Armchair Travel
December 2020

Best of 2020
What books, movies, and music have you loved this year?
Bringing together the best of 2020 – from the picks of our staff and customers, to Best of the year lists published by magazines, newspapers and booksellers. Have your say!
 
Recent Releases
Walking with Ghosts in Papua New Guinea : Crossing the Kokoda Trail in the Last Wild Place on Earth
by Rick Antonson
 
Rick Antonson traverses the notorious Kokoda Trail in Papua New Guinea. The trail is a narrow, 60-mile footpath featuring rough jungle, 6,000 feet in elevation change, and punishing weather extremes yet home to hospitable indigenous peoples, who live among the rusting reminders of the Japanese, Australian, and American armies from World War II.
 
Northbound + down : Alaska to Mexico by bicycle
by Otto Ecroyd

When Otto Ecroyd embarked on a voyage to sail a broken boat from Norway to France and failed he decided to do what any other hapless adventurer would do: cycle from Alaska to Mexico. But, as Otto says, he 'had never ridden further than across town.' So, with no experience, the wrong type of bike and with panniers overflowing with lentils, Otto pedals across vast American landscapes, cowers from juggernaut RVs, and all the while wonders when he will next meet a grizzly bear.
Border : a journey around Russia :through North Korea, China, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania, Poland, Latvia, Estonia, Finland, Norway and the Northwest Passage
by Erika Fatland

Erika Fatland travels along the seemingly endless Russian border, from North Korea in the Far East through Russia's bordering states in Asia and the Caucasus, crossing the Caspian Ocean and the Black Sea along the way. This is a chronicle of the colourful, exciting, tragic and often unbelievable histories of these bordering nations, their cultures, their people, their landscapes. 
The rainbow atlas : a guide to the world's 500 most colourful places
by Taylor Fuller

Features the most vibrant and colourful locations around the world, including natural landscapes and built environments, permanent structures and ephemeral displays.
 
The Hezbollah Hiking Club : a short walk across Lebanon
by Dom Joly

Dom Joly convinces his two closest friends to agree to a challenging hike across Lebanon, from the Israeli border in the south, along the spine of the country's mountain range, all the way to the Syrian border in the north. Hezbollah Hiking Club is a witty and affectionate love letter to Lebanon and its rich history with a meditation on family and homeland.
A passion for the Dales
by David Joy

David Joy's family has lived in Upper Wharfedale for more than four centuries mainly as lead miners and farmers. This book is the product of an overwhelming desire by a native dalesman to share his passion for a unique landscape and its people.
The Japan Book
by Jutta Ingala

This photography book captures the beauty of Japan, from Hokkaido to the metropolis of Tokyo, to the imperial city of Kyoto and the natural wonders of its many small islands.
Blue Sky Kingdom : An Epic Family Journey to the Heart of the Himalaya
by Bruce Kirkby

Bruce Kirkby and his family go on a three months journey and live amongst the Lamas of Zanskar Valley, a forgotten appendage of the ancient Tibetan empire, and one of the last places on earth where Himilayan Buddhism is still practiced freely in it's original setting.  
Great Destinations of a Lifetime
by Claudia Martin

A selection of outstanding natural and man-made wonders from around the world, the book features not only well-known attractions but also less explored places.  
Destinations of a lifetime : from landmarks to natural wonders
by Judson Picco

With enriching cultures, amazing architecture, exotic foods, and so much more to discover, Destinations of a Lifetime takes you to 52 different locations that will leave you amazed at the diversity and beauty of the world.
Bad tourist : misadventures in love and travel
by Suzanne Roberts

Bad Tourist takes us across four continents to fifteen countries, showing us what not to do when traveling. Suzanne Roberts encounters lightning and landslides, sharks and piranha-infested waters, a nightclub drugging, burning bodies, and brief affairs as she searches for the love of her life and finally herself. 
Year at the Chateau
by Dick Strawbridge

Dick and Angel Strawbridge had long dreamed of living in France and fell in love with a 19th-century fairytale chateau in the heart of the Loire Valley, complete with 45 rooms, seven outbuildings, 12 acres of land and its own moat. A Year at the Chateau follows their experiences renovating the chateau and readying it for their wedding and their incredibly special first Christmas.

Contact your librarian for more great books!
Christchurch City Libraries
Ngā Kete Wānanga o Ōtautahi
PO Box 73045 Christchurch 8154
+64-3-941-7923
christchurchcitylibraries.com