The End of an Era: The Last Best American Travel Writing with Jason Wilson

by Jeremy Bassetti
The Best American Travel Writing 2021

Joining me again is Jason Wilson. As you know, Jason has been the series editor of the yearly The Best American Travel Writing anthology for the last 2 decades. Though, as you’ll hear us discuss today, this year’s volume (2021) is the last.  

Of course, we discuss and speculate on the reasons this is the last volume. And we also talk about what American travel writing looked like during the pandemic, about the power of email lists, newsletters, and platforms for travel writers, and much more.

Follow Jason’s work at Everyday Drinking.

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Intro music

Peach by Daantai (Daantai’s Instagram)

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3 comments

Jane 8 January 2023 - 9:53 am

Hello fellow travel writing enthusiasts! Does anyone know which edition the writer – a woman, traveling in a Muslim country – told her story about how she was staying with a family with a youngish/teenage boy (he wanted to stay in her room overnight!); I remember her talking about the night sky and the moon. Such amazing writing!
I can hardly believe the Best American Travel Writing series has ended in 2021 as stated on this website.

Reply
Andrea Faber 14 October 2022 - 6:03 pm

How can I find a story I read in one of the books about a visitor taking his driving test in China? I still have a few of the books, but can’t remember what the story was called or by whom. Can anyone help, please.

Reply
Jeremy Bassetti 15 October 2022 - 8:46 am

That would be Peter Hessler’s “Wheels of Fortune” in the BATW that Anthony Bourdain edited, 2008.

Reply

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