Recommendations based on Rick Steves' Europe Through the Back Doorby Rick Steves

* statistically, based on millions of data-points provided by fellow humans

  1. 1,000 Places to See Before You Die

    by Patricia Schultz
    An inspiring journey to explore the beauty of the world, discover hidden gems and make memories.

    Around the World, continent by continent, here is the best the world has to offer: 1,000 places guaranteed to give travelers the shivers. Sacred ruins, grand hotels, wildlife preserves, hilltop ... (Goodreads)

  2. A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail

    by Bill Bryson
    A humorous account of a man's attempt to hike the Appalachian Trail, reflecting on the beauty and history of the American wilderness.

    The book starts with Bryson explaining his curiosity about the Appalachian Trail near his house. He and his old friend Stephen Katz start hiking the trail from Georgia in the South , and stumble in ... (Wikipedia)

  3. Vagabonding: An Uncommon Guide to the Art of Long-Term World Travel

    by Rolf Potts
    A guide to long-term travel, emphasizing the benefits of immersing oneself in different cultures and ways of life.

    Vagabonding is about taking time off from your normal life - from six weeks to four months to two years - to discover and experience the world on your own terms. Veteran shoestring traveler Rolf ... (Goodreads)

  4. 1776

    by David McCullough
    A riveting account of the events leading up to and during the American Revolution.

    In this masterful book, David McCullough tells the intensely human story of those who marched with General George Washington in the year of the Declaration of Independence - when the whole American ... (Goodreads)

  5. The World's Religions

    by Huston Smith
    Examination of the major religious traditions of the world, exploring their origins, beliefs, and practices.

    The World’s Religions, by beloved author and pioneering professor Huston Smith ( Tales of Wonder ), is the definitive classic for introducing the essential elements and teachings of the world's ... (Barnes & Noble)

  6. Bella Tuscany

    by Frances Mayes
    A memoir of a writer's love affair with Tuscany, its people, food, and landscape. A celebration of the beauty of life.

    Frances Mayes invites us back for a delightful new season of friendship, festivity, and food there and throughout Italy. Frances Mayes, whose enchanting #1 New York Times bestseller Under the Tuscan ... (Goodreads)

  7. Gift from the Sea

    by Anne Morrow Lindbergh
    Exploring the depths of the ocean, seeking solace and wisdom.

    In this inimitable, beloved classic—graceful, lucid and lyrical—Anne Morrow Lindbergh shares her meditations on youth and age; love and marriage; peace, solitude and contentment as she set them down ... (Goodreads)

  8. Under the Tuscan Sun

    by Frances Mayes
    A woman's journey of self-discovery and renewal through a move to Tuscany.

    The story details the trials that Frances and her husband Ed had to go through to renovate their Tuscan property, an abandoned villa ( Bramasole ) in rural Cortona in Tuscany . As university ... (Wikipedia)

  9. Holy Cow: An Indian Adventure

    by Sarah Macdonald
    A humorous journey through India, exploring its culture and diversity.

    In her twenties, journalist Sarah Macdonald backpacked around India and came away with a lasting impression of heat, pollution and poverty. So when an airport beggar read her palm and told her she ... (Goodreads)

  10. Escape

    by Carolyn Jessop
    Autobiography of a woman's struggle to escape an oppressive polygamous cult.

    The dramatic first-person account of life inside an ultra-fundamentalist American religious sect, and one woman’s courageous flight to freedom with her eight children. When she was eighteen years ... (Goodreads)

  11. Everyday Italian: 125 Simple and Delicious Recipes

    by Giada De Laurentiis
    A comprehensive guide to making Italian cuisine, from classic dishes to modern twists.

    In her hit Food Network show Everyday Italian , Giada De Laurentiis shows you how to cook delicious, beautiful food in a flash. And here, in her long-awaited first book, she does the same—helps you ... (Goodreads)

  12. What to Expect the First Year

    by Heidi Murkoff
    A comprehensive guide to parenting a newborn, covering all aspects of caring for a baby.

    Some things about babies, happily, will never change. They still arrive warm, cuddly, soft, and smelling impossibly sweet. But how moms and dads care for their brand-new bundles of baby joy has ... (Goodreads)

  13. Your Money or Your Life

    by Vicki Robin
    An exploration of personal finance and the journey to financial independence.

    In times like these, it's more important than ever to know the difference between making a living and making a life. Your Money or Your Life is even more relevant today than it was when the book ... (Goodreads)

  14. Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking

    by Marcella Hazan
    An exploration of Italian cuisine, featuring time-honored recipes and techniques.

    The most important, consulted, and enjoyed Italian cookbook of all time, from the woman who introduced Americans to a whole new world of Italian food. Essentials of Italian Cooking is a culinary ... (Goodreads)

  15. The Little Book of Hygge: The Danish Way to Live Well

    by Meik Wiking
    A guide to embracing the Danish concept of Hygge, creating a cozy and content home life.

    Denmark is often said to be the happiest country in the world. That's down to one thing: hygge. 'Hygge has been translated as everything from, the art of creating intimacy, to, cosiness of the soul, ... (Goodreads)

  16. Foxe's Book of Martyrs

    by John Foxe
    A collection of accounts of Christian martyrs and the persecution they faced.

    Reformation-era England—John Foxe recounts the lives, sufferings, and triumphant deaths of dozens of Christian martyrs. Some were people of rank and influence. Some were ordinary folk. Some were even ... (Goodreads)

  17. A Year in Provence

    by Peter Mayle
    A humorous memoir of a British couple's first year in Provence, France, adjusting to the culture shock and idiosyncrasies of their new home.

    In this witty and warm-hearted account, Peter Mayle tells what it is like to realize a long-cherished dream and actually move into a 200-year-old stone farmhouse in the remote country of the Lubéron ... (Goodreads)

  18. Neither Here nor There: Travels in Europe

    by Bill Bryson
    A humorous and informative look at the many cultures, customs and curiosities of Europe.

    Bill Bryson's first travel book, The Lost Continent , was unanimously acclaimed as one of the funniest books in years. In Neither Here nor There he brings his unique brand of humour to bear on Europe ... (Goodreads)

  19. A Cook's Tour: Global Adventures in Extreme Cuisines

    by Anthony Bourdain
    A globe-trotting exploration of exotic dishes and cultures, told with wit and humor.

    From the star of, No Reservations, Anthony Bourdain's, New York Times-,bestselling chronicle of travelling the world in search the globe's greatest cuilnary adventures The only thing "gonzo ... (Goodreads)

  20. The Six Wives of Henry VIII

    by Alison Weir
    A historical account of the tumultuous lives of Henry VIII's six wives, their political and religious struggles.

    The tempestuous, bloody, and splendid reign of Henry VIII of England (1509-1547) is one of the most fascinating in all history, not least for his marriage to six extraordinary women. In this ... (Goodreads)

  21. The Biology of Belief: Unleashing the Power of Consciousness, Matter and Miracles

    by Bruce H. Lipton
    Examines how the power of belief can affect our lives and environment.

    The Biology of Belief is a groundbreaking work in the field of New Biology. Author Dr. Bruce Lipton is a former medical school professor and research scientist. His experiments, and that of other ... (Goodreads)

  22. The Hiding Place: The Triumphant True Story of Corrie Ten Boom

    by Corrie ten Boom
    A remarkable testament to faith and courage in the face of unfathomable odds and unspeakable horrors.

    The book begins with the ten Boom family celebrating the 100th anniversary of the family business; they sell and repair watches under the family's elderly father, Casper ten Boom . The business takes ... (Wikipedia)

  23. A History of the World in 6 Glasses

    by Tom Standage
    A look at the history of the world through the lens of six beverages.

    The, New York Times, Bestseller, ,“There aren’t many books this entertaining that also provide a cogent crash course in ancient, classical and modern history.” —,Los Angeles Times , Beer, wine, ... (Barnes & Noble)

  24. The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey

    by Candice Millard
    A daring expedition through the Amazon to uncover the secrets of an uncharted river.

    At once an incredible adventure narrative and a penetrating biographical portrait, The River of Doubt is the true story of Theodore Roosevelt’s harrowing exploration of one of the most dangerous ... (Goodreads)

  25. Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly

    by Anthony Bourdain
    A humorous and unflinching account of life in restaurant kitchens, exploring the culture and camaraderie of the culinary world.

    A deliciously funny, delectably shocking banquet of wild-but-true tales of life in the culinary trade from Chef Anthony Bourdain, laying out his more than a quarter-century of drugs, sex, and haute ... (Goodreads)

  26. In a Sunburned Country

    by Bill Bryson
    Exploration of the unique and diverse land, people and animals of Australia.

    A CLASSIC FROM THE, NEW YORK TIMES, BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF, ONE SUMMER , Every time Bill Bryson walks out the door, memorable travel literature threatens to break out. His previous excursion along the ... (Goodreads)

  27. Astrophysics for People in a Hurry

    by Neil deGrasse Tyson
    An accessible exploration of the universe and its mysteries.

    Over a year on the New York Times bestseller list and more than a million copies sold. The essential universe, from our most celebrated and beloved astrophysicist. What is the nature of space and ... (Barnes & Noble)

  28. The Wright Brothers

    by David McCullough
    The story of the Wright brothers and their pioneering invention of the airplane.

    Librarian's note: An alternate cover edition can be found, here, Two-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize David McCullough tells the dramatic story-behind-the-story about the courageous brothers who ... (Goodreads)

  29. Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus

    by John Gray
    A look at the different ways men and women communicate and interact.

    Once upon a time Martians and Venusians met, fell in love, and had happy relationships together because they respected and accepted their differences. Then they came to Earth and amnesia set in: they ... (Goodreads)

  30. The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother

    by James McBride
    A memoir of a black man's journey to understand his white mother's past and how it shaped his own identity.

    Touches readers of all colors as a vivid portrait of growing up, a haunting meditation on race and identity, and a lyrical valentine to a mother from her son. Who is Ruth McBride Jordan? A ... (Goodreads)