In his mid-twenties, city-bound and restless, Louis D. Hall decided to make an uncharted journey on horseback.

He found his horse, Sasha, in Italy’s Apennine Mountains and headed west for ‘the end of the land’.

In Green is a classic adventure story and a wonderful travel writing debut. I think you’ll enjoy it.

We spoke about crossing the Ligurian Alps, the mysteries of the horse, and the kindness of strangers.

If you grew up in the 80s like I did, you know Andrew McCarthy from Pretty in Pink and St. Elmo’s Fire.

But Andrew is more than an actor and director. He’s also an award-winning travel writer.

His writing is introspective, vulnerable and self-deprecating. He weaves memoir with vivid descriptions of people and place, and grapples with questions like how to balance a solitary nature with the desire for intimacy.

I reached out to ask him about walking across Spain, a journey he made twice: first alone, and then with his teenaged son.

I thought he might give me some insights and inspiration as I prepare for a long farewell-to-Europe hike.

We spoke about Andrew's Brat pack years, walking the Camino with his son, and how a hike can change your life.

You can listen to Personal Landscapes: Conversations on Books About Place on iTunes, Spotify, and all the usual places.

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Germany’s post-war recovery was an economic miracle.

The country was on the rise in a good way. And then it all started going wrong.

The signs of trouble were visible long before the covid pandemic pushed us over the brink.

Journalists Will Wilkes and Chris Reiter have spent decades reporting on Germany’s problems, and they lay it all out in their new book Broken Republik.

We spoke about Germany’s worrying lack of national identity, its reliance on structure to manage interpersonal relations, and why it has Europe’s worst social mobility.

Personal Landscapes relies on the support of listeners like you to keep going. Please consider joining the Member’s Club.