Dear Friends and Colleagues from Around the World, I want to share some of the stories from my recent trip through the Chaco Cultural National Park in New Mexico. The Culture Watch will introduce a must-read book after the Supreme Court decision to reject affirmative action and a remembrance of the passing of whistle-blower Daniel Ellsberg. I’ll share some good and bad news in my Writing and Reviews. Voices in Action will include a memorable quote from one of the iconic travel writers. The Calendar will highlight the celebration of World Refugee Day and a PEN America event here […]
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A Homage To Travel, Freelance Writer, Tom Miller, by Mark D. Walker
Tom Miller has spent years writing about the Americas, Africa, and Spain. His many books have been uniformly praised, and as a freelance writer for more than fifty years, he has been, as he puts it, “successfully unemployed.” Our paths crossed after I read an article in the Peace Corps Worldwide blog on February 18, 2018, entitled, “Tom Miller seeks writer for Moritz Thomsen book (Ecuador)”. Miller goes on to say: One night over 35 years ago, I met Moritz Thomsen, a writer, and former Peace Corps Volunteer. This occurred in Quito, Ecuador’s capital, where Thomsen had served. His account […]
Continue readingFacing the Congo: A Modern-Day Journey Into The Heart Of Darkness, by Jeffrey Tayler, Reviewed by Mark D. Walker
I’m always attracted to any adventure delving into the “heart of darkness” in Africa. And in this case, a book inspired by Conrad’s epic trip in 1890 down the Congo River on a steamer after being appointed by a Belgian trading company. This story came to mind while floating down the Rio Dulce in Guatemala, where the dense tropical forest came up to the river’s edges, and one could hear different languages on shore (mostly Q’eqchí). But Tayler’s travel adventure is on an entirely different level as he follows the Congo River on a barge for 1,100 of the […]
Continue readingWhere Was I? A Travel Writer’s Memoir, by Tom Miller, Reviewed by Mark D. Walker
I’ve gotten to know the author over the years based on a shared appreciation of iconic writer Moritz Thomsen, who Tom met in Ecuador and our love of travel and travel writing. The Panama Hat Trail is one of my all-time favorite tales, and I was impressed when I learned it took the author two trips and eight months to complete it! My wife, who is Guatemalan, loved How I Learned English, a series of stories of Latinos learning English. Since the author is considered by many as one of the best nonfiction/travel writers, I headed for the chapter on […]
Continue readingMillion Mile Walker Dispatch: Bronze Award & a New Book on the Horizon! March 2022
Dear Friends and Colleagues from Around the World, This month, the two big stories are music to any writer’s ears – receiving the Bronze for Best Travel Writing from Solas. And one of the largest publishers in India is working on my second book, My Saddest Pleasures: 50 Years on the Road. I’ll tell another personal story in Culture Watch, relating to the power of Conspiracy Theories to distort how we perceive immigrants and the growing problem of homelessness. As a result of all the craziness, a sense of humor is a must, so I’ve included Just Keep Laughing, My […]
Continue readingTravels with Myself and Another: Five Journeys from Hell by Martha Gellhorn, Reviewed by Mark D. Walker
Martha Gellhorn wanted to be remembered as a novelist. Yet, most people remember her as one of the great war correspondents and for something that infuriated her, her brief marriage to Ernest Hemingway during the Second World War. Although Hemmingway was the unnamed “other” in her second chapter, “Mr. Ma’s Tigers,” when Martha was in China reporting on the Sino-Japanese war. She refused to be a footnote in someone else’s life, nor should she be. Since her death, several biographies and a significant PBS segment about her have been produced. I became aware of her writing while researching the iconic […]
Continue readingThe Saddest Pleasure, Moritz Thomsen: A Personal Reflection from a Former Peace Corps Volunteer, by Mark D. Walker
News from Eland View this email in your browser Welcome to the Eland Books end of January newsletter. We do hope you’ll enjoy reading it. If you wish to unsubscribe, please use the link in the footer. The Saddest Pleasure Moritz Thomsen A personal reflection from former Peace Corps Volunteer, Mark D. Walker Moritz Thomsen was an iconic author and figure to his devoted fan base, and before his death in 1991, he had written five extraordinary books. Although we are of different generations and never met, we shared some similar life experiences as Peace Corps volunteers (PCVs) involved with […]
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