(See other articles in this series in the Travel section.) The Internet has made it possible to travel farther for less money than ever before. At a click or a tap, travelers find hundreds of options for transportation and accommodation. When I talk about apps, I'll go over the mind mapping software I use. I…
21st Century Travel: Introduction
When I was in college, several friends took years off to go see the world. My best friend lived in Turkey for part of her youth. When she graduated, she joined the Peace Corps and went to Hungary. I traded postcards with her and heard all about her adventures, but never got the travel bug…
Thoughts on 1491
This started as a review of Charles Mann's 1491, but it became more about the flights of fancy it gave me than about the book itself. It's the most intriguing, mind-bending, and thought-provoking book I've read in years. Many thanks to Nelson, who turned me on to it. Two caveats up front: First, I give…
Arrival
A podcast I listen to recently discussed Arrival, then added a spoiler-ridden section at the end of the episode for listeners who had seen the movie and wanted to hear more. I saw it, rolled it around in my head a few days, and wrote one of the hosts with my ideas about it. It…
The Inevitable Good
The closest I ever came to being gaybashed was at a convenience store in the late 90s. I came out of the store and got into my car, and just as I started it, two teenagers appeared, one at each of my windows. My window was halfway down, and the kid on my side leaned…
