Strong Sense of Place | Travel Through Books

In this episode, we get excited about two new books: 'Revenge of the Librarians' by Tom Gauld and 'The Milky Way: An Autobiography of Our Galaxy' by Moiya McTier. Then Dave talks about a website that provides 'emotional spoilers' for movies and TV. BOOKS Revenge of the Librarians by Tom Gauld https://bit.ly/3rW9XBW The Little Wooden Robot and the Log Princess by Tom Gauld https://bit.ly/3yFUMjY Department of Mind-Blowing Theories by Tom Gauld https://bit.ly/3VpyXPA The Milky Way: An Autobiography of Our Galaxy by Moiya McTier https://bit.ly/3Vqc0f7 ** DISTRACTION OF THE WEEK ** DoestheDogDie.com https://bit.ly/3rW1vmj Review on The Wildest https://bit.ly/3CyY21T Transcript of this episode https://bit.ly/3ELfXFg The Library of Lost Time is a Strong Sense of Place Production! https://strongsenseofplace.com Do you enjoy our show? Want access to fun bonus content? Please support our work on Patreon. Every little bit helps us keep the show going and makes us feel warm and fuzzy inside - https://www.patreon.com/strongsenseofplace As always, you can follow us at: Our web site at Strong Sense of Place Patreon Twitter Instagram Facebook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we get excited about two new books: 'The Whalebone Theatre' by Joanna Quinn and 'The Hero of This Book' by Elizabeth McCracken. Then Mel shares her enthusiasm for cookies made by cloistered nuns in Spain. BOOKS The Whalebone Theatre by Joanna Quinn https://bit.ly/3CZWvDD The Hero of This Book by Elizabeth McCracken https://bit.ly/3g9nx28 The Giant's House by Elizabeth McCracken https://bit.ly/3TjaLwv DISTRACTION OF THE WEEK Cloistered Cookies Video https://youtu.be/WbmUdXTSAGs Boing Boing article about Nun Cookies https://bit.ly/2CdeuHs Strong Sense of Place on Instagram https://bit.ly/3EHsbyF Transcript of this episode https://bit.ly/3MLK7KN The Library of Lost Time is a Strong Sense of Place Production! https://strongsenseofplace.com Do you enjoy our show? Want access to fun bonus content? Please support our work on Patreon. Every little bit helps us keep the show going and makes us feel warm and fuzzy inside - https://www.patreon.com/strongsenseofplace As always, you can follow us at: Our web site at Strong Sense of Place Patreon Twitter Instagram Facebook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we get excited about two new books: 'The Sleeping Car Porter' by Suzette Mayr and 'Such Sharp Teeth' by Rachel Harrison. Then Dave explains why we should all book a trip asap to Prince Edward Island to explore The Island Walk. BOOKS The Sleeping Car Porter by Suzette Mayr https://bit.ly/3TmZjQB The Widows by Suzette Mayr https://amzn.to/3CxEwmf Venous Hum by Suzette Mayr https://bit.ly/3eqHq4j Such Sharp Teeth by Rachel Harrison https://bit.ly/3T8QFVE Cackle by Rachel Harrison https://bit.ly/3g09BHQ DISTRACTION OF THE WEEK The Island Walk https://theislandwalk.ca/ Travel & Leisure review https://bit.ly/3yxUsUn SSoP Ep. 42 — Atlantic Canada: For There Blow Some Cold Nor'westers on the Banks of Newfoundland https://bit.ly/3RW7uSv Transcript of this episode https://bit.ly/3EEN51t The Library of Lost Time is a Strong Sense of Place Production! https://strongsenseofplace.com Do you enjoy our show? Want access to fun bonus content? Please support our work on Patreon. Every little bit helps us keep the show going and makes us feel warm and fuzzy inside - https://www.patreon.com/strongsenseofplace As always, you can follow us at: Our web site at Strong Sense of Place Patreon Twitter Instagram Facebook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we get excited about two books, one backlist and one new: 'Wakenhyrst' by Michelle Paver and 'This Is What It Sounds Like: What the Music You Love Says About You' by Susan Rogers. Then Dave shares three reasons to put the tiny country of San Marino on your must-visit list. BOOKS Wakenhyrst by Michelle Paver https://amzn.to/3Ro6ZR8 This Is What It Sounds Like: What the Music You Love Says About You by Susan Rogers https://bit.ly/3LRi9MV DISTRACTION OF THE WEEK San Marino on Wikipedia (Crossbow Corps!) https://bit.ly/3y1fomC Museum of Vampires and Lycanthropes https://bit.ly/3Rv9D7O Kitsch or Cool? Museo dei Vampiri in San Marino https://bit.ly/3CkRqoM Dark Matter by Michelle Paver https://bit.ly/3xYeJCo SSoP Podcast Episode 28 — Arctic: Otherworldly Beauty That Might Kill You https://bit.ly/3Rl3ISv Transcript of this episode https://bit.ly/3dYdvjH The Library of Lost Time is a Strong Sense of Place Production! https://strongsenseofplace.com Do you enjoy our show? Want access to fun bonus content? Please support our work on Patreon. Every little bit helps us keep the show going and makes us feel warm and fuzzy inside - https://www.patreon.com/strongsenseofplace Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we get excited about two new book releases: 'The Most Likely Club' by Elyssa Friedland and 'The English Understand Wool' by Helen DeWitt. Then Mel tells the twisty story of 'Rebecca The Musical' on Broadway. BOOKS The Most Likely Club by Elyssa Friedland https://bit.ly/3dSlbnG The English Understand Wool by Helen DeWitt https://bit.ly/3y4cr4J ** DISTRACTION OF THE WEEK ** Reddit explainer https://bit.ly/3RnFZkP The Guardian on the fraud https://bit.ly/3RnEiU8 Documentary https://youtu.be/roIueOG7_N4 Promo video for Broadway https://youtu.be/B-SZOwrhTds Promo video for Vienna https://youtu.be/W_zJ0vOWQRg Transcript of this episode https://bit.ly/3SpYkPe The Library of Lost Time is a Strong Sense of Place Production! https://strongsenseofplace.com Do you enjoy our show? Want access to fun bonus content? Please support our work on Patreon. Every little bit helps us keep the show going and makes us feel warm and fuzzy inside - https://www.patreon.com/strongsenseofplace Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you ever feel like Italy is just showing off just a bit? It's literally got the best of both worlds, surrounded by the sea and graced with mountains (hello, Italian Alps, Dolomites, and Apennines), woodlands, and hills, including the famous seven of Rome. The climate is ideal for growing lovely things like figs, almonds, olives, grapes, and... romance. What's more romantic than sweethearts riding a Vespa under the moonlight? Or a spritz sipped under a beach umbrella on the Italian Riviera? A dip in the Adriatic, a stroll in the Tuscan sunshine, a run down a slope in the Italian Alps — these are the things of which dreams are made. Which leads us to this fact: Italy has the third highest life expectancy in Europe: 83.5 years of living la dolce vita, the sweet life. The food, the wine, the weather, the language, the history; it's an embarrassment of riches, and we're all the better for it. In this episode, we discuss everything that makes Italy one of the most enchanting places on Earth. We get curious about the world's largest rock band and a possibly cursed village, daydream about eating pasta carbonara in Rome, and cross the sea to Sicily. Then we recommend great books that took us there on the page: The Invitation by Lucy Foley - https://bit.ly/3QYEd9l Trieste and the Meaning of Nowhere by Jan Morris - https://bit.ly/3QZu7Fp Cinnamon and Salt: Ciccheti in Venice by Emiko Davies - https://bit.ly/3xFjJvI Galileo's Daughter: A Drama of Science, Faith and Love by Dava Sobel - https://bit.ly/3Lv5nDz Still Life by Sarah Winman - https://bit.ly/3Sf2jxG A Room with a View - https://bit.ly/3DOFhd5 For more on the books we recommend, plus the other cool stuff we talk about, visit show notes at http://strongsenseofplace.com/podcasts/2022-09-26-italy Do you enjoy our show? Do you want access to awesome bonus content? Please support our work on Patreon! Every little bit helps us keep the show going and makes us feel warm and fuzzy inside - https://www.patreon.com/strongsenseofplace As always, you can follow us at: Our web site at Strong Sense of Place Patreon Twitter Instagram Facebook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we get excited about two new book releases: 'Duran Duran: Careless Memories' by Denis O'Regan and 'The Slow Road to Tehran: A Revelatory Bike Ride Through Europe and the Middle East' by Rebecca Lowe. Then Dave highlights three books he was excited to see honored with Hugo Awards for sci-fi. BOOKS Duran Duran: Careless Memories by Denis O'Regan https://bit.ly/duranduranbook The Slow Road to Tehran: A Revelatory Bike Ride Through Europe and the Middle East by Rebecca Lowe https://bit.ly/3RgZvPX DISTRACTION OF THE WEEK Complete list of 2022 Hugo Award winners https://bit.ly/3Lu4Zp7 A Desolation Called Peace by Arkady Martine https://bit.ly/3xGUUj3 A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers https://bit.ly/3xJ9ir0 Beowulf: A New Translation by Maria Dahvana Headley https://bit.ly/3duURzV Never Say You Can't Survive by Charlie Jane Anders https://bit.ly/3DIprR1 On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King https://bit.ly/3DGtwoS Watch 25 literary luminaries (Neil Gaiman, Robin Sloane, Felicia Day, Alan Cumming!) read the new translation of _Beowulf_ by Maria Dahvana Headley https://bit.ly/3favljW Transcript of this episode https://bit.ly/3DLZKz8 The Library of Lost Time is a Strong Sense of Place Production! https://strongsenseofplace.com Do you enjoy our show? Want access to fun bonus content? Please support our work on Patreon. Every little bit helps us keep the show going and makes us feel warm and fuzzy inside - https://www.patreon.com/strongsenseofplace As always, you can follow us at: Our web site at Strong Sense of Place Patreon Twitter Instagram Facebook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we get excited about two new book releases: 'Ten Things I Hate About Me' by Joe Tracini and 'Thistlefoot' by Gennarose Nethercott. Then Mel explains how the Sleep Stories in the Calm app have taken her on adventures around the world. BOOKS Ten Things I Hate About Me by Joe Tracini https://bit.ly/3LhYXYH Thistlefoot by Gennarose Nethercott https://bit.ly/3LeUF4f ** DISTRACTION OF THE WEEK ** Follow Joe Tracini on Twitter - https://twitter.com/joetracini Enjoy his rap about bipolar personality disorder - https://bit.ly/3LfjNYx Watch a dance video on YouTube - https://youtu.be/a5AUetoXKMo Listen to a podcast interview with Joe - https://apple.co/3LeYia8 Read a profile of Joe in The Guardian - https://bit.ly/3Upig6z Learn more about the Calm app - https://www.calm.com/ Visit the website for Erik Braa - https://www.erikbraa.com Transcript of this episode https://bit.ly/3RKsWKV The Library of Lost Time is a Strong Sense of Place Production! https://strongsenseofplace.com Do you enjoy our show? Want access to fun bonus content? Please support our work on Patreon. Every little bit helps us keep the show going and makes us feel warm and fuzzy inside - https://www.patreon.com/strongsenseofplace As always, you can follow us at: Our web site at Strong Sense of Place Patreon Twitter Instagram Facebook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Secret corridors, hidden rooms, and trapdoors are the stuff of adventure and romance. Egyptian pyramids riddled with underground chambers and booby traps. An English country house with a priest hole and a trick bookcase. A speakeasy with a sliding panel that leads to a brothel and a gambling parlor. Who wouldn't want to go exploring?! And where would Gothic storytelling be without the secret passage in Horace Walpole's 'The Castle of Otranto?' Or the hidden door to the attic in 'Jane Eyre' that's protecting an epic secret? If your childhood was shaped by reading the enchanting adventures in 'The Secret Garden' and 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland,' or by solving the mystery of 'The Hidden Staircase' with Nancy Drew, this show is for you. In this episode, we discuss an amazing book heist from an ancient French monastery, debate if Ben Franklin was a werewolf hunter, get lost in the Mansion on O Street, and daydream about living in the New York Public Library. Then we recommend great books that lured us into magical portals, dangerous tunnels, secret passages, and other hidden spaces that prove irresistible. Here are the books we discuss in the show: A Dangerous Collaboration by Deanna Raybourn https://bit.ly/3cLkQm3 The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow https://bit.ly/3AGfsJ7 Tunnel 29 by Helena Merriman https://bit.ly/3Ry21li Underground by Will Hunt https://bit.ly/3CQjyB5 The Kingdoms by Natasha Pulley https://bit.ly/3TG18ZR For more on the books we recommend, plus the other cool stuff we talk about, visit show notes at http://strongsenseofplace.com/podcasts/2022-09-12-secret-passages Do you enjoy our show? Do you want access to awesome bonus content? Please support our work on Patreon! Every little bit helps us keep the show going and makes us feel warm and fuzzy inside - https://www.patreon.com/strongsenseofplace As always, you can follow us at: Our web site at Strong Sense of Place Patreon Twitter Instagram Facebook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we get excited about two new book releases: 'Killers of a Certain Age' by Deanna Raybourn and 'Fairy Tale' by Stephen King. Then Mel takes us around Europe with the Polish street artist Nespoon. BOOKS Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn https://bit.ly/3RBg1dW Fairy Tale by Stephen King https://bit.ly/3AVh01I DISTRACTION OF THE WEEK The Library of Lost Time https://bit.ly/3PIqMd8 NeSpoon on Instagram https://bit.ly/3ql5GHj NeSpoon on YouTube https://bit.ly/3BeS6M8 NeSpoon website https://nespoon.art Video of the mural at the Museum of Lace and Fashion https://youtu.be/XeFNYiYC0VE More about the square in Belorado, Spain https://bit.ly/3RmCL1s German video (with some English) featuring NeSpoon's various works https://youtu.be/ehh5A0AW-p4 Colossal magazine https://bit.ly/3etn6PC Five questions with NeSpoon https://bit.ly/3euaeZD Transcript of this episode https://bit.ly/3cNqmoy The Library of Lost Time is a Strong Sense of Place Production! https://strongsenseofplace.com Do you enjoy our show? Want access to fun bonus content? Please support our work on Patreon. Every little bit helps us keep the show going and makes us feel warm and fuzzy inside - https://www.patreon.com/strongsenseofplace As always, you can follow us at: Our web site at Strong Sense of Place Patreon Twitter Instagram Facebook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we get excited about two new book releases: 'these are the words' by Nikita Gill and 'Daisy Darker' by Alice Feeney. Then Dave explains the delightful tradition of newcomers to Newfoundland being ScreechedIn. BOOKS these are the words by Nikita Gill https://amzn.to/3q2wY5f Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney https://bit.ly/3Q64Etd DISTRACTION OF THE WEEK The Library of Lost Time https://bit.ly/3PIqMd8 Newfoundland Screech on Wikipedia https://bit.ly/3wO9SmO On Atlas Obscura https://bit.ly/3R9n3qB Two excellent videos https://youtu.be/-bEPBx4E1aY https://youtu.be/3cI4vSqbMLE Video of Conan O'Brian getting screeched by Natasha Henstridge https://youtu.be/d3bD7427Nqc Our podcast episode about Atlantic Canada https://bit.ly/3CPgwwN Transcript of this episode https://bit.ly/3cHjfxS The Library of Lost Time is a Strong Sense of Place Production! https://strongsenseofplace.com Do you enjoy our show? Want access to fun bonus content? Please support our work on Patreon. Every little bit helps us keep the show going and makes us feel warm and fuzzy inside - https://www.patreon.com/strongsenseofplace As always, you can follow us at: Our web site at Strong Sense of Place Patreon Twitter Instagram Facebook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Close your eyes and imagine it: Craggy coastlines with the rumble of crashing surf, sand dunes shaped by the wind off the Atlantic, maybe a lonely lighthouse, and lots of green. The air is bracing, carrying the scent of pine and the sea. Atlantic Canada comprises four provinces: Newfoundland and Labrador, plus the three Maritime provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island, also known as PEI. Lumped together for convenience, each province has its own quirks and charm. You might visit the colorful fishing villages in Nova Scotia or go kayaking in the Bay of Fundy. If Anne Shirley tops your list of best literary heroines, you'll definitely want to make a pilgrimage to PEI. And for Viking lore and teeth-rattling wind — plus puffins, iceberg sightings, and the northern lights — Newfoundland is the place to be. Wherever you land, you're enveloped in the fathomless blue of the sky and sea. It's a dramatic landscape with hardy people and a long history of compelling stories. In this episode, we talk about the lure of buried treasure, pick up a bit of Newfoundland slang, plan a getaway to a posh island hotel, and discuss practically sentient weather. Then we recommend five great books that took us to Atlantic Canada on the page: Crow by Amy Spurway https://bit.ly/3QBrD0r Galore by Michael Crummy https://bit.ly/3PtOrhh My Darling Detective by Howard Norman https://bit.ly/3waEWNo The Boat Who Wouldn't Float by Farley Mowat https://bit.ly/3pr2Y2U The Shipping News by Annie Proulx https://bit.ly/3wd40mR As always, you can follow us at: Our web site at Strong Sense of Place Patreon Twitter Instagram Facebook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we get excited about two new book releases: 'Portrait of an Unknown Woman' by Daniel Silva and 'A Dreadful Splendor' by B.R. Myers. Then Mel explains why she's smitten with Detective Inspector Jimmy Pérez and the Shetland TV series, based on the books by Ann Cleeves. BOOKS Portrait of an Unknown Woman by Daniel Silva https://bit.ly/3PCaF0I A Dreadful Splendor by B.R. Myers https://bit.ly/3CuX6gN DISTRACTION OF THE WEEK The Library of Lost Time https://bit.ly/3PIqMd8 Raven Black by Ann Cleeves https://bit.ly/3wqCSRj Interview with Ann Cleeves https://bit.ly/3pEs0LW Shetland: An Epic Landscape with a Viking Soul https://bit.ly/3Cq55M3 Video: Ann Cleeves' Shetland https://youtu.be/AAInlBT32w8 'Shetland' on Amazon Prime https://amzn.to/3Kb59AS Transcript of this episode https://bit.ly/3PIqMd8 The Library of Lost Time is a Strong Sense of Place Production! https://strongsenseofplace.com Do you enjoy our show? Want access to fun bonus content? Please support our work on Patreon. Every little bit helps us keep the show going and makes us feel warm and fuzzy inside - https://www.patreon.com/strongsenseofplace As always, you can follow us at: Our web site at Strong Sense of Place Patreon Twitter Instagram Facebook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Perched where East meets West, Turkey was once a stopover on the Silk Road, connecting the cultures of Europe and the Balkans to exotic Eastern locales. That explains why its history has as many layers as a piece of baklava. The invaders are a greatest hits list of big names: the Greeks, the Byzantine Empire, the Fourth Crusade, and the Ottoman Empire (and its Janissaries). Then WWI and the birth of a new nation: The Republic of Turkey, with westward-gazing Atatürk at the helm. Now, this stunningly beautiful country is a dreamy holiday destination. There are beaches on the Black, Aegean, and Mediterranean Seas to immerse you in soothing waters. Enjoy colorful Turkish cuisine with strong tea and coffee to fuel your adventures. Listen to slinky, rhythmic folk music, have a soak at a hammam (Turkish bath), and meet friendly locals with a charming predilection for chit-chat. For centuries, travelers have been enchanted by the Istanbul skyline and the romantic Bosphorous Strait. But don't sleep on sights outside that fabled city, like the hot air balloons and otherworldly terrain of Cappadocia, the ancient ruins of the Library of Pergamum, and Gaziantep with the sweet scent of baklava bakeries floating in the air. In this episode, we romp through the Byzantine Empire, get gossipy about the Turkish language, and celebrate sweet words of devotion. Then we recommend five books that took us to Turkey on the page: Three Daughters of Eve by Elif Shafak Dare to Disappoint: Growing Up in Turkey by Özge Samancı The Janissary Tree by Jason Goodwin My Name is Red by Orhan Pamuk, Erda M. Göknar (translator) Black Amber by Phyllis A. Whitney As always, you can follow us at: Our web site at Strong Sense of Place Patreon Twitter Instagram Facebook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this very short episode, we get curious about what you think about The Library of Lost Time. We'd like to know how to make a better podcast for you. More book reviews? More Distraction of the Week? Should Mel and Dave just talk about cakes and cats? Let us know! We currently have a survey at: https://strongsenseofplace.com/survey It would mean the world to us if you could drop by and tell us how we're doing. It'll take about three minutes, and it'll help shape that podcast immediately. Thank you so much for your help! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we get excited about two new book releases: 'Kismet' by Amina Akhtar and 'Alias Emma' by Ava Glass. Then we think about running away to Tristan da Cunha, the world's most remote inhabited island. BOOKS Kismet by Amina Akhtar https://bit.ly/3Bh1fUW Alias Emma by Ava Glass https://bit.ly/3RZ2TQT DISTRACTION OF THE WEEK Tristan da Cunha website https://bit.ly/3OuvKtj Atlas Obscura on Tristan da Cunha https://bit.ly/3or3mh8 Slate on Tristan da Cunha https://bit.ly/3b22wEq Wikipedia https://bit.ly/3S1PAiq Video: Life on Tristan da Cunha https://youtu.be/n4ElF8awm90 Video: A Day on Tristan da Cunha https://youtu.be/kgKYV5hplvM The Library of Lost Time is a Strong Sense of Place Production! https://strongsenseofplace.com Do you enjoy our show? Want access to fun bonus content? Please support our work on Patreon. Every little bit helps us keep the show going and makes us feel warm and fuzzy inside - https://www.patreon.com/strongsenseofplace As always, you can follow us at: Our web site at Strong Sense of Place Patreon Twitter Instagram Facebook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With palm trees galore, more than 100 beaches (plus more than 100 volcanoes!), Hawaii's islands are a playground in paradise. But there's a lot more to love about the 50th state than its splash-worthy waters and lush hiking trails. Settled by sea-faring Polynesians in the 4th century, the islands meld the cultures of native Hawaiians, American mainlanders, and Japanese, Filipino, Korean, and Chinese immigrants. All of which is shorthand for 'fascinating people, delicious food, and irresistible music.' A visit to Hawaii pretty much requires you to swim and paddle around in the Pacific. You can also trek on volcanoes, stroll through the rainforest, learn to surf, meet the Hawaiian Green Sea Turtle (honu) and the Hawaiian Monk Seal (llio holo I ka uaua), dance the hula, and pay tribute to the mighty Pele, goddess of fire. In this episode, we marvel at the Polynesian settlers, learn about a forbidden island, sway to Hawaiian music, and enjoy a virtual luau on the beach. Then we recommend five books that transported us to Hawaii. Here are the books we discuss in the show: Shark Dialogues by Kiana Davenport Unfamiliar Fishes by Sarah Vowell Micro by Michael Crichton & Richard Preston The Wave: In Pursuit of the Rogues, Freaks, and Giants of the Ocean by Susan Casey This is Paradise: Stories by Kristiana Kahakauwila As always, you can follow us at: Our web site at Strong Sense of Place Patreon Twitter Instagram Facebook YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we get excited about two new book releases: 'The Half Life of Valery K' by Natasha Pulley and 'The Man Who Could Move Clouds: A Memoir' by Ingrid Rojas Contreras. Then we go retro with 'Welcome to Kutsher's,' a documentary about the last surviving Jewish resort in the Catskills. BOOKS The Half Life of Valery K by Natasha Pulley https://bit.ly/3PxuR4L The Man Who Could Move Clouds: A Memoir by Ingrid Rojas Contreras https://bit.ly/3z199Po DISTRACTION OF THE WEEK Welcome to Kutsher's https://bit.ly/3RWfR1M Watch the documentary online https://amzn.to/3J5La6d ABC News report on Kutsher's https://abcn.ws/3z6cOeX The Library of Lost Time is a Strong Sense of Place Production! https://strongsenseofplace.com Do you enjoy our show? Want access to fun bonus content? Please support our work on Patreon. Every little bit helps us keep the show going and makes us feel warm and fuzzy inside - https://www.patreon.com/strongsenseofplace Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Museums are where we put our best stuff. An item might belong in a museum if it's rare, expensive, irreplaceable, or so ordinary and beloved it becomes extraordinary. A self-portrait by Vincent Van Gogh, a can of SPAM, a Romanian mud hut, a narwhal horn, a discarded red stiletto: They can all be found in a museum somewhere in the world. But exhibitions in museums are more than mere collections of striking items. Museums are vital institutions that take on the tasks of collecting, interpreting, and caring for artifacts — both precious and charmingly ordinary — so they can be experienced by the general public. The Ancient Greek word mouseion means 'seat of Muses.' In classical antiquity, a museum was a place for contemplation and philosophical debate. When art moved from the open air, larger-than-life statuary of the Greco-Roman era to more intimate, human-scale paintings and objects, the definition of museum changed, too. It became a place to visit to see art — and anything placed in a museum _became_ art. In this episode, we romp through the delightful hoarding behavior behind Renaissance Wunderkammers, learn about the first museum curator (spoiler: It was a woman!), and celebrate the majesty of the Louvre. Then we recommend books that transported us to museums around the world. Here are the books we recommend on the show: A Little History of Art by Charlotte Mullins A Parisian Cabinet of Curiosities: Deyrolle by Prince Louis Albert de Broglie Cabinets of Curiosities by Patrick Mauriès How to Enjoy Art by Ben Street Metropolitan Stories by Christine Coulson The Last Painting of Sara de Vos by Dominic Smith For more on the books we recommend, plus the other cool stuff we talk about, visit show notes at http://strongsenseofplace.com/podcasts/2022-07-18-museums Do you enjoy our show? Do you want access to awesome bonus content? Please support our work on Patreon! Every little bit helps us keep the show going and makes us feel warm and fuzzy inside - https://www.patreon.com/strongsenseofplace As always, you can follow us at: Our web site at Strong Sense of Place Patreon Twitter Instagram Facebook YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we get excited about two new book releases: The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia and A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers. Then we daydream about receiving a postcard from the ancient city of Timbuktu. BOOKS The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia https://bit.ly/39DM24K A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers https://bit.ly/3ObJLwy DISTRACTION OF THE WEEK Postcards from Timbuktu website https://bit.ly/3N89lBt Postcards from Timbuktu on Instagram https://bit.ly/3b9jJeN Atlas Obscura on Postcards from Timbuktu https://bit.ly/3NaNDfY The last master calligrapher in Mali https://bit.ly/3b42U4X The Guardian on Timbuktu https://bit.ly/3OsQKkv The Library of Lost Time is a Strong Sense of Place Production! https://strongsenseofplace.com Do you enjoy our show? Want access to fun bonus content? Please support our work on Patreon. Every little bit helps us keep the show going and makes us feel warm and fuzzy inside - https://www.patreon.com/strongsenseofplace As always, you can follow us at: Our web site at Strong Sense of Place Patreon Twitter Instagram Facebook YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we get excited about two new book releases: 'What Moves the Dead' by T. Kingfisher and 'The Mermaid of Black Conch' by Monique Roffey. Then we explore the delightfully retro world of Thomas Allen's pulp fiction art. BOOKS What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher https://bit.ly/3O962uZ The Mermaid of Black Conch by Monique Roffey https://bit.ly/3OcdSEd DISTRACTION OF THE WEEK Thomas Allen's Pulp Series https://bit.ly/3N9iRUM Thomas Allen's Beautiful Evidence Series https://bit.ly/3xELPq8 A video romp through his artwork https://bit.ly/3y7URNB More at the Foley Gallery https://bit.ly/3y7UTVJ Thomas Allen and Chip Kidd discuss Allen's book https://bit.ly/3tPYdCB Buy a copy of 'Uncovered: Photographs' by Thomas Allen https://amzn.to/3QByqru The Library of Lost Time is a Strong Sense of Place Production! https://strongsenseofplace.com Do you enjoy our show? Want access to fun bonus content? Please support our work on Patreon. Every little bit helps us keep the show going and makes us feel warm and fuzzy inside - https://www.patreon.com/strongsenseofplace Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Animal safaris! White sand beaches! The majesty of Table Mountain! Plus, urban penguins, world-class wine, and food with irresistible names like melktert, bunny chow, and chakalaka. There is so much about South Africa to engage your curiosity. Any conversation about South Africa is incomplete without addressing the scourge of Apartheid. For most of the 20th century, black people were denied the most basic human rights and lived a segregated existence. But in 1989, Apartheid was banished, and the country is moving toward the goal of being a Rainbow Nation. Let's talk numbers! There are 11 official languages, and South Africa is one of the best places on the planet to see the Big Five of safaris: lions, leopards, black rhinos, elephants, and Cape buffalo. The local cuisine combines four delicious influences that combine indigenous recipes with Dutch, French, and Indian flavors. And there are more than 40 wineries along the hop-on-hop-off wine tram in the Franschhoek Wine Valley. In this episode, we fall in love with elephants (a.k.a., the world's best gentle giants), dig into the country's tumultuous history, and daydream about visiting Cape Town beaches. Then we recommend five books that transported us there on the page. Here are the five books we recommend on the show: Born a Crime by Trevor Noah Gallows Hill by Margie Orford The Promise by Damon Galgut We Kiss Them With Rain by Futhi Ntshingila The Woman Next Door by Yewande Omotoso For more on the books we recommend, plus the other cool stuff we talk about, visit show notes at http://strongsenseofplace.com/podcasts/2022-07-04-south-africa Do you enjoy our show? Do you want access to awesome bonus content? Please support our work on Patreon! Every little bit helps us keep the show going and makes us feel warm and fuzzy inside - https://www.patreon.com/strongsenseofplace As always, you can follow us at: Our web site at Strong Sense of Place Patreon Twitter Instagram Facebook YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we get excited about two new book releases: 'Her Majesty's Royal Coven' by Juno Dawson and 'Rogues: True Stories of Grifters, Killers, Rebels, and Crooks' by Patrick Radden Keefe. Then we take a sweet virtual roadtrip along Ohio's famed Donut Trail. BOOKS Her Majesty's Royal Coven by Juno Dawson https://bit.ly/38XtuvX Rogues: True Stories of Grifters, Killers, Rebels, and Crooks by Patrick Radden Keefe https://bit.ly/398j2lA DISTRACTION OF THE WEEK Read all about the Butler County Donut Trail https://bit.ly/3O2N3lz Download the free Donut Trail map https://bit.ly/3xeM9vk Download the free Donut Trail passport https://bit.ly/3zmJGBN Here's a donut-by-donut recap of a blogger's trip down the Donut Trail https://bit.ly/3MsdMqu Easy homemade donut recipe https://bit.ly/3aARXre The Library of Lost Time is a Strong Sense of Place Production! https://strongsenseofplace.com Do you enjoy our show? Want access to fun bonus content? Please support our work on Patreon. Every little bit helps us keep the show going and makes us feel warm and fuzzy inside - https://www.patreon.com/strongsenseofplace As always, you can follow us at: Our web site at Strong Sense of Place Patreon Twitter Instagram Facebook YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we get excited about two new book releases: 'Woman of Light' by Kali Fajardo-Anstine and 'Ordinary Monsters' by J. M. Miro. Then we share the lowdown on the thoroughly delightful Typewriter Rodeo poets in Austin, Texas. BOOKS Woman of Light by Kali Fajardo-Anstine https://bookshop.org/a/1240/9780525511328 Ordinary Monsters by J. M. Miro https://bookshop.org/a/1240/9781250833662 Typewriter Rodeo by Jodi Egerton, et. al. https://amzn.to/3tXLzkZ DISTRACTION OF THE WEEK Visit Typewriter Rodeo online https://typewriterrodeo.com Follow Typewriter Rodeo on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/typewriterrodeo Listen to the Typewriter Rodeo Podcast - https://www.npr.org/podcasts/513264050/texas-standard-typewriter-rodeo Video interview with Texas Country Reporter https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28R65IgaooY Video interview with Austin 360 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_orDDOsrQP4 The Library of Lost Time is a Strong Sense of Place Production! https://strongsenseofplace.com Do you enjoy our show? Want access to fun bonus content? Please support our work on Patreon. Every little bit helps us keep the show going and makes us feel warm and fuzzy inside - https://www.patreon.com/strongsenseofplace As always, you can follow us at: Our web site at Strong Sense of Place Patreon Twitter Instagram Facebook YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Let's get this straight immediately: If you want to make friends with the good people of the mountains, you'd better pronounce the name of their home the way they do. When you say Appalachia, make it sound like 'throw an apple atcha'. This fabled region of the US includes parts of 12 states and the entirety of West Virginia. It encompasses forested peaks and deep hollers (the local name for valleys) along the Appalachian Mountains that stretch from Canada to Alabama. Although the population is predominantly of white Scots-Irish or German descent, about 10% of the population is African-American. But circa the 1700s, it was a melting pot that blended white, Black, and Native Americans. That means there's damn good food, foot-stomping music, and a lively storytelling tradition, along with long-held wisdom about the importance of kin, living in harmony with nature, and being self-reliant. In this episode, we discuss Appalachian folklore, celebrate the magic of Dolly Parton, listen to eerie country ballads, and daydream about banana pudding. Then we recommend five immersive books that took us to Appalachia on the page. The Book Woman of Troublesome by Kim Michele Richardson F*ckface: And Other Stories by Leah Hampton Victuals: An Appalachian Journey with Recipes by Ronni Lundy The Animators by Kayla Rae Whitaker She Walks These Hills by Sharyn McCrumb For more on the books we recommend, plus the other cool stuff we talk about, visit show notes at http://strongsenseofplace.com/podcasts/2022-06-06-tasmania Do you enjoy our show? Do you want access to awesome bonus content? Please support our work on Patreon! Every little bit helps us keep the show going and makes us feel warm and fuzzy inside - https://www.patreon.com/strongsenseofplace As always, you can follow us at: Our web site at Strong Sense of Place Patreon Twitter Instagram Facebook YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we get excited about two new book releases: 'Last Call at the Nightingale' by Katharine Schellman and 'Downton Shabby: One American's Ultimate DIY Adventure Restoring His Family's English Castle' by Hopwood DePree. Then we share details about the Midnight Sun Marathon in Tromsø, Norway, where 6000 runners hit the course under a bright sun that never sets. BOOKS Last Call at the Nightingale by Katharine Schellman https://bit.ly/3tJzj7r Downton Shabby: One American's Ultimate DIY Adventure Restoring His Family's English Castle by Hopwood DePree https://bit.ly/3QlAaVw DISTRACTION OF THE WEEK Midnight Sun Marathon https://bit.ly/2EMohoN Newsletter signup https://bit.ly/3y13ycK Midnight Sun Marathon on Instagram https://bit.ly/3xVdlkl The 12 Best Things to do in Tromsø https://bit.ly/3QuQ1Bp Polaria Arctic Aquarium https://bit.ly/3zJIhpa Tromsø Cable Car https://bit.ly/3N1bDlC SSoP Podcast Episode 28 — The Arctic: Otherworldly Beauty That Might Kill You. https://bit.ly/3b6Yfz8 The Library of Lost Time is a Strong Sense of Place Production! https://strongsenseofplace.com Do you enjoy our show? Want access to fun bonus content? Please support our work on Patreon. Every little bit helps us keep the show going and makes us feel warm and fuzzy inside - https://www.patreon.com/strongsenseofplace As always, you can follow us at: Our web site at Strong Sense of Place Patreon Twitter Instagram Facebook YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we get excited about two new book releases: 'The Woman in the Library' by Sulari Gentill and 'There Are Places in the World Where Rules Are Less Important Than Kindness: And Other Thoughts on Physics, Philosophy and the World' by Carlo Rovelli. Then we celebrate the genius of the one and only Maurice Sendak, author of 'Where the Wild Things Are.' BOOKS The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill https://bit.ly/3NEZrbH There Are Places in the World Where Rules Are Less Important Than Kindness: And Other Thoughts on Physics, Philosophy and the World by Carlo Rovelli https://bit.ly/3xnf8wX DISTRACTION OF THE WEEK Maurice Sendak: On Life, Death And Children's Lit https://n.pr/3MEZuCI Artist Christoph Niemann illustrated a 'Fresh Air' interview with Maurice Sendak https://bit.ly/3O87Vrq Fresh Air Remembers Maurice Sendak https://n.pr/3MCokU4 9 Surprising Facts About Maurice Sendak https://bit.ly/3O4eCLd 10 Wild Facts About 'Where the Wild Things Are' https://bit.ly/3aIB2mP Maurice Sendak obituary from 'The Guardian' https://bit.ly/3aTRErW 'Where the Wild Things Are' on Strong Sense of Place https://bit.ly/3O7h7wh Roasted Carrot Caraway Soup inspired by the book https://bit.ly/3QfS8sH The Library of Lost Time is a Strong Sense of Place Production! https://strongsenseofplace.com Do you enjoy our show? Want access to fun bonus content? Please support our work on Patreon. Every little bit helps us keep the show going and makes us feel warm and fuzzy inside - https://www.patreon.com/strongsenseofplace As always, you can follow us at: Our web site at Strong Sense of Place Patreon Twitter Instagram Facebook YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This might be a bit too seem cheesy, but we're going to say it anyway: This small-ish, heart-shaped island in the Southern Hemisphere has stolen our hearts. There's so much to love. Sure, Tasmania may have started with the sinister-sounding name Van Diemen's Land. And yes, it was founded as an inescapable penal colony for the most hardened criminals in Britain. But now, Tasmania is an epic playground for anyone who loves outdoor adventures. There are soft sand beaches for swimming, snorkeling, surfing, and lazing around in the sun — perhaps at the poetically-named Bay of Fires or Wineglass Bay. The island's network of rivers means lots (and lots) of waterfalls, along with kayaking and rafting. Foodies can enjoy a leisurely drive along the Tamar Valley Wine Route dotted with inviting wineries and an exciting food scene. But if (when!) we visit Tasmania, it will be for the animals. It's home to ridiculously cute animals like wombats, wallabies, and, yes, the Tasmanian Devil. If we're being honest, these adorable creatures might also kill you — or at least cause grave bodily harm. But truly: Cuddling up to a furry, tank-like wombat or seeing a Tasmanian Devil IRL might be worth it. In this episode, we briefly dip into Tasmania's dark history, learn about a truly unusual museum, talk about the Roaring Forties, and mourn the loss of the Tasmanian Tiger. Then we recommend five great books that took us there on the page: Wildlight by Robyn Mundy Carnivorous Nights: On the Trail of the Tasmanian Tiger by Margaret Mittlebach & Michael Crewdson The Survivors by Jane Harper Ten Rogues: The Unlikely Story of Convict Schemers, a Stolen Brig and an Escape from Van Diemen's Land to Chile by Peter Grose Flames by Robbie Arnott For more on the books we recommend, plus the other cool stuff we talk about, visit show notes at http://strongsenseofplace.com/podcasts/2022-06-06-tasmania Do you enjoy our show? Do you want access to awesome bonus content? Please support our work on Patreon! Every little bit helps us keep the show going and makes us feel warm and fuzzy inside - https://www.patreon.com/strongsenseofplace As always, you can follow us at: Our web site at Strong Sense of Place Patreon Twitter Instagram Facebook YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we get excited about two new book releases: 'Hide' by Kiersten White and 'Born to Be Hanged' by Keith Thomson. Then we discuss the very soothing, compelling cooking videos on the Country Life Vlog. BOOKS Hide by Kiersten White https://bookshop.org/a/1240/9780593359235 Born to Be Hanged: The Epic Story of the Gentlemen Pirates Who Raided the South Seas, Rescued a Princess, and Stole a Fortune by Keith Thomson https://bookshop.org/a/1240/9780316703611 DISTRACTION OF THE WEEK Watch and follow the Country Life Vlog on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIix6MklfJFywa_36iDj8Sw/featured Meet Aziza and her family https://blog.solostove.com/the-common-flame-country-life-in-azerbaijan/ The video for cold Okroshka Soup. https://youtu.be/W7fvudJvDlo And a full recipe for the soup, in case you want to make it yourself. https://natashaskitchen.com/okroshka-recipe-russian-summer-soup/ The Library of Lost Time is a Strong Sense of Place Production! https://strongsenseofplace.com Do you enjoy our show? Want access to fun bonus content? Please support our work on Patreon. Every little bit helps us keep the show going and makes us feel warm and fuzzy inside - https://www.patreon.com/strongsenseofplace As always, you can follow us at: Our web site at Strong Sense of Place Patreon Twitter Instagram Facebook YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we get excited about two new book releases: 'Trust' by Hernan Diaz and 'How to Be Eaten' by Maria Adelmann. Then we get nostalgic for the Opening Day on the Golden Gate Bridge in 1937. BOOKS Trust by Hernan Diaz https://bookshop.org/a/1240/9780593420317 How to Be Eaten by Maria Adelmann https://bookshop.org/a/1240/9780316450843 DISTRACTION OF THE WEEK Treat yourself to the Official Program for the Golden Gate Bridge Fiesta - https://www.goldengate.org/assets/1/6/officialprogram.pdf Read more about the Fiesta - https://www.goldengate.org/bridge/history-research/bridge-construction/opening-fiesta-week/ Enjoy this video of the opening from British Pathé - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_sm0OHQKrg Or this video from British Movietone - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQFNVLZEFrU The Library of Lost Time is a Strong Sense of Place Production! https://strongsenseofplace.com Do you enjoy our show? Want access to fun bonus content? Please support our work on Patreon. Every little bit helps us keep the show going and makes us feel warm and fuzzy inside - https://www.patreon.com/strongsenseofplace As always, you can follow us at: Our web site at Strong Sense of Place Patreon Twitter Instagram Facebook YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Room service. An oversized bed seemingly made of clouds. Breathtaking views through wall-sized windows. Zippy elevators. Friendly, efficient bellhops. And three magical words: Gourmet breakfast included. These are the things of which a first-rate hotel stay is made. The idea of a place to lay your head while away from home has been around for millennia: When the Greeks and Romans developed thermal baths, they also built accommodations for visitors to spend the night after a recuperating soak. What we would recognize as an inn became common in Europe during the Middle Ages. Rustic but homey, they provided lodging, food, and stables for horses. Fast forward to the industrialists of the 19th century, and boom! now we've got grand hotels designed to cater to guests' every whim. Laundry service? Of course. Space for entertaining? Naturally. And oh, free soap! In this episode, we take a quick romp through hotel history and imagine what it might have been like to visit a luxurious hotel during its 20th-century heyday. Then we discuss so many books that transported us to hotels on the page. There are haunted rooms and murderous mischief, people falling in love and settling scores, history-making events and intimate drama, plus plenty of opulent furnishings and white-glove service. Here are five of the books we recommend on the show — there are a bunch more in show notes: A Rule Against Murder by Louise Penny The Plaza: The Secret Life of America's Most Famous Hotel by Julie Satow Estoril by Dejan Tiago-Stanković The Hitman's Daughter by Carolyne Topdjian The Inn at Lake Devine by Elinor Lipman Last Summer at the Golden Hotel by Elissa Friedland For more on the books we recommend, plus the other cool stuff we talk about, visit show notes at http://strongsenseofplace.com/podcasts/2022-05-23-hotels Do you enjoy our show? Do you want access to awesome bonus content? Please support our work on Patreon! Every little bit helps us keep the show going and makes us feel warm and fuzzy inside - https://www.patreon.com/strongsenseofplace As always, you can follow us at: Our web site at Strong Sense of Place Patreon Twitter Instagram Facebook YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we get excited about two new book releases: The Cherry Robbers by Sarai Walker and Book of Night by Holly Black. Then we are charmed by three short words: floating taco bar. BOOKS - The Cherry Robbers by Sarai Walker - https://bookshop.org/a/1240/9780358251873 - Book of Night by Holly Black - https://bookshop.org/a/1240/9781250812193 DISTRACTION OF THE WEEK Visit the website for Lime Out, the floating taco bar - https://www.limeoutvi.com Follow Lime Out on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/limeoutvi/ Read an article about it in 'Travel+Leisure' - https://www.travelandleisure.com/food-drink/floating-taco-bar-st-john-us-virgin-islands-caribbean Read an article about it in 'St. John Magazine' - https://stjohnmagazine.com/lime-out-vi-st-john-floating-bar This video will have you packing your bags and booking a flight before you can say, 'extra guac, please.' - https://youtu.be/RpEjOIuI69k The Library of Lost Time is a Strong Sense of Place Production! https://strongsenseofplace.com Do you enjoy our show? Want access to fun bonus content? Please support our work on Patreon. Every little bit helps us keep the show going and makes us feel warm and fuzzy inside - https://www.patreon.com/strongsenseofplace As always, you can follow us at: Our web site at Strong Sense of Place Patreon Twitter Instagram Facebook YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Located in Southeast Asia, Thailand is 100-percent situated in the tropics. It's hot and humid and, sometimes, there's torrential rain. The capital city of Bangkok is a cacophony of color and humanity: traffic jams, food markets, flocks of monks in saffron-colored robes, temple spires, and gaudy neon. And all of that only enhances its appeal. Thailand is blessed with otherwordly beauty. From the hills and forests in the north to the terraced rice fields in the central plains, it seems to embody every imaginable shade of green. But hit the coasts, and the colors explode into other rainbow colors: fuchsia flowers, aquamarine waters, red-brown rock formations, and blindingly-white sand beaches. That vibrancy is reflected in the food (colorful, spicy), the people (friendly, Buddhist), the wildlife (diverse, majestic), and all the activities they invite you to try: hiking, cooking, snorkeling, splashing, eating, drinking, living. In this episode, we discuss how a trip to Thailand will engage all your senses, learn about a jewelry heist for the ages, talk about a giant Buddha, and daydream about Bangkok. We also recommend five great books that transported us there on the page: - The Blind Earthworm in the Labyrinth by Veeraporn Nitiprapha - Why Buddhism is True by Robert Wright - Thai Street Food by David Thompson - Bangkok 8 by John Burdett - Jasmine Nights by S.P. Somtow For more on the books we recommend, plus the other cool stuff we talk about, visit show notes at http://strongsenseofplace.com/podcasts/2022-05-09-thailand Do you enjoy our show? Do you want access to awesome bonus content? Please support our work on Patreon! Every little bit helps us keep the show going and makes us feel warm and fuzzy inside - https://www.patreon.com/strongsenseofplace As always, you can follow us at: Our web site at Strong Sense of Place Patreon Twitter Instagram Facebook YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we get excited about two new book releases: Siren Queen by Nghi Vo and Every Good Boy Does Fine: A Love Story in Music Lessons" by Jeremy Denk. Then we talk about an exhibit at the New York Public Library featuring art from a new graphic novel. BOOKS Siren Queen by Nghi Vo - https://bookshop.org/a/1240/9781250788832 Every Good Boy Does Fine: A Love Story in Music Lessons - https://bookshop.org/a/1240/9780812995985 DISTRACTION OF THE WEEK Watch a quick video about the INterSECTS exhibit -https://twitter.com/nypl/status/1513951186075979776 Get more info on the New York Public Library website - https://www.nypl.org/events/exhibitions/intersects Take the excellent online audio tour of the exhibit - https://www.nypl.org/events/tours/audio-guides/intersects/item/6050 Download the free coloring sheets. One of them shows butterflies in the Rose Reading Room! - https://legacynyplorg-live.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/intersects_-_peter_kuper_coloring_pages.pdf The Library of Lost Time is a Strong Sense of Place Production! https://strongsenseofplace.com Do you enjoy our show? Want access to fun bonus content? Please support our work on Patreon. Every little bit helps us keep the show going and makes us feel warm and fuzzy inside - https://www.patreon.com/strongsenseofplace As always, you can follow us at: Our web site at Strong Sense of Place Patreon Twitter Instagram Facebook YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we get excited about two new book releases: 'Woman, Eating' by Claire Kohda and 'How to Tell a Story: The Essential Guide to Memorable Storytelling from the Moth.' Then we are thoroughly charmed by artist David Bird's whimsical figurines and photos. BOOKS Woman, Eating by Claire Kohda - https://bookshop.org/a/1240/9780063140882 How to Tell a Story: The Essential Guide to Memorable Storytelling from the Moth - https://bookshop.org/a/1240/9780593139004 DISTRACTION OF THE WEEK Watch David Bird's process and hear the stories behind his Becorns at his [official website - https://www.davidmbird.com Follow David Bird on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/davidmbird See what happened when a squirrel decided to enjoy a Becorn as an afternoon snack - https://youtu.be/LfQhurh7wuk). The Library of Lost Time is a Strong Sense of Place Production! https://strongsenseofplace.com Do you enjoy our show? Want access to fun bonus content? Please support our work on Patreon. Every little bit helps us keep the show going and makes us feel warm and fuzzy inside - https://www.patreon.com/strongsenseofplace As always, you can follow us at: Our web site at Strong Sense of Place Patreon Twitter Instagram Facebook YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With all those dramatic volcanoes and glaciers, Iceland has become known as the Land of Fire and Ice. But we like to think of it as the Land of Legends and Poetry, a place to go adventuring with your extrovert pals, then curl up with a great book and a cozy sweater for some epic introverting. Literature is baked into Icelandic culture, starting with the Sagas and carrying through medieval warrior poets to today: The capital city of Reykjavík is a designated UNESCO City of Literature and home to both the Iceland Writers Retreat and the Iceland Noir Festival. When you're ready to explore the island, start in the capital for fancy cocktails, the vibrant food scene, and friendly locals. Then hit the road — the Ring Road — to circumnavigate the island and see fantastical sites along the way: volcanoes and lava fields, waterfalls and glaciers, puffins and horses with emo bangs, the black church and dramatic sea cliffs — plus northern lights, turquoise-colored hot springs, a troll or two, and wee elf houses. In this episode, we dig into the charming idiosyncrasies of the Icelandic language, get real about Vikings, and celebrate powerful Icelandic women. We also recommend five great books that transported us there on the page: The Island by Ragnar Jónasson How Iceland Changed the World by Egill Bjarnason The Glass Woman by Caroline Lea The Almost Nearly Perfect People by Michael Booth The Tricking of Freya by Christina Sunley For more on the books we recommend, plus the other cool stuff we talk about, visit show notes at http://strongsenseofplace.com/podcasts/2022-04-25-iceland Do you enjoy our show? Do you want access to awesome bonus content? Please support our work on Patreon! Every little bit helps us keep the show going and makes us feel warm and fuzzy inside - https://www.patreon.com/strongsenseofplace As always, you can follow us at: Our web site at Strong Sense of Place Patreon Twitter Instagram Facebook YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we get excited about two new book releases: 'True Biz' by Sara Nović and 'Hotel Magnifique' by Emily J. Taylor. Then we discuss the fantastic artists devoted to preserving and enhancing the 150-year-old tradition of handpainted signs. BOOKS True Biz by Sara Nović - https://bookshop.org/a/1240/9780593241509 Hotel Magnifique by Emily J. Taylor - https://bookshop.org/a/1240/9780593404515 DISTRACTION OF THE WEEK Watch the documentary 'Sign Painters' online at Vimeo for free - http://www.signpaintersfilm.com Follow Sign Painters on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/sign_painters Get your hands on the book 'Sign Painters' by Faythe Levine and Sam Macon - https://bookshop.org/a/1240/9781616890834 More photos and stories about sign painters around the world: The UK - https://www.theguardian.com/cities/gallery/2015/jan/14/revival-handpainted-sign-high-streets-in-pictures Mexico City - https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-06-11/the-art-of-painting-signs-in-mexico-city New Orleans - https://gonola.com/features/local-lens/the-city-spoke-through-hand-painted-signs The Library of Lost Time is a Strong Sense of Place Production! https://strongsenseofplace.com Do you enjoy our show? Want access to fun bonus content? Please support our work on Patreon. Every little bit helps us keep the show going and makes us feel warm and fuzzy inside - https://www.patreon.com/strongsenseofplace As always, you can follow us at: Our web site at Strong Sense of Place Patreon Twitter Instagram Facebook YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we get excited about two new book releases: 'The Patron Saint of Second Chances' by Christine Simon and 'Portrait of a Thief' by Grace D. Li. Then we discuss the gleefully macabre writing and art of Edward Gorey. BOOKS The Patron Saint of Second Chances by Christine Simon - https://bookshop.org/a/1240/9781982188771 Portrait of a Thief by Grace D. Li - https://bookshop.org/a/1240/9780593184738 DISTRACTION OF THE WEEK A video reading of Edward Gorey's 'Gashlycrumb Tinies' - https://youtu.be/PIPvzfQbioc Edward Gorey's New England residence has been turned into a fantastic and fantastical museum. Take a video tour - https://youtu.be/fSiImfSD258 The iconic opening credits of PBS Mystery! - https://youtu.be/tPlY_7RR1h0 Write a letter to show your support for an Edward Gorey stamp - https://edwardgorey.org/2022/02/22/edward-gorey-centennial-postage-stamp-campaign/ The Library of Lost Time is a Strong Sense of Place Production! https://strongsenseofplace.com Do you enjoy our show? Want access to fun bonus content? Please support our work on Patreon. Every little bit helps us keep the show going and makes us feel warm and fuzzy inside - https://www.patreon.com/strongsenseofplace As always, you can follow us at: Our web site at Strong Sense of Place Patreon Twitter Instagram Facebook YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we get excited about two new book releases: 'The Sea of Tranquility' by Emily St. John Mandel and 'The Candy House' by Jennifer Egan. Then we discuss the delightful distraction of Salvador Dali's amazing mustache and his epic dinner parties. BOOKS The Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel - https://bit.ly/3uhgSYsThe Candy House by Jennifer Egan - https://bit.ly/3x68HQB DISTRACTION OF THE WEEK 1941 newsreel of Dali's over-the-top dinner party 'Night in a Surrealist Forest' - https://youtu.be/vg6i4E0Woak Dali's cookbook 'Les Dîners de Gala' - https://bookshop.org/a/1240/9783836508766 Incredible photos from the cookbook - https://www.thisiscolossal.com/2016/10/les-diners-de-gala-dali 'Destino,' the animated short film collaboration between The Walt Disney Company and Dali - https://youtu.be/y_TlaxmOKqs 18 Surreal Facts about Salvador Dali - https://mymodernmet.com/salvador-dali-facts The Library of Lost Time is a Strong Sense of Place Production! https://strongsenseofplace.com Do you enjoy our show? Want access to fun bonus content? Please support our work on Patreon. Every little bit helps us keep the show going and makes us feel warm and fuzzy inside - https://www.patreon.com/strongsenseofplace As always, you can follow us at: Our web site at Strong Sense of Place Twitter Instagram Facebook YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Season 4 of the Strong Sense of Place podcast starts 25 April! We've put together an itinerary of 12 destinations with stops on every continent. It's a tour around the world that will take us behind the scenes of fascinating cultures, dramatic history, beautiful scenery, and irresistible food. All you need is your curiosity and a comfy place to read. To see stunning photos of our Season 4 destinations, visit our blog at http://strongsenseofplace.com/2022/04/08/ssop-podcast-season4-announcing-12-amazing-destinations/ Curious about the new The Library of Lost Time video? You can watch it here. As always, you can follow us at: Our web site at Strong Sense of Place Twitter Instagram Facebook YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Comprised of more than 2000 islands on the southern end of the Balkan Peninsula, Greece is bounded by bluer-than-blue water. Ionian Sea! Aegean Sea! Mediterranean Sea! Go anywhere in the country, and you're never more than 85 miles/137km from the ocean. And there are more than 250 sunny days every year. Greece also boasts mountainous national parks, monasteries perched on dramatic mountaintops, and ancient temple ruins from about 2000 years ago. Plus, a capital city known as the cradle of Western civilization. Add rousing folk music, intoxicating spirits (Ouzo! Retsina! Metaxa!), and Greek food — olives and olive oil, the freshest of fish, layers of phyllo dough, pillowy pita, meat on skewers — and you've got the makings of a great escape. In this episode, we briefly discuss Greece's influential history and wax lyrical about all the country offers as a travel destination. Then we recommend five books that transported us there on the page: a graphic novel that celebrates rebetiko music, a gripping family saga, a gorgeous retelling of Greek mythology, a literary novel about living in a liminal space, and an over-the-top (in just the right way) mystery-romance. Opa! For more on the books we recommend, plus the other cool stuff we talk about, visit show notes at http://strongsenseofplace.com/podcasts/2021-12-20-greece Books covered: Circe by Madeline Miller Middlesex: A Novel by Jeffrey Eugenides Rebetiko by David Prudhomme The House on Paradise Street by Sofka Zinovieff This Rough Magic by Mary Stewart Do you enjoy our show? Please support our work on Patreon! Every little bit helps us keep the show going and makes us feel warm and fuzzy inside - https://www.patreon.com/strongsenseofplace As always, you can follow us at: Our web site at Strong Sense of Place Twitter Instagram Facebook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For longer than memory, those deep, dark forests have been a symbolic, powerful setting for stories. The wildwoods of fairy tales are where we meet Hansel and Gretel, Little Red Riding Hood, Snow White, and Rumpelstiltskin. The Hundred Acre Wood is where we find Winnie the Pooh and his darling friends. J.R.R. Tolkein introduced generations of readers to the Ents in the woods of Middle Earth, and Sherwood Forest gave Robin Hood a hiding place for his merry men. The duality of the forest, the contrast between its beauty and its danger, resonates with us. The soaring treetops and dappled sun of a daytime forest form a natural cathedral where we commune with Mother Nature. But when the sun is low in the sky, the shadows take over, and the trees become a place of the unknown where almost anything can happen. When the words _Once upon a time..._ are spoken, all bets are off. In this episode, we get curious about the forest and recommend five books that transported us into the woods, including two fairy tales for adults, a nonfiction book that changes everything we think we know about trees, a white-knuckle thriller, and an ecological novel woven into a family saga. For more on the books we recommend, plus the other cool stuff we talk about, visit show notes at http://strongsenseofplace.com/podcasts/2021-11-29-forest Do you enjoy our show? Please support our work on Patreon! Every little bit helps us keep the show going and makes us feel warm and fuzzy inside - https://www.patreon.com/strongsenseofplace Books covered: Burning Bright by Nick Petrie Falling from Grace by Ann Eriksson The Bear and the Nightingale: A Novel by Katherine Arden The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate — Discoveries from a Secret World by Peter Wohlleben The True Story of Hansel and Gretel by Louise Murphy As always, you can follow us at: Our web site at Strong Sense of Place Twitter Facebook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Egypt was one of the world's first civilizations, with a history that reaches back 5000 years through the sands of time. It's where writing and two-dimensional drawing and paper began. The god Amun-Ra personified the sun shining down on the deserts — and Osiris, the god of death, inspired a belief in the afterlife that led to the construction of the pyramids. Life in Egypt clings to the green ribbon of the Nile River that snakes through the country with humans and animals along its length. It's home to hippos, the Nile crocodiles, and the asp — the poisonous snake that may or may not have sealed Cleopatra's doom. It's also a stopover for millions of birds migrating from Europe to Africa. Egypt has also been the crossroads for human invaders for centuries: Ottoman invaders, Napoleon Bonaparte, and the British. In the past few decades, there's been rising tension and violence between religious conservatives (see: the Muslim Brotherhood) and secular factions. But the Egyptian people you'll meet on the street? They're friendly, welcoming, and eager to show you the country they love. And with good reason. In addition to the massive shrines in the desert, there's a world-class museum with the largest collection of ancient artifacts in the world and mosques decorated with breathtaking mosaics. You can also sail on a romantic felucca (Egyptian sailboat) along the Nile, scuba in the Red Sea, navigate the sci-fi calcium formations in the White Desert, or simply enjoy a cup of tea while watching the hustle of daily life. In this episode, we explore Egypt's dynamic dynastic history, enjoy the antics of King Farouk, dish about 'The Mummy,' and lots more. Then we recommend five books we love that took us there on the page: a fantasy about the djinn, a coffee table book of Egyptian antiquities, a novel about sisters navigating the Arab Spring, and two fictional approaches to history that cast a spell on Mel. For more on the books we recommend, plus the other cool stuff we talk about, visit show notes at https://strongsenseofplace.com/podcasts/2021-11-08-egypt If you enjoy the show, please support us on Patreon and gain access to bonus content, special events, and more. https://strongsenseofplace.com/support As always, you can follow us at: Our web site at Strong Sense of Place Twitter Facebook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Located in Central Asia with Iran to the west and Pakistan to the east, Afghanistan sits at the crossroads of Asia and the Middle East. That's made it a hot spot for invaders from all directions for millennia. Afghanistan's terrain is rugged — and in some places, stunningly beautiful — with deep gorges and river valleys, deserts, snow-topped mountains, and irrigated land used for farming. It's best known for pomegranates and poppies: Heroin made from opium grown in Afghanistan makes up 95% of the market in Europe. Afghanistan is a culturally conservative and religious nation. Reputation is the most valuable social commodity, which forces both men and women to comply with a web of strict social rules. An estimated 99.7% of the Afghan population is Muslim. And that faith plays out in dress, dietary codes, regular prayer, language, and social interactions. In this episode, we get curious about Afghanistan's violent history, its tribal and social customs, and the rise of the Taliban. Then we discuss five books that gave us a better understanding of the whole situation. From reportage to history to a literary crime novel, these books illuminated a vivid picture of this remarkable, challenging country. For more on the books we recommend, plus the other cool stuff we talk about, visit show notes at http://strongsenseofplace.com/podcasts/2021-10-25-afghanistan As always, you can follow us at: Our web site at Strong Sense of Place Twitter Instagram Facebook If you like the work we’re doing and want more book recommendations, behind-the-scenes info, online chats, and the opportunity to influence the show, please consider supporting us on Patreon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Arctic is the northernmost region on Earth. It includes the Arctic Ocean and northern parts of Russia, the state of Alaska, Canada, Greenland, and the northern tips of Norway, Sweden, and Finland. Teeming with wildlife, the land and sea blend with ice reaching to the horizon and the sky in vast stretches of blue and white. It can seem quite romantic, this part of the globe with months of darkness and light at opposite ends of the calendar. But as history tells, it's also perilously dangerous, a place where humans are likely to lose their way, to freeze, or to simply disappear. In this episode, we take a quick romp through the Arctic expeditions of the 19th century and get curious about the archipelago of Svalbard (150 islands off the coast of Norway). Then we discuss five books that transported us to the Arctic Circle, including lyrical nonfiction, adventure tales, and one ghost story that would make the bravest soul shake in their fur-lined boots. For more on the books we recommend, plus the other cool stuff we talk about, visit show notes at http://strongsenseofplace.com/podcasts/2021-09-27-arctic As always, you can follow us at: Our web site at Strong Sense of Place Twitter Instagram Facebook If you like the work we’re doing and want more book recommendations, behind-the-scenes info, online chats, and the opportunity to influence the show, please consider supporting us on Patreon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The word newsroom can conjure images of jaded reporters tapping away at typewriters and harried producers coddling the on-air talent just before showtime. But here in the 21st century, the newsroom is everywhere with citizen journalists and their pesky, ubiquitous mobiles. A newsroom is a messy and exhilarating combination of camaraderie and rivalry. The deadlines are constant, and the work is high-stakes. That means a newsroom is a dramatic setting for stories, both fictional and factual. In this episode, we look at the history of news reporting and how it's changed through time. Then we recommend five books that go behind-the-scenes of journalism, including two gripping nonfiction works, a novel about a real-life underground newspaper, a thriller set in cable news, and a swashbuckling tale of 19th-century girl reporters. For more on the books we recommend, plus the other cool stuff we talk about, visit show notes at http://strongsenseofplace.com/podcasts/2021-09-06-newsroom As always, you can follow us at: Our web site at Strong Sense of Place Twitter Instagram Facebook If you like the work we’re doing and want more book recommendations, behind-the-scenes info, online chats, and the opportunity to influence the show, please consider supporting us on Patreon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Located in Central America — and with coasts on both the Pacific and the Caribbean — Costa Rica just might be the quintessential tropical country. It packs a lot of awesome inside its borders with white-sand beaches, verdant rain forests, active volcanoes, and all the cutest (and most colorful and rarest) animals. Plus, the friendly locals — known as Ticos and Ticas — are more than willing to introduce you to the pura vida. In this episode, we discuss Costa Rican history, its unique wildlife — including a very unusual crocodile — and delicious cuisine. Then we recommend five books we love that took us there, including a must-have coffee table book, a surprising family memoir, two action-adventures novels with wildly different approaches to nature, and a magical short story collection. For more on the books we recommend, plus the other cool stuff we talk about, visit show notes at https://strongsenseofplace.com/podcasts/2021-08-16-costa_rica/ As always, you can follow us at: Our web site at Strong Sense of Place Twitter Instagram Facebook If you like the work we’re doing and want more book recs, behind-the-scenes info, online chats, and the opportunity to influence the show, please consider supporting us on Patreon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Astute listeners will by now have noticed that our podcast cast has been MIA since May. In this special episode, we tell you why. Trigger warning: illness, cancer, hospital, emotional anguish. If this were a novel, this story would be a terrifying thriller with a happy ending. In mid-May, David had emergency colon cancer surgery. He is OK now: cancer-free and healing very well. If you're curious about the specifics of what happened and what it was like for us to navigate healthcare in a foreign country, give it a listen. We'll be back with our usual book- and travel-related episodes as soon as we can. The best way to stay informed about an updated schedule and other news is our free weekly newsletter - https://strongsenseofplace.com/signup. As always, you can follow us at: Our web site at Strong Sense of Place Twitter Instagram Facebook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this mini-episode, we explain why our podcasts have been MIA and when you can expect new episodes. Spoiler: It shouldn't be too long now! The best way to stay informed about an updated schedule and other news is our free weekly newsletter — sign up right here. As always, you can follow us at: Our web site at Strong Sense of Place Twitter Instagram Facebook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hollywood is a land of sunshine dreams, glamorous red carpets, and the magic that happens when a great story lands in the right creative hands. It's also a place where brutal business decisions make and break careers — and where the bottom line can supersede artistic decisions. In this episode, we take a dip into Hollywood history, discuss the times the Oscars ceremony went (gloriously) off the rails, and recommend five books that transported us to the movie capital, including a primer on storytelling from a master screenwriter, a journalist's view of why we're drowning in superhero movies, and three novels with distinctly different looks at the lives and loves of film stars. For more on the books we recommend, plus the other cool stuff we talk about, visit show notes at http://strongsenseofplace.com/podcasts/2021-05-10-hollywood. As always, you can follow us at: Our web site at Strong Sense of Place Twitter Instagram Facebook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices