Notes from an author
Notes from an author: Nadia Owusu on life-shaping lessons in Ethiopia
Moving to Addis Ababa as a child, during one of the 20th century’s worst humanitarian disasters, proves to be a life-shaping lesson in the power of unity.
Notes from an author: Wade Davis on Colombia's Magdalena River
A journey along the Río Magdalena reveals a sacred tributary, the Río Claro — a repository of stories that paints a unique picture of the country.
Notes from an author: Marco Tedesco on climate change in Greenland
Measuring the dramatic changes afoot on this island unveils the mysteries of rising sea levels and the realities of life in this fast-vanishing part of our world.
Notes from an author: broadcaster Neil Oliver on an archaeological discovery in Denmark
An encounter with an ancient burial site outside Copenhagen reveals something fundamental about the human spirit.
Notes from an author: Nuala Ellwood on the wilds of the Yorkshire Dales
In the wilds of the Yorkshire Dales, there’s catharsis to be found in childhood memories of family outings and the calming, invigorating presence of nature.
Notes from an author: Jini Reddy on hearing nature’s voice in the French Pyrenees
Can slowing down and listening to the natural world allow us to really hear it — ghostly whispers and all?
Notes from an author: DBC Pierre on drama, exploration and freedom in Norway’s High Arctic
The Svalbard archipelago, staging point for many expeditions to the North Pole, is a place of extremes. But there’s something going on here that isn’t in the literature: an elusive freedom that empowers, and a love of community that inspires.
Notes from an author: Farida Zeynalova on revisiting Azerbaijan’s capital, Baku
Returning to a native city is both a recipe for nostalgia and a journey that casts the Azerbaijani capital in a new light.
Notes from an author: Christopher Beanland on Sydney's best lidos
Hanging out at lidos is a great way to experience Australia, and the outdoor pools that dot the Sydney coast offer a watery way to get under the city’s skin.
Notes from an author: Arifa Akbar on returning to Lahore, Pakistan
A trip back to a former childhood home in Pakistan reveals a city shaped by both the realities of modernity and the unshakable mythology of memory.
Notes from an author: Wendy Erskine on cafes and culture in Belfast
In a city that’s no stranger to change and upheaval, there’s comfort to be found in the familiarity of the past.
Notes from an author: Victoria Hislop on Thessaloniki
There are traces of fascinating history to be found in the streets of Greece’s second city — if you keep your eyes peeled.
Notes from an author: Elaine Sciolino on Paris
Tales abound in the City of Light, though one of its greatest secrets isn't in the metropolis at all. Follow the Seine straight to the source to reveal one of the French capital's forgotten histories.
Notes from an author: Ben Coates on Rotterdam
It might not win any beauty contests, but the Dutch port is a slow burner of a city, where discovering its charms requires a little persistence.
Notes from an author: Tobias Jones on Parma
Longstanding local obsessions — football and gastronomy — are two of the chapters in this northern Italian tale of two cities.
Notes from an author: Jason Webster on Valencia
There’s no better way to understand the character of the Spanish city than to tuck in to paella, a local obsession that's far more than the sum of its parts.
Notes from an author: Adrian Duncan on Berlin
Fast-paced and frenetic, the German capital is often associated with hustle and bustle. Dig deeper, however, to discover secluded pockets of peace, and a whole new side to the city reveals itself.
Notes from an author: Elisabeth Åsbrink on the Danish village of Blåvand
War brought the Vikings and Nazis to the village of Blåvand. But it’s the sea, sand, sky and a sense of the infinite that draws you back to this coastal spot.
Notes from an author: Adam Weymouth on Alaska
For all its remote and rugged beauty, America’s Last Frontier can offer powerful lessons in humanity — even if you never visit it at all.
Author series: Chris Pavone on Paris
Against a backdrop of elegant boulevards and prestigious museums, in a time of crisis the French capital reveals its vital heart and soul
Author series: Julie Davidson
Julie Davidson on her impending journey to Malawi’s great lake and why she fell for this watery wonder, ‘discovered’ by David Livingstone in 1859
Author series: Simon Armitage
Novelist, poet and playwright Simon Armitage explains how the mystery of the Yorkshire moors has inspired his latest, collaborative project, Stanza Stones
Author series: Lesley Downer
Japan specialist Lesley Downer on falling for the cultural enclave of Kyoto with its sashaying geishas and hidden temples
Author series: Roopa Farooki
Roopa Farooki on falling for steaming mussels, surfer bars, and delectable food markets in the French beach town of Biarritz
Notes from an author: Kate Mosse
The bestselling author tells of Carcassonne, the ancient French city where stories of the present are indelibly linked to those of the past
Author series: Julian Sayarer on Athens
After recessions and housing crises, the Greek capital has certainly suffered. But its creative locals and life lessons prove it can be a gentle, generous teacher.
Author series: Lydia Ruffles on Osaka
On a trip to the Japanese city of Osaka, sights and sounds offer ideas for a second novel, but it's personal truths that have the power to inspire.
Notes from an author: Selina Siak Chin Yoke
The limestone hills that surround the city of Ipoh aren't on the tourist map but their strange formations made them worth casting as a 'character' in a novel