Books And Travel

Jan 26 2023 92 ep. 37 mins 191
Books And Travel Podcast artwork

Escape and inspiration about unusual and fascinating places, as well as the deeper side of books and travel.
I'm Jo Frances Penn (J.F. Penn), award-winning author of thrillers, dark fantasy, crime and memoir, and I'll be doing solo shows about my travel experiences and interviewing authors about how travel inspires their writing. Plus book recommendations for every interview so you have things to read on the move.

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The Call To Pilgrimage, Resilience, And Embracing Challenge With J.F. Penn

Jan 26 2023 21 mins  
Why is resilience such an important part of pilgrimage? How can embracing the challenge of the way help in daily life? Why do we need to heed the call to pilgrimage before it’s too late? I’m Jo Frances Penn and in this episode, I share some clips from podcast interviews I’ve done around my new book, Pilgrimage: Lessons Learned from Solo Walking Three Ancient Ways. Thanks to T

Pilgrimage: The Perspective Of History And Glimpses Of The Divine

Jan 07 2023 34 mins  
How can walking in the path of history put life in perspective? How can you find a glimpse of the divine in unexpected places? In this episode, I share two chapters from my book, Pilgrimage: Lessons Learned from Solo Walking Three Ancient Ways. You can buy the audiobook, as well as the special edition hardback, paperback and ebook, at www.JFPenn.com/pilgrimage Walking in the path

The Meaning of Travel With Emily Thomas

Nov 29 2022 36 mins  
In this wide-ranging interview, Emily Thomas talks about the importance of perspective and time in travel writing, how sublime moments of pleasurable terror make travel so interesting, how to overcome fears both real and imaginary, as well as the ethics of doom tourism, and how VR (virtual reality) might change how we travel in future. Dr. Emily Thomas is an associate professor in

Untethered. A Woman’s Search For Self On The Edge Of India With C.L. Stambush

Nov 02 2022 36 mins  
How can we adopt an untethered attitude to life, especially when it comes to expectations of travel? C.L. Stambush talks about how her experience of motor-cycling around India taught her more about herself, and how she brings that to her daily life. We also talk about connecting with people across cultural and language barriers, when taking risks is worth it, and how we need to kee

A Pilgrim In The Path Of History. Solo Walking The Camino De Santiago Portuguese Coastal Route With J.F. Penn

Oct 18 2022 32 mins  
In September 2022, I walked the Camino de Santiago along the Portuguese Coastal route. It was around 300 kilometers from Porto in Portugal north along the coast and then inland to Santiago de Compostela, Spain, which took 14 days of back-to-back walking. I walked alone and carried my pack with everything in it, and I organized my accommodation through Macs Adventure so I knew where

Shaping The World In Profound And Unexpected Ways. Bolivia With Shafik Meghji

Oct 05 2022 34 mins  
From the silver mines of empire to lithium mining under gigantic salt flats, Bolivia has played a significant part in history and is now shaping the future of green technology. Shafik Meghji talks about the diversity of the country from its landscape to its people and religious ceremonies, as well as recommended places to visit, and books to read. Shafik Meghji is an award-winning

Sacred Steps. Pilgrimage With Kevin Donahue

Aug 25 2022 46 mins  
How is pilgrimage different from just a long walk? Why do we feel a calling to pilgrimage even when not religious? How does pilgrimage connect us to our physicality, and simplify life so we find some perspective? Kevin Donahue talks about some of his ‘sacred steps’ on various pilgrimage routes across Europe. Kevin Donahue began walking pilgrimage routes in 2019 and hosts the �

Long Term Sustainable Travel. Life As A Digital Nomad With Nora Dunn

Aug 10 2022 38 mins  
Nora Dunn sold everything in 2006 and went traveling, turning her dream of culturally immersive, long-term sustainable travel into a reality. But of course, it hasn’t been an easy ride over the years! We talk about finding home bases in different places around the world — and why Peru was particularly memorable, how ‘slow travel’ makes long-term digital nomadism more sustai

A Yearning for Setting Off. Walking The Camino De Santiago Portuguese Route With Imogen Clark

Jul 20 2022 40 mins  
Why does pilgrimage have such a hold on those of us who are not religious, but merely seekers on a path that so many millions have walked before us? Author Imogen Clark talks about her Camino, the highlights and challenges, the lessons learned, and why she still yearns to set off once again. Imogen Clark is the best-selling author of eight contemporary women’s fiction novels, and

Momentary Encounters That Bring A Journey To Life With Nick Jubber

Jun 22 2022 38 mins  
Hello travellers, I’m Jo Frances Penn, and in this episode, I’m talking to Nick Jubber about the momentary encounters that bring a journey to life. We talk about how religion weaves its way into travel, especially in the middle east and north Africa, and how sometimes we can sense the intensity of faith, even when we are not religious ourselves. Nick talks about the nomadic li