Tips & Reviews
Book & Film
-
Following the Sun: A Bicycle Pilgrimage from Andalusia to the Hebrides
Reviewed by ExperiencePlus! traveler Phillip Singer Following the Sun is a story of a cycling journey by author John Hanson Mitchell, a self-professed sun worshipper, beginning in southern Spain riding through Andalusia and western France to England and on to… Read full article
-
A Lady Cyclist’s Guide to Kashgar by Suzanne Joinson
Certain places call out to me for the mystery and the allure that they exude. Tasmania and the Afghanistan of fifty years ago fit that category, mainly because I did projects about them in Mrs. Gagliardi’s seventh grade geography class… Read full article
-
The Ludwig Conspiracy By Oliver Pötzsch
Reviewed by ExperiencePlus! traveler Jeff Berger. Oliver Pötzsch has taken time off from his Hangman’s Daughter series in order to address the real life mystery, albeit in fictional terms, of the death of “mad” King Ludwig II of Bavaria, the… Read full article
-
Haute Cuisine: Movie Review
A new movie is on the playbill. As the film transports you to Paris and into the kitchen of personal cook to President of the Republic of France, we warn you: you may find yourself either looking to hop on… Read full article
-
Seven Ages of Paris by Alistair Horne
Reviewed by ExperiencePlus! traveler Pam Brills. If you have visited Paris, or plan to in conjunction with a bike ride through France, this is a must read. Alistair Horne is a prolific British writer who has authored a number of… Read full article
-
Dervla Murphy, Touring Bicyclist and Traveler Extraordinaire
As you anticipate your bicycle travel adventure you would do well to prepare by reading some of Dervla Murphy’s bicycle narratives. I can’t think of a better way to “gear up” for your own adventure (besides taking some training rides,… Read full article
-
Rose Café: Love and War in Corsica
More than four decades after he lived and worked in Corsica, John Hanson Mitchell writes of his time living on the Mediterranean island at the age of twenty. He describes his youth as a successful disguise of being a student… Read full article
-
The Inferno by Dan Brown
Reviewed by ExperiencePlus! Traveler Bill Giovinazzo When Dan Brown came out with his latest thriller “The Inferno,” there was no question; I had to read it. It isn’t that I am a Dan Brown fan, but over the past year… Read full article
-
The Hare With Amber Eyes by Edmund de Waal
Edmund de Waal’s The Hare With Amber Eyes explores culture, history, geography, politics, war, art, relationships, and family. Universal themes made unique by the methods used to bind them all into one fascinating story: a collection of Japanese netsuke (tiny… Read full article
-
The Lead Goat Veered Off by Neil Anderson
If you are looking for an adventurous and entertaining tale about cycle touring, The Lead Goat Veered Off fits the bill. If you’ve been to Sardinia or plan to head there in the future you’ll love Neil Anderson’s vivid descriptions… Read full article
-
The Beggar King by Oliver Pötzsch
ExperiencePlus! traveler Jeff Berger reviews the third novel in the Hangman’s Daughter series. The newly released third novel in the series, The Beggar King, finds the Hangman Jacob Kuisl, in Regensburg, coincidentally the starting place for the Experience Plus! Bicycling… Read full article
-
Ride the Tour Divide
Julie Horton reflects on Paul Howard’s Eat, Sleep, Ride: How I Braved Bears, Badlands, Big Breakfasts in My Quest to Cycle the Tour Divide and Be Brave, Be Strong: A Journey Across the Great Divide by Jill Homer in preparation… Read full article
-
The Hangman’s Daughter and The Dark Monk
Reviewed by ExperiencePlus! traveler Jeff Berger The Hangman’s Daughter and the sequel The Dark Monk, originally published in German to wide acclaim, were written by Oliver Pötzsch, the descendent of a long line of hangmen, including Jakob Kuisl, the protagonist… Read full article
-
(Irish) Snacks and a Movie
Looking for an opportunity to get some Irish culture, to savor the flavor and sound of traditional food and music of the Emerald Isle? Go ahead and rent a movie from our Ireland film recommendation page, or if this review… Read full article
-
Wild by Cheryl Strayed
In Wild, Cheryl Strayed recounts her solo 1995 1,100 mile journey along the Pacific Crest Trail from the Mojave Desert in California to the Washington border. The story is made more entertaining by the fact that before this trip Strayed… Read full article
-
Machiavelli By Ross King
Reviewed by ExperiencePlus! traveler Bill Giovinazzo. When our ExperiencePlus! bike tour passed through Florence I happened to notice the statue of Niccolo Machiavelli outside of the Uffizi Museum. He had the look of an opportunist; his head bowed, hand to… Read full article
-
Women of the Way: Embracing the Camino
by Jane V. Blanchard The Camino de Santiago has captured the imagination of many an author, from Paulo Coelho & James Michener to Shirley MaClaine. In 2011, Jane Blanchard, a technical writer and adventurer, decided to hike the Camino over… Read full article
-
The Land of Painted Caves by Jean M. Auel
Ayla is Back! Jean M. Auel’s Earth’s Children series introduced us to one of the original beautiful, strong, and self-sufficient female protagonist back in 1980 and in this last installment of the series, The Land of Painted Caves, we find… Read full article