One of the great pleasures of going on holidays is having the time to indulge in some holiday reading. A good book helps pass the time on long journeys and is an enjoyable way to brush up on your knowledge of the history, geography and culture of the country to which you are travelling. With its deep historical and cultural roots, Latin American literature offers a wealth of knowledge to readers whilst immersing the reader in rich storylines that capture the beauty of the Latin American landscape. Here are 5 of our favourites:

Lost World by Patricia Melo

Former contract killer and fugitive, Máiquel, sets out on a journey to avenge his ex-girlfriend's betrayal More...

Wherever your gap year travels take you and however enthralling the trip, there will be moments when a good book to read is just what you need. Whether it is to fill time whilst waiting for a departure, to relax in a quiet moment away from all the excitement or just to close the chapter on your day’s activity, finding room in your rucksack for that work of fiction is something you won’t regret.

Some people opt for a mighty tome to last, such as Tolstoi’s impressively humongous War and Peace or A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth, using the time away to embark on reading something that they haven’t found the opportunity to get through before. Others choose a slimmer volume, for example the cult classic Jack Kerouac’s On the Road or Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude, then look to trade it en route with fellow gappers when finished. Either way, something location specific can enhance a trip and inspire you with ideas and enthusiasms for your own travels. 

Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts is a current chunky favourite and is a modern-day saga based on a specific period of the author’s life. More...

This summer, Stanfords teamed up with literary magazine Litro, asking for your wildest and strangest holiday, adventure or travel experience in less than 201 words. In other words, we asked for your story on a postcard…

Now summer’s over, the team at Litro have sifted through the drifts of electronic ‘postcards’ you sent in and these lucky writers came out on top: More...

We get a thrill whenever we come across descriptions of the wonders of maps in the world of literature. It all started for us with the great Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who in The Hound of the Baskervilles has Sherlock Holmes describing the transporting power of a map, and even referring to Stanfords by name as his chosen source of cartographic inspiration.

Here, then, are a collection of the best quotes that we've compiled over the years - and you can be sure we'll be adding more whenever we make a new discovery - or add your own in the comments field at the bottom of the page...

James M Barrie
Prominent among the curses of civilisation is the map that folds up "convenient for the pocket." There are men who can do almost everything except shut a map. It is calculated that the energy wasted yearly in denouncing these maps to their face would build the Eiffel Tower in thirteen weeks.

Shutting a Map in An Auld Licht Manse and Other Sketches, page 113 (1893). Taken from Cartophilia (1980). More...