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Notes on books and travel.

SSoP Podcast: A Special Mini-Episode About Our Audience Survey
SSoP Podcast: A Special Mini-Episode About Our Audience Survey
There is no Strong Sense of Place without you, and 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.
Beach Reads, Antique Globes, Fictional Maps, Secret Syrian Library & More: Endnotes 22 May
Beach Reads, Antique Globes, Fictional Maps, Secret Syrian Library & More: Endnotes 22 May
Every Friday, we share our favorite book- and travel-related links. This week, we've got David Bowie's fave sandwiches in NYC, a 'Rebecca' paper doll, '60s poetry hotline, great travel movies, Japanese Kit Kat & more.
Get Ready to Rumble with a Roller Derby Mystery in 'Rolling Thunder'
Get Ready to Rumble with a Roller Derby Mystery in 'Rolling Thunder'
Who could resist women on wheels, racing around the track and tackling each other with glee? Certainly not (anti)hero Hammerhead Jed, pro-wrestler-turned-P.I., who delves into Vancouver's dark side to solve a case.
Postcards from the Circus: Around the World Under the Big Top
Postcards from the Circus: Around the World Under the Big Top
If you've ever daydreamed about running away with the circus, this post is for you. Take a dazzling virtual tour of the world with these circuses from Canada to Europe, Africa to Australia, and everywhere in between.
Author Deanna Raybourn Recommends Her Favorite Books with a Strong Sense of Place
Author Deanna Raybourn Recommends Her Favorite Books with a Strong Sense of Place
Deanna Raybourn is the author of the irresistible Veronica Speedwell and Lady Julia Grey series of romantic suspense novels. She took on our challenge and recommended her favorite books with a strong sense of place.
A Real Hobbit House, Booksellers Documentary, Online Austen Exhibit & More: Endnotes 15 May
A Real Hobbit House, Booksellers Documentary, Online Austen Exhibit & More: Endnotes 15 May
Every Friday, we share our favorite book- and travel-related links. This week, we've got the Andy Warhol/Jane Eyre connection, words coined by women writers, vintage travel posters, Egyptian street food at home & more.
Gourmet Meals, Champagne, and Adventure Aboard a Vintage Train in 'The Dining Car'
Gourmet Meals, Champagne, and Adventure Aboard a Vintage Train in 'The Dining Car'
Is there anything quite so romantic as the notion of riding the rails? This weekend, embark on a madcap adventure across the United States while you relax in the velvet-linen-and-teak luxury of a vintage train car.
Easy Homemade Caramel Popcorn Inspired by Erin Morgenstern's 'The Night Circus'
Easy Homemade Caramel Popcorn Inspired by Erin Morgenstern's 'The Night Circus'
The enticing aroma and salty-sweet crunch of caramel popcorn is literally the taste of the circus. You can easily make a batch in about half an hour — plenty of time to escape into the magic of 'The Night Circus.'
SSoP Podcast Episode 12 — The Circus: Found Family and Daring Feats
SSoP Podcast Episode 12 — The Circus: Found Family and Daring Feats
The circus is an enchanted place where people can fly and a big red nose is a happy sight. Where the smell of popcorn and peanuts mingles with sawdust. Where the unimaginable becomes completely possible before our eyes.
Dramatic Translations, Night Trains, Spring Flowers, Pretty Bookshelves & More: Endnotes 08 May
Dramatic Translations, Night Trains, Spring Flowers, Pretty Bookshelves & More: Endnotes 08 May
Every Friday, we share our favorite book- and travel-related links. This week, we've got online literary festivals, your best road trip, re-reading favorite books, witch trial transcripts, charming bookmobiles & more.
Salem is Bewitching and Beguiling in 'The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane'
Salem is Bewitching and Beguiling in 'The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane'
Who could possibly resist the allure of secret family history, a crumbling mansion, a hidden 17th-century book, and an antique key?! Certainly not our heroine Connie Goodwin, which makes for a great story, indeed.
Author A.J. Devlin Recommends Eight Action-Packed Books with a Strong Sense of Place
Author A.J. Devlin Recommends Eight Action-Packed Books with a Strong Sense of Place
Buckle up for armchair travel that delivers plenty of suspense. These books will take you from Vancouver, Canada to the world of pro wrestling, sunny (and sinister) Los Angeles, NYC, East Texas, and more.
Sourdough Library, Jane & Rochester as Dogs, Bunnyhenge & More: Endnotes 01 May
Sourdough Library, Jane & Rochester as Dogs, Bunnyhenge & More: Endnotes 01 May
Every Friday, we share our favorite book- and travel-related links. This week, we've got cycling in Transylvania, IKEA meatball recipe, short story recommendations, the Grand Canal in Venice, anti-censorship & more.
Sneak Into Tel Aviv, Vienna, London, Paris, and More With Super-Spy Gabriel Allon
Sneak Into Tel Aviv, Vienna, London, Paris, and More With Super-Spy Gabriel Allon
Let's go jet-setting around the world this weekend (from the safety of our couches, obvs). Yes, it's potentially dangerous, but when you're hanging out with the world's best assassin, excitement is to be expected.
Cuban Picadillo with Plantains Inspired by Leonardo Padura's Novel 'Havana Fever'
Cuban Picadillo with Plantains Inspired by Leonardo Padura's Novel 'Havana Fever'
This picadillo recipe is homey, earthy, a little bit exotic, and tastes even better when it's shared with the people you love. Fire up the stove, crank the timba music, pour a cuba libre, and dance in your kitchen.
SSoP Podcast Episode 11 — Cuba: Castro, Conga, Cars, and Cigars
SSoP Podcast Episode 11 — Cuba: Castro, Conga, Cars, and Cigars
Cuba has a tough history, but the island itself is welcoming, a candy-colored dreamscape of pastel buildings, lush greenery, sparkling beaches, and friendly people — plus rum cocktails and dancing in the streets.
Tea Around the World, Edward Gorey's Lists, Mrs. Dalloway & More: Endnotes 24 April
Tea Around the World, Edward Gorey's Lists, Mrs. Dalloway & More: Endnotes 24 April
Every Friday, we share our favorite book- and travel-related links. This week, we've got moving comic set in Iceland, virtual tours of ancient Egyptian tombs, bookish confessions, UNESCO World Heritage sites & more.
Travel to Victorian Yorkshire and Meet the Remarkable Heroine of 'The Tenant of Wildfell Hall'
Travel to Victorian Yorkshire and Meet the Remarkable Heroine of 'The Tenant of Wildfell Hall'
This weekend, travel back in time in Yorkshire and meet Helen Graham, a surprisingly independent woman who finds herself stuck in the social mores of the Victorian age — until she forges her own path to happiness.
The Delightful (and Delicious) Swedish Coffee Break Called Fika
The Delightful (and Delicious) Swedish Coffee Break Called Fika
Fika is the leisurely consumption of carbs and caffeine that's a standard part of every day in Sweden. More than a coffee break, it's a pause to connect with people, recharge, and appreciate the good things in life.
Visiting the Codex Gigas (Devil's Bible) at the National Library of Sweden
Visiting the Codex Gigas (Devil's Bible) at the National Library of Sweden
A sinful but repentant monk, an assist from the devil, an 800-year-old book, potential madness, and a rivalry between Bohemia and Sweden. This story of the Codex Gigas, also known as The Devil's Bible, has everything.
6 Great Books Set in Sweden That We Love
6 Great Books Set in Sweden That We Love
Gotta love a place that embraces contrasts — and Sweden is all about it: the warm snuggly vibe of a Swedish Christmas or afternoon fika (coffee and cake) — and the magnificent, twisty murder mysteries of Scandi noir.
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