One year ago today was the official launch of the Strong Sense of Place website. It was a big day around SSoP HQ, but we weren’t sure if anyone would join us. We’re delighted that you did!
So we raise a glass or a cuppa (Cheers! Na zdraví! Skol!) to you for coming along with us on our book- and travel-related adventures.
Thank you for joining our newsletter and grabbing the Reading Atlas and following us on Instagram and chatting with Mel on Twitter! It’s been such a gift to meet so many of you and to connect with you via our favorite places, foods, stories, characters, libraries, and bookshops.
When we started this project last October, we could never have anticipated the ways the world would so quickly change.
Our goal was to introduce you to places and people you might not explore on your own via remarkable books and travel stories. We hoped we would be entertaining and — without getting too precious about it — we wanted to help spread empathy. We thought that was important then, and it’s become essential now.
We’ve heard from so many of you that our blog posts, photos, and podcasts are helping you get through this challenging time when real-life travel is a memory and a hope. What you may not know is that working on Strong Sense of Place helps us, too.
So thank you for coming along with us on our virtual trip around the world. We have so many fantastic places still left to explore, and we’re looking forward to all of them.
In celebration, here’s a quick snapshot of where we’ve been so far.
268 books reviewed on the site
261 blog posts published
313 travel photos shared
267 newsletters sent
56 books recommended for Weekend Getaway
38 books in translation read and reviewed
29 recipes cooked for Food+Fiction
23 destinations and themes documented (so far!)
11 countries covered — approximately 184 to go (YAY!)
5 books that made Mel ugly-cry
62,500 visitors to our website
240,000 web pages served
13 Books We Love Set in the Library Because Libraries Are the Best
Podcaster and Author Anne Bogel Recommends Six Books with a Strong Sense of Place
2019 Holiday Gift Guide: All the Best Stuff for Readers and Travelers
14 Inspiring and Imaginative Instagram Accounts to Take You Around the World
We love to hear from you, so if you have requests, comments, or huzzahs, you’re invited to send us email or give a shout-out on social media.
Top image courtesy of Everett Collection/Shutterstock.
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Strong Sense of Place is a website and podcast dedicated to literary travel and books we love. Reading good books increases empathy. Empathy is good for all of us and the amazing world we inhabit.
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