There’s nothing better than a good book - one that makes you want to get out on the open road is even better! The 5 - or so - books mentioned in this article are all engaging in different ways, so there is sure to be a tome to add to your TBR list. 

Read on and get inspired to go for a long drive with the help of this article. 

 

Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing by Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse

Lake

Gone Fishing (2019) is a book which will make you appreciate the little things in life. After comedians and lifelong friends Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse were both diagnosed with heart disease, the pair decided to spend more time together, with Paul teaching Bob how to fish. Exploring the beauties of the British countryside, Mortimer and Whitehouse reflect on their lives, men’s mental and physical health, and - of course - the joys of fishing in this heart-warming book. 

Gone Fishing was inspired by the television series of the same name (2018 - present), in which Mortimer and Whitehouse drive to and fish in various locations throughout the UK. Enjoy the incredible landscape, the charm of the restaurants and pubs that the pair visit, and the stunning accommodation they stay in. 

Appreciating the beauty of nature, Gone Fishing - both the book and the series - will make you want to call your mates and organise a UK road trip together. 

 

Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang: The Magical Car by Ian Fleming

When we think of cars in literature, is there any vehicle more iconic than Ian Fleming’s Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang (1964)? You may be familiar with the film of the same name (1968) which was released a few years after the publication of Fleming’s children’s novel. 

Inventor Caratacus Pott renovates an old racing car, and names it Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang after the noises it makes. As the short novel progresses, the car seems to take on a life of its own - the car sprouts wings unexpectedly and can fly seemingly of its own accord. The car saves the Pott family from a traffic jam, the incoming tide, and even some gangsters. Who wouldn't want to take this car for a spin?

If you love the film, it may be time to check out the magical novel that started it all, and get inspired to have an adventure of your own.

 

The James Bond series by Ian Fleming

Whilst we’re on the subject of Ian Fleming, the author’s series of novels featuring the sophisticated secret agent James Bond (1953-1966) are sure to make you want to go for a long drive. 

From the very first novel onwards, cars play a major role in these stories. In Casino Royale (1953), the sophisticated secret agent drives a 1930 Blower Bentley. As the series progresses, Bond drives an Aston Martin in Goldfinger (1959) and a Land Rover in Thunderball (1961), but it is a Bentley that Bond most often returns to after his first Bentley is damaged by one of Bond’s adversaries. Interestingly, this first Bentley belongs to Bond himself. Bond views the Bentley more as a hobby than an aspect of his job - something car enthusiasts can surely relate to. 

If you are passionate about your car, why not begin with the first novel in the series - Casino Royale - and feel like Bond journeying through Europe in his sleek Aston Martin on your next drive? 

 

Taste: My Life Through Food by Stanley Tucci

Florence in Italy

In his recent heartfelt memoir, Taste (2021), Hollywood actor and director Stanley Tucci charts his life through the food that means the most to him. Tucci takes us on a food nostalgia journey, as Tucci recalls meals he cooked or ate during distinct times in his life.

His childhood growing up in America in the 1960s. Trying to make it as an actor in New York. A year spent in Florence. Restaurants in Rome. No matter where Taste takes you, Tucci will make you appreciate the value of life, and the food that makes it that bit more special. The detail Tucci goes into is sure to make you want to take a road trip around the places that mean the most to you. The book is interspersed with recipes to try, so you can truly immerse yourself in the story. 

If you’re hungry for more, then Tucci also stars in the series Searching For Italy (2021 - present), in which Tucci travels around various regions in Italy, and samples the delicacies that each has to offer. The show is definitely worth watching if you are planning a holiday soon. 

You are sure to be inspired to go on a food-focused road trip just like Tucci after reading this memoir. Savour your time on the open road, and sample the sights as well as the flavours on offer. If you can’t make it to Italy anytime soon, then there are plenty of beautiful places in the UK to drive to

 

The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

Haunted House

This next book is a bit of a cheat - in that it might make you never want to go for a drive again! Or, if it does, it might make you want to drive over to your friend’s house for some company, and away from the eerie feeling this novel will give you. 

You may be familiar with Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House (1959) through the Netflix series of the same name (2018). Both the gothic novel and the recent series are justifiably unnerving, as Shirley Jackson plays on psychological aspects notions of what may or may not be present. 

The novel begins with protagonist Eleanor Vance stealing the car that she shares with her brother-in-law, so that she can take part in a study of psychic phenomena conducted by Dr. John Montague at Hill House. As Eleanor takes the drive up to Hill House, you are sure to feel goosebumps forming on your skin - a feeling that will stay with you throughout the rest of this spooky novel. 

On the flip side, if you like taking the car out for an atmospheric, moonlit drive then this could be the perfect read to inspire you. 

If these books have made you want to go for a long drive, why not book in for a car service before heading out on the road?

 

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