Me, Myself and Prague by Rachael Weiss
23 February, 2008
Weiss is marriage-less, childless and of Czech origin, so decides to abandon her life in Sydney and spend a year in Prague. She goes because there is nothing to stop her, but finds it isn’t as easy as she first thought.

Daytripper by Simon Webster
10 January, 2008
Daytripper could be the epitome of ‘a fun read’. It’s not a book you sit down and read cover-to=cover—the bite-sized entries and cross-referencing throughout make that clear—but as a weekend reference and something to leaf through with a grin, it’s hard to imagine how it could be better.

A Venetian Bestiary by Jan Morris
6 December, 2007
This small, slim book about animals is not as insubstantial as it looks. Jan Morris's writing is as rich and colourful as ever, and her knowledge of the history and the little-known sights of Venice provides her with a rich source of material.

Spain by the Horns by Tim Elliott
19 December, 2005
An encounter with a bullfighter in Sydney leads Tim Elliott to Spain, hot on the trail of Jesulin, a young, charismatic and talented bullfighter dubbed ‘the Beckham of bullfighting.’ Elliott already has a passion for Spain and the Spanish and, through Jesulin, he hopes to uncover even more about this flamboyant country and perhaps even get to the heart of its colourful people.

The Perfect Glass of Wine by Ben Canaider
11 December, 2005
It sounds like a good life to me—being paid to travel the world, drink wine and write about it in a witty and iconoclastic way. Ben Canaider has carved a nice niche for himself as the groovy, unpretentious, tell-it-like-it-is guy in a field that is all too often pompous and opaque.

Sicilian Summer by Brian Johnston
23 October, 2005
Before Brian Johnston went to Sicily and prior to my reading his ensuing book Sicilian Summer, we had something very important in common. Neither of us knew that capers are actually unopened flower buds with purple stamens that will turn into lovely pink flowers if left alone. If you find delight in such discoveries, read on.

A Crazy Occupation by Jamie Tarabay
16 October, 2005
Jamie Tarabay spent her childhood moving around the world, but spent formative parts of it here in Australia and—for a sharp contrast—in her family’s homeland of Lebanon, where there was a civil war going on.

Turn left when you see something blue
21 July, 2005
Travel. It’s different every time because you go somewhere different. But what about going somewhere familiar differently? Lonely Planet’s new book Experimental Travel is a collection of experiments (set up in the traditional ‘method, equipment, results’ fashion we all remember from high school) that turn traditional modes of travel on their heads. It’s tricky to explain and mind-bending to read, but seems perfect for the frustrated traveller who hasn’t the time or the money to get out of town, but still wants the travel experience. In the tradition of scientific open-mindedness, AB&P grabbed a couple of mates and went experimental travelling …

Two for the Road by Shirley Hardy-Rix and Brian Rix
20 March, 2005
Shirley Hardy-Rix and her husband Brian Rix had a dream to motorcycle around the world. When people close to them unexpectedly passed away, they became even more determined not to reach the end of their lives with ‘if-onlys’. Thus they set out on a 12-month adventure that took them through some of the most beautiful—and most dangerous—parts of the world.

Come Away With Me by Sarah Macdonald (ed)
28 February, 2005
Sarah McDonald’s Holy Cow was the successor to Almost French in the women-go-travelling-and-find-themselves publishing explosion that was spearheaded by Random House a few years ago. Now Macdonald is back: back in Australia and back in the book market. This time she’s using her name as the attention-grabber for Come away with Me, a collection of short nonfiction tales from travel writers and other types.

The Promise by Lisa Clifford
26 February, 2005
What I enjoyed most about this love story, set in both Florence and Australia, was the depiction of the life of an Italian family set around their love for Italian food—who cooked it and who ate it, where it was eaten, and from where in the family history the recipe had come.