February 12, 2021, is Chinese Near Year and begins the Year of the Ox. It's a time to feast on good-luck foods and look forward to spring. In this novel, the loving but troubled Han family is also on the brink of change.
We've got the makings of a cozy evening for you: a collection of atmospheric stories to transport you to western Ireland, a comforting bowl of Irish Stew, and a hot-from-the-oven slab of Irish Soda Bread with butter.
The Emerald Isle is just as pretty and magical as you imagine it to be. Green landscapes beg you to take long rambles through the countryside. Then the pub beckons with good food, warm conversation, and lively music.
Every Friday, we share our favorite book- and travel-related links. This week, we've got a sharp essay about pandemic life, a treatise on napkin folding, cute cows around the world, a history of tourism, and more.
Livy Nash has been in a muddle since the war ended, alive but not really living. Her days are spent proofreading, her nights with a bottle for company. Then Ian Fleming invites her into a dangerous game of espionage.
Pennsylvania leads the nation in potato chip making! It's also tops in pretzel bakeries, rural population, and covered bridges. It's also an inspiring setting for thrillers, family stories, and historical fiction.
Andrew Carnegie built 59 libraries in Pennsylvania, and the Braddock Carnegie Library near Pittsburgh is an eclectic medieval-style masterpiece. But other libraries found throughout the state are equally stunning.
Stories are like magical threads, connecting us humans to each other. Reading aloud fosters an even greater sense of intimacy and shared experience. We have suggestions to help you celebrate World Read Aloud Day.
Tucked onto a side street in Pottsville's center is a gem of a coffee shop that serves books alongside its crepes and cappuccinos. The coffee is rich. The food is delicious. The music is chill. The vibe is welcoming.
Every Friday, we share our favorite book- and travel-related links. This week, we've got a movie locations quiz, books about books, Turkish women in Berlin, the history of the passport, British folklore, and more.
The heroine of this super-gothy Gothic novel is a combination of Jane Eyre, Alice in Wonderland, and Wednesday Addams. There's also a secret diary, a maybe-haunted painting, and a murder. What more could you need?
Is it a cookie? Is it a cake? A whoopie pie is two large, soft chocolate cookies held together with a luscious buttercream filling. Its origin may be in dispute, but we can all agree that it's a truly American treat.
In the early 20th century, Pennsylvania experienced a gilded age of dramatic architecture and elaborate decor. These photographs of now-discarded and nearly-forgotten sites are a moving, melancholy, magical tribute.
Pennsylvania history features coal mining, farming, big industry, and political power. It also leads the nation in potato chip production, pretzel bakeries, mushrooms, and meatpacking. All hail the Keystone State.
We've been making our show for a year. Whew! Thank you for inviting us into your ears. In this mini-episode, we take a brief look back at our first two seasons and share a sneak peek at the future of Strong Sense of Place.
Every Friday, we share our favorite book- and travel-related links. This week, we've got a tough travel quiz, chilly winter thrillers, a guide to Persepolis, a Frankenstein book club, Vietnamese cuisine, and more.
This sweeping adventure will whisk you away with a charming hero to two remarkable destinations: Yakushima Island's dense cedar forests draped with lush moss and the kinetic energy of neon-and-karaoke Tokyo. Buckle up!
Treat yourself to some travel inspiration and explore Vietnam. From oh-so-green rice paddies to energetic cityscapes, these vibrant images of scenery and people will fire up your imagination and your wanderlust.
Every Friday, we share our favorite book- and travel-related links. This week, we've got national costumes, sea shanty mania, 10 Jane Austen facts, the mysteries of Socotra Island, cafés around the world, and more.
'Tis the season of snow and ice, so let's embrace the frosty weather with this thoroughly chilling mystery set in a tiny fishing village on Sweden's east coast. Bad actors getting their comeuppance is so comforting.
Pho is Vietnam's national dish, a comforting bowl of spice-infused broth, rice noodles, beef, and fresh herbs that tastes like love. We recommend you simmer a pot of broth and take a virtual trip to Hanoi, Vietnam.
