Strong Sense of Place | Travel Through Books

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

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

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

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

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

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

In our recent survey, we invited our audience to ask us anything, and we got 153 excellent questions in response. The queries ran the gamut from 'what's the best thing about living in Prague?' to 'how did you meet?' and 'how do you choose the books for the show?' In this mini-episode, we answer those questions and more. We give you a behind-the-scenes peek at how we decide which destinations to cover — and when — along with our (perhaps overly-complicated) criteria for selecting the books we recommend. And, due to popular demand, we divulge the travel secrets of our cat Smudge. As always, you can follow us at: Our web site at Strong Sense of Place Twitter  Instagram  Facebook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On our show, we usually get curious about a destination somewhere in the world and take you with us on a virtual trip. In this mini-episode, we're getting curious about YOU. You're invited to participate in our audience survey to let us know what's working for (and what's not), and you can suggest a future destination or theme for the show. Plus, you could win $50 in books from your favorite indie bookstore! To take the survey, visit http://strongsenseofplace.com/survey For more info and the show transcript, visit http://strongsenseofplace.com/2021/03/08/podcast-mini-episode-audience-survey-2021/ As always, you can follow us at: Our web site at Strong Sense of Place Twitter  Instagram  Facebook   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Divided in two by political and religious differences, the isle of Ireland comprises two fabulously green entities: Northern Ireland (part of the UK) and the Republic of Ireland (a sovereign country). Lucky for us, delicious food, compelling stories, raucous pubs, and toe-tapping music know no boundaries.In this episode, we dig into the fraught history of The Troubles, introduce you to remarkable Irish women writers, and get real about leprechauns. Then we recommend five books that will transport you to Ireland, including a larger-than-life biography, a history of The Troubles, an atmospheric short story collection, a contemporary thriller, and a poignant historical novel set in Dublin.Books we cover include: The Pull of the Stars: A Novel by Emma Donoghue Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe The Immortal Irishman: The Irish Revolutionary Who Became American Hero by Timothy Egan The Guest List by Lucy Foley That Old Country Music: Stories by Kevin Barry For more on the books we recommend, plus the other cool stuff we talk about, visit show notes at http://strongsenseofplace.com/podcasts/2021-02-08-irelandAs always, you can follow us at: Our web site at Strong Sense of Place Twitter  Instagram  Facebook     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every four years when presidential elections roll around, Pennsylvania is a big deal: It's a swing state with 20 electoral votes. But it's been a power player in politics since the beginning. During the Gilded Age of the 19th century, captains of industry including Carnegie, Schwab, Rockefeller, Heinz, and Hershey inscribed their names on institutions throughout the state. (Thank you, Milton, for the chocolate kisses!)Which brings us to food. Pennsylvania is snack food heaven! You've got your cheesesteaks and hoagies and stromboli. Funnel cake, whoopie pies, Twizzlers, Tastykakes, shoofly pie, and oh, yeah... scrapple.In this episode, we discuss the state's unusual tourist attractions, romp through its history, and name-drop some of the best-known and best-loved Pennsylvanians. Then we recommend five books we love that took us to the Keystone State on the page.For more on the books we recommend, plus the other cool stuff we talk about, visit show notes at http://strongsenseofplace.com/podcasts/2021-01-25-pennsylvaniaBooks we cover include: Long Bright River by Liz Moore Growing Up in Coal Country by Susan Campbell Bartoletti Ways to Hide in Winter by Sarah St.Vincent 2 A.M. at The Cat's Pajamas by Marie-Helene Bertino An American Childhood by Annie Dillard As always, you can follow us at: Our web site at Strong Sense of Place Twitter  Instagram  Facebook   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices