The best examples of fiction books that take you around the world

Examples of fiction books that take you around the world through one sweeping story

Some of the best examples of fiction books that take you around the world are the big, sweeping novels that drag you across continents in a single narrative arc. You start in one country, blink, and suddenly you’re halfway around the globe with the same characters.

Take “Shantaram” by Gregory David Roberts. You begin in Australia with a prison escape, but most of the novel unfolds in the chaotic, cinematic streets of Mumbai. From there, the book drags you through the slums, the criminal underworld, and even to Afghanistan during the Soviet–Afghan conflict. It’s long, messy, and often debated, but as an example of fiction that makes you feel like you’ve actually lived in another country, it’s hard to beat.

Another standout example of a globe‑spanning story is “The Shadow of the Wind” by Carlos Ruiz Zafón and the rest of his Cemetery of Forgotten Books series. While most of the story is rooted in Barcelona, it constantly gestures outward — to war‑torn Europe, to the aftermath of conflict, to the way stories and secrets cross borders. It’s a good example of how a book can feel global even when most of the action stays in one place, because the characters and their histories are scattered across nations.

Then there’s “Pachinko” by Min Jin Lee, which begins in a small Korean fishing village in the early 1900s and follows a family as they move to Japan. Generations later, you’re still with them, watching how history, migration, and discrimination shape their lives. You’re not just hopping locations for scenery; you’re watching how leaving one country and building a life in another changes everything.

These stories are some of the best examples of fiction books that take you around the world by following a single thread of characters as they migrate, flee, fall in love, or chase opportunity across borders.

Examples of examples of fiction books that take you around the world via multiple timelines and perspectives

If you like your travel with a side of time‑hopping, there are powerful examples of examples of fiction books that take you around the world through shifting perspectives and eras.

“The Night Circus” by Erin Morgenstern is a great example of this. On the surface, it’s a fantasy about a magical circus, but that circus travels — London, Paris, and other European cities — and the book shifts between timelines and locations so fluidly that you feel as if you’re on tour with the performers. You’re never quite sure where or when you’ll land next.

A more grounded but equally transportive example is “Homegoing” by Yaa Gyasi. This novel doesn’t just take you around the world; it takes you across centuries. It starts in 18th‑century Ghana with two half‑sisters whose fates diverge — one remains in West Africa, the other is sold into slavery and shipped to the United States. Each chapter follows a new descendant, moving between Ghana and America through wars, colonization, the Great Migration, and mass incarceration. The book becomes a living map of the Atlantic world.

Similarly, “The Garden of Evening Mists” by Tan Twan Eng transports you between Malaya (now Malaysia), Japan, and the lingering shadows of World War II. Memory itself becomes a kind of travel, pulling you from colonial tea estates to Japanese gardens designed by a former imperial gardener.

These are powerful examples of fiction books that take you around the world not by racing through airports, but by letting time and memory carry you across borders.

Modern examples of fiction books that take you around the world with 2024–2025 vibes

In the last few years, there’s been a noticeable surge in globally minded fiction — books that treat the world like one big, messy neighborhood. Recent prize lists and bestseller charts are full of real examples of novels that move between countries, cultures, and languages.

One standout is “The Atlas Six” by Olivie Blake and its sequels. While it’s shelved as fantasy, it’s also a world tour: characters come from all over the globe — the U.S., the U.K., Brazil, Libya, and beyond — and the story hops between London, New York, and hidden magical archives that feel like they could be tucked under any major city. It mirrors our hyperconnected, international world, where a group chat can span five time zones.

Another contemporary example of fiction that feels like an international flight manifest is “Beautiful World, Where Are You” by Sally Rooney. On paper, it’s a quiet novel about relationships, but in practice you’re bouncing between Dublin, rural Ireland, and Rome. The characters’ emails and conversations fold in global politics, climate anxiety, and culture in a way that makes the world feel very present, even when the scenes are intimate.

Then there’s “The Mountains Sing” by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai, which traces a Vietnamese family through decades of conflict and upheaval. While much of the story is set in Vietnam, its emotional and historical reach extends to the Vietnamese diaspora, refugees, and the way war sends people scattering around the globe. It pairs well with nonfiction accounts of migration and conflict; for readers who want deeper context, organizations like the U.S. Institute of Peace provide accessible background on conflicts and peacebuilding.

Literary awards and reading lists in 2024–2025 increasingly highlight these globally aware novels. For example, the National Endowment for the Arts regularly features international and immigrant‑authored fiction in its reading resources, signaling just how hungry readers are for stories that cross borders.

Best examples of fiction books that take you around the world through travel itself

Sometimes the story doesn’t just happen to move between countries — travel is the whole point. These are the best examples of fiction books that take you around the world when you want to feel like you’re on the road yourself.

“Around the World in Eighty Days” by Jules Verne is the classic example of this kind of story. Yes, it’s old. Yes, it’s full of 19th‑century assumptions and attitudes. But it’s literally built around a bet to circle the globe, and you follow Phileas Fogg by steamship, train, and elephant through Europe, the Middle East, India, East Asia, and North America. It’s one of the original examples of fiction books that take you around the world in a very literal, itinerary‑driven way.

A more modern, emotionally rich example is “Eat, Pray, Love” by Elizabeth Gilbert. Often shelved as memoir, it reads like a novel and has influenced a whole wave of travel fiction and travel‑inspired storytelling. You move with Gilbert from New York to Italy, India, and Indonesia as she chases pleasure, spirituality, and balance. It helped popularize the idea of travel as self‑reinvention — for better or worse.

If you want something darker, “The Beach” by Alex Garland drops you into Thailand with a backpacker chasing the myth of a perfect, secret island. From Bangkok’s chaos to the hidden beach, it explores what happens when travel fantasies collide with reality and human nature. It’s a sharp example of fiction that questions the whole idea of “finding yourself” abroad.

These books are real examples of how fiction can turn travel itself into plot: airports become crossroads of fate, visas become obstacles, and maps become narrative skeletons.

Examples include global crime, mystery, and thrillers

You don’t have to read literary fiction to tour the planet. Some of the most fun examples of examples of fiction books that take you around the world are crime novels and thrillers that hop borders as easily as their villains.

“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” series by Stieg Larsson and David Lagercrantz starts in Sweden but quickly becomes international, touching on global finance, international crime, and digital surveillance. You get moody Scandinavian landscapes, yes, but also a sense of how crime syndicates and corporations operate across borders.

“The Bourne Identity” by Robert Ludlum (and its sequels) is another classic example. Jason Bourne wakes up with amnesia and spends the rest of the series sprinting through European capitals, North Africa, and beyond. The plot is pure adrenaline, but it also gives you a crash course in embassies, safe houses, and the shadowy geography of espionage.

More recently, authors like Louise Penny (with her Inspector Gamache novels) and Tana French (with her Dublin Murder Squad series) focus more tightly on one country, but their books often reference international connections, from art theft to cross‑border crime. They show how even local mysteries are entangled in a global web.

These are good examples of fiction books that take you around the world while also scratching that itch for puzzles, secrets, and late‑night “just one more chapter” suspense.

Literary examples of fiction books that take you around the world and into culture

Some novels don’t just move between countries; they immerse you in language, food, history, and culture so thoroughly that you come away feeling like you’ve lived there.

“Americanah” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is one of the best examples here. You follow Ifemelu from Nigeria to the United States and back again. The book toggles between Lagos, small‑town America, and cities like Philadelphia, exploring race, identity, and the immigrant experience. You see how a person can feel both at home and out of place in multiple countries at once.

“The Kite Runner” by Khaled Hosseini takes you from Afghanistan to the United States and back. Kabul’s streets, California’s suburbs, refugee journeys — they’re all rendered in a way that makes geography inseparable from guilt, loyalty, and redemption. For readers curious about the real‑world context, agencies like the U.S. Department of State provide country background notes that pair well with this kind of fiction.

In “Exit West” by Mohsin Hamid, you move through a series of cities — a fictional Middle Eastern country, Mykonos, London, Marin County — via mysterious doors that function like magical refugee routes. It’s one of the most inventive examples of fiction books that take you around the world while grappling with migration, borders, and belonging.

These novels don’t just show you landmarks; they let you sit at kitchen tables, ride crowded buses, listen to arguments, and feel what it’s like to inhabit multiple cultures at once.

How to find your own best examples of fiction books that take you around the world

Once you start looking, you’ll see global fiction everywhere. To uncover more examples of fiction books that take you around the world:

• Browse international and translated fiction sections at your library or bookstore.
• Check prize lists that highlight global voices, like the Booker Prize or National Book Award for Translated Literature.
• Explore reading lists from universities; many English and world literature syllabi (often posted on .edu sites) point to real examples of cross‑border storytelling.

If you’re curious about how reading internationally set fiction affects empathy and cultural understanding, organizations like the National Endowment for the Humanities often fund and highlight research and programs on literature and global awareness.

The more you read beyond your own borders, the more the world starts to feel both bigger and more connected.

FAQ: Examples of fiction books that take you around the world

Q: What are some easy-to-read examples of fiction books that take you around the world for beginners?
If you’re just starting, try “Around the World in Eighty Days” (classic but very readable), “The Kite Runner,” or “The Night Circus.” All three are accessible, plot‑driven, and offer strong senses of place without overwhelming you with dense prose.

Q: Can you give an example of a short novel that still feels global?
“Exit West” by Mohsin Hamid is a compact novel that moves through multiple countries. “The Garden of Evening Mists” is another example of a relatively short book with a wide historical and geographical reach.

Q: Are there examples of fiction books that take you around the world that are also good for book clubs?
Absolutely. “Americanah,” “Homegoing,” “Pachinko,” and “Eat, Pray, Love” are all strong examples that spark conversation about identity, migration, privilege, and culture. Many come with discussion guides from publishers or reading programs, which you can often find through library or .org sites.

Q: Do these globally set novels reflect real places accurately?
It varies. Some authors draw heavily on lived experience and meticulous research, while others bend reality for storytelling. If accuracy matters to you, pairing fiction with nonfiction or trusted resources (such as .gov or .edu country profiles) can give you a fuller picture.

Q: Where can I find more examples of fiction books that take you around the world?
Check your local library’s staff picks, look at international fiction prize lists, and explore university reading lists posted online. Many public and academic libraries in the U.S. share curated global reading guides that highlight real examples of internationally set fiction.