“Scarlett Slept Here: A Book Lover’s Guide to the South”
(Citadel Press, $15.95)
If any region of the country cries out for a literary guidebook, it must surely be the word-drunk South. Southerners are known for their love of the tall tale, their lovingly crafted stories carried down through the oral tradition and their ancient ballads that date back centuries to an even older culture across the ocean. Finally that book has arrived. Joy Dickinson’s “Scarlett Slept Here” is pure joy and entertainment. And since we’re talking about the languid rhythms of the Southland, Dickinson takes her sweet time sharing her stories. She is in no hurry. She explores the sites, often at considerable length, made famous by Margaret Mitchell, William Faulkner and Harper Lee; by Flannery O’Connor, Tennessee Williams and John Grisham; by Thomas Wolfe, Eudora Welty and Walker Percy. And did we mention Reynolds Price, Jan Karon, Dorothy Allison and Bobbie Ann Mason? Dickinson traveled almost 4,000 miles conducting her research. To add flavor, she quotes generously from Southern writers. From Margaret Mitchell’s Georgian plantations to Anne Rice’s sultry New Orleans, Dickinson proves, as if there were any doubt, that the South is indeed different from anywhere else. Southerners, she says, have an instinctive sense of place: They know where they come from. Includes a sampling of local accommodations and restaurants. “Scarlett Slept Here” is a must for all literary fans and admirers of the South. (ISBN 0-8065-2092-2)
“Celtic Journeys: A Traveler’s Guide to Ireland’s Spiritual Legacy”
(Citadel Press, $12.95)
Steve Rabey is a former religion editor with a love for Ireland who has written about the Emerald Island extensively. Now, with his wife and writing partner, Lois, he once again has turned his eyes across the ocean. In “Celtic Journeys,” the Rabeys discuss the well-known sacred sites on most every spiritual traveler’s checklist: Newgrange, Croagh Patrick, Glendalough, Skellig Michael. From that perspective, the book covers very little new ground. What makes it different though is the depth of knowledge–not to mention depth of feeling–that the authors bring to this well-trodden land. The book is divided into two sections: the sites and getting there. It’s not all spirituality though. The authors come down from the heavens long enough to savor a few pints along Dublin’s pub crawl. “Celtic Journeys” is a good introduction for anyone who seeks to learn something about Ireland’s sacred sites and where to find them, without delving too deeply. Also features an A-Z guide to major points of interest, including lodging, restaurants and suggested itineraries. (ISBN 0-8065-2161-9)
Travel essays
“Tales of a Female Nomad: Living at Large in the World”
(Crown, $23)
Unlike many of her male travel-writing counterparts, Rita Golden Gelman is no daredevil, no natural risk-taker who must experience the thrill and unpredictability of adventure to feel alive. On the contrary, as she begins her journey, Gelman is mostly scared to death. She is every woman (and man) who ever had second thoughts about taking a long trip. Terrified of change and uncertain of her ability to make her way in an unfamiliar land–for Gelman, even something as simple as having a meal becomes an ordeal–she turns painfully self-conscious while eating alone for the first time in a strange hotel. It took much practice for Gelman to arrive at her current self-proclaimed status of “modern-day nomad.” And it took a major life change–divorce at the age of 48–before she felt brave enough to make her move. “Tales” follows her sometimes tenuous journey from fragility to self-confidence as she traverses the globe from Mexico and Guatemala to Indonesia and New Zealand. “There has to be more than one way to do life,” she writes. “Tales of a Female Nomad” is her liberating response to that difficult statement. (ISBN 0-609-60642-5)
Rail guides
“USA by Rail”
(Globe Pequot Press, $18.95)
The just-released fourth edition of “USA by Rail” offers the inside scoop on how to get the most out of rail travel throughout North America. Containing coverage of 25 long-distance rail journeys in the U.S. and an additional 12 routes in Canada, the book features up-to-date timetables, accommodation listings in 38 major cities, and area maps and route plans. The author, John Pitt, is an Englishman, and the description of cultural differences are often subtly humorous (“Sprite and 7-Up may be familiar [to non-Americans] but root-beer is definitely an acquired taste”). The bulk of the book is devoted to descriptions of long-distance travel routes. Cities and towns get cursory treatment (only area highlights are mentioned) so you would need to consult other guides to complement this one. (ISBN 1-84162-032-7)
Nightlife guides
“Rommelman’s Los Angeles Bar & Nightlife Guide”
(LA Weekly Books/St. Martin’s Griffin, $11.95)
L.A. nightlife aficionado Nancy Rommelman presents readers with a whirlwind guide to the nocturnal pleasures of the City of Angels, often stopping at less than angelic sites. In sum, she lists more than 200 venues, including bars and clubs and late-night eating hangouts. As befitting a former nightlife columnist, Rommelman is opinionated, witty and acerbic–in other words, the perfect host to navigate you through the darkened labyrinths of Los Angeles’ always-changing nightlife scene. (ISBN 0-312-26936-6)
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Contact Resourceful Traveler in care of Toni Stroud at tstroud@tribune.com.
