Strong Sense of Place | Travel Through Books

In this episode, we get excited about two books: The Company by J.M. Varese and Sweet Enough: A Dessert Cookbook by Alison Roman. Then Dave shares stories from a recent trip to the Shetland Islands. LINKS The Company by J.M. Varese Sweet Enough: A Dessert Cookbook by Alison Roman J.M. Varese’s website and Instagram. Arsenic and Old Tastes Made Victorian Wallpaper Deadly. The Dickens Project at UCL...

A bookshop is a special (maybe enchanted) place found all over the world and staffed by booksellers who seem to have a preternatural ability to put just the right book in your hands.  People have been buying and selling books since about 300 BCE. During the latter part of the Roman empire, when all the best homes included a personal library, the book trade was boomin’. Back then, shops posted a li...

In this episode, we get excited about two books: Speak for the Dead by Amy Tector and I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai. Then Mel shares a story about the Gotham Book Prize that will warm your literature-loving heart.  LINKS - Speak for the Dead by Amy Tector - Amy’s Substack - The Newburyport Literary Festival - Bustle interview with Rebbeca Makkai - Amy Tector’s awesome Substack - ...

The mountains of Jamaica rise up out of the turquoise-blue Caribbean. From those jaggy peaks, rolling hills — covered in lush green rainforests — taper down to soft-sand beaches along the coast. It makes perfect sense that the first Jamaican inhabitants — the Taino from South America — gave the island a name that means ‘Land of Wood and Water.’ It’s all as if paradise is beckoning you to come, sit...

In this episode, we get excited about two books: ‘Weyward’ by Emilia Hart and ‘Psych: The Story of the Human Mind’ by Paul Bloom. Then Dave tells the story a recently solved code that reveals new secrets of a famous Queen. LINKS Weyward by Emilia Hart https://bit.ly/3KoeYh8 Psych: The Story of the Human Mind by Paul Bloom https://bit.ly/3Z5zJSY Video: Emilia Hart shares three books that inspired h...

In this episode, we get excited about two books: My Father’s House by Joseph O’Connor and A Mystery of Mysteries: The Death and Life of Edgar Allan Poe by Mark Dawiziak. Then Mel talks about the fantastic Virginia Woolf exhibit at the New York Public Library. LINKS Joseph O’Connor reading from his book https://bit.ly/3ScdKHE Excerpt from A Mystery of Mysteries https://bit.ly/3k5NzWF Virginia Woolf...

When you’re ready to let the good times roll, there’s no place like New Orleans to cut loose, indulge in local grub, sip something intoxicating, and soak up the atmosphere while tapping your toes to some of the best music on the planet. New Orleans was born as a port city in 1718. What set New Orleans apart then (and now) is how it created a unique culture from the diverse people who populated the...

In this episode, we get excited about two books: Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson and All the Beauty in the World by Patrick Bringley. Then Dave tells a (true) tall tale about an extraordinary map of the New World.  LINKS Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson https://bit.ly/3ljcA0O All the Beauty in the World by Patrick Bringley https://bit.ly...

In this episode, we get excited about two books: Master Slave Husband Wife by Ilyon Woo and Mr. Breakfast by Jonathan Carroll. Mel shares the exciting news about the return of an iconic 20th-century train. LINKS Master Slave Husband Wife by Ilyon Woo https://amzn.to/3DNfbGn Mr. Breakfast by Jonathan Carroll https://bit.ly/3XePHsz Excerpt from Master Slave Husband Wife https://bit.ly/3X9KhPu CBS Su...

In this episode, we get all dreamy-eyed about everything that makes Spain a fantastic place to visit. We get curious about a unique but frequently overlooked statue on the streets of Madrid and nerd out on Spain's distinctive languages (and cuisine and art). Then we recommend great books that took us there on the page: When I Sing, Mountains Dance by Irene Solà Grape, Olive, Pig: Deep Travels Thro...

In this episode, we get excited about two books: 'Cold People' by Tom Rob Smith and 'Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life' by Dacher Keltner. Then Mel shares the delicious history of Berlin's currywurst.  LINKS Cold People by Tom Rob Smith https://bit.ly/3WDixCv Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life by Dacher Keltner https:...

We've put together an itinerary of 12 fantastic destinations with stops in every region of the globe. So pack your bags for the Caribbean, Asia, Africa, Europe, South America, and two dramatically different spots in the eastern US — plus three super-fun themes. Get ready to explore customs, history, scenery, food, art, and more — all you need is your favorite reading chair and your curiosity. To s...

In this episode, we get excited about two books: 'The Mitford Affair' by Marie Benedict and 'Creative ACT: A Way of Being' by Rick Rubin. Then Dave talks about the 'Bad High School Analogies' meme and The Washington Post column 'Style Invitational.' LINKS The Mitford Affair by Marie Benedict https://bit.ly/404OeaM Creative ACT: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin https://amzn.to/3YeAIzV About The Mitford...

In this episode, we get excited about two books: 'Really Good, Actually' by Monica Heisey and 'How to Sell a Haunted House' by Grady Hendrix. Then Dave explains why the Tollywood movie 'RRR' is the best action-adventure movie since 'Raiders of the Lost Ark.' LINKS Really Good, Actually by Monica Heisey https://bit.ly/3ZskOD4 Monica Heisey's perilous trip to Paris https://bit.ly/3CFuLUe Read an exc...

In this episode, we get excited about two books: 'City Under One Roof' by Iris Yamashita and 'Endurance: 100 Tales of Survival, Adventure and Exploration' by Levison Wood. Then Mel talks about why Realm is her favorite new place to find awesome fiction podcasts.  LINKS City Under One Roof by Iris Yamashita https://bit.ly/3Zp5HdO Endurance by Levison Wood https://amzn.to/3ir27z8 Walking the Himalay...

In this episode, we get excited about two books: 'The Bandit Queens' by Parini Shroff and 'Project Hail Mary' by Andy Weir. Then Dave explains why The Extraordinary Attorney Woo is must-see TV.  LINKS The Bandit Queens by Parini Shroff https://bit.ly/3FofNST Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir https://bit.ly/3uMqJF3 The Martian by Andy Weir https://bit.ly/3HxkBbi Book trailer for The Bandit Queens http...

In this episode, we get excited about two books: 'The Snow Ball' by Brigid Brophy and 'Nine Liars' by Maureen Johnson. Then Mel and Dave share poems to usher in the new year. LINKS The Snow Ball by Brigid Brophy https://bit.ly/3uOllRK Mozart the Dramatist by Brigid Brophy https://amzn.to/3HxjQis Nine Liars by Maureen Johnson https://bit.ly/3j088Tt Your Guide to Not Getting Murdered in a Quaint Eng...

In this episode, we get excited about two new books: 'The Family Game' by Catherine Steadman and 'The Explorer's Library: Books That Inspire Wonder' by Atlas Obscura. Then Mel discusses The Big Read book club led by writer Jeremy Anderberg.  BOOKS The Family Game by Catherine Steadman https://bit.ly/3GAd0bF The Explorer's Library: Books That Inspire Wonder by Atlas Obscura https://bit.ly/3ACthsM A...

In this episode, we get excited about three books: 'The Christmas Party' by Georgette Heyer, 'The Christmas Murder Game' by Alexandra Benedict, and 'The Writer's Journey' by Travis Elborough. Then Dave shares a fantastic resource for finding the best books of the year.  BOOKS The Christmas Party by Georgette Heyer https://amzn.to/3VjHeUl The Christmas Murder Game by Alexandra Benedict https://bit....

In this episode, we get excited about two new books: 'Murder at Black Oaks' by Phillip Margolin and 'Dickens and Prince: A Particular Kind of Genius' by Nick Hornby. Then Mel makes her case that 'Betty Crocker's Cooky Book' is the best cookie cookbook on the planet. LINKS Murder at Black Oaks by Phillip Margolin https://bit.ly/3XlQLMz Gone But Not Forgotten by Phillip Margolin https://amzn.to/3i4O...

In this episode, we get excited about two new books: 'The Secret History of Christmas' by Bill Bryson and 'Wayward (Wanderers Book 2)' by Chuck Wendig. Then Mel takes us to the Germany of the Brothers Grimm.  BOOKS The Secret History of Christmas by Bill Bryson https://amzn.to/3TEvPgI Wayward (Wanderers Book 2) by Chuck Wendig https://bit.ly/3hOcD2M A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson https://bit.l...

We know you don't all celebrate the American holiday of Thanksgiving, but it's never a bad idea to express gratitude and devote a day to being cozy. In that spirit, we've made a little gift for you to show our appreciation. Watching the movie 'Home for the Holidays' is an annual Thanksgiving tradition in our house. The film is based on a brilliant short story by Chris Radant that is, sadly, out of...

In this episode, we get excited about two new books: 'Galatea' by Madeline Miller and 'Novelist as a Vocation' by Haruki Murakami. Then Dave recommends three fun boardgames for the holiday season — or anytime.  BOOKS Galatea by Madeline Miller https://bit.ly/3E9BZiY xo Orpheus: Fifty New Myth by Kate Bernheimer https://bit.ly/3gfQqKs Circe by Madeline Miller https://bit.ly/3hRV0yV Novelist as a Vo...

In this episode, we get excited about two new books: 'The Cloisters' by Katy Hays and 'The Best American Short Stories 2022' edited by Andrew Sean Greer & Heidi Pitlor. Then Mel recommends a new bookish advice column.  BOOKS The Cloisters by Katy Hays https://bit.ly/3FINRew The Best American Short Stories 2022 by Andrew Sean Greer & Heidi Pitlor https://bit.ly/3DzPKHs Less by Andrew Sean Greer htt...

In this episode, we get excited about two new books: 'Pretty Dead Queens' by Alexa Donne and 'Last Call at the Hotel Imperial: The Reporters Who Took on a World at War' by Deborah Cohen. Then Mel explains why she thinks you'll enjoy the newsletter devoted to all things Inspector Gamache. BOOKS Pretty Dead Queens by Alexa Donne https://bit.ly/3U1XBEZ Brightly Burning by Alexa Donne https://amzn.to/...