I have been wanting to create a yearly reading challenge for a while now. I used to read voraciously as a kid, but not as much now that I’m an adult. Sure, I binge a few books now and then – because I cannot put a good book down – but If I’m honest, I usually just binge watching Netflix.

I’ve been reading more this year and I want to be better next year; so why not combine reading with my love of travel? Somehow those two seem to go hand in hand anyway. I feel like travelers should be readers. At first I thought it was just because of convenience. You can take a book anywhere – the beach, a plane, or a bed at 3 a.m. when you’re wide awake with jet lag.

It’s more than that though. Travel and books have deep similarities. Both can be used as a form of escape, or as a way to better understand the world we live in as we learn others’ viewpoints. They are both a way to see new worlds that we’ve only dreamed of. But maybe, most importantly, they are tools to help us grow and become better people.

That’s why this list contains books that aren’t strictly travel related. Some of them are and some of them, like a biography, can help us understand the history of a culture – even if it’s our own. All of the books should be enjoyed, but I hope that some of the books on this list will grow you as a better person too.

I’d love it if you’d share what you are reading as you go through this list! You can leave a comment on this post or post about it on Instagram using the tag #vagabondreadingchallenge. You don’t have to read them in any particular order, but 12 books in 12 months seems reasonable.B