May 24, 2024 – This summer I’m taking E.M. Forster’s 1908 novel A Room with a View with me to the beach on those long, hot days. If you’ve never read it or seen the wonderfulI 1985 film adaptation, now is the right time because amongst many other themes, the novel is about the transformative power of travel.

Set against the backdrop of the rigid social structures of Edwardian England and the enchanting, freeing landscapes of Italy, the story follows the journey of young Lucy Honeychurch as she navigates the constraints of her upbringing and discovers her true desires.

As Lucy travels Italy, a new world opens to her, one that is full of emotional liberation and self discovery, so very different from the world of tradition, order and restraint she was raised in. Her experiences in Italy awaken her to the possibilities of a life driven by passion and sincerity, rather than duty and decorum.

And along the way, the novel is peppered with a wonderful array of characters who pull Lucy in both directions as she struggles between the world she knows and the world that has been revealed to her. It has humor, it has romance, and it’s not very long—perfect for the beach.

I personally know how transformative travel can be. The way it can open us to new perspectives and ideas, I’ve found that the discoveries we make on vacation can be much more internal than external, leading to an awakening that lasts with you long after you return home. And that’s why I love A Room with a View. Not only does it paint a beautiful picture of traveling in Italy—and the English countryside—we get to experience through Lucy how travel can be a powerful catalyst for the journey in our life ahead of us.