Anthony Bourdain is a world traveler who has had successful careers as a chef, TV host, and author.

He's also an adventurer who's done everything from mastering martial arts in Hong Kong to eating fermented shark in Iceland.

But where does he find inspiration?

We asked Bourdain, who currently hosts travel show “Parts Unknown” on CNN, to share some of his favorite books with us.

He kindly obliged, and shared some comments on why he loves these books so much.