The Escapist

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Regular visitors to TBTP are well aware of my inordinate enthusiasm for old school print travel magazines. So, it will be no surprise that I’m a big fan of The Escapist from the editors of MONOCLE. Each issue of this sporadically published magazine focuses on “places less explored”. This summer’s terrific issue looks at such far flung destinations as Anchorage Alaska, Addis Ababa Ethiopia, Cordoba Argentina, and seven other cities worth a look. If you are into travel periodicals that you can actually hold in your hands, pick up a copy.

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One is never lonely when one has a book

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Can You Borrow My Book ?

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The Elephants Are Coming

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Room to Read Laos, along with NGOs ElefantAsia and Action with Lao Children, created the Elephant Mobile Library. The  world’s first—and only—elephant powered library delivers Lao-language children’s books to rural primary schools in the northern Laotian province of Xaybouly. As you might expect, the elephants are a huge hit with the students who shout “the elephants are, the elephants are coming” on library day. Sure tops the bookmobile.

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Go Set A Watchman

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Now that the ridiculous hullabaloo surrounding Harper Lee’s newly “discovered” novel Go Set A Watchman has subsided a bit, Penguin has released some of the rejected submissions for cover art.

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Do You Like To Read

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If you are a fan of Wes Anderson films, the little video below will make perfect sense to you. Those who haven’t yet discovered the joys of Anderson’s movies may want to start with Moonrise Kingdom, which is narrated by actor Bob Balaban who hosts the video.

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Be There In A Gif

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Francois Beaurain is a multitalented French artist and world traveler who documents his wanderings with photographs, paintings and some very sweet gifs starring the folks he meets along the way. Check out his website and blog to see what he has been up to lately.

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Just Twenty Six Letters

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Lauren Hom is a Brooklyn-based illustrator with a dream—she’s planning to sell all of her belongings, grab her backpack, and set off on a year-long, round the world trip. Her goal is to set foot on every continent while visiting at least twenty countries. Hom hopes to fund her wanderlust by selling copies from a terrific series of travel posters. You can support the travel dream by checking out the website 26 Letters, 26,000 miles and purchasing a print.

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A Card With A History

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Most people think of American Express as a credit card company, but the firm—which is celebrating its centennial this month—began as a full service travel provider. Along with organizing trips, tours and cruises, American Express sold all sorts of travel tickets, arranged hotel accommodations, held mail for travelers, and sold travelers checks. These days, the company is a bank and credit card behemoth, but keeps its hand in the travel trade with booking services and a newly launched series of high end airport lounges.

 

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Book of Strange New Things

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I haven’t always been completely enamored with Michel Faber’s novels, but I’m still thinking about “The Book of Strange New Things” months after reading the book. Next week, the UK version of the paperback edition will be released with stunning cover art by illustrator Yehrin Tong. Even if you are not usually a reader of science fiction, you might want to make an exception for this thought provoking book. Faber’s mediation on love, loss and faith may be a morality tale set in a fictional galaxy, but it has profound meaning for life on Earth—and the book looks great too.

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