Blog



Why ‘travel writing’ can cease to exist

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The concept of “travel writing” is so limiting. Who wants to read about travel? That’s a personal process, and it often involves non–illuminating details such as taxicabs, tickets, and uncomfortable beds. If you drop the “travel” and are just a “writer,” you haven’t lost a yard of territory. You are still covering the whole planet.


The Modern Minstrels

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We don’t need minstrel shows or vaudeville now. We have YouTube. Are Sweet Brown and Antoine Dodson the newest version of the old minstrel show?



Congress demands answers on privacy from Disney: the letter

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Today, Edward Markey (D-Mass.) wrote The Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Iger demanding answers about the new MyMagic+ “magic bands” RFID-based wristbands that are being implemented at the Orlando theme parks. “As a Co-Chairman of the Congressional Bi-partisan Privacy Caucus, I am deeply concerned that Disney’s proposal could potentially have a harmful impact on our… Read more »


Manzanar, where decent Americans were destroyed [WATCH]

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The history of the United States could fairly viewed as a succession of excuses for not living up to its contractual obligations. All men were not created equal, according to the Declaration of Independence: Slaves were allowed. The Supreme Court said the Cherokees were a sovereign nation: The South took their land anyway. Every citizen… Read more »


How Ann B. Davis changed my life

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The Ann B. Davis incident fertilized the soil of my skepticism. A new world had opened in me. I became a travel writer, a skeptic, and a storyteller. Thank you, Ann B. Davis.


Why I prefer books

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Books are benevolent furniture. They are organic, and like wood, they give a room a certain vibration. I’m satisfied to read a few titles in their luminous, disposable form, but overall, I still prefer books because they become more luminous when they are not disposed of.


New York Times Travel Show links

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Today I promised the standing-room-only crowd at my New York Times Travel Show seminar that I would post links on my website. They’re out of context, but they’re here, plus a few major points from my talk this afternoon. The booking engine resources can be found at my colleague Reid Bramblett’s site, ReidsGuides.com. Learning about… Read more »


Scamming at the New York Times Travel Show

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Hey! Guess what? I’m speaking this Saturday, January 19, at 2 p.m. at the 10th anniversary New York Times Travel Show at the Javits Center in New York City. The topic will be online booking scams. I’ve got a dozen to warn you about, and alongside me will be my brilliant colleague and longtime friend… Read more »