Strong Sense of Place | Travel Through Books

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 N...

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...

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 playgro...

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 Sto...

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 Offici...

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...

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 L...

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 h...

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:/...

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...

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...

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/1240/9780593...

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/1240/9...

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 DISTR...

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 destinat...

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, an...

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 S...

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 ribb...

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 darkn...

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 be...

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 hig...

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 intr...

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...

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....

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 ra...