Nancy Pearl, the author of Book Lust and More Book Lust who inspired the librarian action figure, starts her newest book, Book Lust To Go, like this: "I am not an enthusiastic traveler. Let me lay my cards on the table, clear the air, call a spade a spade, and make something perfectly clear, I am barely a traveler at all." She goes on to say that she is a "virtual traveler, via books", and thus the perfect person to provide "recommended reading for travelers, vagabonds and dreamers". She goes on to work her way through the alphabet of places and topics, including travel narrative, biographies, memoirs and fiction.

Whether you are looking for an armchair adventure or some related reading before you go traveling, this book is a great resource.

For an out-of-the way read, try Radio Shangri-la: what I learned in Bhutan, the happiest kingdom on earth.

Napoli writes how, caught in the grip of a mid-life crisis, cynical about work, and depressed about her love life, a chance encounter with a handsome stranger leads to the adventure of a lifetime in Bhutan.

(Syndetics)

Another new book that has arrived recently is a starred selection in Bookmarks magazine.

In this dazzling Russian travelogue, Ian Frazier trains his eye for unforgettable detail on Siberia, that vast expanse of Asiatic Russia. He explores many aspects of this storied, often grim region, which takes up one-seventh of the land on earth. He writes about the geography, the resources, the native peoples, the history, the forty-below midwinter afternoons, the bugs. (Syndetics)

From the far-out geographically to the just plain far-out, Weird Hollywood: your travel guide to Hollywood's local legends and best kept secrets has just arrived.

With California resident and humorist Oesterle as the guide, meander through bizarre back alleys and darkened theaters, observe the kitschy Singing Chairs of Santa Monica, and all that makes Hollywood the fantastic spot it is. (Syndetics)

We have received some great new books for the travel collection recently, both for armchair travellers and for those whose sights are set on distant shores.

The Best Travel Writing 2010: true stories from around the world is the seventh in the series which covers everything from high adventure to romance to hilarity and misadventure. The stories are written by both well-known travel writers and newly emerging writers. So sit down in a cozy chair and experience the world without moving a muscle.

We also have:

This very popular book edited by the New Yorker's Bill Buford showcases writing by American authors about their travels around the globe to exotic locales such as East Africa and Surinam. There are also point-of-view stories such as David Sedaris's discussion of meeting strangers on trains.

The Best Women's Travel Writing is available in regular print or as an electronic version.

Maui Revealed is the newest in the series of books written on the Hawaian Islands by Alexander Doughty. His books on the islands are considered to be some of the best. Check out his other titles as well, Ultimate Kauai Guidebook (on order), Hawaii, the Big Island Revealed and Oahu Revealed: the ultimate guide to Honolulu, Waikiki and beyond. Doughty is a long-time resident of the islands and has written these humorous, in-depth and easy-too-use guides from personal experience.

Set off on your trip to paradise well-informed and ready to experience all the pleasures of the islands. Aloha!!

We have just received a new crop of Insight Travel Guides for locations as diverse as London and Guatemala. These books are highly visual guides featuring historical and cultural background, as well as practical information and expert recommendations for hotels, restaurants, bars, and shops. As well as the regular guidebooks, we have received their step by step guides for Paris and Ireland.

Lavishly illustrated in full color, Insight Paris Step by Step: The City's Best Walks and Tours features irresistible self-guided walks and tours, written by a local expert and packed with great insider tops. All walks and tours come with easy-to-follow full-color maps and handpicked places to eat and drink en route.

Ireland Step by Step: the Country's Best Walks and Tours features beautiful photography while offering 16 self-guided regional and urban tours. It is compact and easy-to-carry with maps and directions.

We also have these step by step guidebooks for many other locations such as New England, Venice, San Fransisco and Prague. These books are great companions to take if you are planning to go tripping. They are also a great read for the armchair traveller.

We have some beautiful travel books arriving at the library, filled with fantastic pictures! You can experience the beauty of the world curled up in the warmth of your own home!

Hulsizer finds the real Alaska in many places, from the wild beauty of the ocean to the small coastal villages she visits and, sometimes, even where the tourists go. Glaciers, Bears and Totems is a rich book of adventure travel that is as valuable for its reading fun as for its travel information. (Syndetics)

Hulsizer says in her blog "Glaciers, Bears and Totems is full of the history and natural history of Southeast Alaska. It's also full of stories, stories that were only partially visible when I was in the midst of them." Plus this book features some absolutely wonderful photography!

The twentieth century’s most celebrated adventure photographer, Galen Rowell, spent much of his life roaming the world with his camera, chronicling exotic locales on all seven continents. Yet he always returned to the land where he started out, both as an adventurer and a photographer: California’s Sierra Nevada. Indeed, in the two years before his death in a 2002 plane crash, Rowell became increasingly focused on photographing the “Range of Light,” producing some of the strongest images of his career. Now the best of his lifetime’s work in his “favorite place on earth” is gathered in this magnificent book, reproduced to the highest standards from digital masters of his 35mm frames. (Syndetics)

Join Gordon Cope and his wife, Linda, as they discover the enchanting customs, cuisine and inhabitants of the most eccentric 12th-century village in the United Kingdom...From battling destructive river floods to arresting boat thieves, from pounding back Pimm's at the exclusive Leander Club to exploring secret Spitfire fighter-plane factories, Gordon Cope takes you on a charming and disarming adventure through the world of John Bull. You'd be mad as a hatter not to enjoy this trip to Jolly Olde England! (Syndetics)

Check out this absolutely beautiful book that has recently arrived at the library.

Arctic Eden "is a stunning celebration of the Arctic by its most passionate explorer. Jerry Kobalenko describes a series of journeys he has taken over the past twenty years around the Canadian High Arctic by foot, skis, kayak, and ship that provide a multifaceted view of this most beautiful and most vulnerable part of the Arctic. Combining natural history, exploration, and personal experiences gathered during twenty years of Arctic travel, the book also contains magnificent photographs of the region, capturing wildlife such as walrus, muskoxen, and Arctic wolves and stunning geographical features from towering icebergs to virgin snowscapes..." (Syndetic)

Jerry has been interviewed by Canadian Geographic. During his recent author reading at Central Library, which was informative and entertaining, he demonstrated his vast knowledge and love of the North. As his wife says, "His spiritual home is Ellesmere Island