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Travel Writing

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 Websites presented in alphabetical order

The Adventure of Wells Fargo view detail comment email this

A collection of "stories taken from the historical archives of Wells Fargo that let you discover life as it was on the Western Frontier." Includes vignettes about stagecoach drivers, traveling conditions and etiquette, the bank's business relationship with Chinese communities, the meeting of Henry Wells and William Fargo, and more.
https://www.wellsfargo.com/about/history/adventure/
Topics: Business, Industries, Nonfiction by Genre, Society & Social Science, United States History

Last updated Sep 25, 2008


American Cultural History: The 19th Century view detail comment email this

Travels through the 19th century, decade by decade, discussing such issues as social movements, literature, and immigration. Includes links to other sites on the Web and to informative essays. A search engine is sorely needed; for example, an excellent discussion of the NINA ("No Irish Need Apply") phenomenon is buried under the 1860 decade in the "News and Events" section. From the Kingwood College Library.
http://kclibrary.lonestar.edu/19thcentury.html
Topics: Activism, Literary Movements and Periods, Nonfiction by Genre, United States History

Last updated Mar 24, 2009


American Notes: Travels in America, 1750-1920 view detail comment email this

This site features hundreds of "published narratives by Americans and foreign visitors recounting their travels in the colonies and the United States and their observations and opinions about American peoples, places, and society from about 1750 to 1920," as well as a 32-volume set of sources entitled "Early Western Travels, 1748-1846." Some writings are from well-known authors; others are "undiscovered gems." Searchable and browsable. From the American Memory Project of the Library of Congress.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/lhtnhtml/
Topics: Nonfiction by Genre, U.S. Travel

Last updated Oct 16, 2003


Bold Spirit: Helga Estby's Forgotten Walk Across Victorian America view detail comment email this

Companion site to a book that tells the story of Helga Estby, a Norwegian immigrant who, in 1896, walked 3,500 miles across North America in a determined effort to win a $10,000 wager and save her family's Eastern Washington state farm. The Web site features maps, reviews, information about author Linda Lawrence Hunt (a professor at Whitworth College in Spokane, Washington state), an appearance calendar, book discussion guide, and a "Where's Helga" contest.
http://www.boldspiritacrossamerica.com/
Topics: Authors by Region: United States, Nonfiction by Genre

Last updated Nov 28, 2003


BootsnAll Travel view detail comment email this

A resource for the independent traveler, aimed at backpackers, youth hostelers, and adventurous and budget-conscious travelers, this site provides travel guides and vicarious travel through travel stories. To submit stories, ask questions, and participate in discussion boards, free membership is required.
http://www.bootsnall.com/
Topics: Nonfiction by Genre

Last updated Feb 21, 2009


Bruce Dobler's Creative Nonfiction Compendium view detail comment email this

Definitions and recommended readings for creative nonfiction, "that branch of writing which employs literary techniques and artistic vision usually associated with fiction or poetry to report on actual persons and events." Maintained by an associate professor of English in the Creative Nonfiction Program at the University of Pittsburgh.
http://www.pitt.edu/~bdobler/readingnf.html
Topics: Nonfiction by Genre

Last updated Dec 16, 2004


The Budget Traveller's Guide to Sleeping in Airports view detail comment email this

Brief stories from thousands of people who have slept in airports throughout the world. Includes ratings, best and worst lists, photographs, and an airport survey with opinions about airport bathrooms, gyms at airports, showers at airports, and more. Browsable by location. Also includes a discussion forum and airport sleeping tips. From the founder of the Cheap Like Me Travel Society.
http://www.sleepinginairports.net
Topics: Nonfiction by Genre, Photograph Collections, Ready Reference & Quick Facts, Ready Reference & Quick Facts, Transportation, Travel

Last updated Mar 30, 2005


CNN.com view detail comment email this

One of the most frequently updated news sites. Has news digest and feature stories and images, covering weather, sports, science and technology, travel, style, entertainment, health, environment, and United States, world, and local news. Past articles can be searched.
http://www.cnn.com/
Topics: News, Nonfiction by Genre

Last updated May 4, 2005


A David Dodge Companion view detail comment email this

This well-designed site offers a complete bibliography of the works of this Berkeley-born writer (author of "To Catch a Thief," filmed by Alfred Hitchcock) who specialized in mystery fiction but also wrote plays and whimsical travel essays. Entertainingly spiced with reproductions of the original covers of his novels and illustrations from his magazine stories, the site also provides a large collection of photographs and links to sites of related interest. From librarian Randal Brandt.
http://www.david-dodge.com/
Topics: Mysteries and More, Nonfiction by Genre, Photograph Collections

Last updated Sep 28, 2004


Documenting the American South (DAS) view detail comment email this

Over 1,200 primary sources documenting the cultural history of the American South from the viewpoint of Southerners. It includes Southern literature to 1920; first-person narratives, including diaries, memoirs, ex-slave narratives, and travel accounts; the church in black communities to 1920; materials documenting life during the Civil War; and a collection on the history of North Carolina to 1940. Searchable. From the Academic Affairs Library at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
http://docsouth.unc.edu/
Topics: Black Resources, Literary Movements and Periods, Literature & Books, Nonfiction by Genre, U.S. History By Place, United States History, Wars & Conflicts

Last updated Nov 17, 2004


Enlarging the Prospects of Happiness: European Travel Writing Through the Ages view detail comment email this

This exhibition "displays a selection of actual itineraries alongside invented accounts in order to discover what readers seek in their mental travels." Explore exhibit themes such as circumnavigation, philosophy of travel, the picturesque, women travelers, and the great cities of Italy. From the University of Otago Library, New Zealand.
http://www.library.otago.ac.nz/exhibitions/grand_tour/
Topics: Nonfiction by Genre, Travel Sites by Continent

Last updated Jul 29, 2008


Florida Heritage Collection view detail comment email this

This digitized collection includes "published correspondence, travel narratives, promotional literature, reports, postcards and other materials documenting Florida history in the 19th and 20th centuries." From Florida State University Libraries Special Collections.
http://palmm.fcla.edu/fh/
Topics: Correspondence, Literary Movements and Periods, Nonfiction by Genre, U.S. History By Place

Last updated Nov 10, 2009


Go Northwest!: A Travel Guide view detail comment email this

A combination of onsite material and many links to other resources for information on accommodations, attractions, activities, transportation, and more for visitors to British Columbia, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington state. Among the resources are tips on crossing the United States/Canada border in either direction, suggested driving tours, links to currency converters, and sources for free travel literature.
http://www.gonorthwest.com/
Topics: Nonfiction by Genre, U.S. Travel

Last updated Jun 24, 2004


Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift view detail comment email this

"The central feature of this site is an edited, formatted version of the complete text of Gulliver's Travels, supported by accompanying materials for study and research. The overall plan is to produce a resource for the study of 'The Travels' in its many incarnations: the text itself, a political, social and religious satire, an 18th-century novel, a parody of travel literature, and an early science fiction novel." Nicely done site by UC Santa Cruz librarian, Lee Jaffe.
http://www.jaffebros.com/lee/gulliver/
Topics: Authors by Region, Literary Movements and Periods, Literature & Books, Literature by Place, Nonfiction by Genre

Last updated Dec 3, 2004


Her Lab in Your Life: Women in Chemistry view detail comment email this

This companion to a traveling exhibition "frames the stories of women chemists in a series of 12 colorful thematic stations." Topics include chemistry and the human body (DNA, enzymes), medicine, food, style (cosmetics, high-tech fabrics), computer chips, health and safety, and environmental protection. Also includes information about careers in chemistry. From the Chemical Heritage Foundation.
http://www.chemheritage.org/women_chemistry/
Topics: Nonfiction by Genre, Notable People, Notable People: Women, Science, Science

Last updated Jul 6, 2005


The Highland Clearances view detail comment email this

A Web project to tell the stories of the thousands of Scots evicted from their land who came to Canada and the US in the 1800s. In addition to historical articles, there is a searchable database of individuals and the ships they traveled on.
http://www.theclearances.org/
Topics: Emigration & Immigration, History By Place, Nonfiction by Genre

Last updated May 29, 2002


Hostels.com view detail comment email this

Contains a database of thousands of hostels worldwide. Also includes "travel stories, a travel newsletter and a FAQ on hostelling and backpacking."
http://www.hostels.com/
Topics: Nonfiction by Genre, Outdoor Recreation, Travel

Last updated Oct 16, 2005


The Illustrating Traveler: Adventure and Illustration in North America and the Caribbean, 1760-1895 view detail comment email this

This Yale Library exhibit "displays illustrated traveler's narratives and original art by travelers from the later 18th to the late 19th century." Find encounters with Native Americans, customs of the country, hardships due to exploration or war, illustrations from exploratory voyages or scientific surveys, and picturesque landscapes.
http://www.library.yale.edu/beinecke/illus.htm
Topics: Arts and Humanities, Literature & Books, Nonfiction by Genre, Printing, Publishing, and Book Arts, Regions of the World, Regions of the World, Travel

Last updated Jul 7, 2004


Inside Saudi Arabia view detail comment email this

A series of stories from a 2002 special report from the St. Petersburg (Florida) Times on culture in Saudi Arabia. Covers topics such as travel, religion, and jobs. Features articles on anti-Western extremism, foreign workers, and gender segregation at the Kingdom Center shopping mall. Includes a photo gallery.
http://www.sptimes.com/2002/webspecials02/saudiarabia/
Topics: Nonfiction by Genre, Photograph Collections, Society & Social Science

Last updated Jun 16, 2004


Journeywoman view detail comment email this

An online magazine for women travelers. Includes destinations, travel tips, travel tales, love stories, clothing advice, and travel classifieds, with many tips contributed by readers. Many of the articles are aimed at the woman traveling alone. It is a bit on the chatty side and at times it's a little difficult to distinguish between editorial material and advertising, but it does have useful information. Searchable.
http://www.journeywoman.com/
Topics: Nonfiction by Genre, Travel, Women

Last updated Feb 21, 2005


KidTravels.com view detail comment email this

Illustrated travel writings, diaries, experiences, and stories written by children and teenagers, as well as tips on traveling with children or for children and teens traveling alone. Affiliated with Family Travel Forum .
http://www.kidtravels.com/
Topics: Nonfiction by Genre, Travel

Last updated Sep 4, 2002


Literary Traveler view detail comment email this

"Dedicated to the exploration of the literary imagination," this website features "articles about writers, creative artists, and the places that they lived and traveled." Read about the homes and travels of Beethoven, Ernest Hemingway, Jack Kerouac, Edgar Allan Poe, Beatrix Potter, Thomas Wolfe, and many others. Browse articles by author or location. Also includes information about literary tours and events.
http://www.literarytraveler.com/
Topics: Artists, Home & Housing, Nonfiction by Genre, Travel

Last updated Feb 5, 2007


The Maritime Heritage Project (MHP) view detail comment email this

The history of ships reaching and leaving San Francisco is presented with newspaper articles, letters, advertisements, passenger quotes, statistics, poetry, and illustrations. There are sketches of travel conditions, migration, commerce, the gold rush, and cultures. Vessels are listed, often with detailed descriptions. Captains provides biographies of "Masters under God" who sailed into San Francisco. Other categories cover foreign ports, shipping paths, passenger lists, ship nationalities and cargos, VIPs, gossip, and tall tales.
http://www.maritimeheritage.org/
Topics: Correspondence, Nonfiction by Genre, Transportation

Last updated Oct 3, 2002


Mark Twain at Large: His Travels Here and Abroad view detail comment email this

An exhibition devoted to the travels of Mark Twain, "from his earliest trips in America to his final visit to Bermuda in 1910." Includes photographs, letters, notebooks, broadsides, and other ephemera. From the Mark Twain Papers of the Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley.
http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/Exhibits/MTP/
Topics: Correspondence, Nonfiction by Genre, Notable People: Arts & Humanities, Travel

Last updated Aug 25, 2004


Mr. Miami Beach view detail comment email this

Companion site to a Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) American Experience program that tells "the story of Carl Graham Fisher, a millionaire promoter and entrepreneur from Indiana who risked everything he owned to turn a thousand acres of Florida swampland into an American Riviera." Features essays on vacation travel by car and Miami Beach today, a list of Miami Art Deco buildings, a map of the area in 1935, a teacher's guide, and more.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/miami/
Topics: Finance, Housing, Investing, Nonfiction by Genre

Last updated Oct 9, 2004


The Nineteenth Century in Print: Books view detail comment email this

"The books in this collection bear nineteenth century American imprints, dating mainly from between 1850 and 1880. They have been digitized by the University of Michigan. ... Currently, approximately 1,500 books are included." Searchable, or browsable by subject, author, title, or theme, such as the Civil War, slavery and abolition, religion, education, self-help and self-improvement, travel and westward expansion, and poetry. From the American Memory Project of the Library of Congress.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/ndlpcoop/moahtml/mnchome.html
Topics: Black Resources, Labor, Literary Movements and Periods, Literature & Books, Media, Nonfiction by Genre, Poetry, Printing, Publishing, and Book Arts, United States History

Last updated Apr 6, 2005


The Other Hawai'i: A Journey to the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands With the Hokule'a view detail comment email this

Information about a 2004 canoe journey through the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands coral reef ecosystem, exploring the "relatively untouched 'kupuna' islands to raise awareness of Hawai'i's native habitats." The site features a map, photos, journal entries, stories, and related material. A special report from the Honolulu Advertiser.
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/specials/hokulea/
Topics: Environment, Geography, Nonfiction by Genre, Outdoor Recreation, Photograph Collections, Photograph Collections: Regional: United States, U.S. Travel, Water

Last updated May 27, 2004


Peace Corps Writers view detail comment email this

This Web site and its newsletter precursor, RPCV Writers and Readers, are based on the Peace Corps goal, to "'bring the world back home.' The writings of Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs), all their novels, short stories, essays and poetry are a positive way of educating Americans about the world." Features articles about RPCV authors, excerpts of their work, a bibliography (browsable by author or country of author's service), archives, and related resources. Searchable.
http://www.peacecorpswriters.org/
Topics: Literature: Fiction, Nonfiction by Genre, Poetry, Travel

Last updated Nov 11, 2003


Roadfood.com view detail comment email this

Roadfood recommendations from the authors of "Two for the Road," an award-winning column in Gourmet . Here's where you can find the "best informal meals in America's colorful back-roads cafes and town diners." Search by state and food type for inexpensive, non-franchised, regional restaurants that are "enjoyed by locals (and savvy travelers) for their character as well as their menu." Read Roadfood News Postings to find good fish tacos, hash browns, and ice cream. Registered users are encouraged to write reviews following a prescribed format.
http://www.roadfood.com
Topics: Fish, Meat, & Dairy, Food & Cooking, Nonfiction by Genre, Recipes & Food Preparation, Snacks and Baked Goods, Sweets and Sweeteners, Travel

Last updated Oct 9, 2001


A Sense of Where We Are: History and Literature of the Pacific Northwest view detail comment email this

This site from the Center for the Study of the Pacific Northwest offers examples of stories and texts written in and about the Pacific Northwest. Essays, commentaries, and sample texts cover five areas: "Texts by and about Natives," "Discovering the Region," "Writing Home," "Aggressive Regionalism," and "Northwest Schools of Lit." "Includes Native American myths, accounts by explorers, pioneer narratives, booster pamphlets, modern poetry, selections from novels, utopian fiction, environmentalist tracts, and travel writing."
http://www.washington.edu/uwired/outreach/cspn/Website/Hist%20n%20Lit/Welcome.html
Topics: Environment, Native Americans, Nonfiction by Genre, Poetry, U.S. History By Place

Last updated Jun 24, 2009


Taste California Travel view detail comment email this

This consumer-oriented Web magazine features "stories about California wineries, California travel, wine country destinations and events, wine reviews, and food, wine, and lodging news." Not searchable. From California Wine and Food Magazine.
http://www.tastecaliforniatravel.com/
Topics: Food & Cooking, Nonfiction by Genre

Last updated Jan 5, 2004


Teen Books & More view detail comment email this

Collection of fiction and nonfiction book reviews by library staff and by teen contributors. Also features topical fiction and nonfiction reading lists covering such subjects as sports, music, crafts, faith, family relationships, gender issues, war, and travel. Includes links to resources for teens in areas such as money, careers, and volunteering. From the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh.
http://www.carnegielibrary.org/teens/books/
Topics: Librarian Specialties, Librarianship, Literature & Books, Literature: Fiction, Nonfiction by Genre, Poetry

Last updated Oct 8, 2009


Ultimate Travel Library view detail comment email this

Collection of annotated booklists based upon selections in which "dozens of travelers (writers, photographers, explorers, editors, and others) ... name[d] the books that have most enriched their sense of place and best informed their peregrinations." These are "not guidebooks, but novels and narrative nonfiction and classic photography books." Browsable by region of the world. Also includes an "Around the World in 80+ Books" feature. From National Geographic Traveler magazine.
http://traveler.nationalgeographic.com/travel-books/intro-text
Topics: Nonfiction by Genre, Travel

Last updated Sep 22, 2009


Women's Travel Writing, 1830-1930: A Women's Studies Digitization Project Initiative view detail comment email this

Over two dozen travel diaries, journals, and publications by women ranging from Elizabeth Bisland to Irene Wright. Some writings are excerpts. Searchable. From the University of Minnesota's Wilson Library (some pieces are restricted to students at the University).
http://etrc.lib.umn.edu/womtrav.htm
Topics: Authors by Region, Literary Movements and Periods, Nonfiction by Genre, Notable People: Women, Travel, Women

Last updated May 7, 2004


World Hum view detail comment email this

This online travel magazine publishes "stories that reflect the reasons we like to travel: to see the world in all its beauty and complexity, and sometimes all its horror." The "new dispatches [are updated] about every ten days. We update our weblog daily with links to travel stories and narratives, [and] new travel sites." Also includes interviews with world travelers and links to related sites.
http://www.worldhum.com/
Topics: Blogs & Podcasts by Subject, Nonfiction by Genre, Travel

Last updated May 24, 2004


The World of Jack London view detail comment email this

In addition to a short video and pictures of the author's California ranch, this site has biographical material and discusses London's lineage, wife, children, friends, opinions, travels, and other interests. Also find short autobiographical pieces plus several of London's popular novels and short stories. Includes links to related resources.
http://www.jacklondons.net/
Topics: Authors by Region: United States, Home & Housing, Nonfiction by Genre, Notable People

Last updated Mar 3, 2006


The Zora Neale Hurston Plays at the Library of Congress view detail comment email this

This site presents "a selection of ten plays written by [Zora Neale] Hurston (1891-1960), author, anthropologist, and folklorist. Deposited in the United States Copyright Office between 1925 and 1944. ... The plays reflect Hurston's life experience, travels, and research, especially her study of folklore in the African-American South." Includes a chronology, a bibliography, and searchable and browsable images of pages from the plays. From the American Memory Project of the Library of Congress.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/hurston/
Topics: Authors by Region: United States, Black Resources, Nonfiction by Genre, Notable People, Notable People: Women, Performing Arts

Last updated Dec 2, 2008




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