Off the Beaten Page: The Best Trips for Lit Lovers, Book Clubs, and Girls on Getaways

by Terri Peterson Smith

Off the Beaten Page encourages avid readers, particularly those in book clubs and other groups, to leave the security of their living rooms and seek to experience in person the places they’ve read about. Inspired by years of excursions with her own book club, award-winning journalist Terri Peterson Smith offers lively, expert guidance through fifteen US destinations ideal for anyone eager to mix their love of travel and quality time with friends or family with their desire for meaningful cultural experiences.

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction, Books About Books, Book Club, Reference, United States

304 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

Terri Peterson Smith is an award-winning freelance writer, photographer and editor specializing in travel and food topics. Her work has been featured in USA TODAY, Better Homes and Gardens, National Geographic Green Guide, Scientific American.com and many others.

Her most recent book "Unique Eats and Eateries of the Twin Cities" offers food lovers a tasty tour of Minneapolis and St. Paul with a look and the Twin Cities's great neighborhoods, too.

Terri's earlier book, "Off the Beaten Page: The Best Trips for Lit Lovers, Book Clubs, and Girls on Getaways," inspires travelers to read literature about the places they're going and encourages readers to travel where their favorite books take place. It offers itineraries, reading lists and insights into 13 cities across the U.S. It received the Mark Twain Award from the Midwest Travel Journalists Association.

She received a BA from the University of Michigan, an MA in journalism from Indiana University and she was the 2008 recipient of the Michael DeBakey Journalism Award from the Foundation for Biomedical Research. Born and raised in Michigan, she currently lives in the Minneapolis area with her trophy husband and a big dog.

Find more at www.terripetersonsmith.com

Reviews

[Maria · Rating 2 out of 5]

A little disappointed in this book. Part 1 was great- literary travel basics. I think I was more disappointed in the contents of Part II because I was expecting more popular books and places and it really wasn't suited to the books I am interested in reading. Also it was limited to the US, I was expecting international locales. There is some good stuff in the cities that I would actually go to- NY, Charleston, Chicago, New Orleans and San Francisco, but I gotta say I wouldn't read half the books in the book lists for each city. Liked the sample itineraries- they did provide a lot of options- hotels, restaurants, places of interest etc, and I liked the organization of the book- it was straightforward and easy to read.

[Martha · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit more than I need but I think some people would really enjoy this guide for book club members, book festival attendees, and author enthusiasts. Recommendations for travel to the author's hometown or the location of a great work of fiction. Mostly, it reminded me of books that I have read and loved and a few I had forgotten about and hope to soon read. Get it from the library, you don't need to own.

[Deb (Readerbuzz) Nance · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love books? Love authors? Love to travel?


This book shares the most book-ish spots in America. Enjoy!


The title tells all; this is truly a good book for exploring our literary landscape. With a qualifier...it's the US only. I plan to try out the cities listed (a great selection) on my upcoming travels. Thank you, Terri Peterson Smith.

[Jill Kleis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect for planning short, bookish trips. I will reference this again!

[Dori Luzzo Gilmour · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good info

[Darlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Truth? I didn't finish reading this book. Not because it is horrid. Mostly because this would make a great research book to have around. It is mostly for book clubs or groups that like to relate their travel to their reading. There are many pages of books dedicated to certain states or cities. There are pages of itineraries to follow. And there are pages dedicated to setting up groups that travel 'by the book'.

I highly recommend it to those who can travel and would like to set up a group just for that way of seeing the world. I will try to put it on my wishlists for the hardback version so that I can make notes and research the books for the local areas. And who knows? I may be able someday to do some traveling beyond my own neighborhood. :-)

[Rachel Bartleson · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great book! I ordered this book as soon as it was available for pre-sale and waited not so patiently for it to arrive. It lived up to my expectations and more. I love that the travel adventures can be completed on a budget and follow the easy three day get-a-way plan. Every chapter had me itching to start travel plans with my best group of ladies. Once the group has completed the read, the real fun of travel planning can begin!! Thanks so much for the book Terri Peterson Smith - can't wait for the second edition!!

[Lyn Osgood · Rating 5 out of 5]

We went armed with this book for our recent trip to Chicago. Even though we are quite experienced travelers, this book made the trip even more wonderful. Immersing ourselves in Ms. Peterson's recommendations of books and things to do, we felt more involved than we ever had before on a getaway. A definite must for traveling and traveling companions. The author also has a great practical suggestions of how to travel with your chosen companions.

[Julie Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this first travel book I've ever read. Basically, Smith has several awesome book clubs, the kind we all dream about, and they travel together on book-related, or book-themed trips. I don't even have a book club, just saying (in search of one in which participants actually read the books--if you're in one and want to invite me, please do!).

Smith provides general ideas at first, such as book lists about art that could correspond with any art museum trip, but then she gets into specific locations and itineraries. I'm now a bit more educated about and dreaming of trips to: Newport Rhode Island, Charleston, Memphis, Chicago, NYC, Boston, and the Twin Cities. I now have book lists to read before I travel, and I'd love to follow her suggested 3 day itineraries. I don't have a group, but I now have great advice on how to plan and get along on said trips with multiple people with different personalities. I didn't read the last third of the book because those trips are farther away, and I have enough to plan before I can get to those. I'm totally excited about "lit trips" right now. My husband, unfortunately, is not. Therefore, I do need to get on finding a trusty book club, one that will last. Otherwise, I'm going solo. (I did just turn a visit to Iowa to visit my aunt into a lit trip, though, so I'm already impacted by this book!)

Finally, the end of the book provides resources for connecting with other book lovers (just nothing locally). I really recommend this book; it was published 5 years ago so I can't vouch for how well her itineraries work--maybe some of those restaurants or museums no longer exist? I'll find out soon enough. :)

[Lindsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent travel guide, interesting and succinct. All of the trips that Smith describes sound lovely. Around a central premise of a 3-day trip focused on literary sites, she offers up variations that will fit a wide range of budgets and interests beyond books. Any of the trips she describes here would work well as the starting point for building your own literary travel plans. The only drawback to this book is that she only discusses literary cities; I was hoping for a couple of lesser-known locales to avoid crowds. I do like the inclusion of book fairs and author events (although the author events listed were strangely British for a book on American literary travel!) for a more "build your own" option.

All together, one I'll be purchasing so I can reference it whenever I'd like to plan a getaway!

[(a)lyss(a) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the concept of this book but it's poorly executed.

It's essentially a list of places to go to with rough itineraries that include things like "relax at hotel" or "go to this very specific restaurant at this time and buy this very specific thing". It's not the kind of book that can help you put together an itinerary and doesn't take into consideration things like budgets, traffic, etc. and only focuses on a few places in the US.

If you want a recommendation of places to visit that have literary history or books about certain places the internet is a great resource and it's up to date.

[BookSalad · Rating 2 out of 5]

The title pretty much tells all you need to know...

In The Best Trips for Lit Lovers..., Terri Peterson Smith focuses at least one author from the area she highlights, describing their contributions to the place through their stories. Each chapter or city, really, ends with an itinerary of things to do and places to eat to get the full city and book experience. She then ends with other suggestions of both fiction and nonfiction books set in that city.

Light and fun, I got a lot of new book selections which I added to my Goodreads account.

*Minneapolis/St. Paul was featured and, living in the area myself, I found the suggestions accurate.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author does the work for you, suggesting 15 fun locales with complete itineraries and the books to go with them. She even gives tips for making sure your book club members can get along in a different setting, stuck with each other for several days rather than a couple of hours. I identified four books that I wanted to read, based on her recommendations, but my library only has one of them:(

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh my, this was so much fun! Now I have added immensely to my 'want to read' list and my places to go list. Even the books discussed that I read in the past I probably need to reread before traveling to destinations. Many of the destinations discussed by the author I have been to, but now I need to go back~ Life is too short! Great book! I may have to purchase it to use as a reference.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Took me a while to read bc it’s more something you read a section that pertains to your travel. Used her advice for Minnesota and will likely use recommendations again.

Funny story- went to Pick up at the library and not there. So my 3 favorite librarians (who has a top 3) heard they title and all wanted to read it too!

[jennifer walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, only now I want to travel to the places in it.

[Kelleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't need more books to read, but now I have more.
I don't intend to visit any of the mentioned destinations, but it could be useful when planning my own trip.

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

Food for the traveling book lover's thought. I would love to see an international version of this book. ;)

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has a wonderful premise. I enjoyed the first half of the book but felt that a lot of the “book club travel” was lost in the second half of the book. Would love an updated version.

[Sheila DeChantal · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love to do the little extras with my own book club like bringing food and drinks that are mentioned in the book to the discussion. We even occasionally will dress the part or “set the scene” for our reading as well… yet Terri inspired me to think beyond the walls of the living rooms we meet in.

Off The Beaten Page now only gives suggestions of books to venture our and explore, but also ideas of where to stay and what to do once you get there. With each state that is suggested, there are a list of books to read that go with the area, sight-seeing suggestions, restaurants, and hotels.

Did you know that Stephen King’s famous book The Shining was created while King stayed in a hotel in Boulder Colorado and based his book off the hotel (the hotel was about to close for the season when King and his wife stayed there, creating the creepy atmosphere that led to the book). The Stanley Hotel is now open year around and plays up the book setting well with a maze (eep!) and a Ghost Adventure package.

Books about books are awesome, and this book takes it to the next level of book adventures. It doesn’t matter where you live or how far you are willing to travel, there is a book setting everywhere that you can explore. Off The Beaten Page inspires you to start your own bookish adventures, which I hope to do with our book group as well!

For my full review come visit me at book journey: http://bookjourney.net/2015/01/26/off...

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Most of the cities she included I skimmed or skipped as I've little or no interest in going to them. I was pleased that she included Minneapolis/St. Paul in the book as Chicago would normally have been the only nod for midwestern trips.
I think Part 1, "Literary Travel Basics," was probably the key part though.
There are suggested itineraries for each location, suggested books about the area, and an overview of her experiences. If I ever get money I think it'd be fun to get some folks together and do the Minneapolis/St. Paul scene, even if I have no use for F. Scott Fitzgerald....
I was pleased when the author mentioned the Book Vault in Oskaloosa, IA, it was one of Mom's favorite independent book sellers. Plus it's right next to one of our favorite coffee shops, Smokey Row.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my pick for the best "literary travel guide" out there, primarily because Terri Peterson Smith travels the way I like to---selecting sites connected to literary themes, but editing them for genuine sightseeing value, and making time to take in the local color and eat, shop and sleep well. She reviews a limited list of fifteen destinations which she explains were chosen to be near a major airport, relatively walkable once you've arrived, and offer cultural and literary merit. She doesn't stick strictly to literary sights and usually the itineraries are doable in a long weekend. A great book to consult before you head to one of the locations in the book for reading and sightseeing suggestions, or to read for tips for planning literary travel anywhere.

[Deadlined · Rating 4 out of 5]

Off the Beaten Page: The Best Trips for Lit Lovers, Book Clubs, and Girls on Getaways Terri Peterson Smith

LJ Xpress Starred Review

Like many readers, I often enhance my travel by reading about a given destination. Sometimes I choose a travel site because I have read about it in a book, other times; I seek out literature to read before or during my scheduled trip. Off the Beaten Page makes it easy for avid readers to choose books which coordinate with their travels. The only flaw in the book, IMHO, is that it only covers 15 destinations.

[Lynne · Rating 1 out of 5]

I love the idea of this book. I love books, book clubs and travel. But this book just disappointed me. The itineraries were unimpressive especially with recommendations such as the one for New York City 5pm: Kick back at your hotel. Speaking of hotels, many of the hotel recommendations were Hiltons and Marriotts. What's so special about those and what did they have to do with any of the suggested books? Absolutely nothing.

[Melinda · Rating 3 out of 5]

One can read through this book quite quickly, it's more reference than something to cuddle up with on the sofa on a winter's night. I must second what the friend who gave it to me said "great, now I feel the need to quite working so that I can travel AND read". I plan to read several of the books mentioned in the Seattle chapter, we are headed there in September for a family wedding.

[Lynn Webster · Rating 4 out of 5]

Would recommend this book if you like books set in a certain part of the county, Boston, Miami, Seattle, Charleston, New York, Chicago. Unfortunately there is no chapter for Cleveland. The book also references where popular authors are from and literary places to visit. Great resource for a library vacation!

[Lois · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book suits two of my interests, reading and traveling. The book suggested books and itineraries for several different cities that book clubs or readers would enjoy. It also lists book festival months and various reading societies. It's a great reference and an interesting book

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a fabulous reference guide for book lists and travel ideas connected to authors, cities, and literature. Will refer to this often and hope to take a few lit trips too! Already made connections to books and places I've visited.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was fun to get to know cool, literary facts about various cities around the United States, but at the same time, unless you are right now in the market to go on a literary adventure, this book can be a little long and monotonous.

[Melissa Guimont · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great reference of good Book Club selections with accompanying locations to stimulate a conversation about the book you are discussing. I gathered a list of places to visit and books to read from this one.