Travel Writing World

Hello everyone, this is a short housekeeping update episode. I wanted to point your attention to a new podcast project I've started. It's called CREATIVE JOURNEYS, and it's not so dissimilar to Travel Writing World. However, instead of focusing on travel literature, I'll be talking about creativity more broadly and interviewing different types of creative individuals from historians to photographers to artists and authors. We'll talk about process and practice and living the creative life. My first interview is already up, and this one is with Alastair Humphreys. We recorded the conversation back at the beginning of this year but I couldn't get it out until now and I want to publicly apologize to Alastair for the delay. I hope everyone will come join us on this new podcast feed. Subscribe here. You should be able to find the podcast in your favorite podcasting app by searching for CREATIVE JOURNEYS. Because the podcast is brand new you might need to also add Jeremy Bassetti to the search query if it doesn't immediately appear. Please subscribe to CREATIVE JOURNEYS if the podcast is something that sounds interesting to you. Thanks for listening!

Ryan Murdock joins me in today’s episode. We talk about his new book A Sunny Place for Shady People: How Malta Became One of the Most Curious and Corrupt Places in the World. The interview was actually an online event with Ryan’s publisher, Trinity University Press, that was recorded fairly late in the evening for Ryan. You can watch the event on their Facebook page and I assume they'll post it on their YouTube channel in due course.  Ryan is the host of the Personal Landscapes podcast, which you should definitely check out if you haven't already. Towards the end of the interview, I mention a discount code for Ryan’s book through Trinity University Press. Seek out that discount code if you’re interested in purchasing a copy. More episodes, newsletters, & support Please consider supporting the show with a few dollars a month, less than a cup of coffee, to help keep our show alive and advertisement-free. You can also support the show by leaving a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or in your favorite podcasting app, subscribing to the show, and following us on Twitter & Instagram. Finally, join the Travel Writing World newsletter to receive your free copy of The Travel Writer’s Guidebook. You will also receive monthly dispatches & reports with podcast interviews, travel writing resources, & book recommendations. Alternatively, you can join the Genius Loci Newsletter to get monthly roundups of travel writing news. Thanks for your support! Intro music Peach by Daantai (Daantai’s Instagram) Disclaimer *Some of the links on this site are affiliate links. This means that, at no additional cost to you, this website will earn a very small commission if a purchase is made using these links. Also, "as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases" using the Amazon links on this site. Thank you!

Michael Kerr joins me on the podcast to chat about the transformation of travel media from storytelling to a more utilitarian approach driven by the internet and market forces, the current trends in travel books — particularly the rise of narratives addressing social and environmental issues and how they have revitalized the genre —, and Stanford's Travel Book of the Year awards. Michael is the creator of Deskbound Traveller, a website and blog dedicated to exploring the literary side of travel, nature, and place. Michael brings with him a rich background as a former deputy travel editor at The Daily Telegraph. More episodes, newsletters, & support Please consider supporting the show with a few dollars a month, less than a cup of coffee, to help keep our show alive and advertisement-free. You can also support the show by leaving a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or in your favorite podcasting app, subscribing to the show, and following us on Twitter & Instagram. Finally, join the Travel Writing World newsletter to receive your free copy of The Travel Writer’s Guidebook. You will also receive monthly dispatches & reports with podcast interviews, travel writing resources, & book recommendations. Alternatively, you can join the Genius Loci Newsletter to get monthly roundups of travel writing news. Thanks for your support! Intro music Peach by Daantai (Daantai’s Instagram) Disclaimer *Some of the links on this site are affiliate links. This means that, at no additional cost to you, this website will earn a very small commission if a purchase is made using these links. Also, "as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases" using the Amazon links on this site. Thank you!

Doreen Cunningham joins me on the podcast to talk about her book Soundings: Journeying to Alaska in the Company of Whales (Scribner 2022). Purchase Soundings by Doreen Cunningham Support your local bookstore, or purchase her book Soundings: Journeying to Alaska in the Company of Whales from Amazon. More episodes, newsletters, & support Please consider supporting the show with a few dollars a month, less than a cup of coffee, to help keep our show alive and advertisement-free. You can also support the show by leaving a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or in your favorite podcasting app, subscribing to the show, and following us on Twitter & Instagram. Finally, join the Travel Writing World newsletter to receive your free copy of The Travel Writer’s Guidebook. You will also receive monthly dispatches & reports with podcast interviews, travel writing resources, & book recommendations. Alternatively, you can join the Genius Loci Newsletter to get monthly roundups of travel writing news. Thanks for your support! Intro music Peach by Daantai (Daantai’s Instagram) Disclaimer *Some of the links on this site are affiliate links. This means that, at no additional cost to you, this website will earn a very small commission if a purchase is made using these links. Also, "as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases" using the Amazon links on this site. Thank you!

Thomas Bird joins me on the podcast to talk about his book Harmony Express: Travels by Train Through China (Earnshaw Books 2023). We talk about Thomas's new book and his creative journey, the development and history of China's rail network, freelance writing in China in the early 2000s, China's diversity, his advice for "writing for the ages," and more. Purchase Harmony Express by Thomas Bird Support your local bookstore, or purchase his book Harmony Express: Travels by Train Through China from Amazon. More episodes, newsletters, & support Please consider supporting the show with a few dollars a month, less than a cup of coffee, to help keep our show alive and advertisement-free. You can also support the show by leaving a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or in your favorite podcasting app, subscribing to the show, and following us on Twitter & Instagram. Finally, join the Travel Writing World newsletter to receive your free copy of The Travel Writer’s Guidebook. You will also receive monthly dispatches & reports with podcast interviews, travel writing resources, & book recommendations. Alternatively, you can join the Genius Loci Newsletter to get monthly roundups of travel writing news. Thanks for your support! Intro music Peach by Daantai (Daantai’s Instagram) Disclaimer *Some of the links on this site are affiliate links. This means that, at no additional cost to you, this website will earn a very small commission if a purchase is made using these links. Also, "as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases" using the Amazon links on this site. Thank you!

Thomas Swick joins me on the podcast to talk about his book Falling Into Place: A Story of Love, Poland, and the Making of a Travel Writer (Rowman & Littlefield 2023). Thomas and I chat about Tom’s creative journey, his time in Poland, the evolution of the travel writer as an occupation, the importance of having life experiences for writers, and a lot more.  Purchase Falling into Place by Thomas Swick Support your local bookstore, or purchase his book Falling Into Place: A Story of Love, Poland, and the Making of a Travel Writer from Amazon. More episodes, newsletters, & support Please consider supporting the show with a few dollars a month, less than a cup of coffee, to help keep our show alive and advertisement-free. You can also support the show by leaving a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or in your favorite podcasting app, subscribing to the show, and following us on Twitter & Instagram. Finally, join the Travel Writing World newsletter to receive your free copy of The Travel Writer’s Guidebook. You will also receive monthly dispatches & reports with podcast interviews, travel writing resources, & book recommendations. Alternatively, you can join the Genius Loci Newsletter to get monthly roundups of travel writing news. Thanks for your support! Intro music Peach by Daantai (Daantai’s Instagram) Disclaimer *Some of the links on this site are affiliate links. This means that, at no additional cost to you, this website will earn a very small commission if a purchase is made using these links. Also, "as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases" using the Amazon links on this site. Thank you!

Toady I’m bringing you a conversation I had with Ryan Murdock for his Personal Landscapes Podcast. He was kind enough to not only chat with me about my book The Hill of the Skull on his podcast, but let me re-broadcast a the conversation here on Travel Writing World. We talk about sacred mountains, anthropology, Bolivia, globalization, pilgrimage, and other topics. If you aren’t subscribed to Ryan’s podcast, I recommend that you do so. Just search for Personal Landscapes in your favorite podcatcher or visit personallandscapespodcast.com. In personal news: The crowdfunding campaign for The Hill of the Skull is entering its last two weeks. We’ve raised about 1/3 of the funds needed to publish the special edition book. If you are in a position to support the campaign, please consider doing so by visiting: travelwritingworld.com/skull, which will redirect you to the Kickstarter campaign page where you will find several ways to support the book. So, without further ado, here is my conversation with Ryan Murdock on the Personal Landscapes  podcast. Purchase The Hill of the Skull by Jeremy Bassetti To support the crowdfunding campaign, visit The Hill of the Skull on Kickstarter. More episodes, newsletters, & support Please consider supporting the show with a few dollars a month, less than a cup of coffee, to help keep our show alive and advertisement-free. You can also support the show by leaving a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or in your favorite podcasting app, subscribing to the show, and following us on Twitter & Instagram. Finally, join the Travel Writing World newsletter to receive your free copy of The Travel Writer’s Guidebook. You will also receive monthly dispatches & reports with podcast interviews, travel writing resources, & book recommendations. Alternatively, you can join the Genius Loci Newsletter to get monthly roundups of travel writing news. Thanks for your support! Intro music Peach by Daantai (Daantai’s Instagram) Disclaimer *Some of the links on this site are affiliate links. This means that, at no additional cost to you, this website will earn a very small commission if a purchase is made using these links. Also, "as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases" using the Amazon links on this site. Thank you!

A quick update to announce my new photobook memoir The Hill of the Skull launches today on Kickstarter. The campaign runs from September 25 until October 26, 2023. The book features a 7,000-word memoir, around 50 photographs, an afterword by celebrated author Pico Iyer, and a behind-the-scenes dialogue I had with the award-winning British photographer Alys Tomlinson. The book will be available in multiple formats, but the star of the show will be the premium, limited-edition hardcover book. Please support my new book The Hill of the Skull on Kickstarter. Purchase The Hill of the Skull by Jeremy Bassetti To support the crowdfunding campaign, visit The Hill of the Skull on Kickstarter. More episodes, newsletters, & support Please consider supporting the show with a few dollars a month, less than a cup of coffee, to help keep our show alive and advertisement-free. You can also support the show by leaving a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or in your favorite podcasting app, subscribing to the show, and following us on Twitter & Instagram. Finally, join the Travel Writing World newsletter to receive your free copy of The Travel Writer’s Guidebook. You will also receive monthly dispatches & reports with podcast interviews, travel writing resources, & book recommendations. Alternatively, you can join the Genius Loci Newsletter to get monthly roundups of travel writing news. Thanks for your support! Intro music Peach by Daantai (Daantai’s Instagram) Disclaimer *Some of the links on this site are affiliate links. This means that, at no additional cost to you, this website will earn a very small commission if a purchase is made using these links. Also, "as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases" using the Amazon links on this site. Thank you!

Tom Parfitt joins me on the podcast to talk about his book High Caucasus (Headline 2023). Tom and I have a sober conversation about the 2004 Beslan School Massacre, his reporting in Russia, and his 1,000-mile walk across the Caucasus in southern Russia. I also ask Tom about Ukraine, and his commonly held assumptions or ideas about the people of the Caucasus. Purchase High Caucasus by Tom Parfitt Support your local bookstore, or purchase High Caucasus: A Mountain Quest in Russia's Haunted Hinterland from Amazon. More episodes, newsletters, & support Please consider supporting the show with a few dollars a month, less than a cup of coffee, to help keep our show alive and advertisement-free. You can also support the show by leaving a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or in your favorite podcasting app, subscribing to the show, and following us on Twitter & Instagram. Finally, join the Travel Writing World newsletter to receive your free copy of The Travel Writer’s Guidebook. You will also receive monthly dispatches & reports with podcast interviews, travel writing resources, & book recommendations. Alternatively, you can join the Genius Loci Newsletter to get monthly roundups of travel writing news. Thanks for your support! Intro music Peach by Daantai (Daantai’s Instagram) Disclaimer *Some of the links on this site are affiliate links. This means that, at no additional cost to you, this website will earn a very small commission if a purchase is made using these links. Also, "as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases" using the Amazon links on this site. Thank you!

Jeff Biggers joins me on the podcast today, and we’re talking about his new book In Sardinia: An Unexpected Journey in Italy, which is as much a cultural history of the island as it is a travel book. In this wide-reaching conversation, we talk about D. H. Lawrence and the travel literature about the island, Sardinia’s ancient history, a few environmental protection laws as they relate to tourism on the island, travel as a literary framework in writing non-fiction, and much more.  Learn more about Jeff Biggers on his website. Purchase In Sardinia by Jeff Biggers Support your local bookstore, or purchase In Sardinia: An Unexpected Journey in Italy from Amazon. More episodes, newsletters, & support Please consider supporting the show with a few dollars a month, less than a cup of coffee, to help keep our show alive and advertisement-free. You can also support the show by leaving a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or in your favorite podcasting app, subscribing to the show, and following us on Twitter & Instagram. Finally, join the Travel Writing World newsletter to receive your free copy of The Travel Writer’s Guidebook. You will also receive monthly dispatches & reports with podcast interviews, travel writing resources, & book recommendations. Alternatively, you can join the Genius Loci Newsletter to get monthly roundups of travel writing news. Thanks for your support! Intro music Peach by Daantai (Daantai’s Instagram) Disclaimer *Some of the links on this site are affiliate links. This means that, at no additional cost to you, this website will earn a very small commission if a purchase is made using these links. Also, "as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases" using the Amazon links on this site. Thank you!