Ep 12 — The Circus: Found Family and Daring Feats

Ep 16 — New Zealand: Kiwis, Majestic Scenery, and Māori Mythology: Head south to Australia and take a sharp turn east to arrive in New Zealand. It's a landscape both magical and majestic, surrounded by the turquoise waters of the Tasman Sea and southwestern Pacific. New Zealand is a fairly new country: the first people ... by Strong Sense of Place

53 min listen

Ep 10 — Sweden: So Happy, So Murdery: As of April 2020, Sweden is the seventh-happiest country in the world. And it's no wonder! Its residents enjoy one of the highest standards of living on the planet with low unemployment, one of the world's longest life expectancies (80.6 for men; 84.1 fo... by Strong Sense of Place

60 min listen

Ep 05 — Scotland: Wraiths, Rebels, and Royalty: A rebellious national spirit, a predilection for ghost stories, an affinity for smart plaids, and an appreciation of a wee dram o' whisky — Scotland is all this and so much more. In this episode, we discuss books that swept us away to Scotland: an Edinbu... by Strong Sense of Place

73 min listen

ep 0: Introducing Strong Sense of Place!: In this mini-episode, we introduce ourselves and talk about what the phrase 'strong sense of place' means to us. We'll also discuss why we started this show, our no-spoiler guarantee, and why we think you'll like this podcast. Starting January 20th, 2020... by Strong Sense of Place

2 min listen

Ep 07 — Morocco: Couscous, Camels, and the Kasbah: Morocco can seem like something conjured from a dream. The twisty alleys of its old-town medinas hold secrets around every corner. Its markets are infused with the aroma of spices and the lilting melodies of musicians, with jewel-colored leather and scar... by Strong Sense of Place

72 min listen

Ep 08 — Russia: Revolution, Hope, and Vodka: Russia is the largest country in the world. And its culture is dominated by larger-than-life historical figures, giants of literature, and sweeping landscapes. Both intentionally and inadvertently, Russia has had a massive impact on the rest of the world... by Strong Sense of Place

47 min listen

Ep 20 — Peru: Andes Adventures, Fusion Food, and Piles of Gold: Peru is South America's geographical triple-threat with beach-front desert fronting the Pacific, the Andes mountains (the second-highest range in the world), and dense Amazon rainforest. It's also astonishingly beautiful with craggy peaks, lush greenery,... by Strong Sense of Place

57 min listen

Ep 18 — Iran: Revolution, Poetry, Storytelling, and Spices: Iran (formerly known as Persia) is the second-largest country in the Middle East, and its culture reaches back through the millennia. About 2500 years ago, the Persian Empire stretched from Greece to India, and its impact is still felt in the world today... by Strong Sense of Place

63 min listen

Ep 04 — Mexico: Folklore and Beachy Paradise: Mexico is an inspired background for stories that explore the joy (and challenges) of family and the magic of everyday experiences. In this episode, we discuss two wildly different family sagas. One is set during the Mexican Revolution and infused with m... by Strong Sense of Place

40 min listen

Ep 09 — Chicago: Baseball, Hot Dogs, Industry, and Infamy: Today, we armchair travel to the Windy City for a deep-dive into what makes Chicago different from every other city in America. We break the rules a little bit and discuss six books we love that explore Chicago's culture, food, and history of rabble-rous... by Strong Sense of Place

67 min listen

A Special Mini-Episode: Questions from Our Audience: In this mini-episode, we answer a variety of questions, including how we choose the books for our show, whether or not we really love everything we recommend, how we met, previous jobs, and other behind-the-scenes info. As always, you can follow us at: O... by Strong Sense of Place

28 min listen

Ep 06 — The Sea: Tales of Poets and Pirates: The sea is a metaphor for everything that's important to us: for adventure and creativity and love. It's fascinated humans since the beginning of time, inspiring poets, historians, and novelists, as well as adventurers, conquerors, and pirates. In this e... by Strong Sense of Place

78 min listen

Ep 14 — Alaska: Fresh-Caught Salmon, Cake Mix, and So Many Bears: Alaska is the 49th and largest state in the union. It was derided as Seward's Folly when the US Secretary of State bought the territory from Russia in 1867. But the joke was on critics: Decades later, both gold and oil were discovered in Alaska's pristin... by Strong Sense of Place

60 min listen

Ep 01 — Prague: Castles and Cobblestones: Prague is the capital of the Czech Republic, home of the world's best beer, stunning architecture, and oh, yeah: ancient secrets. In this episode, we've got two books that transported us directly into communist territory during the Cold War, crime storie... by Strong Sense of Place

57 min listen

A Message from Self-Isolation in Prague: We're usually all about curiosity and fun facts and armchair travel and great books on our podcast. But in this mini-episode, we take a few minutes to talk about the impact of the coronavirus pandemic and give you a brief update on how things are in our ... by Strong Sense of Place

14 min listen

Ep 15 — The Library: Endless Books, Reading Nooks, and Lots of Possibility: The library is a sacred and celebratory place, filled with objects, yes — but inside those objects are imagination and possibility, heartbreak and triumph, silliness and seriousness and the whole range of human emotion and the entire history of science a... by Strong Sense of Place

71 min listen

LoLT: Dali Dinner Party & New Books: In this episode, we get excited about two new book releases: 'The Sea of Tranquility' by Emily St. John Mandel and 'The Candy House' by Jennifer Egan. Then we discuss the delightful distraction of Salvador Dali's amazing mustache and his epic dinner part... by Strong Sense of Place

5 min listen

Ep 12 — The Circus: Found Family and Daring Feats: Feats of derring-do! Amazing acrobats! Clowns both ridiculous and poignant! Majestic animals from around the world! For centuries, the circus has transported audiences to an enthralling in-between place: a version of our world where gravity seems to disa... by Strong Sense of Place

65 min listen

Ep 11 — Cuba: Castro, Conga, Cars, and Cigars: Cuba is the largest island in the Caribbean, with sparkling beaches, lush jungles, and mountainous forests populated by animals found nowhere else on earth. It's a beautiful place with a tough history: colonization, liberation, independence, revolution, ... by Strong Sense of Place

57 min listen

A Special Mini-Episode: Survey Results and What We’re Reading Right Now: In this mini-episode, we share some of the results from our end-of-Season-1 audience survey, preview some of the changes we're making to the show, and announce the first four destinations for Season 2. We also discuss a few of the books we've read lately... by Strong Sense of Place

21 min listen

Ep 03 — Japan: Family Honor and Super-Cute Stuff: Rooted in tradition and family, the culture of Japan provides rich fodder for stories that grab hold of you and won’t let go. In this episode, we take a deep dive into WWII-era Japan with a family saga and a nonfiction manga comic — both populated by unf... by Strong Sense of Place

64 min listen

Ep 25 — Hollywood: Gumption, Glamour, Heartbreak, and Hubris: 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 super... by Strong Sense of Place

62 min listen

A Special Mini-Episode About Our Audience Survey: There is no Strong Sense of Place without you, and now we're curious about what's on your mind. Where shall we go next? What can we do better? We've put together a short survey so you can tell us just what you think. Bonus! If you provide your email addr... by Strong Sense of Place

3 min listen

Ep 23 - Pennsylvania: Political Player, Potato Chip Maker: 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 indust... by Strong Sense of Place

60 min listen

LoLT: The Enduring Art of Handpainted Signs & New Books: In this episode, we get excited about two new book releases: 'True Biz' by Sara Nović and 'Hotel Magnifique' by Emily J. Taylor. Then we discuss the fantastic artists devoted to preserving and enhancing the 150-year-old tradition of handpainted signs. ... by Strong Sense of Place

5 min listen

Ep 24 - Ireland: It's Not Good, It's Grand: 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, rau... by Strong Sense of Place

55 min listen

Ep 02 — Restaurants: Hot Stoves and Steamy Relationships: In a restaurant kitchen, the chef is the ultimate authority, a figure that can inspire fear, rebelliousness, and a cult of personality. But it's not only the kitchen boss that makes restaurants a hotbed for excellent stories. In this episode, the books w... by Strong Sense of Place

46 min listen

Ep 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 holi... by Strong Sense of Place

65 min listen

Ep 13 — Paris: It's Always a Good Idea: When you daydream about Paris, whatever sparkling, romantic images you conjure are probably not too far off the mark. It is, after all, know as the City of Lights and the City of Love. The Eiffel Tower can be seen from almost everywhere and is a constant... by Strong Sense of Place

52 min listen

A Mini-Episode to Wish You Holiday Cheer and a Happy New Year: In this mini-episode of our show, we talk about holiday traditions from around the world that we've added to our own celebrations... Our favorite Christmas cookies! The world's friendliest nutcracker collection! The Icelandic book party called Jólabókafl... by Strong Sense of Place

12 min listen

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Ep 12 — The Circus: Found Family and Daring Feats

Ep 12 — The Circus: Found Family and Daring Feats

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