Travel is my passion, to be sure. But I do write on other subjects, with an emphasis on the arts, books, film (less so of late), and science. This portfolio presents a selection of recent articles, columns and reviews on a wide variety of subjects, including some book reviews that touch on travel and a selection of travel pieces written after the completion of my book Why Travel?
Of course, writing about books means writing on just about anything under the sun. I prefer to showcase full-length reviews, so my 100-plus critiques for Kirkus Reviews are not included, due to their brevity, though selected author interviews for its online and print publications are.
Together, these pieces constitute a representative sampling of my work over the past five years (2016-2020), though not necessarily the best of the best.
Articles, Columns and Q&As
Ranky Tanky Music
https://www.charlestonstyleanddesign.com/blog/carrying-on-the-gullah-tradition/
David Boatwright
https://www.charlestonstyleanddesign.com/blog/whimsy-nostalgia-and-symbolism/
Canyonlands Ramble
Yuriy Bekker
http://www.charlestonstyleanddesign.com/blog/artistry-mastery-and-invention/
Beverly Gray
https://www.kirkusreviews.com/features/beverly-gray/
The Pat Conroy Literary Center
http://www.charlestonstyleanddesign.com/blog/building-on-a-literary-legacy/
Palmetto Hands
http://www.charlestonstyleanddesign.com/blog/the-art-of-crafts/
The Colour of Music
http://www.charlestonstyleanddesign.com/blog/a-music-festivals-vivid-hues/
Pure Theatre
http://www.charlestonstyleanddesign.com/blog/taking-the-challenging-path/
“Porgy and Bess”
http://www.charlestonstyleanddesign.com/blog/an-opera-re-envisioned/
Brian Hicks
http://www.charlestonstyleanddesign.com/blog/what-needs-to-be-said/
Hector Qirko
http://www.charlestonstyleanddesign.com/blog/balancing-music-and-anthropology/
Chamber Music Charleston
http://www.charlestonstyleanddesign.com/blog/a-lively-ensemble/
Travel Articles
The Coastal Paths of Cornwall and Wales
https://www.postandcourier.com/features/by-foot-or-by-bike-traveling-the-coast-of-britain/article_0dc3c3a8-a81e-11e6-b746-33192784d6e9.html
Edinburgh
https://www.postandcourier.com/lots-to-see-and-do-strolling-through-historic-edinburgh/article_b72553c2-b0ce-11e6-a215-8b7abe0d0066.html
West Palm Beach
https://www.postandcourier.com/features/arts_and_travel/west-palm-beach/article_1cef17c8-a390-59c8-bd3f-293b50ed767b.html
Rhode Island Ramble
https://www.postandcourier.com/features/rhode-island-towns-with-links-to-charleston-offer-visitors-festivals/article_c0fdcbfe-7180-11e7-a0df-e767114c8b54.html
Cape Cod
https://www.postandcourier.com/features/p-town-and-the-rest-of-cape-cod-offer-unique/article_554440fe-bd7b-11e7-ba15-e79104e45111.html
Banff and Environs
https://www.postandcourier.com/features/arts_and_travel/banff/article_5ac5d093-c391-5442-9536-f553f825d28a.html
Book Reviews
“Seduced by Mrs. Robinson” by Beverly Gray
https://www.postandcourier.com/features/review-seduced-by-mrs-robinson-successful-cultural-history/article_2e105222-c599-11e7-b1c1-6b0e188b5eff.html
“Feel Free” by Zadie Smith
https://www.postandcourier.com/features/review-zadie-smith-s-feel-free-a-revealing-and-absorbing/article_4d799d08-ce40-11e7-ad50-9f984040f752.html
“The Wine Lover's Daughter” by Anne Fadiman
https://www.postandcourier.com/features/review-in-wine-lover-s-daughter-daughter-pays-homage-to/article_3d3c55e4-c598-11e7-a77a-93d4a49bd7c1.html
“To the New Owners” by Madeleine Blais
https://www.postandcourier.com/features/review-to-the-new-owners-a-meditation-on-the-character/article_3630668a-7167-11e7-aaa3-5be8906e3c5a.html
“The Unnatural World” by David Biello
https://www.postandcourier.com/features/review-unnatural-world-a-rigorous-and-readable-investigation-of-human/article_c1124786-d9d3-11e6-9970-f39ade07357e.html
“The Sensational Past” by Carolyn Purnell
https://www.postandcourier.com/features/review-the-sensational-past-admirably-ponders-sensory-environment/article_e6b04ff8-bb04-11e6-98ff-07f747ca6b62.html
“Senior Moments” by Willard Spiegelman
https://www.postandcourier.com/features/arts_and_travel/senior-moments/article_d51de005-87ef-50df-8a37-ba2487782632.html
“The Food and Wine of France” by Edward Behr
https://www.postandcourier.com/features/arts_and_travel/food-of-france/article_759e66ab-509a-5208-a5d8-08cac71d6bc8.html
“Voyager” by Russell Banks
https://www.postandcourier.com/features/arts_and_travel/transmitting-still/article_2e53881c-fdd5-50d1-87a2-dac28b7b3b3b.html
“Keeping and Eye Open: Essays on Art” by Julian Barnes
https://www.postandcourier.com/features/arts_and_travel/keeping-an-eye-open/article_eaf941f1-5336-523a-a89b-17622a17a975.html
And one from a few years back, to have some fiction …
“I Hate to Leave This Beautiful Place” by Howard Norman
https://www.postandcourier.com/features/arts_and_travel/beautiful-place-memoir-of-poetic-melancholy/article_baa4c0d4-2d37-585f-bf56-891ecea2a4b9.html
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