La Vida Idealist

There is a sense of camaraderie among communities of aid workers, travelers or international volunteers. Like-minded people have traversed the same corner of the world you have and kindred spirits will continue to serve there after you leave. Their stories infuse life in the field with a sense of perspective on days when the silver lining becomes elusive, or the creative ideas are not flowing. Taking a cue from fellow La Vida Idealist contributor Meg Gray, here are some of my favorite travel, development and conflict-oriented reads from around the world:

1) Three Cups of Tea, Greg Mortenson: After a hiking accident attempting to reach the summit of K2, the villagers of Korphe in remote, rural Pakistan saved Mr. Mortenson’s life. In return, he promised to build them a school. Thus began an inspiring journey that has changed the assumptions on access to education, the role of women and the ability of foreign NGOs to affect change in one of the conflict hotbeds of the globe.

2) The Places in Between, Rory Stewart. Mr. Stewart had set out to walk across Asia – and then 9/11 and the invasion of Afghanistan were poised to stop him from fulfilling his goal. However, they did not; this book chronicles a man’s chilling solo walk through Afghanistan in 2002.

3) Mountains beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, Tracy Kidder. Tracy Kidder records the life story of Dr. Paul Farmer, an epidemiologist, professor and the Founder of Partners in Health, one of the organizations that has led the charge in the recovery from the earthquake in Haiti and has innovated in the field of community health enterprises and medically-related development work.

4) Leaving Microsoft to Change the World, John Wood. How a personal revelation and the boldness to follow through with it on the part of a former Microsoft employee sparked the foundation of Room to Read and a commitment to children’s access to reading and literature worldwide. Especially good for those contemplating a professional or lifestyle change.

5) Chasing the Flame, Samantha Power. After the Pulitzer-prize winning A Problem from Hell: America in the Age of Genocide, Power focused on the story of Sergio Vieira de Mello, a UN official who served in some of the world’s most treacherous conflict zones. A biography full of reflections on the United Nations, peacekeeping, personal courage, and the dangers of aid work.

6) The Art of Travel, Alain de Botton. Beautiful essay vignettes on why we travel, how we travel, and how it changes us.

7) Travels with Herodotus, Ruszard Kapuscinski. For Kapuscinsci, Herodotus was the “first globalist.” In this book, the author parallels his own journalistic findings on a journey across the world to those of the ancient historian.

Which books do you turn to for inspiration on the road?

Roxanne is currently designing and implementing projects in conflict and post-conflict communities worldwide. For more of her thoughts, follow her on Twitter or visit her blog.

Latest posts by roxannekrystalli

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