Travel Through the Eyes of an Author
By Thad
I am a big fan of books. One of the things I like most about a well written story is the scene the author sets. A number of my favorite authors seem to delight in using a particular locale as part of their stories. It is through these books and authors that I have been able to visit some great locations. I want to talk a bit about some of my favorite writers and the locations they have me visit in their books.
New York City is one of my favorite cities. I don’t know if any author uses the city any better for a backdrop to his stories than Lawrence Block. I really enjoy Block’s stories about Matt Scudder who has spent many years of his fictional life living in a hotel on West 57th Street in New York. Block’s descriptions of the area ring true to life. His New York comes alive on the page and I enjoy my visits there. Check out the author’s website to find out more about his books.
Another favorite city is Key West and the author that brings it alive for me is Tom Corcoran. Mr. Corcoran is a multi-talented gentleman who is both an author and a photographer. He is also friends with Jimmy Buffet and has written about him as well as taken photos for some of Buffett’s albums. Corcoran’s lead character is Alex Rutledge who interestingly is also a photographer. It seems that trouble always has a way of finding our friend Alex. For more information about Tom Corcoran you should check out the website.
Michael Connelly is the author of a series of books about Harry Bosch. Harry is a detective working for the Los Angeles Police Department. His adventures capture the essence of this great city. I do want to find some of the food trucks where Harry loves to grab a quick lunch. Mr. Connelly has won numerous best book awards and you can find out more about him here.
For a good look at the state of Minnesota and the cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis you can’t beat the work of John Sandford. Sandford’s main character Lucas Davenport is found in the Prey series. You will find some great scenes of the landscapes of Minnesota though you may decide that winter is not the best time to visit. Here’s more information about the different series where Mr. Sandford tells us about the state he loves.
Want to know more about Florida? This website will give you information about John D. McDonald and his character Travis McGee, or learn more about author Randy Wayne White and his Florida based novels.
It seems I am mentioning a lot of writers from the mystery genre of books. There are a lot of mainstream authors who paint word pictures of the places their characters live. Pat Conroy explores the low country of South Carolina, and Terry Kay some great books about the south.
I guess the main thing I am trying to say is that you can travel from the comfort of your favorite easy chair. Sit back and enjoy traveling with your favorite characters from your favorite novels.
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