Books By Theme: Going On A Quest

"All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware."

~ Martin Buber (1878−1965), Austrian-born Jewish philosopher

The Great Typo Hunt: Two Friends Changing the World, One Correction at a Time
by Jeff Deck and Benjamin D. Herson

Calling all grammar geeks--The Great Typo Hunt is the travel book for you! Having just attended his 5th college reunion, editor Jeff Deck felt like his classmates were making the world a better place, while he wasn't. What could he do? Why, correct grammar across America, of course! And so, accompanied by friends, Deck traveled cross-country, correcting spelling and punctuation errors on public signs along the way. This "illuminating hybrid of travelogue, English usage textbook and sociological experiment" (Washington Post) will please anyone who likes road-trip books or despises missing apostrophes.

The Curse of the Labrador Duck: My Obsessive Quest to the Edge of Extinction
by Glen Chilton

The Labrador Duck has been extinct for over 100 years--less than a dozen old eggs and 50 or so stuffed birds are all that remains. In this fast-paced, amusing account, ornithologist and leading expert on the species Glen Chilton explains how he became obsessed with the bird and traveled over 82,000 miles to visit places with ties to the long-gone avian. From Paris to Prague, London to Long Island, Chilton examines taxidermied ducks and has amazing adventures, such as wading unclothed in a glacier-fed stream. If you enjoy this "entertaining and educational travelogue" (Publishers Weekly) and would enjoy reading about birders traveling the U.S., try Luke Dempsey's A Supremely Bad Idea.

Friends Like These: My Worldwide Quest to Find My Best Childhood Friends, Knock on Their Doors, and Ask Them to Come Out and Play
by Danny Wallace

British humorist and TV host Danny Wallace had a bit of a crisis as his 30th birthday approached. He realized that he'd become something of an adult (i.e. he ate healthy and had throw pillows on his couch)--and was shocked by the idea. At the same time, Danny's parents sent him a box of his childhood things, including an old address book. The aging Danny then had a brilliantly quirky idea: he'd track down long-ago childhood friends, no matter where on earth they were, and hang out with them. Though this isn't your traditional travelogue, armchair travelers--especially those approaching a milestone birthday, such as 30 or 40--will enjoy this trip around the world and into the 1980s (like, totally!).