In spite of Alice Walker's illustrious career in sales, over 10 million books worldwide, writing wasn't her first career choice.

NPR: Walker's 'The Color Purple' Opens on Broadway

The books, naturally, present only our successes: outings that take the walker into apparently unspoiled landscapes and endlessly fabulous local cuisine.

WSJ: James Lasdun on the Dark Side of Writing Travel Books | Traveler's Tale