blog

Notes on books and travel.

Walk the Cobbled Streets of Love and Memory in the Novel 'Haunting Paris'
Walk the Cobbled Streets of Love and Memory in the Novel 'Haunting Paris'
In this lyrical novel of love and loss, our heroine Sylvie embarks on a quest through the beautiful City of Lights to find a child gone missing during WWII and to lay to rest the ghost of the great love of her life.
SSoP Podcast Season 3: Announcing 12 Amazing Destinations
SSoP Podcast Season 3: Announcing 12 Amazing Destinations
Season Three of our podcast starts 10 May! Here are the 12 amazing destinations and themes we'll be exploring on our show. From Europe to North America, Asia to the Arctic, join us for adventure and great books.
Pisa, Paper Dolls, Judy Blume, Bad Trips, Cooking Melville & More: Endnotes 23 April
Pisa, Paper Dolls, Judy Blume, Bad Trips, Cooking Melville & More: Endnotes 23 April
Every Friday, we share our favorite book- and travel-related links. This week, we've got a look at Crimson Peak, pancakes from around the world, determining book length, spirit photos, a very lost walrus, and more.
Seek the Truth in 19th Century Scotland's Criminal Court with 'His Bloody Project'
Seek the Truth in 19th Century Scotland's Criminal Court with 'His Bloody Project'
Feudal Scotland would perhaps not be your first choice should a time machine appear in your vicinity. But this gripping novel — told through police statements and court transcripts — is an unputdownable sensation.
Celebrate National Poetry Month with 'Travel' by Edna St. Vincent Millay
Celebrate National Poetry Month with 'Travel' by Edna St. Vincent Millay
What better way to celebrate National Poetry month than a poem called 'Travel'?! Edna St. Millay's brief poem packs an emotional wallop, capturing yearning and the romance of escape in just three perfect stanzas.
Hiking Poland, Gorey Style, Victorian Travel, A.M. Reading & More: Endnotes 16 April
Hiking Poland, Gorey Style, Victorian Travel, A.M. Reading & More: Endnotes 16 April
Every Friday, we share our favorite book- and travel-related links. This week, we've got a 19th-century pool, governess facts, poetry to cure the Pandemic Blues, Art Deco treasures, tips for buddy reading, and more.
Get Caught Up in the Glitz and Grit of Jazz Age San Francisco in 'The Bohemians'
Get Caught Up in the Glitz and Grit of Jazz Age San Francisco in 'The Bohemians'
Dorothea Lange's iconic images of displaced farmers during the Great Depression are seared into our collective consciousness. This vivid coming-of-age novel tells her inspiring origin story in 1920s San Francisco.
The 2021 'Ask Us Anything' Episode: How We Pick Books, Choose Destinations & More
The 2021 'Ask Us Anything' Episode: How We Pick Books, Choose Destinations & More
We invited you to ask us anything, and you came through. In this special episode of our podcast, we answer your questions, including the inside story on sentimental books, the expat experience, and our cat Smudge.
Ettal Abbey, Book Dedications, Dining Cars, Literary Bucharest & More: Endnotes 09 April
Ettal Abbey, Book Dedications, Dining Cars, Literary Bucharest & More: Endnotes 09 April
Every Friday, we share our favorite book- and travel-related links. This week, we've got international condiments, a new literary podcast, a poem set in a castle, Iceland fun facts, Dracula on a toy stage, and more.
Browse Secret Bookshelves in San Francisco and NYC in 'Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore'
Browse Secret Bookshelves in San Francisco and NYC in 'Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore'
Forget the hard sell. A few key phrases will probably prove this delightful adventure is right for you: 24-hour bookstore. Mysterious library. Secret society. Loyal friendship. Flirty romance. Extreme bookishness.
5 Unputdownable Novels Set in London
5 Unputdownable Novels Set in London
London calling! From Brixton market to the Crystal Palace in South London, the iconic House of Parliament, pastel Primrose Hill, and a gritty council estate in Neasden, these novels capture the personality of the British capital.
Bratislava, Tea Phrases, 1957 Berlin, Authors' Estates & More: Endnotes 02 April
Bratislava, Tea Phrases, 1957 Berlin, Authors' Estates & More: Endnotes 02 April
Every Friday, we share our favorite book- and travel-related links. This week, we've got a translated Finnish epic poem, the 'other' Alcott sister, Croatia's Plitvice Lakes, how travel makes us smarter, and more.
Get Tipsy with the Amazing Fevvers in Victorian London with 'Nights at the Circus'
Get Tipsy with the Amazing Fevvers in Victorian London with 'Nights at the Circus'
You ever have one of those nights where you meet an eccentric stranger and while away the hours listening to outrageous stories over cocktails? This novel is the literary equivalent of that — with a shot of absinthe.
12 Immersive Audiobooks with a Strong Sense of Place
12 Immersive Audiobooks with a Strong Sense of Place
When your day has demanded too much of you or your list of household chores is just too long, let an experienced storyteller work their magic. You'll turn your day around and take a virtual journey to somewhere else.
Little India, Turkish Delight, Living in 'Gothic Times' & More: Endnotes 26 March
Little India, Turkish Delight, Living in 'Gothic Times' & More: Endnotes 26 March
Every Friday, we share our favorite book- and travel-related links. This week, we've got famous literary destinations, dime novel covers, the first woman to circle the globe in a zeppelin, travel+creativity, and more.
Delve into Secrets and the World of Music with 'The Prague Sonata'
Delve into Secrets and the World of Music with 'The Prague Sonata'
How about a bookish trip to Prague? This novel has it all: a troubled but good-hearted heroine, dangerous secrets, gorgeous scenery, music and art and romance — all played out against the backdrop of Czech history.
19 International Mysteries and Thrillers with a Strong Sense of Place
19 International Mysteries and Thrillers with a Strong Sense of Place
Cozy murders, procedurals, historical novels, spy thrillers, domestic noir, family crime — we've collected our favorite mysteries and thrillers to take you on a world tour of action, adventure, and danger. Buckle up.
Rovinj, WWII Love Notes, Rye Madness, the Brain on Fiction & More: Endnotes 19 March
Rovinj, WWII Love Notes, Rye Madness, the Brain on Fiction & More: Endnotes 19 March
Every Friday, we share our favorite book- and travel-related links. This week, we've got photos of Prague in lockdown, secrets of the Dostoevsky dash, seeing the world like Wes Anderson, the dove dancer, and more.
Coming-of-Age in Chicago and Mexico with 'I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter'
Coming-of-Age in Chicago and Mexico with 'I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter'
Being 15 years old is hard. Being 15 with immigrant parents who just lost their idealized daughter is untenable. This coming-of-age story set in Chicago and Mexico is poignant and funny with an unforgettable heroine.
Author Ellen Yeomans Recommends The Best Picture Books for Travel Inspiration
Author Ellen Yeomans Recommends The Best Picture Books for Travel Inspiration
The moving combo of words and images found in these books is irresistible. Travel from Vietnam to Uganda, Paris to Thailand, National Parks, and around the globe with heartwarming stories and unforgettable characters.
Montserrat Abbey, Bad Book Covers, Global Lit by Women & More: Endnotes 12 March
Montserrat Abbey, Bad Book Covers, Global Lit by Women & More: Endnotes 12 March
Every Friday, we share our favorite book- and travel-related links. This week, we've got the world's tallest tree, pie for every state, Bonibook's classic design, Iceland Writer's Retreat, noodle museum, and more.
our mission

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.

our patreon

Strong Sense of Place is a listener-supported podcast. If you like the work we do, you can help make it happen by joining our Patreon! That'll unlock bonus content for you, too — including Mel's secret book reviews and Dave's behind-the-scenes notes for the latest Two Truths and a Lie.

get our newsletter

Join our Substack to get our FREE newsletter with podcast updates and behind-the-scenes info — and join in fun chats about books and travel with other lovely readers.

no spoilers. ever.

We'll share enough detail to help you decide if a book is for you, but we'll never ruin plot twists or give away the ending.

super-cool reading fun
reading atlas

This 30-page Reading Atlas takes you around the world with dozens of excellent books and gorgeous travel photos. Get your free copy when you subscribe to our newsletter.

get our newsletter
Sign up for our free Substack!
follow us

Content on this site is ©2024 by Smudge Publishing, unless otherwise noted. Peace be with you, person who reads the small type.