The Best Travel Writing 2005: True Stories from Around the World

The 28 stories in this compilation take the reader on delightful armchair adventures to points known and unknown, from recreating Muhammad Ali’s Rumble in the Jungle in a makeshift boxing ring in Malawi, to discovering the secret to life and chicken in a humble Parisian restaurant, to encountering the ghost of Odysseus and the mysteries of one’s own past in the Aegean. Featuring points of view and perspectives as global as the tales themselves, the stories present an equally eclectic collection of themes, encompassing spiritual growth, misadventure, high adventure, romance, women’s solo journeys, stories of service to humanity, family travel, and encounters with exotic cuisine. The common thread connecting them all is fresh, lively storytelling that make readers laugh, cry, wish they were there, or be glad they weren’t.