Book your next travel adventure!

After a year of staying home, cabin fever has set in and many people are thinking about their next trip, whether real or imaginary. Traveling to different parts of the world is one of the best ways in which to interact with and learn from the many cultures, languages, beliefs, and histories that make up the varied experiences of our shared humanity. Unfortunately, travel can also be expensive, but you can always plan and learn about different travel experiences for free by exploring some of the many books at the Chickasha Public Library!

Do you find yourself wondering about faraway people and places that you have not had the chance to visit? How about a place you know absolutely nothing about or a place you have always been interested in? The great thing about the Chickasha Public Library’s collection is that there are no limits to what you can learn and discover. If you are interested in browsing through geographical Dewey decimal categories, look in 914 (Europe), 915 (Asia), 916 (Africa), 917 (North America), 918 (South America), and 919 (Australia and New Zealand). If you read one book from each continent, it can be an easy way to take a mental trip around the world. Reading about the cultural attractions and historic landmarks from different countries and continents can help you plan a future trip, learn more about the languages and history of different places, and find the most beautiful scenery.

Traveling within Oklahoma is relatively accessible and inexpensive for many people, which makes it easy to explore for both quick getaways, as well as longer vacations. It can also be a fun way to experience your familiar home state with fresh eyes. Oklahoma: off the beaten path (917.66 Palmer) can help you discover new and interesting places close to home. Find your next outdoor adventure with Oklahoma hiking trails (917.66 Frates), explore history with Historical atlas of Oklahoma (911.766 Goins), or plan a spooky trip with Weird Oklahoma: your travel guide to Oklahoma’s local legends and best kept secrets (133.109766 Treat).

For road trip enthusiasts, Drives of a lifetime: 500 of the world’s most spectacular trips (910.202 Bellows) describes some of the world’s most beautiful places in which to drive. If you are looking to find pockets of various cultures while embarking on a road trip closer to home, Abroad at home: the best international travel in North America (917.304 Abroad) will help you to visit some of those places without having to buy a plane ticket.

If you want to further immerse yourself in learning about someplace new, there are also language books and dictionaries, biographies and memoirs written by people from various countries, books about how various cultures interconnect with one another, and history books that can give insight into how and why the past continues to affect current events. Reading about different perspectives can give valuable insights into others’ experiences and develop an understanding and appreciation of diversity both at home and around the world. It is never too late to learn about someplace new, or to find new information about somewhere you have already visited. And reading travel books can also give you new ideas about where you might want to go next!    

Finally, if you are feeling creative and would like to start your own country, you can find some examples in An atlas of countries that don’t exist: a compendium of fifty unrecognized and largely unnoticed states (911 Middleton). Imaginary countries can be delightfully whimsical, and they require an incredible amount of ingenuity and problem-solving skills to develop and maintain. Learning about some of these geographical quirks can also spur interest in how communities, states, and countries govern themselves, as well as the many ways in which borders are drawn. 

No matter where you want to go, there is a book for you here at the Chickasha Public Library!