The Thomas Cook Travel Book Award originated as an initiative of

Thomas Cook AG Thomas Cook AG was an Anglo-German, global travel group. The group had its headquarters in Rochdale, and sold products such as package holidays and flights through its 3 in-house airlines. On 19 June 2007, the group merged with MyTravel Group ...

in 1980, with the aim of encouraging and rewarding the art of literary travel writing. The awards stopped in 2005 (2004 being the last year an award was given). As of 2008, the only other travel book award in Britain is the Dolman Best Travel Book Award, begun in 2006.

Winners

Source: *2004, Richard Grant, ''Ghost Riders: Travels with American Nomads'' *2003,

Jenny Diski Jenny Diski FRSL (née Simmonds; 8 July 1947 – 28 April 2016) was an English writer. She had a troubled childhood, but was taken in and mentored by the novelist Doris Lessing; she lived in Lessing's house for four years. Diski was educated a ...

, ''Stranger on a Train: Daydreaming and Smoking around America With Interruptions'' *2002, Ma Jian, ''Red Dust: A Path Through China'' *2001, Stanley Stewart, ''In the Empire of Genghis Khan: An Amazing Odyssey Through the Lands of the Most Feared Conquerors in History'' *2000, Jason Elliot, '' An Unexpected Light: Travels in Afghanistan'' *1999,

Philip Marsden Philip Marsden, also known as Philip Marsden-Smedley (born 11 May 1961), is an English travel writer and novelist. Born in Bristol, England, Marsden has a degree in anthropology and worked for some years for '' The Spectator'' magazine. He became ...

, ''The Spirit-Wrestlers: A Russian Journey'' *1998, Tim Mackintosh-Smith, ''Yemen:Travels in Dictionary Land'' *1997,

Nicholas Crane Nicholas Crane (born 6 May 1954) is an English geographer, explorer, writer and broadcaster. Since 2004 he has written and presented four television series for BBC Two: ''Coast'', ''Great British Journeys'', '' Map Man'' and ''Town''. Early ...

, ''Clear Waters Rising: A Mountain Walk Across Europe'' *1996, Stanley Stewart, ''Frontiers of Heaven: A Journey to the End of China'' *1995, Gavin Bell, ''In Search of Tusitala: Travels in the Pacific After Robert Louis Stevenson'' *1994,

William Dalrymple William Dalrymple may refer to: * William Dalrymple (1678–1744), Scottish Member of Parliament * William Dalrymple (moderator) (1723–1814), Scottish minister and religious writer * William Dalrymple (British Army officer) (1736–1807), Scott ...

, '' City of Djinns'' *1993, Nick Cohn, ''The Heart of the World'' *1992, Norman Lewis, ''A Goddess in the Stones: Travels in India'' *1991, co-winners: **

Jonathan Raban Jonathan Raban (born 14 June 1942, Hempton, Norfolk, England) is a British travel writer, critic, and novelist. He has received several awards, such as the National Book Critics Circle Award, The Royal Society of Literature's Heinemann Award, ...

, '' Hunting Mister Heartbreak: A Discovery of America'' **

Gavin Young Gavin David Young (24 April 1928 – 18 January 2001) was a journalist and travel writer. He was born in Bude, Cornwall, England. His father, Gavin Young, was a lieutenant colonel in the Welsh Guards. Daphne, his mother, was the daughter of Sir C ...

, ''In Search of Conrad'' *1990, Mark Hudson, ''Our Grandmothers’ Drums'' *1989,

Paul Theroux Paul Edward Theroux (born April 10, 1941) is an American novelist and travel writer who has written numerous books, including the travelogue, '' The Great Railway Bazaar'' (1975). Some of his works of fiction have been adapted as feature films. He ...

, '' Riding the Iron Rooster'' *1988,

Colin Thubron Colin Gerald Dryden Thubron, FRAS (born 14 June 1939) is a British travel writer and novelist. In 2008, ''The Times'' ranked him among the 50 greatest postwar British writers. He is a contributor to ''The New York Review of Books'',Patrick Leigh Fermor Sir Patrick Michael Leigh Fermor (11 February 1915 – 10 June 2011) was an English writer, scholar, soldier and polyglot. He played a prominent role in the Cretan resistance during the Second World War, and was widely seen as Britain's greate ...

, ''Between the Woods & the Water'' *1985,

Patrick Marnham Patrick Marnham is an English writer, journalist and biographer. He was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society Literature in 1988. He is primarily known for his travel writing and for his biographies, where he has covered subjects as diverse as D ...

, ''So Far From God: Journey to Central America'' *1984, Geoffrey Moorhouse, ''To The Frontier'' *1983,

Vikram Seth Vikram Seth (born 20 June 1952) is an Indian novelist and poet. He has written several novels and poetry books. He has won several awards such as Padma Shri, Sahitya Academy Award, Pravasi Bharatiya Samman, WH Smith Literary Award and Cro ...

, ''From Heaven Lake: Travels Through Sinkiang and Tibet'' *1982,

Tim Severin Timothy Severin (25 September 1940 – 18 December 2020) was a British explorer, historian, and writer. Severin was noted for his work in retracing the legendary journeys of historical figures. Severin was awarded both the Founder's Medal ...

, ''The Sinbad Voyage'' *1981,

, '' Old Glory: An American Voyage'' *1980,

Robyn Davidson Robyn Davidson (born 6 September 1950) is an Australian writer best known for her 1980 book ''Tracks'', about her 2,700 km (1,700 miles) trek across the deserts of Western Australia using camels. Her career of travelling and writing about ...

, ''Tracks''

References

External links

*{{webarchive , url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050829195512/http://www.thomascookpublishing.com/travelbookawards.htm , date=August 29, 2005 , title=Thomas Cook Travel Book Award Travel writing British non-fiction literary awards Awards established in 1980 1980 establishments in the United Kingdom Awards disestablished in 2004 2004 disestablishments in the United Kingdom