A recent survey of authors has highlighted the role of literature in inspiring travel. Writers shared how specific books led them to explore new destinations, ranging from Canadian towns to European cities.
Carley Fortune's novel, Our Perfect Storm, reportedly inspired one author to visit Tofino in Canada. Similarly, Dalia Al-Dujaili's reading of Little Women contributed to her decision to explore Boston and New England in 2023.
Other authors cited diverse literary influences for their travels. Julia Armfield was drawn to the Swiss Alps after reading James Salter's Solo Faces, while Sian Meades-Williams's discovery of Teri Maggio's The Stone Boudoir led her to Sicily, a place she has since revisited multiple times.
Beth Ashley's trip to Tokyo was influenced by Emily Itami's descriptive writing in Fault Lines. Tahmina Begum's first solo trip to Malta came shortly after reading Alice Steinbach's memoir, Without Reservations, which she took out of a library in April 2018.