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<\/p>\nNew year, new you? How about New Year, new books? Make the most of the winter months in 2018 by stocking up on travel reads that nourish your inner explorer and establish literary bliss.<\/p>\n
From pictorial pleasures and global culinary creations, to an enlightening look at India\u2019s ravishing heritage, it\u2019s time to clear out your bookshelf and make room for these five captivating finds.<\/p>\n
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It\u2019s one thing to read about the charms of a destination, but it\u2019s quite another to behold them with your own two eyes. Natural Geographic addresses this all too common problem with its photography-led volume on the globe\u2019s most surreal sights: from the rust-red curves of Arizona\u2019s Antelope Canyon to the riotous display of Buddhist mural paintings at Sri Lanka\u2019s Golden Temple of Dambulla, this 320-page delight dedicates equal space to both the natural and the man-made. Find inspiration for your next adventure, or simply enjoy a leisurely spot of armchair travel.<\/p>\n
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Set foot in the hot and humid climate of Kerala before even hitting the runway, with Indian writer Arundhati Roy\u2019s award-winning debut novel. A tale of twins growing up in rural India, The God of Small Things is laced with insights into local politics, religion and the caste system; but moreover, it presents a richly evocative look at everyday life in this southern Indian state. Lose yourself in its pages and you can almost see Kerala\u2019s palm-fringed backwaters unfold before your eyes and feel the fat drops of monsoon rain on your skin.<\/p>\n
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Never has the mantra \u201cdon\u2019t judge a book by its cover\u201d been more apt. Despite its pared-down exterior, this modern incarnation of an atlas is laden with answers to all the queries you\u2019ve ever had about the world, and plenty more to boot. Depicted entirely through eye-catching infographics, this knowledge-bible explores all manner of topics, from a breezy expos\u00e9 about different national dinners, to a \u2018tree of faith\u2019 exploring how religions intertwine. Now you\u2019ll know all about China\u2019s inventive past and just how happy the Finnish are compared to your neighbours.<\/p>\n
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Barcelona\u2019s streets may seem familiar, but author Carlos Ruiz Zaf\u00f3n sheds fresh light on this popular Catalonian city with a glimpse into a more sombre \u2013 and oft-forgotten \u2013 slice of Spain\u2019s past. The novel swings between two worlds: that of protagonist Daniel Sempere, who lives under Franco\u2019s post-war dictatorship, and that of Juli\u00e1n Carax, an author whose domain is pre-war Spain. Part romance, part thriller and part coming-of-age drama, this captivating historical work has won many hearts, rendering it one of the globe\u2019s best-selling books.<\/p>\n
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Any epicurean will know the burden of making every meal count while travelling: sometimes trusted local sources are hard to come by, and restaurant recommendations can feel like an addendum even in the most thoughtfully curated guidebook. Step forward the culinary tome Where Chefs Eat \u2013 because nobody knows food better than the planet\u2019s most accomplished kitchen heroes. Almost a thousand pages are dedicated to fabulous fare in more than 70 countries \u2013 from Iberian- influenced molecular cuisine in the backstreets of Lisbon to the no-frills Hong Kong dumpling restaurant you\u2019ve pictured in your dreams.<\/p>\n