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:

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.

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:

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Season 6 of the Strong Sense of Place podcast starts 24 May!

We’ve put together an itinerary of 12 thrilling destinations with a journey to every region of the globe. Pack your (virtual) bags for Europe, Asia, the Middle East, South America, and two great cities on opposite coasts of the United States. This time, we’re also heading to space (and two other super-fun themes). Get ready to explore customs, history, scenery, food, art, and more — all you need is your curiosity, an open heart, and a favorite spot to read. 

Click right here to see stunning photos of our Season 6 destinations.

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:

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we get excited about two books: Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays the Rent by Judi Dench & Brendan O’Hea and The Demon of Unrest: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak, and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil War by Erik Larson. Then Dave recommends a website to find new-to-you music.

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:

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we get excited about two books: Honor the Dead by Amy Tector and Sociopath: A Memoir by Patric Gagne. Then, our special guest author, Amy Tector, shares how she starts her day with poems. 

Honor the Dead: Dominion Archives Mystery #3 by Amy Tector by Amy Tector

Sociopath: A Memoir by Patric Gagne

 Honor the Dead: Dominion Archives Mystery #3 by Amy Tector by Amy Tector

Sociopath: A Memoir by Patric Gagne

Amy Tector’s website

Amy Tector on Substack: Méli-Mélo

The Foulest Things: Dominion Archives Mystery #1 by Amy Tector

Speak for the Dead: Dominion Archives Mystery #2 by Amy Tector

The Honeybee Emeralds by Amy Tector

Louise Penny Transported Me Home When I Needed it Most — an essay by Amy Tector

Video: Murder and Mayhem in the Canadian Archive w/ Amy, Mel, and Dave

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:

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we get excited about two books: ‘Cold People’ by Tom Rob Smith and ‘Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life’ by Dacher Keltner. Then Mel shares the delicious history of Berlin’s currywurst.

Cold People by Tom Rob Smith

Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life by Dacher Keltner

Currywurst History

Currywurst Recipe

Top 20 Hangover Foods

Herta Heuwer Memorial Plaque

Herta Heuwer Google Doodle

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:

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we get excited about two books: How to Solve Your Own Murder by Kristen Perrin and Table for Two: Fictions by Amor Towles. Then Mel explains how much she’s loving the new Brontë Parsonage podcast. 

How to Solve Your Own Murder by Kristen Perrin

Table for Two: Fictions by Amor Towles

Rules of Civility by Amor Towles

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles

Podcast: Russia: Revolution, Hope, and Vodka

Video: A Gentleman in Moscow trailer

Brontë Parsonage website

Behind the Glass: A Parsonage Podcast

The Guardian on Anne Brontë’s interest in geology

Photos that take you inside the Parsonage

Video: Tour of the Parsonage

Rowan Coleman’s website

The Brontë Mysteries series by Bella Ellis

Bella Ellis on 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:

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we’re excited two new books: The Extinction of Irena Rey by Jennifer Croft and Why We Remember: The Science of Memory and How It Shapes Us by Charan Ranganath. Then Dave shares his thrilling experience at Guys and Dolls in London.

This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/StrongSense and get on your way to being your best self.

The Extinction of Irena Rey by Jennifer Croft

Flights by Olga Tokarczuk

Excerpt of The Extinction of Irena Rey by Jennifer Croft

Why Translators Should Be Named on Book Covers

27 Great Books In Translation

Why We Remember: The Science of Memory and How It Shapes Us by Charan Ranganath

Nye at the National Theatre, London

National Theatre Tour info

Six, The Musical around the world

Guys and Dolls at the Bridge Theatre, London

Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club, London

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:

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we get excited about two books: The Morningside by Téa Obreht and James by Percival Everett. Then Mel tells us about an unforgettable Sri Lankan meal at Rambutan.

This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/StrongSense and get on your way to being your best self.

The Morningside by Téa Obreht

The Tiger’s Wife by Téa Obreht

Téa Obreht on How She Found The Morningside

Excerpt of The Morningside by Téa Obreht

James by Percival Everett

Podcast: Sri Lanka: Remarkable, Relentless, Resplendent

Rambutan: Recipes from Sri Lanka by Cynthia Shanmugalingam

Rambutan website and Instagram

Recipes from Rambutan here and here

Borough Market website

Cubitts eyeglasses

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:

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is a replay of an episode featuring Dinner Party by Sarah Gilmartin and You Could Make This Place Beautiful by Maggie Smith. Then Dave tells the tale of remarkable women involved in London’s criminal underworld.

This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/StrongSense and get on your way to being your best self.

LINKS

Dinner Party by Sarah Gilmartin

You Could Make This Place Beautiful by Maggie Smith

Maggie Smith’s website and Twitter

Legal Design Podcast: Fighting Crime by Design with Lorraine Gamman

Podcast: London: The Tower, Tudors, and a Nice Cuppa Tea

Wikipedia: Shirley Pitts

Wikipedia: Alice Diamond

Gone Shopping: The Story of Shirley Pitts, Queen of Thieves by Lorraine Gamman

The Guardian: Girl Gang’s Grip on London Underworld Revealed

Criminal Secret Society: The Story of Forty Elephants

Video: Diamond Annie and the Forty Elephants — The All-Female Gang That Terrorized London

Abbie Davis with her cover of 'London Town'

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:

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices