Strong Sense of Place | Travel Through Books

South Korea sits at the easternmost edge of Asia and shares the Korean Peninsula with its stern northern neighbor. South Korea’s current geography was created by outsiders: The US and Soviet Union drew its borders after WWII. Although its 20th-century history is pretty grim, the modern country — dynamic, resilient, traditional, and fashionable — is not.

In the capital city of Seoul, soaring skyscrapers and colorful neon glitter are juxtaposed with traditional swooping tile roofs. Cone-shaped mountains surround the city, framed by pink cherry blossoms in the spring and maple leaves turned gold, red, and orange in the fall.

A short list of things for which we can thank Korea: Kimchi and bibimbap. The MP3 player and those sweet instant coffee sticks with built-in sugar and creamer. K-Dramas (Hello, Attorney Woo!) and K-Pop. (Who doesn’t love a little ‘Dynamite’?!)

In this episode, we learn about the discovery of a long-lost royal tomb and the new apps known as ‘dopamine sites.’ Because it’s nearly impossible to talk about South Korea without contrasting it with its northern neighbor, we take a virtual trip to the DMZ and share tips for living like a monk (for a day).

Then we recommend five books we love that took us to South Korea on the page, including a quiet novella set in a popular beach town, a colorful comic book with recipes, a modern story of four friends obsessed with beauty in Seoul, a nonfiction book that illuminates life in a place most of us will never visit, and a charming retelling of Pride and Prejudice set during the 18th-century Joseon dynasty.

• Winter in Sokcho by Elisa Shua Dusapin, translated by Aneesa Abbas Higgins
• Cook Korean! by Robin Ha
• If I Had Your Face by Frances Cha
• Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea by Barbara Demick
• Behind Five Willows by June Hur

For more on the books we recommend, plus the other cool stuff we talk about, visit show notes.

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Transcript of South Korea

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Michigan may be in the heart of the American Midwest, but it feels like a state with a coast. Its mitten-shaped peninsulas touch four of the five Great Lakes, and with around 11,000 inland lakes, too, you’re never more than a 10k from some kind of water.

The Upper Peninsula is the place to go for dense forest, snowy winters, and an outdoorsy lifestyle influenced by Finnish and Swedish heritage. Head south to the Lower Peninsula for Detroit-style pizza, unique Petoskey Stones, and the University of Michigan — including its Law Library with the reading room of your dark academia dreams.

Michigan is the Cherry Capital of the US and home to the Isle Royale National Park — wolves and otters and moose… oh, my! It’s also the birthplace of both the cornflake and the Motown sound — the state that invites you to dance in the streets and be mayor for a day.

In this episode, we explore the freshwater spring of Kitch-iti-kipi, delve into the history of the Big D, learn about the Kellogg brothers' feud, and explore Michiganders' silly nicknames for each other. Then we recommend five books that took us to the Great Lakes State on the page, including a biography of Detroit, a collection of stories set in Dearborn’s Arab-American community, two suspenseful family dramas disguised as thrillers, and a dramedy set at a resort hotel on Mackinac Island.

• Make Nice by Ryan Effgen
• Once in a Great City by David Maraniss
• Dearborn: Stories by Ghassan Zeineddine
• The Marsh King’s Daughter by Karen Dionne
• Children of the Wolf by Abby Geni

For more on the books we recommend, plus the other cool stuff we talk about, visit show notes.

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Transcript of Michigan: We’re All Just Yoopers and Trolls Livin' in the Mitten State

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Since 597, students have hauled books among the green lawns and Gothic stone buildings of the world’s oldest boarding school: The King’s School in Canterbury, England. Founded by St. Augustine — patron saint of theologians, printers, and brewers (!) — it’s educated hundreds of thousands of boys over the past 1400 years, including Shakespeare’s rival Christopher Marlowe and Legolas himself, actor Orlando Bloom.

Boarding schools are practically designed for drama in real life and on the page. They’re populated by kids of all ages, and the closed environment is ripe for cliques, bullying, and friendships tighter than family. The built-in power dynamics — students vs. teachers, day schoolers vs. boarders, scholarship kids vs. legacies — are the ideal kindling for entertaining and affecting conflict.

In this episode, we take a romp through the history of boarding school literature, enjoy a virtual tour of the posh school for the world’s elitest students, and celebrate a thirteen-year-old boy who biked sixty miles to make it to the first day of term in 1926. Then we recommend a whole bunch of great books that took us back to the school on the page, including:

• The Secret Place by Tana French
• Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld
• Say Her Name by Juno Dawson
• The Incandescent by Emily Tesh
• Villette by Charlotte Brontë

For more on the books we recommend, plus the other cool stuff we talk about, visit show notes.

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Transcript of Boarding School: Crushes, Cliques, and Curfews

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Australia has a well-deserved reputation for being larger than life. It’s the only country in the world that covers an entire continent, and it’s home to hundreds of thousands of native animals and plants. (We’re looking at you, platypuses and koalas!)

The snapshots of Australia in your imagination (perhaps from watching the ‘80s movie 'Crocodile Dundee’ at an impressionable age)? They’re pretty accurate. Sparkly beaches, surfers, and snorkeling. Red rocks and scrubby brush. The Sydney Opera House. Jeeps in the Outback. And yes, many Australians do say ‘G'day mate.’ (Though not ‘throw a shrimp on the barbie.’)

Australia is home to two libraries on the list of the world’s ten most beautiful, in Melbourne and Adelaide. But if you really want to get to know the land down under, head outside. There are 516 national parks, excursions led by Aboriginal guides, rainforest and desert, plus 22,000 miles of coastline for all manner of splashing.

In this episode, we learn the true story of a war fought against an animal opponent and meet the architect of the Sydney Opera House. We daydream about traversing the continent in style aboard the glamorous Ghan Luxury Train. Then we recommend five great books that took us to Australia on the page: a Gothic coming-of-age story set on a Queensland estate, a gripping murder mystery from a beloved Aussie author, a science book that delves into the cute-and-weird of the platypus and other Australian mammals, a compelling memoir that defies categorization, and a dream-like classic set at a mystical rock formation.

• The White Earth by Andrew McGahan
• The Dry by Jane Harper
• Platypus Matters by Jack Ashby
• Question 7 by Richard Flanagan
• Picnic at Hanging Rock by Joan Lindsay

For more on the books we recommend, plus the other cool stuff we talk about, visit show notes.

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Transcript of Australia: Just Smile and Give Me a Vegemite Sandwich

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Nestled between the North and Baltic Seas, just north of Germany, Denmark is one (excellent) place made up of lots of places: more than 400 islands, Greenland, the Jutland Peninsula (which, BTW, is so much fun to say: sounds like YOOT-lan), and the Faroe Islands (which are a 40-hour ferry ride away in the far North Atlantic).

Every blog post, travel guide, and video will tell you that Denmark is laid-back and chill. All evidence seems to point in that direction; the country routinely ranks in the top five happiest nations in the world. It does seem quite idyllic, all sparkly and fresh: water, sky, and land, bright with wildflower fields, colorful boats ferrying among the islands, cozy little Lego-ish houses with grass roofs, and so. many. bicycles.

Sure, there were marauding Vikings — but there is also Denmark’s creative Golden Age, Hans Christian Andersen, Tivoli Gardens, two (beautiful) historical libraries, and New Nordic Cuisine.

In this episode, we talk about the magic of wild swimming, learn whether or not Danishes are truly Danish, discuss how Danes eat like bears, and get very excited about a rabbit island. Then we recommend five books that took us to Denmark on the page, including a modern crime classic, a memoir about why Danish people are so deeply contented, a thriller with a strong sense of the Faroe Islands, a poetic novel about witches (with a unique narrator), and a magical, multi-generational family saga about the sea.

• Smilla’s Sense of Snow by Peter Høeg
• The Year of Living Danishly by Helen Russell
• The Blood Strand by Chris Ould
• We, the Drowned by Carsten Jensen
• The Wax Child by Olga Ravn

For more on the books we recommend, plus the other cool stuff we talk about, visit show notes.

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Transcript of Denmark: Gettin' Hygge With It

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We’re delighted to announce that Season 8 of the Strong Sense of Place podcast kicks off on Friday, 28 August!

We’ve put together an itinerary of 10 fascinating destinations with a journey to every region of the globe. Pack your bags (metaphorically speaking) for Europe and the land down under, the turquoise waters of the Caribbean, two US states with very different personalities, South Korea, and more. Plus, an unexpected (potentially silly) theme episode.

Get ready to immerse yourself in the food, sights, sounds, and scenery of far-flung destinations around the world. No passport required! But 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 8 destinations.

Transcript of this episode.

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This is a special episode of Strong Sense of Place in which we announce that we’re doing it again — we’re taking a group of readers back to Trevor Hall.

In October 2025, we took over Trevor Hall — a Georgian manor house in Llangollen, Wales — with forty members of the Strong Sense of Place community. It was the best book club ever. We took walks in the countryside, talked about (so many) books, enjoyed ridiculously delicious meals, and told spooky stories by candlelight. And we made lifelong friends.

We’re doing it again — and you’re invited to join us!

Together, we’ll make ourselves at home in this historic mansion surrounded by the picturesque North Wales countryside. We’ll have a book club, share gourmet meals in the Great Hall, play parlor games, ramble in the hills, and stomp our feet at a Celtic ceilidh.

Our weekend begins in Manchester, England — a UNESCO City of Literature. We’ll check into our rooms at a design hotel and enjoy our first IRL meetup in a historic library. After a good night’s sleep, we’re off to Elizabeth Gaskell’s House for a private tour of the Victorian villa where she wrote ‘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 through the rugged countryside to Llangollen, a charming town on the River Dee in North Wales. Our destination: Trevor Hall.

The Hall sits 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 bookish 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.

Dates
This is a five-day, four-night trip: Thursday through Monday. It will be held on two consecutive weekends; each weekend is limited to 19 guests.

• Weekend 1: Thursday, November 5 through Monday, November 9
• Weekend 2: Thursday, November 12 through Monday, November 16

Also!

• Click here for the complete details about the weekend and to enjoy the pretty photos
• For early access to tickets, join our Patreon.
• To be notified the minute tickets go on sale, join our free Substack newsletter.
• If you’re curious about last year’s trip, listen to our podcast episode That Time We Rented a Manor House in Wales.

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Sometimes, it really does feel like Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year. Give us the fairy lights, colored baubles, fresh smell of pine, whipped cream-topped hot chocolate, and cookies. ALL THE COOKIES, PLEASE.

One of the best things about Christmas is that it stretches and bends to fit the shape we want and need it to be. Sure, holiday traditions can punch above their weight in December — sometimes feeling more like an over-loaded sleigh of obligation than a yuletide treat. But Christmas also invites us to adapt the season to be just as we like it: Stay up too late with books, greet the dawn with a walk, eat one more bite of your favorite treat, Grinch-out under a blankie, or get together with your people for holiday hijinks. Do all of it! Do none of it! Santa will add you to the Nice List no matter what.

In this episode, Mel explains why she thinks everyone should read A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, and Dave tries to trick us with a holly-jolly version of Two Truths and a Lie. Then we recommend five great books sprinkled with Christmas magic, including two fantastic (and fantastical) books about holiday traditions around the world, a rom-com with just the right level of sweet and sassy, a YA Gothic mystery set in a smuggler’s inn, and a cozy murder mystery that proves making merry can be quite dangerous.

• The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter
• The Atlas of Christmas: The Merriest, Tastiest, Quirkiest Holiday Traditions from Around the World by Alex Palmer
• The Dead of Winter by Sarah Clegg
• Greenglass House by Kate Milford
• 12 Ways to Kill Your Family at Christmas by Natasha Bache

For more on the books we recommend, plus the other cool stuff we talk about, visit show notes.

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Transcript of Christmas: May Your Heart Be Light

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In October 2025, we took over Trevor Hall — a Georgian manor house in Llangollen, Wales — with forty members of the Strong Sense of Place community. It was the best book club ever.

We took walks in the countryside, talked about (so many) books, enjoyed ridiculously delicious meals, and told spooky stories by candlelight. And we made lifelong friends.

In this episode, we explain where the idea came from in the first place, share some of our favorite moments, talk about our outdoor adventures in North Wales, and offer some tips for how you can create a similar experience with your favorite people.

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We recently spent three weeks in North Wales, and TBH, we left a big part of our hearts in Cymru. From the mystical borderlands to the rugged coastline and the top of Snowdon, Wales is thick with friendly sheep, genial locals, alluringly dark folklore, and natural-born storytellers.

A few bits and bobs about Wales: It’s symbolized by a ferocious red dragon (and the yellow daffodil). Its lakes, rivers, and mountains are home to the fair folk (the Tylwyth Teg). And it’s known as the Land of Castles (more than 600 of them on hilltops, overlooking the sea and millions of sheep).

Wales is the place for you if you want to ramble around outside under moody skies; it’s also the place for you if you prefer to be cozy — perhaps whilst drinking tea or whisky and feeding your mind with literary pursuits.

In this episode, we highlight the literary hijinks that abound in Wales: libraries, bookshops, legendary authors, and ancient tales. We learn about a Christmas tradition that’s equal parts silly and spooky — and a madcap endurance race with unusual participants. Then we recommend great books that took us there on the page, including a literary story on a rugged Welsh island, a gripping mystery in Cardiff, a travelogue stuffed with delicious food stories, a rock-n-roll memoir, and a modern retelling of Dracula set in a Welsh village.

• Twenty Thousand Saints by Fflur Dafydd
• My Family and Other Rock Stars by Tiffany Murray
• Welsh Food Stories by Carwyn Graves
• Rubbernecker by Belinda Bauer
• The Madness by Dawn Kurtagich

For more on the books we recommend, plus the other cool stuff we talk about, visit show notes.

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Transcript of Wales: Castle Ruins, Moody Skies, and Stories by the Fire

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We’re currently visiting Wales with bookish friends for our Readers Weekend at Trevor Hall. But since Halloween is coming, we thought you might like to revisit our previous episode devoted to Spooky Season.

In this episode from 2020, we talk about the origins of Halloween monsters and the tricky laws around selling a haunted house. And we recommend a bunch of books for Halloween, including some fun titles for people who want to get in the spirit but don’t like to be scared.

Trick or treat!

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SSoP Podcast Episode 17 — Halloween: Costumed Revelry, Voices From Beyond, and YAY, Candy!

It’s no surprise that most Halloween stories delve into the dark corners and shadows of life. That premise is in the very name of the holiday. Originally known as All Hallows' Eve, it’s celebrated just before All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day — two holidays meant to honor the dead. For thousands of years, people all over the world have remembered the lost with candles, rituals, costumes, and revelry.

The best Halloween stories produce tingles up the back of the neck, while also, maybe, breaking one’s heart just a little bit. After all, good scares and sorrow often go hand-in-ghostly-hand.

In this episode, we get curious about Halloween traditions and explore the lore around classic creepy creatures., Then we recommend books that celebrate the spirit (and spirits) of Halloween, including stories for self-proclaimed scaredy-cats, titles that should come with a ‘don’t read this at night’ warning label,‘ and a few in-between.

For more on the books we recommend, plus the other cool stuff we talk about, visit the show notes.

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Transcript of Halloween: About 31% More Gothic than Normal

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We’re currently tucked up in a manor house in Wales with a slew of bookish friends for our Readers Weekend at Trevor Hall. Since it’s Spooky Season — aka, the best season of the year — we’re sharing our previous episode of The Library of Lost Time all about the Gothic.

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In this show, we’re excited about two books: The Murders at Fleat House by Lucinda Riley and Starter Villain by John Scalzi. Then Mel explains what she means when she says the magic word ‘Gothic.’

• The Murders at Fleat House by Lucinda Riley
• Starter Villain by John Scalzi
• Our review of Well-Schooled in Murder by Elizabeth George
• What is Goth?
• Gothic Literature: Basics of the Genre & Key Elements
• Gothic: An Illustrated History by Roger Luckhurst
• YouTube: Tristan and the Classics
• Video: Gothic Literature — Teach Yourself Course
• Video: 8 Aspects of Gothic Books

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

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In no particular order, here is an incomplete list of some awesome things about Spooky Season: bats, witches, vampires, scary ghost stories, sad ghost stories, funny ghost stories, werewolves, dogs in Halloween costumes, tiny candy bars, full-size candy bars, caramel corn, bobbing for apples, a chill in the air, staying up late to watch scary movies, dressing as your alter-ego, dressing as your hero, dressing as your monster, looking at other people’s costumes, shuffling around in crunchy leaves, spooky music, haunted houses, orange things, purple things, black things, and the poem ‘The Raven.’

In this episode, we take a virtual tour around the globe to atmospheric and historic destinations to celebrate Halloween. We find out if coffin races are a real thing, get into the OG New England vampires, and celebrate the history of the largest nighttime gathering in the United States. (Spoiler: There are costumes involved.)

Then we recommend five books worthy of adding to your Spooky Season celebration: a cozy story of witchy friendship set in upstate New York, a haunted house story with a heroine who refuses to leave, a modern riff on a classic mystery trope set on Halloween, a horror novel for the Covid era, and a mashup of ghost story, family saga, and travelogue set in Italy.

• Cackle by Rachel Harrison
• The September House by Carissa Orlando
• Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney
• Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng by Kylie Lee Baker
• Diavola by Jennifer Thorne

For more on the books we recommend, plus the other cool stuff we talk about, visit show notes.

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Transcript of Halloween: About 31% More Gothic than Normal

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For most people, home represents comfort, safety, maybe family. It’s the place where you can be yourself — and where you keep all your stuff.

For the wealthy, the right home can mean status, reputation, and legacy, especially in the UK. For hundreds of years, the traditional English manor was more than simply a big house staffed with servants. It was a grand home situated on farmland owned by the family. In addition to being a showpiece, it was a responsibility.

The US equivalent is a Gilded Age mansion, minus the need to worry about the welfare of tenants. Those 20th-century robber barons could simply count their money and throw lavish dinner parties. And in Europe, the history and luxurious accommodations come in the form of palaces, chateaux, castles, palazzos, and other opulent estates.

In this episode, we explore the house -as-character in books by iconic authors, including Jane Austen, the Brontë sisters, Nancy Mitford, and a gaggle of Gothic writers. We also delve into the real secrets of the Winchester Mystery House and meet the various ghosts haunting British country piles.

Then we recommend many books we love set in notable manor homes, including:

• The Original by Nell Stevens
• The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters
• The Cherry Robbers by Sarai Walker — and the audiobook
• The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie
• Wakenhyrst by Michelle Paver — and the audiobook

For more on the books we recommend, plus the other cool stuff we talk about, visit show notes.

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Transcript of Manor House: The Fall of the House of… Almost Everyone, Really

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There’s nothing else quite like a night at the ballpark, especially when the light and temperature hit just right. The air is soft, the crowd is genial. You’ve got a hot dog in one hand and an icy-cold drink in the other. Your only job? Sit there, take in the action, and occasionally join in a cheer or shout at the ump.

Since the 1860s, baseball has been called ‘America’s pastime.’ During times of strife — the Civil War, the Great Depression, the World Wars — baseball provided escapism and a sense of normalcy. It’s always been seen as a reflection of American attitudes and values: The game requires cooperation and self-sacrifice — and like America, baseball LOVES a maverick. Baseball is also democratic: Just about anybody can play just about anywhere if they’ve got an open space, a bat, and a ball. As a spectator, even if you don’t know all the rules, you can still recognize the elation of a stolen base or a home run.

In this episode, we take a virtual tour of some of the remarkable ballparks around the US, meet the most eccentric man in baseball, delight in players' excellent nicknames, and wax poetic about popcorn. Then we recommend great books that took us inside the stadium on the page, including a sweetly funny epistolary novel that sneaks up on you, a love letter to the unsung catcher, a 1920s mystery starring the Cincinnati Reds, a closer look at pitching, and a literary mashup of campus novel, baseball story, and rom-com.

• Last Days of Summer: A Novel by Steve Kluger
• The Cincinnati Red Stalkings by Troy Soos
• The Art of Fielding: A Novel by Chad Harbach
• K: A History of Baseball in Ten Pitches by Tyler Kepner
• The Tao of the Backup Catcher: Playing Baseball for the Love of the Game by Tim Brown

For more on the books we recommend, plus the other cool stuff we talk about, visit show notes.

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Transcript of Baseball Diamond: Root, Root, Root for the Home Team

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Museums are where we put our best stuff. An item might belong in a museum if it’s rare, expensive, irreplaceable, or so ordinary and beloved it becomes extraordinary. A self-portrait by Vincent Van Gogh, a can of SPAM, a Romanian mud hut, a narwhal horn, a discarded red stiletto: They can all be found in a museum somewhere in the world.

But exhibitions in museums are more than mere collections of striking items. Museums are vital institutions that take on the tasks of collecting, interpreting, and caring for artifacts so they can be experienced by the general public.

The Ancient Greek word mouseion means ‘seat of Muses.’ In classical antiquity, a museum was a place for contemplation and philosophical debate. When art moved from the open air, larger-than-life statuary of the Greco-Roman era to more intimate, human-scale paintings and objects, the definition of museum changed, too. It became a place to visit to see art — and anything placed in a museum became art.

In this episode, we romp through the delightful hoarding behavior behind Renaissance Wunderkammers, learn about the first museum curator (spoiler: It was a woman!), and celebrate the majesty of the Louvre. Then we recommend books that transported us to museums around the world.

Here are the books we recommend on the show:

• A Little History of Art by Charlotte Mullins
• A Parisian Cabinet of Curiosities: Deyrolle by Prince Louis Albert de Broglie
• Cabinets of Curiosities by Patrick Mauriès
• How to Enjoy Art by Ben Street
• Metropolitan Stories by Christine Coulson
• The Last Painting of Sara de Vos by Dominic Smith

For more on the books we recommend, plus the other cool stuff we talk about, visit show notes at http://strongsenseofplace.com/podcasts/2022-07-18-museums

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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.

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Transcript of National Parks: Go Outside and Touch Grass

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Parts of the Strong Sense of Place podcast are produced in udio. Some effects are provided by soundly.

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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.

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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.

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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

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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:

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Parts of the Strong Sense of Place podcast are produced in udio! Some effects are provided by soundly.

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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.

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