England. He totally captures the feel, humour, and wonders of living in England as an outsider, yet becoming one with the people and culture.
Notes from a Small Island|Paperback
 
Explore the Magic of Travel - Deborah Gilbert profile picture
I can relate to this book by Bill Bryson. I lived in England for most of my teens and returned to a very different America in that short period of time. Bill returned after two decades with his British wife and kids. His humourous take on the differe...
I'm a Stranger Here Myself: Notes on Returning to America after Twenty Years Away|Paperback
 
Explore the Magic of Travel - Deborah Gilbert profile picture
Gabriel Byrne writes with such honesty. His journey from childhood in Ireland to Hollywood fame is so eloquently written that you feel the transformations and comparisons as if you were having a chat with him. You are reliving his memories with him.
Walking with Ghosts
 
Explore the Magic of Travel - Deborah Gilbert profile picture
Frank McCourt was born in 1930 in New York to Irish immigrant parents. This is a memoir of the life they endured when he returned to Ireland during the Great Depression, told with love and humour. This Pulitzer Prize winning book was transformed into...
Angela's Ashes
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Explore the Magic of Travel - Deborah Gilbert profile picture
I am a Trekkie from the original series. Spock was my hero. I strived to bring his logic into my life. This memoir is an entertaining journey of how intertwined Leonard Nimoy and Spock were, including conversations between the two. It's hard to put t...
I Am Spock
 
Explore the Magic of Travel - Deborah Gilbert profile picture
I have always been a big fan of The Who. This is a combination of the history of London life during WWII, the beginnings of a sweeping revolution of British rock and roll life, and the impact of life on the road. It's a frank account told with humor ...
Thanks a Lot Mr Kibblewhite: My Story
 
Explore the Magic of Travel - Deborah Gilbert profile picture
I remember watching the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1964. Sitting cross-legged on the floor, only a few feet from the TV, so excited I could hardly contain myself. Now 62 years later, this two book masterpiece fills in the details of their beg...
The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present
 
Explore the Magic of Travel - Deborah Gilbert profile picture
Having spent my formative teenage years in England, I grew up with a love of the Royals and an avid historian of the monarchy. Spare, is a vulnerable, self-reflective look into Prince Harry's life and perspectives. His life unfolds with humour and ho...
Spare|Hardcover
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Explore the Magic of Travel - Deborah Gilbert profile picture
If you're an Outlander fan, you'll like this Scottish journey. Sam Heughan enlightens you tales of his early years, his discovery of acting, and his adventures through the years. From Scottish legends to history and discovery, his sense of humour ent...
Waypoints: My Scottish Journey
 
Explore the Magic of Travel - Deborah Gilbert profile picture
I read this book in my critical thinking class at Saint Mary's College of California. I have always been fascinated about learning as much as I can about other religions. This book was particularly interesting to me as my dad was a Vietnam veteran an...
Learning True Love: Practicing Buddhism in a Time of War

Eye Opening Biographies

 
Explore the Magic of Travel - Deborah Gilbert profile picture
I thought this was an appropriate book since we are celebrating our 250th anniversary of independence from King George the III of England. This is a thick book of 676 pages, but a fascinating study about life in England at the time of our revolution ...
The Last King of America: The Misunderstood Reign of George III
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Explore the Magic of Travel - Deborah Gilbert profile picture
While Andrew Morton's book is a compilation of his viewpoint and transcriptions of taped interviews, Sarah Bradford's book was written ten years after Diana's death and is a more objective view based on Sarah's interviews with royal household staff a...
Diana: Finally, the Complete Story
 
Explore the Magic of Travel - Deborah Gilbert profile picture
A fascinating read of the real life of Michael Collins and inside details of the Irish Republican Brotherhood during Ireland's fight for independence. Having recently experienced the tour of the GPO in Dublin, the heart of the Easter Rising of 1916, ...
Michael Collins: The Man Who Made Ireland: The Man Who Made Ireland
 
Explore the Magic of Travel - Deborah Gilbert profile picture
An in-depth bio of ‘Dev’ and should be read along with Tim Pat Coogan's biography of Michael Collins to get a more balanced view of the leaders who fought for Ireland's independence from Great Britain.
Eamon De Valera: The Man Who Was Ireland
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Explore the Magic of Travel - Deborah Gilbert profile picture
Malachy McCourt tells the hisory of Ireland through brief biographies rather than a chronological timeline. From Saint Patrick to Brian Boru, Michael Collins, Eamon de Valera, Bernadette Devlin, Bobby Sands, to Bono and many in between, I found this ... If you want to know more about Irish history, this is your book.
Malachy McCourt's History of Ireland (paperback)
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Explore the Magic of Travel - Deborah Gilbert profile picture
I read this book in my critical thinking class at Saint Mary's College of California. I've always been impressed by Ghandi's philosophies and importance of his historical accomplishments. This is a compilation of Ghandi's writings throughout his life...
The Essential Gandhi: An Anthology of His Writings on His Life, Work, and Ideas
 
Explore the Magic of Travel - Deborah Gilbert profile picture
This is a fun and inspirational read. Packed with humour, a few famous case dissents, her marriage with, Marty Ginsberg, and loads of fascinating behind the scenes stories, makes it a great journey of discovery and historical accomplishments!
Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg
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Romance Novels that Come to Life

 
Explore the Magic of Travel - Deborah Gilbert profile picture
Suzanne is an avid traveler and has been writing romance novels for over 20 years. Her books captivate you with their realism. They come to life through her experiences, and leave you pining for the next one. She earned her JD in law from JFK Univers... the late 70s. Some of her books are part of a series. I've read every one of them and am anxious for the next. Her most popular one at this time is the Burn Date.
Suzanne Pederson: books, biography, latest update
 
Explore the Magic of Travel - Deborah Gilbert profile picture
First book in the, Starting Over, series. The two main characters are complete opposites. One is an Irish immigrant with a Celtic-vigilante mentality, and the other is his court appointed attorney. He is on trial for murdering the man who took the li...
Travesty of Justice (Starting Over)
 
Explore the Magic of Travel - Deborah Gilbert profile picture
This is the sequel to Travesty of Justice. It can be read as a stand alone, but reading the first book before this one will give this more depth. This book is set in Ireland which is the lead character's homeland. This series is a great read.
Call of the Emerald Isle (Starting Over)
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Explore the Magic of Travel - Deborah Gilbert profile picture
This is one of Suzanne's hottest selling books. Having lived in California for years and being subjected to a year round fire season, she brings all aspects of this disaster to life. Even our cousin who was a victim of the Tubbs fire in 2017 and lost...
The Burn Date (The Southside Firehouse Series)
 
Explore the Magic of Travel - Deborah Gilbert profile picture
This is the second in the Firehouse series. It can be read as a stand alone book, but is more fun to read in order with the Burn Date first. The characters flow from book to book. The realism of the fire scenario combines beautifully with the romance...
The Fire Date (The Southside Firehouse Series)
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Explore the Magic of Travel - Deborah Gilbert profile picture
This is the third in the Firehouse series, but can be read independently. It's just more fun if you read them in order, starting with the Burn Date. The characters follow through each book, and you become vested in them, like friends. This firehouse ...
The Wedding Date (The Southside Firehouse Series)
 
Explore the Magic of Travel - Deborah Gilbert profile picture
The author was one of the first women in the army in the late 70s. She brings her experiences to life through the lead character in this book, the first of the Freedom fighters series. The hardships and triumphs of this elite set of women make this a...
In Cadence Love (Freedom Fighters)
 
Explore the Magic of Travel - Deborah Gilbert profile picture
This is the first book in the Enduring Love series. Set in the 1980s, this is a happily ever after story that is filled with lies, secrets, heartbreak, infidelity, and undeniable love. A romantic story about survival, trust, and commitment. He is an ...
Bend in the Circle (Enduring Love)
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Explore the Magic of Travel - Deborah Gilbert profile picture
The first book in the second chance series. The author's legal background brings the attorneys' lifestyles and courtroom procedures to life, as the desires of the characters' long lost friendship rekindle. The twists in this story draw you in.
Something to Remember (Second Chance)
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Explore the Magic of Travel - Deborah Gilbert profile picture
The second book in the Second Chance series. Although this can stand alone, it's better to read these books sequentially so you become vested in the characters' lives, starting with the first book, something to Remember, and understand their backgrou...
Something to Cherish (Second Chance)
 
Explore the Magic of Travel - Deborah Gilbert profile picture
The third book in the Second Chance series, picking up with the next generation. New romances and tribulations unfold as the complicated household of 3 generations navigate responsibilities and cheer achievements. This series is heartfelt and inspira...
Something to Navigate (Second Chance)

Fiction that Comes to Life

Fiction with a captivating realism that leaves you yearning for more. I only recommend books I have fallen in love with.

 
Explore the Magic of Travel - Deborah Gilbert profile picture
I was a horsewoman for 40 years, and it's still close to my heart. These authors pull you in with the details and emotions of the high-level showjumping circuit, combined with the complex relationships of three generations of strong women and those w...
The Horsewoman
 
Explore the Magic of Travel - Deborah Gilbert profile picture
This is a gripping tale of romance, the supernatural world, and intense mystery! I couldn't put it down! I've been listening to the Audible version.
Remain: A Supernatural Love Story
 
Explore the Magic of Travel - Deborah Gilbert profile picture
This is a beautifully illustrated book of eight of Japan's oldest and best loved folk stories. I got this for my grandson, as he has always loved Japan. Wonderful book.
Once Upon a Time in Japan|Hardcover
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History - A Geneaological Journey

 
Explore the Magic of Travel - Deborah Gilbert profile picture
This book is special to me because my grandfather came through Ellis Island 4th of July 1921. He was 20 years old coming to start a new life. This is a wonderful pictorial book explaining the history of Ellis Island, and the stories behind why people...
Ellis Island, Gateway to the American Dream
 
Explore the Magic of Travel - Deborah Gilbert profile picture
The Tudor era of British history is one of the most impactful periods, including people like Henry VIII, Elizabeth I, Mary Queen of Scots, William Shakspeare, Thomas Cromwell, and Sir Walter Raleigh, to name a few! Jasper Ridley presents this tumultu...
A Brief History of the Tudor Age: 100 Years

These books on Audible kept me listening for hours!

I have my music headband synched to my phone. As I do chores, garden, or walk my laps getting my steps in for the day, I am informed, entertained, or intensely on pins and needles, mesmerized by these stories.

 
Explore the Magic of Travel - Deborah Gilbert profile picture
Bought the book for my trip to Scotland. Andy was on Outlander and hosts several tours besides this book. He brings Scotland's history to life with humour and detail. I recently got the Audible version to listen to him read it. Listening to it is fun...
Lochs and Legends: Scotsman's Guide to Scotland
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Explore the Magic of Travel - Deborah Gilbert profile picture
This is a gripping tale of romance, the supernatural world, and intense mystery! I couldn't put it down! Hearing the story was even more intense than reading it! Loved it!
Remain: A Supernatural Love Story
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Explore the Magic of Travel - Deborah Gilbert profile picture
Billy Connolly is one of my favourite comedians. Listening to his life stories gave me such a chuckle as well as great respect and admiration for him. His outlook on life is an inspiration! Well worth the listen!
Made In Scotland: My Grand Adventures
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Explore the Magic of Travel - Deborah Gilbert profile picture
If you're an Outlander fan, you'll love listening to Sam and Graham narrate their book. Gave me lots of laughs.
Clanlands: Whisky, Warfare & Scottish Adventure
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