One lifetime is too short to visit everywhere and meet everyone. That's why we love books with a strong sense of place — they let us travel the world in our imagination. In each episode of our podcast, we explore one destination and talk about what makes that place different from everywhere else on earth. Then we recommend five books that took us to that place on the page. We're on a trip around the globe, one great read at a time. Please join us!
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The Strong Sense of Place podcast is an absolute gem for anyone who loves books, travel, and the intersection between the two. With each episode, hosts Melissa and David take listeners on a virtual journey to different destinations around the world, exploring the literature, history, culture, and food of each place. The combination of geography, history, books, and travel makes for a truly unique and captivating listening experience. Melissa and David's enthusiasm and passion for storytelling shine through in every episode. Their descriptions of the books they recommend are eloquent and engaging, providing just enough information to pique your interest without giving away too much.
One of the best aspects of this podcast is how it introduces readers to a wide variety of books from different genres and time periods. Whether you're a fan of fiction or non-fiction, contemporary or classic literature, there will be something for everyone in their recommendations. The hosts have a knack for selecting books that truly capture the essence of each destination. They also provide interesting tidbits about the history and culture of each place they discuss, making you feel like you're getting a mini-lesson in addition to discovering great reads.
Another standout aspect of this podcast is its production value. The sound quality is excellent, making it easy to listen to even in challenging situations like when dealing with migraines or other sensory issues. Additionally, their website is filled with show notes, photos, and links that complement each episode. It's clear that Melissa and David put a lot of effort into creating a comprehensive and immersive experience for their listeners.
In terms of drawbacks, it's hard to find any major faults with The Strong Sense of Place podcast. However, one minor downside could be that some episodes may not cover destinations or books that personally resonate with every listener. This can make certain episodes less interesting if you don't have any prior knowledge or interest in the featured location or book selection. However, considering the wide range of destinations they cover, it's likely that there will be episodes that captivate every listener at some point.
In conclusion, The Strong Sense of Place podcast is a must-listen for avid readers and travel enthusiasts alike. Melissa and David have created a delightful podcast that combines the joy of reading with the thrill of exploring new places. Their passion, knowledge, and engaging storytelling make each episode an absolute delight to listen to. Whether you're looking for book recommendations or simply want to go on a virtual journey around the world, this podcast has got you covered. It's no wonder that so many listeners are hooked and eagerly await each new episode.
The National Park System (NPS) is a national treasure. US National Parks represent just about every type of feature and wildlife you can imagine. And it's not just parks: The NPS includes national monuments, memorials, scenic trails, lakeshores, battlefields, recreation areas, and more. The concept of a national park is credited to George Catlin, a 19th-century lawyer, painter, and adventurer. His travels took him all over the burgeoning United States, where he met fifty native tribes. He also worried about the loss of wildlife, wilderness, and indigenous people as America expanded westward into the frontier. His solution? A ‘nation's park' — land protected by the government for future generations. That vision became reality in 1872, when Yellowstone, in what's now Wyoming, became the first national park established by Congress. Now there are 63 National Parks across the US and its territories, from Acadia in Maine to Yosemite in California, Denali in Alaska to Dry Tortugas in Florida, and so many more in between. In this episode, we explore the almost overwhelming awesomeness of the NPS and take a virtual tour of some of the coolest experiences you can have in nature. We learn about the history of hippos and the Everglades, meet the most dangerous animal in the Grand Canyon, and learn the best place to eat popovers in Maine. Then we recommend five books that took us on big adventures in national parks, including a historical novel in Oklahoma, an adventure story in the Pacific Northwest, a murder mystery in Michigan, a memoir in Arizona, and a Bigfoot tale in Washington. Shelterwood by Lisa Wingate Wild: A Journey from Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed A Superior Death by Nevada Barr A Walk in the Park: The True Story of a Spectacular Misadventure in the Grand Canyon by Kevin Fedarko Devolution: A Firsthand Account of the Rainier Sasquatch Massacre by Max Brooks For more on the books we recommend, plus the other cool stuff we talk about, visit show notes. Sign up for our free Substack to connect with us and other lovely readers who are curious about the world. Transcript of National Parks: Go Outside and Touch Grass Do you enjoy our show? Do you want access to awesome bonus content? Please support our work on Patreon! Strong Sense of Place is an audience-funded endeavor, and we need your support to continue making this show. Get all the info you need right here. Thank you! Parts of the Strong Sense of Place podcast are produced in udio. Some effects are provided by soundly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Snuggled up next to Spain on the Iberian Peninsula and perched on the westernmost edge of Europe, Portugal has a long love affair with the sea. The Age of Discovery, launched in 15th-century Lisbon, carried Portuguese sailors to far-flung lands and brought sugarcane, tobacco, cotton, coffee, gold, spices, and chocolate back home. Today, the traditions of the colonies — and a Moorish invasion or two — are integrated into Portugal's cuisine, music, architecture, and the azulejos that tell stories of Portuguese life in colorful ceramic tiles. Portugal has treasures to offer every kind of traveler: the fortified wine of Madeira and the port of the Douro Valley, ancient Roman ruins and crenelated medieval castles, lush hilltop gardens and one-of-a-kind beaches, savory fried snacks and perfectly-sweet pastries — and bookish delights including a baroque library, a literary hotel, and a church-turned-bookshop. In this episode, we hit the high seas with Portuguese explorers, take a virtual visit to the world's oldest operating bookstore, and learn the multifaceted story of the Portuguese poet Pessoa. Then we recommend great books that took us there on the page, including a punch-you-in-the-feelings thriller, a charming history of Lisbon, a different kind of WWII story, a swashbuckling adventure starring a language-loving ape, and a memoir-cookbook hybrid that reads like the best kind of travel guide. Two Nights in Lisbon_ by Chris Pavone Queen of the Sea: A History of Lisbon by Barry Hatton Estoril by Dejan Tiago-Stankovic The Night in Lisbon by Erich Maria Remarque The Murderer's Ape by Jakob Wegelius, Peter Graves (translator) My Lisbon: A Cookbook from Portugal's City of Light_ by Nuno Mendes For more on the books we recommend, plus the other cool stuff we talk about, visit show notes. Sign up for our free Substack to connect with us and other lovely readers who are curious about the world. Transcript of Portugal: Storytelling, Surfing, and Ineffable Saudade Do you enjoy our show? Do you want access to awesome bonus content? Please support our work on Patreon! Strong Sense of Place is an audience-funded endeavor, and we need your support to continue making this show. Get all the info you need right here. Thank you! Parts of the Strong Sense of Place podcast are produced in udio. Some effects are provided by soundly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode, we get excited about two new books: Aftertaste: A Novel by Daria Lavelle and Feeding Ghosts: A Graphic Memoir by Tessa Hulls. Then Mel delves into the story of New Jersey's favorite beachy souvenir for National Taffy Day. Links Aftertaste: A Novel by Daria Lavelle Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson Butter Honey Pig Brea by Francesca Ekwuyasi Cinnamon and Gunpowder by Eli Brown Lush by Rochelle Dowden-Lord Feeding Ghosts: A Graphic Memoir by Tessa Hulls Podcast: Mel recommends Piglet by Lottie Hazell The History of Fralinger's Salt Water Taffy Inside the Epic Quest for a More Perfect Taffy A Mathematical History of Taffy Pullers by Jean-Luc Thiffeault Cape May Magazine: Fralinger's Salt Water Taffy Buy Fralinger's Original Salt Water Taffy Tasty's recipe for salt water taffy Peanut Butter Salt Water Taffy from Food52 Video: How Shriver's Salt Water Taffy Is Made Using A 200-Year-Old Technique Transcript of this episode. The Library of Lost Time is a Strong Sense of Place Production! https://strongsenseofplace.com Join our FREE Substack to get our (awesome) newsletter and join in chats with other people who love books and travel. Do you enjoy our show? Do you want to make friends with other (lovely) listeners? 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 find us at: Our site Instagram Substack Patreon Parts of the Strong Sense of Place podcast are produced in udio! Some effects are provided by soundly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We're delighted to announce that Season 7 of the Strong Sense of Place podcast kicks off on Friday, 30 May! We've put together an itinerary of thrilling destinations with a journey to every region of the globe. Pack your (virtual) bags for Europe, Asia, the Caribbean, and two exciting destinations in the United States. (Hint: There will be incredible vistas and majestic trees involved in our visit to America.) This time, we're also celebrating two favorite holidays for maximum fun. Get ready to immerse yourself in the food, sights, sounds, and scenery of far-flung destinations around the world. Be sure to pack your curiosity in your carry-on and leave room for lots of books! Click right here to see stunning photos of our Season 7 destinations. Transcript of this episode. Join our FREE Substack to get our (awesome) newsletter and join in chats with other people who love books and travel. Do you enjoy our show? Do you want to make friends with other (lovely) listeners? 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 find us at: Our site Instagram Substack Patreon Parts of the Strong Sense of Place podcast are produced in udio! Some effects are provided by soundly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode, we get excited about two new books: One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune and My Friends: A Novel by Fredrik Backman. Then Dave talks about the stellar winners of the 2025 Pen America Awards. Links One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune Read an excerpt from One Golden Summer Love is Like Peanuts by Betty Bates on Internet Archive Every Summer After by Carley Fortune My Friends: A Novel by Fredrik Backman Beartown: A Novel by Fredrik Backman A Man Called Ove by Frederik Backman Anxious People by Frederik Backman American Writers Museum Level Up: Writers & Gamers exhibit Online Exhibits at the American Writers Museum Get Lit Happy Hours and the Grown Up Book Fair on 13 May. Transcript of this episode. The Library of Lost Time is a Strong Sense of Place Production! https://strongsenseofplace.com Join our FREE Substack to get our (awesome) newsletter and join in chats with other people who love books and travel. Do you enjoy our show? Do you want to make friends with other (lovely) listeners? 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 find us at: Our site Instagram Substack Patreon Parts of the Strong Sense of Place podcast are produced in udio! Some effects are provided by soundly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode, we get excited about two new books: The Staircase in the Woods by Chuck Wendig and I See You've Called in Dead by John Kenney. Then Dave talks about the stellar winners of the 2025 Pen America Awards. Links The Staircase in the Woods by Chuck Wendig Invasive by Chuck Wendig I See You've Called in Dead by John Kenney Truth in Advertising by John Kenney Writer's Digest interview with John Kenney The Boat Who Wouldn't Float by Farley Mowat Pen America website and Instagram Pen International website Pen American Literary Awards Finalists Dead in Long Beach, California by Venita Blackburn With My Back to the World: Poems by Victoria Chang On Freedom by Timothy Snyder Transcript of this episode. The Library of Lost Time is a Strong Sense of Place Production! https://strongsenseofplace.com Join our FREE Substack to get our (awesome) newsletter and join in chats with other people who love books and travel. Do you enjoy our show? Do you want to make friends with other (lovely) listeners? 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 find us at: Our site Instagram Substack Patreon Parts of the Strong Sense of Place podcast are produced in udio! Some effects are provided by soundly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode, we get excited about two new books: Exit Zero: Stories by Marie-Helene Bertino and The Pretender: A Novel by Jo Harkin. Then Mel talks about the remarkable digital library fighting global censorship. Links Exit Zero: Stories by Marie-Helene Bertino 2 A.M. at the Cat's Pajamas by Marie-Helene Bertino — hear Mel talk about it on our Pennsylvania episode Beautyland by Marie-Helene Bertino — hear Mel talk about it on our Outer Space episode The Pretender: A Novel by Jo Harkin Tell Me An Ending by Jo Harkin The Uncensored Library The Uncensored Library on the Minecraft website BBC: Minecraft ‘Loophole' Library of Banned Journalism Peabody Awards on The Uncensored Library Transcript of this episode. The Library of Lost Time is a Strong Sense of Place Production! https://strongsenseofplace.com Join our FREE Substack to get our (awesome) newsletter and join in chats with other people who love books and travel. Do you enjoy our show? Do you want to make friends with other (lovely) listeners? 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 find us at: Our site Instagram Substack Patreon Parts of the Strong Sense of Place podcast are produced in udio! Some effects are provided by soundly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode, we get excited about two new books: Perspective(s): A Novel by Laurent Binet and The Impossible Thing by Belinda Bauer. Then Dave shares the app that's decoding nature's secrets in his favorite park. Links Perspective(s): A Novel by Laurent Binet The Impossible Thing by Belinda Bauer HHhH by Laurent Binet — hear Mel talk about it on our Prague podcast episode The Black House by Peter May — hear Mel talk about it on our Scotland episode Seek by iNaturalist: download the app for Apple or Google, watch a demo video, get the user's guide Transcript of this episode. The Library of Lost Time is a Strong Sense of Place Production! https://strongsenseofplace.com Join our FREE Substack to get our (awesome) newsletter and join in chats with other people who love books and travel. Do you enjoy our show? Do you want to make friends with other (lovely) listeners? 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 find us at: Our site Instagram Substack Patreon Parts of the Strong Sense of Place podcast are produced in udio! Some effects are provided by soundly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We have a slew of new listeners — hello, new book friends! — so we're sharing this episode from 2020 in which we answered questions about how we choose the books we read for the show, whether or not we really love everything we recommend, how we met, previous jobs, and other behind-the-scenes info. Hope you enjoy the peek into our lives and work! Sign up for our free Substack to connect with us and other lovely readers who are curious about the world. Transcript of this episode Do you enjoy our show? Do you want access to awesome bonus content? Please support our work on Patreon! Strong Sense of Place is an audience-funded endeavor, and we need your support to continue making this show. Get all the info you need right here. Thank you! Parts of the Strong Sense of Place podcast are produced in udio. Some effects are provided by soundly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode, we get excited about two new books: When We Were Real by Daryl Gregory and The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones. Then Mel shares the meaningful story of the new Witches of Scotland tartan. Links When We Were Real by Daryl Gregory Daryl Gregory's website Read an excerpt from When We Were Real Podcast: Mel talks about Spoonbenders in our Chicago episode Mel's write-up of Spoonbenders Podcast: Mel talks about the P&T Knitwear bookshop The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones The Witches of Scotland website, Instagram, and TikTok The book: How to Kill a Witch: The Patriarchy's Guide to Silencing Women The podcast: Witches of Scotland Tartan Episode Smithsonian magazine on the campaign and tartan Nicola Sturgeon Issues Apology for ‘Historical Injustice' of Witch Hunts. Transcript of this episode. The Library of Lost Time is a Strong Sense of Place Production! https://strongsenseofplace.com Join our FREE Substack to get our (awesome) newsletter and join in chats with other people who love books and travel. Do you enjoy our show? Do you want to make friends with other (lovely) listeners? 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 find us at: Our site Instagram Substack Patreon Parts of the Strong Sense of Place podcast are produced in udio! Some effects are provided by soundly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode, we get excited about fun new books: The Expert of Subtle Revisions by Kirsten Menger-Anderson and On Air: The Triumph and Tumult of NPR by Steve Oney. Then Dave recommends a tranquil dark sky festival. Links The Expert of Subtle Revisions by Kirsten Menger-Anderson On Air: The Triumph and Tumult of NPR by Steve Oney The Kingdoms by Natasha Pulley Prague Spring by Simon Mawer Skellig Coast Dark Sky Festival Wikipedia on the amazing Skellig Michael Kerry International Dark-Sky Reserve Kerry Dark Sky Tourism 2025 Dark Sky Festivals and Star Parties DarkSky International Transcript of this episode. The Library of Lost Time is a Strong Sense of Place Production! https://strongsenseofplace.com Join our FREE Substack to get our (awesome) newsletter and join in chats with other people who love books and travel. Do you enjoy our show? Do you want to make friends with other (lovely) listeners? 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 find us at: Our site Instagram Substack Patreon Parts of the Strong Sense of Place podcast are produced in udio! Some effects are provided by soundly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode, we get excited about fun new books: The Paris Express by Emma Donoghue and The Antidote by Karen Russell. Then Mel explains why you should give yourself a time-out on the floor. Links The Paris Express by Emma Donoghue Video: Emma Donoghue at Politics and Prose bookstore The Antidote by Karen Russell The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders Why Lying on the Ground Feels So Good How to Do a Legs-up-the-Wall Pose Transcript of this episode The Library of Lost Time is a Strong Sense of Place Production! https://strongsenseofplace.com Join our FREE Substack to get our (awesome) newsletter and join in chats with other people who love books and travel. Do you enjoy our show? Do you want to make friends with other (lovely) listeners? 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 find us at: Our site Instagram Substack Patreon Parts of the Strong Sense of Place podcast are produced in udio! Some effects are provided by soundly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode, we get excited about three new books: The Café with No Name by Robert Seethaler & Katy Derbyshire (translation) and The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami. Then Mel recommends starting the day with the new word game ‘Order Up. Links The Café with No Name by Robert Seethaler, Katy Derbyshire (translator) The Tobacconist by Robert Seethaler, Charlotte Collins (translator) The Field by Robert Seethaler, Charlotte Collins (translator) The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar Order Up Adam Wagner: Patreon and Twitter BBC: The Deepest Hole We Have Ever Dug Orion Magazine: Inside the Deepest Artificial Hole on Earth Wordle Connections Transcript of this episode. The Library of Lost Time is a Strong Sense of Place Production! https://strongsenseofplace.com Join our FREE Substack to get our (awesome) newsletter and join in chats with other people who love books and travel. Do you enjoy our show? Do you want to make friends with other (lovely) listeners? 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 find us at: Our site Instagram Substack Patreon Parts of the Strong Sense of Place podcast are produced in udio! Some effects are provided by soundly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode, we get excited about two new books: How to Survive a Classic Crime Novel by Kate Jackson and The Bones Beneath My Skin by TJ Klune. Then Dave shares Kevin Kelly's surprising tips for memorable travel. Links How to Survive a Classic Crime Novel by Kate Jackson Cross Examining Crime website Artist Joanna Lisowiec's website Your Guide to Not Getting Murdered in a Quaint English Village by Maureen Johnson, Jay Cooper Wolf Hall Companion by Lauren MacKay The Bones Beneath My Skin by TJ Klune The House in the Cerulean Sea by Susan Morrison Kevin Kelly's ‘50 Years of Travel Tips' Video: The Future Will Be Shaped By Optimists Transcript of this episode. The Library of Lost Time is a Strong Sense of Place Production! https://strongsenseofplace.com Join our FREE Substack to get our (awesome) newsletter and join in chats with other people who love books and travel. Do you enjoy our show? Do you want to make friends with other (lovely) listeners? 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 find us at: Our site Instagram Substack Patreon Parts of the Strong Sense of Place podcast are produced in udio! Some effects are provided by soundly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode, we get excited about two new books: The Watermark by Sam Mills and Lorne: The Man Who Invented Saturday Night Live by Susan Morrison. Then Mel shares the buttery story of the best croissants in Paris. Links The Watermark by Sam Mills Sam Mill's website The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde Lorne: The Man Who Invented Saturday Night Live by Susan Morrison Gerloczy in Budapest: the hotel and the cafe Alma Nomad Bakery in Madrid Moon Croissants in Paris Instagram: Up close and personal with a double-baked almond croissant Fascinating facts about croissants Three-day Croissant recipe Transcript of this episode. The Library of Lost Time is a Strong Sense of Place Production! https://strongsenseofplace.com Join our FREE Substack to get our (awesome) newsletter and join in chats with other people who love books and travel. Do you enjoy our show? Do you want to make friends with other (lovely) listeners? 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 find us at: Our site Instagram Substack Patreon Parts of the Strong Sense of Place podcast are produced in udio! Some effects are provided by soundly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode, we get excited about two new books: Every Tom, Dick & Harry by Elinor Lipman and On the Hippie Trail: Istanbul to Kathmandu and the Making of a Travel Writer by Rick Steves. Then Dave shares a sweet poem about the good stuff: love and dogs. Links Every Tom, Dick & Harry by Elinor Lipman Podcast: Mel talks about Ms. Demeanor by Elinor Lipman Visit Elinor Lipman's website. Elinor Lipman is the new EM Forster. Fight me. Review of The Inn at Lake Devine by Elinor Lipman Review of The Way Men Act by Elinor Lipman Review of Isabel's Bed by Elinor Lipman On the Hippie Trail: Istanbul to Kathmandu and the Making of a Travel Writer_ by Rick Steves Photos from On the Hippie Trail on Rick Steves' website Video: Rick Steves talks about his book Taylor Mali's website What Learning Leaves by Taylor Mali Video: Taylor Mali performing ‘How Falling in Love is Like Owning a Dog' Transcript of this episode. The Library of Lost Time is a Strong Sense of Place Production! https://strongsenseofplace.com Join our FREE Substack to get our (awesome) newsletter and join in chats with other people who love books and travel. Do you enjoy our show? Do you want to make friends with other (lovely) listeners? 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 find us at: Our site Instagram Substack Patreon Parts of the Strong Sense of Place podcast are produced in udio! Some effects are provided by soundly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode, we get excited about two new books: Cold Kitchen: A Year of Culinary Travelsby Caroline Eden and Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor. Then Dave shares his enthusiasm for the 2025 Grammy nominees for best audiobook recordings. Links Cold Kitchen: A Year of Culinary Travels by Caroline Eden Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor Last Sundays in Plains: A Centennial Celebration by Jimmy Carter My Name is Barbra by Barbra Streisand: print and audiobook …And Your Ass Will Follow by George Clinton All You Need is Love: The Beatles in Their Own Words by Peter Brown & Steven Gaines: printand audiobook Behind the Seams: My Life in Rhinestones by Dolly Parton: print and audiobook Transcript of this episode. The Library of Lost Time is a Strong Sense of Place Production! https://strongsenseofplace.com Join our FREE Substack to get our (awesome) newsletter and join in chats with other people who love books and travel. Do you enjoy our show? Do you want to make friends with other (lovely) listeners? 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 find us at: Our site Instagram Substack Patreon Parts of the Strong Sense of Place podcast are produced in udio! Some effects are provided by soundly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode, we get excited about two new books: The Power and the Glory: The Country House Before the Great War by Adrian Tinniswood and Playworld: A Novel by Adam Ross. Then Mel shares her reading and loving doorstopper novels of 500+ pages. Links The Power and the Glory: The Country House Before the Great War by Adrian Tinniswood The Long Weekend: Life in the English Country House, 1918-1939 by Adrian Tinniswood Noble Ambitions: The Fall and Rise of the English Country House After World War II by Adrian Tinniswood Playworld: A Novel by Adam Ross Mr. Peanut by Adam Ross Adrian Tinniswood's website Podcast: History Extra — The Golden Age of the Country House The Wheel of Fortune by Susan Howatch Mel's Favorite Doorstopper Novels Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson REAMDE by Neal Stephenson The Eighth Life by Nino Haratischvili (translated by Ruth Martin & Charlotte Collins) Plain Bad Heroines by Emily M. Danforth - reviewed on our Hollywood podcast Wolf Hall trilogy by Hilary Mantel - reviewed on our London podcast The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova - reviewed on our Library podcast The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins - reviewed on our Cemetery podcast The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon The Labyrinth of the Spirits by Carlos Ruiz Zafón - reviewed on our Library podcast The Book Thief by Markus Zusak Fairy Tale by Stephen King Transcript of this episode. The Library of Lost Time is a Strong Sense of Place Production! https://strongsenseofplace.com Join our FREE Substack to get our (awesome) newsletter and join in chats with other people who love books and travel. Do you enjoy our show? Do you want to make friends with other (lovely) listeners? 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 find us at: Our site Instagram Substack Patreon Parts of the Strong Sense of Place podcast are produced in udio! Some effects are provided by soundly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Spend a bookish weekend with us in a country manor house! For centuries, nobles and ne'er-do-wells have gathered on country estates for a bit of leisure, a lot of sumptuous food, sparkling conversation, and general good cheer. You're invited to join us at Trevor Hall for a modern take on the traditional manor house weekend. Together, we'll make ourselves at home in this historic Georgian mansion surrounded by the picturesque North Wales countryside. We'll talk about books, share gourmet meals in the Great Hall, play parlor games, ramble in the Welsh hills, listen to stories by candlelight, and be dazzled by an illusionist from London. Our weekend begins in Manchester, England — a UNESCO City of Literature. We'll take over a boutique hotel in the city center where we'll enjoy an evening pub meetup, spend the night, and start our morning with a breakfast fry-up. Then we're off to the Elizabeth Gaskell House for a private tour of the Victorian villa where the author wrote her classic novel ‘North and South' (and entertained literary friends like Charlotte Brontë and Charles Dickens). After a restorative tea-and-cake break, we'll ride together via private motor coach — just over an hour — through the rugged countryside to Llangollen, a charming historic town on the River Dee in North Wales. Our destination: Trevor Hall. The Hall is a Georgian mansion on a wooded hilltop overlooking green slopes dotted with sheep and horses. After a tour of the house and gardens, we'll ease into country living in the Hall's luxurious (and tastefully eclectic) rooms. With literary activities, entertainment, and surprises planned throughout the weekend, you're sure to be delighted — and have plenty of time to connect with old and new bookish friends. For complete details about the weekend and lots of photos, visit strongsenseofplace.com/weekend. For early access to tickets for a Readers' Weekend at Trevor Hall, join our Patreon. To be notified the minute tickets go on sale, join our free Substack newsletter. Parts of the Strong Sense of Place podcast are produced in udio. Some effects are provided by soundly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode, we get excited about three books: Gifts from the Kitchen by Kristine Kidd and A Christmas Cornucopia: The Hidden Stories Behind Our Yuletide Traditions by Mark Forsyth. Then Dave recommends entertaining, accessible graphic novels for newbies. Links Buy: Gifts from the Kitchen by Kristine Kidd Internet Archive: Gifts from the Kitchen by Kristine Kidd A Christmas Cornucopia: The Hidden Stories Behind Our Yuletide Traditions by Mark Forsyth Polar Vortex: A Family Memoir by Denise Dorrance Hidden Systems: Water, Electricity, the Internet, and the Secrets Behind the Systems We Use Every Day by Dan Nott The Way Things Work by David Macaulay How It All Ends by Emma Hunsinger Transcript of this episode. The Library of Lost Time is a Strong Sense of Place Production! https://strongsenseofplace.com Join our FREE Substack to get our (awesome) newsletter and join in chats with other people who love books and travel. Do you enjoy our show? Do you want to make friends with other (lovely) listeners? 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 find us at: Our site Instagram Substack Patreon Parts of the Strong Sense of Place podcast are produced in udio! Some effects are provided by soundly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode, we get excited about two new books: A Lively Midwinter Murder by Katy Watson and The Way by Cary Groner. Then Dave recommends fun boardgames to play with your friends and family this holiday season. Links A Lively Midwinter Murder by Katy Watson The Dead of Winter by Nicola Upson The Way by Cary Groner Sky Team dice game — how-to video Harmonies board game — how-to video Flip 7 card game — how-to video Transcript of this episode. The Library of Lost Time is a Strong Sense of Place Production! https://strongsenseofplace.com Join our FREE Substack to get our (awesome) newsletter and join in chats with other people who love books and travel. Do you enjoy our show? Do you want to make friends with other (lovely) listeners? 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 find us at: Our site Instagram Substack Patreon Parts of the Strong Sense of Place podcast are produced in udio! Some effects are provided by soundly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
It's our November tradition! This week, we're replaying a special Thanksgiving episode of our show. ==== 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 print. Both the story and the film tell the tale of a family Thanksgiving in all of its gluttonous, annoying, loving glory. It's a celebration of affection, patience, and forgiveness. Since you can't get the story as an audiobook, Mel went into our blanket fort recording booth to read the story out loud, and then Dave worked some editing magic. Boom! We made our first homegrown ‘audiobook.' We're grateful you've all joined us on our Strong Sense of Place reading-traveling adventures. We hope you enjoy the story! Read the short story by Chris Radant Transcript of this episode Sign up for our free Substack to connect with us and other lovely readers who are curious about the world. Do you enjoy our show? Do you want access to awesome bonus content? Please support our work on Patreon! Strong Sense of Place is an audience-funded endeavor, and we need your support to continue making this show. Get all the info you need right here. Thank you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode, we get excited about three books: Strange Beasts by Susan J. Morris, The Starlets by Lee Kelly & Jennifer Thorne, and Darkly by Marisha Pessl. Then Dave makes the case for playing cozy games. Links Strange Beasts by Susan J. Morris The Starlets by Lee Kelly & Jennifer Thorne Diavola by Jennifer Thorne Darkly by Marisha Pessl Mel's review of Special Topics in Calamity Physics by Marisha Pessl Night Film by Marisha Pessl Steam gift cards Tiny Glade on Steam Video: Tiny Glade Demo #1 and Demo #2 A Little to the Left on Steam — also available on macOS, Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S. Video: A Little to the Left Demo Oddada on Steam Video: Oddada Demo Transcript of this episode. The Library of Lost Time is a Strong Sense of Place Production! https://strongsenseofplace.com Join our FREE Substack to get our (awesome) newsletter and join in chats with other people who love books and travel. Do you enjoy our show? Do you want to make friends with other (lovely) listeners? 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 find us at: Our site Instagram Substack Patreon Parts of the Strong Sense of Place podcast are produced in udio! Some effects are provided by soundly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We'd love to hear from you! -- Take our survey at strongsenseofplace.com/survey. In this episode, we get excited about two books: the audiobook version of Rivals, written by Jilly Coooper (read by Georgia Tennant) and Big Book of Bread: 125+ Recipes for Every Baker from King Arthur Flour. Then Mel shares her extreme enthusiasm for sandwiches and The Sammies Awards. Links Rivals by Jilly Cooper(read by Georgia Tennant) King Arthur Flour Big Book of Bread: 125+ Recipes for Every Baker Podcast: How the Sandwich Consumed Britain Read: How the Sandwich Consumed Britain The art of the Ultimate Sandwich The Guardian Audio Long Read podcast The Guardian Long Read archive Sandwich Designer of the Year Awards Recap of the 2023 Sammies Meet the Chef Behind the UK's Best Sandwich, the Smokey Roll Smokey Roll recipe Mountain Feta & Merguez Wrap by Simon Broadribb Transcript of this episode. The Library of Lost Time is a Strong Sense of Place Production! https://strongsenseofplace.com Join our FREE Substack to get our (awesome) newsletter and join in chats with other people who love books and travel. Do you enjoy our show? Do you want to make friends with other (lovely) listeners? 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 find us at: Our site Instagram Substack Patreon Parts of the Strong Sense of Place podcast are produced in udio! Some effects are provided by soundly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Hello! Please take our end-of-the-season survey at http://strongsenseofplace.com/survey! We'd love to hear from you. Seattle is a mashup of water and mountains — it just might be the ultimate outdoor playground. If you want to go hiking, camping, boating, biking, or meander in a beautiful garden, Seattle is a fantastic place to do all of that. It can also claim a vast realm of ‘firsts' in music, architecture, politics, and literature. (Not to mention Bigfoot sightings, if that's your thing.) There's grunge music, Elvis appearances, the Seattle Seahawks' 12th Man, an inordinate number of sunglasses, and more library cards than anywhere else in the United States. The city also hosted two World's Fairs: the Alaska–Yukon–Pacific Exposition in 1909 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Klondike Gold Rush (you do not want to miss the Two Truths and a Lie story about that one!) — and the Century 21 Exposition in 1962. That one tried to predict what life in America would be like in the year 2000 and beyond — which gave us the Space Needle, the Alweg Monorail, and a car shaped like a rocket. In this episode, we learn the stories of a few remarkable Seattle women, celebrate Seattle's superlatives, and share a bookish itinerary for the ‘Most Literate City in the Country.' Then we recommend seven great books that took us there on the page, including an unusual ghost story, a memoir about living in 1950s Seattle, a thriller set in the world of journalism, three graphic novels that will make you want to take a walk, and a modern fable set in the San Juan islands. I Wish I Was Like You by S.P. Miskowski This Boy's Life: A Memoir by Tobias Wolff Deadline Man: A Novel by Jon Talton Seattle Walk Report: An Illustrated Walking Tour through 23 Seattle Neighborhoods by Susanna Ryan Secret Seattle: An Illustrated Guide to the City's Offbeat and Overlooked History by Susanna Ryan Street Trees of Seattle: An Illustrated Walking Guide by Taha Ebrahimi Bear by Julia Phillips For more on the books we recommend, plus the other cool stuff we talk about, visit show notes. Sign up for our free Substack to connect with us and other lovely readers who are curious about the world. Transcript of Seattle: City of Superlatives Do you enjoy our show? Do you want access to awesome bonus content? Please support our work on Patreon! Strong Sense of Place is an audience-funded endeavor, and we need your support to continue making this show. Get all the info you need right here. Thank you! Parts of the Strong Sense of Place podcast are produced in udio. Some effects are provided by soundly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode, we get excited about two books: The Absinthe Forger by Evan Rail and The Notebook: A History of Thinking on Paper by Roland Allen. Then our guest Evan Rail shares his enthusiasm for fountain pens and special inks. Links The Absinthe Forger: A True Story of Deception, Betrayal, and the World's Most Dangerous Spirit by Evan Rail The Notebook: A History of Thinking on Paper by Roland Allen Evan Rail's website and Instagram Evan's interview with Radio Prague International Pelikan fountain pens Rohrer & Klingner inks Rohrer & Klingner Alt Goldgrun (gold-green ink) - see it here Rohrer & Klingner Solferino (purple) - see it here. Kaweco pens — and the Kaweco Sport Parker Quink ink cartridges Herbin inks Herbin Lie de Thé (brown) - see it here. Diamine inks Diamine Writer's Blood (maroon) Diamine Bloody Absinthe (green and red) Diamine Aurora Borealis (teal green) Transcript of this episode. The Library of Lost Time is a Strong Sense of Place Production! https://strongsenseofplace.com Join our FREE Substack to get our (awesome) newsletter and join in chats with other people who love books and travel. Do you enjoy our show? Do you want to make friends with other (lovely) listeners? 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 find us at: Our site Instagram Substack Patreon Parts of the Strong Sense of Place podcast are produced in udio! Some effects are provided by soundly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Graveyards, cemeteries, ossuaries, and crypts — all places of reverence where the living can pay their respects to those who've crossed over before us. But that wasn't always the case. In the Middle Ages, graveyards were far more raucous, home to fairs, markets, and even grazing cattle. In the 19th century, some cemeteries were the place to see and be seen, possibly with a well-stocked picnic basket in tow. In 1860, The Green-Wood Cemetery in New York rivaled Niagara Falls (!) as the most popular tourist attraction in the US. In this episode, we take leisurely strolls through Pére Lachaise and Greyfriars Kirkyard, learn about the one-way train for the dearly departed, and visit a cheery Romanian cemetery. Then we share five books we love that explore these often peaceful, sometimes eerie ‘museums of people,' including a 19th-century classic mystery tale, a how-to for death, two beloved fantasy novels, and a Gothic thriller set in 1980s Barcelona. The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins Advice for Future Corpses (and Those Who Love Them) by Sallie Tisdale A Fine and Private Place by Peter S. Beagle Lincoln in the Bardo: A Novel by George Saunders Marina by Carlos Ruiz Zafón For more on the books we recommend, plus the other cool stuff we talk about, visit show notes. Sign up for our free Substack to connect with us and other lovely readers who are curious about the world. Transcript of Cemetery: Celebrate Life, Honor the Dead Do you enjoy our show? Do you want be friends with other (lovely) people who love books and travel? Please support our work on Patreon! Strong Sense of Place is an audience-funded endeavor, and we need your support to continue making this show. Get all the info you need right here. Thank you! Parts of the Strong Sense of Place podcast are produced in udio. Some effects are provided by soundly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode, we get excited about two books: Accidentally Wes Anderson: Adventures by Wally & Amanda Koval and Polostan by Neal Stephenson. Then Wally and Amanda from Accidentally Wes Anderson recommend a silly-fun music hotline. Links Accidentally Wes Anderson website and Instagram Accidentally Wes Anderson: Adventures by Wally and Amanda Koval Accidentally Wes Anderson by Wally and Amanda Koval Accidentally Wes Anderson: Adventures audiobook narrated by Jeff Goldblum Radio Prague on the Red Arrow train Polostan by Neal Stephenson Video: Neal Stephenson at the Long Now Foundation NPR on Callin' Oates Video: She's Gone Video: Sarah Smile Transcript of this episode. The Library of Lost Time is a Strong Sense of Place Production! https://strongsenseofplace.com Join our FREE Substack to get our (awesome) newsletter and join in chats with other people who love books and travel. Do you enjoy our show? Do you want to make friends with other (lovely) listeners? 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 find us at: Our site Instagram Substack Patreon Parts of the Strong Sense of Place podcast are produced in udio! Some effects are provided by soundly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
If you think a trip to Brazil is an invitation to the best party ever, you are correct! Colorful, sizzling, breathtakingly beautiful, and populated with friendly people (and amazing animals), Brazil is the place for good times, good food, good drinks, and good energy. We begin with the Amazon, a vast rainforest and river teeming with magical creatures like pink dolphins, bioluminescent mushrooms, and — yes — piranhas and anacondas. (Shout-out to the friendly capybaras!) Brazil's cities offer something for everyone — the capital city of Brasília's futuristic architecture, Sao Paulo's international food scene, and Rio's seductive combo of city sights and sparkling beaches. (There's a reason we've been singing about the tall and tan, young and lovely girl from Ipanema for decades.) While you're surely ready to dance the samba and drink a few caipirinhas, did you know Brazil is also the place for award-winning cheese? Or a spring-fed pool that feels like champagne? Or ‘chestnuts from Para'? In this episode, we explore Brazil's rainforest and urban jungles, dig into the fascinating (really!) story of Brazil nuts, and meet one of the world's finest Emperors. Then we recommend five great books that took us there on the page: The Invisible Life of Euridice Gusmao by Martha Batalha, Eric M.B. Becker (translator) Ways to Disappear by Idra Novey The Silence of the Rain by Luiz Alfredo Garcia-Roza, Benjamin Moser (translator) Daytripper by Fabio Moon and Gabriel Bá Flesh and Bone and Water by Luiza Sauma For more on the books we recommend, plus the other cool stuff we talk about, visit show notes. Sign up for our free Substack to connect with us and other awesome readers who are curious about the world. Transcript of Brazil: Sugarloaf, Samba, and Sao Paulo Do you enjoy our show? Do you want to be friends with other (lovely) people who love books and travel? Please support our work on Patreon! Strong Sense of Place is an audience-funded endeavor, and we need your support to continue making this show. Get all the info you need right here. Thank you! Parts of the Strong Sense of Place podcast are produced in udio. Some effects are provided by soundly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode, we get excited about two books: The Hitchcock Hotel by Stephanie Wrobel and Book and Dagger by Elyse Graham. Then Mel recommends the History Extra podcast for your Spooky Season storytelling needs. Links The Hitchcock Hotel by Stephanie Wrobel Book and Dagger by Elyse Graham History Extra podcast Ancient Egypt: The Big Questions Salem: Investigating the Witch Trials More episodes about witches Halloween episodes Transcript of this episode. The Library of Lost Time is a Strong Sense of Place Production! https://strongsenseofplace.com Join our FREE Substack to get our (awesome) newsletter and join in chats with other people who love books and travel. Do you enjoy our show? Do you want to make friends with other (lovely) listeners? 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 find us at: Our site Instagram Substack Patreon Parts of the Strong Sense of Place podcast are produced in udio! Some effects are provided by soundly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Saudi Arabia is the largest country on the Arabian Peninsula, a sea of sand (95% of the country is desert) that holds 17% of the world's petroleum reserves. Its cities encapsulate the country's contradictions: ancient souks and ultra-modern skyscrapers, women veiled in abayas but also entering the workforce, petroleum refineries, and sparkling beach resorts. Cards on the table: Saudi Arabia has an abysmal track record on human rights, with women, LGBTQ+ communities, and journalists the target of discrimination and violence. Women are still legally classified as minors, with male relatives making significant decisions on their behalf. But in the last few years, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman — known as MBS — passed laws that lessened some restrictions with Saudi Arabia. And he's invited the world in: His Vision 2030 plan opened Saudi Arabia to tourism. Road signs and menus now appear in English, Western credit cards are widely accepted, and you can even catch an Uber. In this episode, we dive into the changing norms in Saudi Arabia, talk about some of the amazing sights that are now open to the Western world, and discuss the ambitious Neom project: a ‘city of the future' in the desert. Then we recommend five books that took us to Saudi Arabia on the page: City Of Veils by Zoë Ferraris MBS: The Rise to Power of Mohammed bin Salman by Ben Hubbard Cardamom and Lime: Recipes from the Arabian Gulf by Sarah Al-Hamad The Green Bicycle by Haifaa Al Mansour Eight Months on Ghazzah Street by Hilary Mantel For more on the books we recommend, plus the other cool stuff we talk about, visit show notes. Sign up for our free Substack to connect with us and other lovely readers who are curious about the world. Transcript of Saudi Arabia: Old Ways and New Directions (?) Do you enjoy our show? Do you want be friends with other (lovely) people who love books and travel? Please support our work on Patreon! Strong Sense of Place is an audience-funded endeavor, and we need your support to continue making this show. Get all the info you need right here. Thank you! Parts of the Strong Sense of Place podcast are produced in udio. Some effects are provided by soundly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode, we get excited about two books: So Thirsty by Rachel Harrison and The Wildes by Louis Bayard. Then Dave shares the exploits of the world's greatest art detective. Links Rachel Harrison's website So Thirsty by Rachel Harrison Black Sheep by Rachel Harrison — hear Mel talk about it Such Sharp Teeth by Rachel Harrison — hear Dave talk about it Cackle by Rachel Harrison The Veil audiobook by Rachel Harrison, Louisa Krause (narrator) The Wildes: A Novel in Five Acts by Louis Bayard Jackie & Me by Louis Brayard Courting Mr. Lincoln by Louis Brayard The Black Tower by Louis Brayard The Pale Blue Eye by Louis Brayard Podcast — Detective Agency: Discrete Inquiries, Mysteries Solved Arthur Brand's website and Instagram Meet the World's Greatest Art Detective Confessions of an Art Detective The Indiana Jones of the Art World Hitler's Horses: The Incredible True Story of the Detective who Infiltrated the Underworld by Arthur Brand Transcript of this episode. The Library of Lost Time is a Strong Sense of Place Production! https://strongsenseofplace.com Join our FREE Substack to get our (awesome) newsletter and join in chats with other people who love books and travel. Do you enjoy our show? Do you want to make friends with other (lovely) listeners? 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 find us at: Our site Instagram Substack Patreon Parts of the Strong Sense of Place podcast are produced in udio! Some effects are provided by soundly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Fictional detectives are some of the most beloved characters in print and on-screen. It's easy to relate to someone with an overblown sense of justice and a need to set the world right (or as right as it can be). There are nosy neighbors like Nancy Drew and Miss Marple with no real credentials whatsoever and police detectives — Hello, Harry Bosch! Ta, Inspector Lynley! — with entire departments behind them. Relentless journalists, dogged medical examiners, resourceful bounty hunters (We see you, Stefanie Plum!), and, perhaps, the most endearing detectives of them all: private eyes. This show is all about the gumshoes who work outside the pesky laws of search warrants and chain of evidence. Who maybe toil in an office with a frosted glass door and a dame with moxie tapping away at a typewriter — or perhaps the dame with moxie is the detective. This installment celebrates independent investigators who distract and delight in their search for the truth. In this episode, we meet the world's first PI and first American lady detective, delve into Poe scholarship and the problem with his ‘The Murders in the Rue Morgue,' and discuss one of the kindest mystery authors. Then we recommend five books we love that put us in the thick of dangerous inquiries, including the escapades of a thoroughly modern detective agency, an urban mystery with a bookish PI, a British caper with an unforgettable hero, a how-to for wannabe detectives, and a noir-tinged fantasy novel about a reluctant sleuth. Here are the books about Detective Agencies we recommend on the show: The Verifiers by Jane Pek IQ by Joe Ide Odds Against by Dick Francis The Complete Idiot's Guide to Private Investigating by Steven Kerry Brown The Manual of Detection by Jedediah Berry For more on the books we recommend, plus the other cool stuff we talk about, visit show notes. Sign up for our free Substack to connect with us and other lovely readers who are curious about the world. Transcript of Detective Agency: Discrete Inquiries, Mysteries Solved Do you enjoy our show? Do you want be friends with other (lovely) people who love books and travel? Please support our work on Patreon! Strong Sense of Place is an audience-funded endeavor, and we need your support to continue making this show. Get all the info you need right here. Thank you! Parts of the Strong Sense of Place podcast are produced in udio. Some effects are provided by soundly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode, we get excited about two books: The Bookseller of Venice by Giovanni Montanaro (translator: Edward Williams) and _ Creation Lake_ by Rachel Kushner. Then Mel recommends the immersive, interactive walking tours from Secret City Trails. Links The Bookseller of Venice by Giovanni Montanaro, Edward Williams (translator) Libreria Acqua Alta Libreria Studium Creation Lake by Rachel Kushner Secret City Trails interactive walking tours Transcript of this episode. The Library of Lost Time is a Strong Sense of Place Production! https://strongsenseofplace.com Join our FREE Substack to get our (awesome) newsletter and join in chats with other people who love books and travel. Do you enjoy our show? Do you want to make friends with other (lovely) listeners? 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 find us at: Our site Instagram Substack Patreon Parts of the Strong Sense of Place podcast are produced in udio! Some effects are provided by soundly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Central American country of Panama is like a stretched-out letter S, lying on its side to soak up the sun — with the Pacific and the Caribbean snuggling up to its curves. The capital, Panama City, in the bottom arch of the S, invites you to stroll down red-brick streets lined with lush palm trees and white colonial buildings that look like layer cakes. You can stroll along the seafront and gaze out across the Pacific — and daydream about the 17th-century pirates that sailed nearby. When you're ready for adventure, you might hike to the top of Panama's highest mountain — Volcán Barú — to watch the sun rise over both the Atlantic and Pacific, volunteer in Cerra Hoya National Park to study jaguars, spend the night a traditional village in the jungle with the Emberá people, or kick back at an artistic island resort. Maybe it's more your speed to spend endless days in your bathing suit, eating fresh fish just pulled from the sea, or sipping some of the world's best coffee. Panama has all of that and more. In this episode, we get curious about the Panama Canal, discuss the relative sobriety of dwarf sloths, and get real about what it's like to spend time in the jungle. Then we recommend five great books that took us to Panama on the page: Seducing the Spirits by Louise Young 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 Silver People: Voices From the Panama Canal by Margarita Engle Panama Fever: The Epic Story of One of the Greatest Human Achievements of All Time—the Building of the Panama Canal by Matthew Parker The World in Half by Cristina Henríquez For more on the books we recommend, plus the other cool stuff we talk about, visit show notes. Sign up for our free Substack to connect with us and other lovely readers who are curious about the world. Transcript of Panama: Jump Back, What's That Sound? Do you enjoy our show? Do you want be friends with other (lovely) people who love books and travel? Please support our work on Patreon! Strong Sense of Place is an audience-funded endeavor, and we need your support to continue making this show. Get all the info you need right here. Thank you! Parts of the Strong Sense of Place podcast are produced in udio. Some effects are provided by soundly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode, we get excited about two books: The Divide: A Novel by Morgan Richter and Mina's Matchbox by Yōko Ogawa, Stephen B. Snyder (translator). Then author Morgan Richter explains why now is a great time to read Batman comics. Links The Divide: A Novel by Morgan Richter Mina's Matchbox by Yōko Ogawa, Stephen B. Snyder (translator) The Memory Police by Yōko Ogawa, Stephen B. Snyder (translator) Morgan Richter's website, YouTube channel, and Twitter Nightwing Vol. 1: Leaping Into the Light by Tom Taylor, Bruno Redondo (illustrator) Catwoman 1: Trail of the Catwoman by Darwyn Cooke & Ed Brubaker (illustrated by Cameron Stewart, Mike Allred, Brad Rader) Transcript of this episode. The Library of Lost Time is a Strong Sense of Place Production! https://strongsenseofplace.com Join our FREE Substack to get our (awesome) newsletter and join in chats with other people who love books and travel. Do you enjoy our show? Do you want to make friends with other (lovely) listeners? 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 find us at: Our site Instagram Substack Patreon Parts of the Strong Sense of Place podcast are produced in udio! Some effects are provided by soundly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Yes, Norway has cities that are well worth a visit — Hallo, Oslo! Hei, Bergen! God morgen, Tromsø! — but nature is right there at every moment. Where the coast of Norway meets the Norwegian Sea, there are more than 1700 fjords, stunning waterways lined with sheer rock cliffs and dotted with dramatic waterfalls, storybook villages, and friendly goats and sheep. The best way to experience the fjords? By boat, of course: a dinner cruise, catamaran, sailboat, kayak, ferry, whale watching boat, or a breathtaking ride on a fjord safari. Inland, you can meet the locals of past and present. Stop by the fascinating Viking Village to time travel to 1000 (and learn to throw an axe!) — or spend an afternoon among the bears, reindeer, wolves, lynx, and leopards at the Bjørn Parken (Bear Park). You can feed a fox! When you're ready for a meal, too, sink your teeth into Norway's national snack: the hot dog — with lingonberry jam and french-fried onions — or try the ubiquitous and one-of-a-kind brunost (brown cheese). Caramelized, savory, and surprising, it's just what you want on a cracker or waffle. And don't sleep on the smoked salmon, pickled herring, or shrimp plucked from the nearby icy waters. In this episode, we get excited about all the exhilarating, unexpected, delightful adventures Norway offers — and talk about why the Norwegian government employs financial planners and moral philosophers. Then we recommend five great books we love that took us to Norway on the page: The Bell in the Lake by Lars Mytting, Deborah Dawkin (translator) We Die Alone: A WWII Epic of Escape and Endurance by David Howarth The Hike by Lucy Clarke Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman The Sunlit Night by Rebecca Dinerstein Knight For more on the books we recommend, plus the other cool stuff we talk about, visit show notes. Sign up for our free Substack to connect with us and other lovely readers who are curious about the world. Transcript of Norway: Vikings, Bears, Boats, and Bergen Do you enjoy our show? Do you want be friends with other (lovely) people who love books and travel? Please support our work on Patreon! Strong Sense of Place is an audience-funded endeavor, and we need your support to continue making this show. Get all the info you need right here. Thank you! Parts of the Strong Sense of Place podcast are produced in udio. Some effects are provided by soundly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We're on our summer holiday so we're replaying this popular episode of The Library of Lost Time. We're back next week with a new episode of Strong Sense of Place about Norway! LoLT: Postcard Pen Pals and Two New Books — 30 June 2023 In this episode, we get excited about two new books — ‘100 Places to See After You Die' by Ken Jennings and ‘What the Dead Know' by Barbara Butcher — then Mel gets excited about postcards from around the world. LINKS - 100 Places to See After You Die: A Travel Guide to the Afterlife by Ken Jennings. Brainiac: Adventures in the Curious, Competitive, Compulsive World of Trivia Buffs by Ken Jennings. Maphead: Charting the Wide, Weird World of Geography Wonks by Ken Jennings What the Dead Know: Learning about Life as a New York City Death Investigator by Barbara Butcher. Visit the Postcrossing.com website, Twitter, and Instagram. Transcript of this episode. 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 find us at: Our site Instagram Facebook Twitter Patreon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We're on summer holiday! In honor of the Olympics taking place in Paris right now, please enjoy this replay of our Paris episode. Paris: It's Always a Good Idea - 24 August 2020 When you daydream about Paris, whatever sparkling, romantic images you conjure are probably not too far off the mark. It is, after all, know as the City of Lights and the City of Love. The Eiffel Tower can be seen from almost everywhere and is a constant reminder that you are IN PARIS. The streets are lined with cafés, the tables and chairs arranged so you can sit next to your companions and look out on the people passing by. The smell of baguettes wafts in the streets in the early morning. And when the sun gets lower in the sky, burnishing the buildings with its glow, people fill the cafés, drinking wine, smoking cigarettes, and talking, while their hands gesture in the air to make a point. It is, in many ways, just like the movies. In this episode, we talk about some of our favorite experiences visiting Paris and how it really does live up to its dreamy reputation. Then we discuss the books that transported us there: an insightful memoir about one lively (and typically Parisian) street, an illustrated novel about the magic of everyday life, a fictional biography of Madame Tussaud, a modern crime novel with a snappy heroine, and a confection of a story that centers around an exceptional bottle of wine. For more on the books we recommend, plus the other cool stuff we talk about, visit show notes. Sign up for our free Substack to connect with us and other friendly readers who are curious about the world. Transcript of Paris: It's Always a Good Idea Do you enjoy our show? Do you want be friends with other (lovely) people who love books and travel? Please support our work on Patreon! Strong Sense of Place is an audience-funded endeavor, and we need your support to continue making this show. Get all the info you need right here. Thank you! As always, you can find us at: Our site Instagram Facebook Twitter Patreon Parts of the Strong Sense of Place podcast are produced in udio! Some effects are provided by soundly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode, we get excited about two books: Maria: A Novel of Maria von Trapp by Michelle Moran and Navola by Paolo Bacigalupi. Then Dave delves into the mystery of Mongol warrior Genghis Khan's lost tomb. Links Maria: A Novel of Maria von Trapp by Michelle Moran Michelle Moran's website Maria by Maria von Trapp on Internet Archive Podcast: Theater: Act One, Scene I, Lights Up Navola by Paolo Bacigalupi Paolo Bacigalupi's website Burial place of Genghis Khan Why Genghis Khan's Tomb Can't Be Found Podcast — Mongolia: Under the Eternal Blue Sky The Mongol's Coffin by E. Chris Ambrose Transcript of this episode. The Library of Lost Time is a Strong Sense of Place Production! https://strongsenseofplace.com Join our FREE Substack to get our (awesome) newsletter and join in chats with other people who love books and travel. Do you enjoy our show? Do you want to make friends with other (lovely) listeners? 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 find us at: Our site Instagram Substack Patreon Parts of the Strong Sense of Place podcast are produced in udio! Some effects are provided by soundly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
If we say ‘Mongolia,' and you imagine an eagle hunter on horseback silhouetted against an endless blue sky and vast open plains, you are not wrong. Ditto for thinking of Chingiss Khan, frigid winters, and resilient nomads in gers (yurts). While those perceptions are valid, Mongolia may have some surprises for you. The sun shines 250 days a year, and summer days are luxuriously long and warm. Yes, Khan is a national hero (see: the 3-story glimmering steel statue of the Mongol leader on horseback), but Mongolians are most welcoming. The flap door of a ger is open to all, friends and strangers alike — and a hot bowl of milk tea will appear as soon as you cross the threshold. In the capital city of Ulaanbaatar, you can eat in restaurants, visit a temple, and wander through museums. When you've had enough of the bustle, ride into the steppes — on a horse, a camel, or an all-terrain jeep — and back in time. Under that vast sky, you can head north to spruce forests that stretch toward Russia, or west to the jaggy Altai mountains, or south to the wind-swept dunes of the Gobi Deserts (and, eventually, China). In this episode, we meet a formidable Mongolian warrior princess, listen to the otherworldly sound of Tuvan throat singing, and travel back in history with the annual Naadam Festival (a.k.a. the Mongolian Olympics). Then we recommend five great books that took us to Mongolia on the page: Akmaral by Judith Lindbergh Rough Magic by Lara Prior-Palmer Stand on the Sky by Erin Bow Border Crossings: A Journey on the Trans-Siberian Railway by Emma Fick When I'm Gone, Look for Me in the East by Quan Barry For more on the books we recommend, plus the other cool stuff we talk about, visit show notes. Sign up for our free Substack to connect with us and other friendly readers who are curious about the world. Transcript of Mongolia: Under the Eternal Blue Sky Do you enjoy our show? Do you want be friends with other (lovely) people who love books and travel? Please support our work on Patreon! Strong Sense of Place is an audience-funded endeavor, and we need your support to continue making this show. Get all the info you need right here. Thank you! Parts of the Strong Sense of Place podcast are produced in udio! Some effects are provided by soundly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode, we get excited about two books: A Season for That by Steve Hoffman and The God of the Woods by Liz Moore. Then Mel explains why she's so excited to get the new episode of the ‘Pack One Bag' podcast every week. Links A Season for That by Steve Hoffman Steve Hoffman's website and an interview with the Star Tribune Still blog by Mary Jo Hoffman and an interview with Yoga Journal Still: The Art of Noticing by Mary Jo Hoffman The God of the Woods by Liz Moore Long Bright River by Liz Moore Podcast: Pennsylvania: Political Player, Potato Chip Maker The ‘Pack One Bag' website Deadline Magazine on the podcast and the upcoming TV remake Stanley Tucci Compares WW2 Fascism Story to Now — ‘It's Happening Today' Transcript of this episode. The Library of Lost Time is a Strong Sense of Place Production! https://strongsenseofplace.com Join our FREE Substack to get our (awesome) newsletter and join in chats with other people who love books and travel. 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 find us at: Our site Instagram Substack Patreon Parts of the Strong Sense of Place podcast are produced in udio! Some effects are provided by soundly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
As you read these words and listen to our podcast, we're all riding on a ball about 8000 miles (13,000 km) across. Our rotating disco ball in space is dancing around the sun at about 67,000 mph (107,000 km/h). Our sun is about 93 million miles (150 million km away), shooting us with subatomic particles. Probably not maliciously, but who knows? The sun might be a trickster. It's also filling our solar system with light so we can see all the other planets, comets, asteroids, dwarf planets, and moons in orbit. As humans, it's nearly impossible to not put ourselves at the center of the world — we all have main-character energy. For millions of years, we puny humans have looked up at the sky and tried to understand just what the devil is going on and where we belong in the whole situation. In this episode, we try to unpack many of the mind-blowing facts we know about space and our expanding universe — and we get real about the emotional impact of embracing our stardust origins. We talk about the condition called the Overview Effect and whether or not space smells funny. Then we recommend great books that took us there on the page: Record of a Spaceborn Few by Becky Chambers The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowell The Mars House by Natasha Pulley The Milky Way by Moiya McTier Beautyland by Marie-Helene Bertolino For more on the books we recommend, plus the other cool stuff we talk about, visit show notes. Sign up for our free Substack to connect with us and other lovely readers who are curious about the world. Transcript of Outer Space: We Are All Made of Stars Do you enjoy our show? Do you want be friends with other (lovely) people who love books and travel? Please support our work on Patreon! Strong Sense of Place is an audience-funded endeavor, and we need your support to continue making this show. Get all the info you need right here. Thank you! Parts of the Strong Sense of Place podcast are produced in udio! Some effects are provided by soundly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode, we get excited about two books: A Super Upsetting Cookbook about Sandwiches by Tyler Kord and Good Material by Dolly Alderton. Then Dave shares three great stories about India from his podcast research. Links A Super Upsetting Cookbook about Sandwiches by Tyler Kord Turkey and the Wolf: Flavor Trippin in New Orleans by Mason Hereford Deadly Sin crime series by Lawrence Sanders Good Material by Dolly Alderton Meet The Indian Giant Squirrel That Looks Like A Dr. Seuss Concoction India's election 2024: A logistical triumph across a vast polling network In Pictures: Kitchen that feeds 100,000 daily Golden Temple (Wikipedia) Video: How The World's Largest Community Kitchen Feeds 100,000 Daily At Golden Temple Transcript of this episode. The Library of Lost Time is a Strong Sense of Place Production! https://strongsenseofplace.com Join our FREE Substack to get our (awesome) newsletter and join in chats with other people who love books and travel. 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 find us at: Our site Instagram Substack Patreon Parts of the Strong Sense of Place podcast are produced in udio! Some effects are provided by soundly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
India seems committed to being over-the-top in the best way possible. It's colorful, noisy, crowded, vast, deeply historic, spiritual, vibrantly modern, multi-lingual, and stunningly beautiful. Want to get loud? India is the place for you! Sure, its population of 1.4 billion people might overwhelm you with the sheer crush of humanity, but its cities have an undeniable energy once you're acclimated. Delhi, the capital, has everything that makes travel great: ancient forts, mosques and temples, leafy parks and botanical gardens, sprawling bazaars, and bustling lanes of street food. Feeling like a quiet retreat? India is the birthplace of yoga and meditation. You could visit Rishikesh, on the bank of the Ganges, to practice asanas in the birthplace of yoga. India is also a fantastic place to shop for jewelry in a market, eat the best curries in the world, browse epic English-language bookstores, wander through centuries-old forts, and, of course, marvel at the Taj Mahal. In this episode, we celebrate the poet Kabir Das, talk about dolphin rights, dig into Salvador Dali's quirks, and explore India's Golden Triangle. Then we recommend five great books that took us to India on the page: Loot: A Novel by Tania James City of Djinns: A Year in Delhi by William Dalrymple Dishoom: Cookery Book and Highly Subjective Guide to Bombay by Shamil Thakrar, Kavi Thakrar, Naved Nasir The Last Dragoners of Bowbazar by Indra Das The Bandit Queens: A Novel by Parini Shroff For more on the books we recommend, plus the other cool stuff we talk about, visit show notes. Sign up for our free Substack to connect with us and other lovely readers who are curious about the world. Transcript of India: The Continent Masquerading as a Country Do you enjoy our show? Do you want be friends with other (lovely) people who love books and travel? Please support our work on Patreon! Strong Sense of Place is an audience-funded endeavor, and we need your support to continue making this show. Get all the info you need right here. Thank you! Parts of the Strong Sense of Place podcast are produced in udio! Some effects are provided by soundly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode, we get excited about two books: Assassins Anonymous by Rob Hart and Hip-Hop is History by Quest Love. Then Mel delves into the immersive storytelling, cosplay, and fantastic settings of LARPing. Assassins Anonymous by Rob Hart Rob Hart's Substack Hip-Hop is History by Quest Love Video: Quest Love on CBS Mornings Chaos League website Photos from a previous Sahara Expedition First-hand report from a previous experience of Miskatonic University Transcript of this episode. The Library of Lost Time is a Strong Sense of Place Production! https://strongsenseofplace.com Join our FREE Substack to get our (awesome) newsletter and join in chats with other people who love books and travel. 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 find us at: Our site Instagram Substack Patreon Parts of the Strong Sense of Place podcast are produced in udio! Some effects are provided by soundly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Is New York City the world capital of… everything? It's sure putting up a good effort. We could talk about how the New York Stock Exchange started under a tree (!) on Wall Street and how NYC is now the financial capital of the world. Billionaires, millionaires, blah blah blah. Let's talk about what really matters. Like… the best pizza and bagels in the world, the Met and the New York Public Library, art deco skyscrapers and bodega cats, Carnegie Hall, Broadway, Rockefeller Center, and that one place on the corner in Brooklyn with the best Polish pastries. There's the immediately identifiable New York accent and the 800 or so languages spoken by New Yorkers from all around the world. The City That Never Sleeps is the ultimate melting pot; we're all better for it. New Yorkers are a unique breed who've changed the personality of the city over and over again. Dutch and British settlers named the place, immigrants made it cosmopolitan, the elite of the Gilded Age filled it with skyscrapers, and barriers were busted by the artists of the Harlem Renaissance. And let's not forget the unnamed good samaritan on the subway who will warn you that the next station is closed so you need to transfer. In this episode, we grab an imaginary coffee to go in a ‘We Are Happy to Serve You' cup and explore the ultimate bookish day in New York City. In Two Truths and a Lie, we meet the musicians of the Phantom of the Opera on Broadway and visit a Brooklyn store where you can buy a can of chutzpah. Then we recommend six great books that took us to New York City on the page, including two graphic novels, a love letter to '90s Manhattan, a frothy family saga, historical fiction with a challenging heroine, and a collection of short stories from a master of fiction. Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan LaserWriter II by Tamara Shopsin Olga Dies Dreaming by Xóchitl González Hello, NY by Julia Rothman Roaming by Jillian and Mariko Tamaki Table for Two: Fictions by Amor Towles For more on the books we recommend, plus the other cool stuff we talk about, visit show notes. Sign up for our free Substack to connect with us and other smart, friendly people who love travel and books. Transcript of New York City: NO! SLEEP! TILL BROOKLYN! Do you enjoy our show? Do you want access to awesome bonus content? Please support our work on Patreon! Strong Sense of Place is an audience-funded endeavor, and we need your support to continue making this show. Get all the info you need right here. Thank you! Parts of the Strong Sense of Place podcast are produced in udio. Some effects are provided by soundly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode, we get excited about two books: The Main Character by Jaclyn Goldis and The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley. Then Dave shares a very cool phone trick for tracking your books. Links The Main Character by Jaclyn Goldis Video: Jaclyn Goldis on the Chris Voss Podcast The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley Video: Kaliane Bradley's first TV interview on Good Morning America Video: How to Convert Image to Text in iPhone & Android Transcript of this episode. The Library of Lost Time is a Strong Sense of Place Production! https://strongsenseofplace.com Join our FREE Substack to get our (awesome) newsletter and join in chats with other people who love books and travel. 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 find us at: Our site Instagram Substack Patreon Parts of the Strong Sense of Place podcast are produced in udio! Some effects are provided by soundly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
According to people in the know, there are two Frances: Paris and the rest of the (alluring, picturesque) country. In this episode, we're celebrating the châteaux, coastlines, cathedrals, cuisine, mountains, and museums that give France its unique je ne sais quoi. It's hard to argue with the notion that France offers the best of everything. From scenery and snacks to iconic art, world-changing history, and culture-shaping fashion, it's practically ground zero for the good things in life. The light is golden. The wine is luscious. The cheese is heavenly, and the scenery is so beautiful, it makes the heart yearn. You can take a road trip or a bike ride among the purple rivers of lavender fields in Provence or the gilt-and-green vineyards in Burgundy. Loll in the sun and splash in the sea along the Riviera — or tour a château where nobles ruled and romanced 500 years ago. Wander the streets and cafés that inspired Vincent Van Gogh, then relax under a shade tree with a perfect baguette and the world's best butter. In this episode, we take a virtual road trip around France, explore the Bayeux Tapestry, and get curious about an obscure (and deeply romantic) French law. Then we recommend five great books that took us to France on the page. Clara Reads Proust by Stéphane Carlier, translated by Polly Mackintosh Joan by Katherine J. Chen Murder on the Île Sordou by M.L. Longworth A Woman of No Importance by Sonia Purnell Fresh Water for Flowers by Valérie Perrin, translated by Hildegarde Serle For more on the books we recommend, plus the other cool stuff we talk about, visit our show notes. Sign up for our free Substack to connect with us and other smart, friendly people who love travel and books. Transcript of France: Mostly Here for the Butter Do you enjoy our show? Do you want access to awesome bonus content? Please support our work on Patreon! Strong Sense of Place is an audience-funded endeavor, and we need your support to continue making this show. Get all the info you need right here. Thank you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Since we launched Strong Sense of Place in 2020, we've produced five seasons — 56 episodes — of the show. We've also shared our affection for books through 101 episodes of The Library of Lost Time podcast — and we've introduced you to 500 books we love. Thanks to you, we've had over one million downloads (!) and, the best part of all, we feel like we're part of a massive book club filled with the best people. Thank you for that! In this mini-episode, we each looked back through our book recommendations to find our top 10 titles from the first five seasons of the show. Maybe you'll find your new favorites, too! Find all the book titles and the corresponding podcast episodes on our blog. Transcript of this episode. 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 find us at: Our site Our FREE Substack Instagram Patreon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We recently invited our audience to ask us anything, and we got excellent questions in return. The queries ran the gamut from ‘What literary theme park would you design?' to ‘How do you hope people relate to your show?' and ‘Are you still thinking about developing tours of bookshops in Europe?' In this mini-episode, we answer those questions and more — including what we do if we find a great book after a show has aired, what the inside of our podcast recording booth looks like, and whether or not Dave is really 6'5". And, due to popular demand, we deliver an update on our cat Smudge. Links We answered other popular questions in previous editions of ‘Ask Us Anything,' including how we met, whether or not we really love everything we recommend, previous jobs, and more. 2020 Ask Us Anything 2021 Ask Us Anything Transcript of this episode. 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 find us at: Our site Instagram Patreon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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