Novel Destinations Literary Landmarks From Jane Austen's Bath to Ernest Hemingway's Key West

by Rendon, Joni; Schmidt, Shannon McKenna; Pearl, Matthew

• ISBN13: 9781426202773
• ISBN10: 1426202776
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2008-05-20
• Publisher: National Geographic

Summary

It's often said that a good book takes us somewhere we've never been before, and here's the proof: a book-lover's Baedeker to more than 500 literary locales across the United States and Europe.Novel Destinationsinvites readers to follow in the footsteps of much-loved authors, discover the scenes that sparked their imaginations, glimpse the lives they led, and share a bit of the experiences they transformed so eloquently into print. If you're looking to indulge in literary adventure, you'll find all the inspiration and information you need here, along with behind-the-scenes stories such as these: After Ernest Hemingway survived two near-fatal plane crashes during an African safari, he perused his obituaries and sipped champagne on a canal-side terrace in Venice. Washington Irving's wisteria-draped cottage in the Hudson Valley was once occupied by members of the Van Tassel family, immortalized inThe Legend of Sleepy Hollow. A mysterious incident at a stone tower near Dublin made such a vivid impression on James Joyce that he drew on it for the opening scene ofUlysses. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle consulted on the mystery of Agatha Christie's 1926 disappearance before she resurfaced under an assumed name in northern England. Nathaniel Hawthorne'sThe House of the Seven Gableswas inspired by a seaside manse in Salem, Massachusetts, infamous witch trials in which his ancestor played a role.

Author Biography

Shannon Mckenna Schmidt’s work has appeared in National Geographic Traveler, New Jersey Monthly, Arrive, Pages, PW Daily, and other publications. She is a regular contributor to Shelf Awareness, as well as to Bookreporter.com. She held positions in marketing and promotion at several major publishing houses including Penguin, HarperCollins and, most recently, Simon & Schuster. She lives in Hoboken, New Jersey.

Joni Rendon’s work has appeared in National Geographic Traveler, Travel + Leisure, Continental, Pages, BookPage, The Writer and on Literarytraveler.com. She is a contributing writer at Bookreporter.com and FocusNews for Expatriates. She spent ten years in marketing and editorial in the book publishing industry including The Random House Trade Group, Holtzbrinck/St. Martin’s Press, and Hyperion Books. She currently resides in London.