Strong Sense of Place | Travel Through Books

By Melissa & DaveArts Books

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Strong Sense of Place | Travel Through Books episodes

May 02, 2025LoLT: The Pen America Awards and Two New Books
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.

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18 min
April 25, 2025LoLT: The Uncensored Library and Two New Books
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
16 min
April 18, 2025LoLT: Putting Names to Nature and Two New Books
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
13 min
April 11, 2025 Replay: A Mini-Episode With Answers to Questions from Our Audience
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
27 min
April 04, 2025LoLT: The Witches of Scotland Tartan and Two New Books
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
13 min
March 28, 2025LoLT: The Skellig Coast Dark Sky Festival and Two New Books
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
12 min
March 21, 2025LoLT: The Joy of Lying on the Floor and Two New Books
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
12 min
March 07, 2025LoLT: The ‘Order Up’ Word Game and Two New Books
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
14 min
February 28, 2025LoLT: Tips for Memorable Travel and Two New Books
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
13 min
February 21, 2025LoLT: The Best Croissant in Paris and Two New Books
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
21 min

About Strong Sense of Place | Travel Through Books

From the publisher's feed

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 Strong…