Austin Bidwell
Bidwell's Travels: what to read next?
Books close in genre, era, author or reading level, to read in bilingual editions.
Mark TwainLife on the MississippiMark Twain, a keen observer, recounts his experience as a steamboat pilot on the Mississippi, blending personal memories with descriptions of the river. He traces the evolution of this vital route for commerce and American life. Through anecdotes and portraits, he brings a…Same countrySame genreSame era
Holman DayBlow the Man DownOn the coast of Maine in the early twentieth century, young Captain Boyd Mayo commands the steam yacht of Julius Marston, a Wall Street financier, and falls in love with his daughter Alma. Humiliated by Marston in front of his guests, he decides to leave. That same night, in…Same countrySame genreSame era
John BurtonThe Book HunterA collection of essays published in 1862 by John Hill Burton, a Scottish historian. With humour, the author sketches the book hunters: the collector who buys his first duplicate copy, the browser of second-hand bookstalls, the regular at auction sales, the wandering reader who…Same genre
Daniel DefoeRobinson CrusoeRobinson Crusoe, an adventurous sailor, is shipwrecked on a deserted island after a tragic voyage. Isolated from the world, he must learn to survive using his resources and ingenuity. Over the years, he transforms his environment and builds a new existence. His encounter with…Same genre
Mark TwainAdventures of Huckleberry FinnHuckleberry Finn, a young boy seeking freedom, escapes an oppressive life and travels down the Mississippi on a raft with Jim, a runaway slave. Together, they face dangers, unpredictable encounters, and moral dilemmas. Huck begins to question the rules of the society he was…Same countrySame genreSame era
Holman DayThe LandloperAn American novel from 1915. One June morning, a young man who calls himself Walker Farr walks the roads of New England. He looks like a tramp, but he speaks like an educated man and hides his past. He stops in Marion, a cotton-mill town where typhoid fever strikes poor…Same countrySame genreSame era
HomerThe OdysseyOdysseus, king of Ithaca, tries to return home after the Trojan War, but his journey turns into a long wandering full of trials. He faces mythical creatures, capricious gods, and temptations that slow his return. Meanwhile, Penelope, his wife, resists the suitors invading their…Same genre
Jules VerneAround the World in 80 DaysPhileas Fogg, a methodical gentleman, bets that he can travel around the world in eighty days. Accompanied by Passepartout, his resourceful servant, he moves from one mode of transport to another while facing unforeseen events across several continents. But a police inspector…Same genreSame era
Henry ThoreauWaldenThoreau, seeking simplicity, settles alone near Walden Pond to live in self-sufficiency. He observes nature, reduces his needs to the bare essentials, and reflects on modern society. Through his experience, he questions work, consumption, and dominant values. This text blends…Same countrySame genre
Jules VerneJourney to the Center of the EarthProfessor Lidenbrock, a passionate scientist, discovers an ancient message revealing a passage to the center of the Earth. With his nephew Axel, he embarks on a perilous expedition through unknown underground tunnels. Their journey confronts them with extraordinary phenomena…Same genre
H. De Vere StacpooleThe Blue LagoonIn the nineteenth century, on the Pacific Ocean, the sailing ship carrying two eight-year-old cousins, Dick and Emmeline, towards San Francisco catches fire at sea. The children escape in a small boat with Paddy Button, an old Irish sailor, and the fog separates them from the…Same genreSame era
Tobias SmollettRoderick RandomRoderick Random, an ambitious but penniless young man, leaves his native Scotland to find his place in an often hostile world. He goes through numerous experiences, especially in the navy, where he faces violence, injustice, and instability. His journeys expose him to extreme…Same genre