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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!
Episodes
Monday Sep 07, 2020
Monday Sep 07, 2020
Alaska is the 49th and largest state in the union. It was derided as Seward's Folly when the US Secretary of State bought the territory from Russia in 1867. But the joke was on critics: Decades later, both gold and oil were discovered in Alaska's pristine wilderness. The call of adventure was too much for pioneering Americans to resist.
When they arrived, they met the original hardy inhabitants: native peoples who'd been hunting, fishing, and gathering there since 10,000 BCE. Native tribes had followed migrating animal herds across the land bridge that once connected Russia to Alaska.
But the most noteworthy residents might be the bears, wolves, moose, eagles, whales, otters, sea lions, puffins, seals, and more that populate the state parks and — in some cases — roam city streets, reminding everyone that Alaska is equal parts danger and beauty.
In this episode, we discuss the surprises of life in Alaska, then recommend books that transported us there, including a vivid memoir, two novels in which snow plays a starring role, a coming-of-age story set in the world of commercial fishing, and two books that showcase Alaskan cuisine.
Books we talk about include:
- The Raven's Gift by Don Rearden
- If You Lived Here, I'd Know Your Name: News from Small-Town Alaska by Heather Lende
- The Whale and the Cupcake: Stories of Subsistence, Longing, and Community in Alaska by Julia O'Malley
- The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey
- The Alaskan Laundry by Brendan Jones
For more on the books we recommend, plus the other cool stuff we talk about, visit show notes at http://strongsenseofplace.com/podcasts/2020-09-07-alaska.
As always, you can follow us at:
- Our web site at Strong Sense of Place
Monday Aug 24, 2020
Monday Aug 24, 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.
Books we talk about include:
- Vintage 1954 by Antoine Laurain
- The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
- The Godmother by Hannelore Cayre
- The Only Street in Paris: Life on the Rue des Martyrs by Elaine Sciolino
- Little by Edward Carey
For more on the books we recommend, plus the other cool stuff we talk about, visit show notes at http://strongsenseofplace.com/podcasts/2020-08-24-paris.
As always, you can follow us at:
- Our web site at Strong Sense of Place
Monday Jul 20, 2020
Monday Jul 20, 2020
In this mini-episode, we answer a variety of questions, including how we choose the books for our show, whether or not we really love everything we recommend, how we met, previous jobs, and other behind-the-scenes info.
As always, you can follow us at:
- Our web site at Strong Sense of Place
Monday Jul 06, 2020
Monday Jul 06, 2020
In this mini-episode, we share some of the results from our end-of-Season-1 audience survey, preview some of the changes we're making to the show, and announce the first four destinations for Season 2. We also discuss a few of the books we've read lately.
Books mentioned in this episode:
- The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey - https://bit.ly/2NWWUfF
- 30 Days of Night by Steve Niles & Ben Templesmith - https://bit.ly/3e29If6
- The Labyrinth of the Spirits by Carlos Ruiz Zafón - https://bit.ly/2AzAwpC
- The Way Men Act - Elinor Lipman - https://bit.ly/2Z1cyNu
- The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern - https://bit.ly/3gqGGYm
- Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia - https://bit.ly/2D5wWUY
- Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia - https://bit.ly/2NUc45r
As always, you can follow us at:
- Our web site at Strong Sense of Place
Friday May 22, 2020
Friday May 22, 2020
There is no Strong Sense of Place without you, and now we're curious about what's on your mind. Where shall we go next? What can we do better? We've put together a short survey so you can tell us just what you think.
Bonus! If you provide your email address at the end of the survey, you'll be entered in a drawing for a $50 gift card to the independent bookstore of your choice. Express yourself _and_ maybe win some free books!
Click here to take the survey!
Thank you so much!
As always, you can follow us at:
- Our web site at Strong Sense of Place
Monday May 11, 2020
Monday May 11, 2020
Feats of derring-do! Amazing acrobats! Clowns both ridiculous and poignant! Majestic animals from around the world!
For centuries, the circus has transported audiences to an enthralling in-between place: a version of our world where gravity seems to disappear and everything sparkles with glitter.
In this episode, we go behind the greasepaint and red velvet curtains to get curious about the circus. We discuss larger-than-life characters who created the modern circus and discuss what's happening in the world of new circus. Then we share the many books that confirmed our desire to run away with the circus.
For more on the books we recommend, plus the other cool stuff we talk about, visit show notes at http://strongsenseofplace.com/podcasts/2020-05-11-circus
You can follow us at:
- Our web site at Strong Sense of Place
Monday Apr 27, 2020
Monday Apr 27, 2020
Cuba is the largest island in the Caribbean, with sparkling beaches, lush jungles, and mountainous forests populated by animals found nowhere else on earth. It's a beautiful place with a tough history: colonization, liberation, independence, revolution, and finally, communism.
But the island itself is colorful and welcoming. The capital city of Havana is a candy-colored dreamscape of pastel buildings, curvy American cars from the 1940s and '50s, and everywhere: smiling, friendly people. The weather is hot and humid, so the rum cocktails are cold and sweet. Cigar smoke drifts out of doorways and through balcony windows.
And then there's the music. Salsa and rumba and cha cha cha. Afro-Cuban jazz and mambo and timba. Guitars and maracas and bongos and cowbell. And literal dancing in the streets.
In this episode, we discuss books that transported us this island nation: a suspenseful police procedural, a thrilling hour-by-hour recount of the Cuba missile crisis, a sweeping family saga and ode to storytelling, a journalistic memoir of life in modern Cuba, and a boozy murder mystery that travels back to the glamorous (and dangerous) nightclubs of the 1950s.
For more on the books we recommend, plus the other cool stuff we talk about, visit show notes at http://strongsenseofplace.com/podcasts/2020-04-27-cuba
You can follow us at:
- Our web site at Strong Sense of Place
Monday Apr 20, 2020
Monday Apr 20, 2020
We're usually all about curiosity and fun facts and armchair travel and great books on our podcast. But in this mini-episode, we take a few minutes to talk about the impact of the coronavirus pandemic and give you a brief update on how things are in our home.
We're both healthy, although a bit sadder than usual. We're extending all our empathy to you and yours — and hoping with our whole hearts that you're all healthy and safe.
We also want to shout out very loud thank you messages to all of the people who continue to work so that the rest of us can stay safe at home. To healthcare workers, grocery store staff, delivery people, sanitation teams, truckers, and everyone else who is making sure the services we rely on keep functioning, our deepest gratitude.
And to you, thank you for listening. We're grateful to have you with us.
You can follow us at:
- Our web site at Strong Sense of Place
Monday Apr 13, 2020
Monday Apr 13, 2020
As of April 2020, Sweden is the seventh-happiest country in the world. And it's no wonder! Its residents enjoy one of the highest standards of living on the planet with low unemployment, one of the world's longest life expectancies (80.6 for men; 84.1 for women), a commitment to caring for the environment, and a strong sense of community. Ninety-one percent of Swedes agreed that they know 'someone they could rely on in a time of need.'
Plus, there's ABBA.
Which is all very sweet and life-affirming. But also raises the question: Why are Swedish novels so murdery?!
In this episode, we discuss everything that makes Sweden one of the happiest and most liberal places on Earth. Then we share the books that transported us there: a historical novel steeped in royal intrigue, a coming-of-age story rich with atmosphere (and food), and examples of excellent Scandi noir, including a classic of the genre set in Stockholm, a twisty whodunnit in an isolated village, and a missing-persons case set in the forest during Midsommar.
For more on the books we recommend, plus the other cool stuff we talk about, visit show notes at https://strongsenseofplace.com/podcasts/2020-04-13-sweden
You can follow us at:
- Our web site at Strong Sense of Place
Monday Mar 30, 2020
Monday Mar 30, 2020
Today, we armchair travel to the Windy City for a deep-dive into what makes Chicago different from every other city in America. We break the rules a little bit and discuss six books we love that explore Chicago's culture, food, and history of rabble-rousers and heroes.
Chicago is a representation of everything that makes the United States the awesome and challenging country that it is. There's a tradition there of firsts — the skyscraper, the telegraph, the Twinkie — and a commitment to industry with railroads and shipping and meatpacking and teamsters.
There's also a sobering history of race riots and gangsters. Daring muckrakers and corrupt politicians. Life-affirming jazz and blues musicians and baseball. Hot dogs, deep-dish pizza, and Italian beef sandwiches. And a population made up of immigrants from all over Europe that have spawned high-spirited, tough-minded native Chicagoans.
We cover all of this and more in our discussion of books and life in Chicago.
For more on the books we recommend, plus the other cool stuff we talk about, visit show notes at http://strongsenseofplace.com/podcasts/2020-03-30-chicago
You can follow us at:
- Our web site at Strong Sense of Place