A Few Classic Stories of Travelers or Wanderers

I'm of the belief that if you look closely at any given fictional book there is a traveler seeking something, even if they don't know it. From children stories like the Wizard of Oz, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, or The Chronicles of Narnia; to adult stories, my favorites being Lord of the Rings, and even more mainstream Stephen King, his Salem's Lot for instance, then to Science Fiction, perhaps Ray Bradbury's The Illustrated Man, you will find a wanderer.

Mark Twain was a master of his craft in both fiction and non-fiction, from tales of wandering boys in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, or the funny, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, to his own autobiography.

Even in non-fiction, you'll find entertaining tales of individuals who decided to go off the beaten path. They share stories of their travels that enlighten and entertain. Peter Mayle for instance wrote delightful tales of his experiences in the south of France, in his series A Year in Provence.

While I have many favorites, if someone asked me about my favorite story of a traveler or wanderer I'd have to say it would be The Story of the Other Wise Man by Henry Van Dyke, which I highly recommend.

This is a little book, written in 1895, containing five short chapters which I recommend reading in one sitting. When I read it the first time, I read it over a period of a week which I don't think added to what this book had to offer. I did read this book a second time because it is well worth the read.

I won't tell you much about this book, since I'm not one to spoil your fun, except that the fourth wise man, due to his kind-heartedness didn't make it to the meeting place where he was to join the other three. In fact, he made it to Bethlehem after baby Jesus and his family had already moved on. He missed the King for whom the treasures he had brought were to be given.

His journey does not end there. This is a book with an ending that I can't tell you. It ends with a TWIST! It shares with us a message for any time of the year. The journey of the fourth wise man is one I encourage us all to take.