The Geography Collective: Maps and emotions

Author: Kye Askins
Date: 28 November 2008

I had reason to consult my A-Z of Newcastle last week. I moved to Newcastle five years ago, and one of the first things I did was buy an A-Z of the area...

The outdoor writer’s Christmas

Author: Paddy Dillon
Date: 24 November 2008

When everyone else seems to be rushing round like turkeys to the slaughter, I always find that Christmas creeps up on me unawares. Sometimes, I start to take notice of it as late as 23rd December. My main concern, if I plan on going anywhere, involves working round the fact that public transport grinds to a halt.

An Aston Martin on the Asian Highway

Author: Richard Meredith
Date: 4 November 2008

Think of two things you’ve always wanted to do but never had the chance. Yes I know – why only two? How about two thousand? Well OK. But here’s two for starters: Overtaking Michael Schumacher and driving an Aston Martin halfway across the world.

The proof’s in the proofreading

Author: Paddy Dillon
Date: 4 November 2008

How many times is a route description read before it reaches the final reader? The truth is, I don’t know. I write route descriptions ‘on the hoof’ using a battered old Psion palmtop, small enough for my pocket. I don’t like scribbling notes that need to be transcribed later, so it saves me a lot of time, and I prefer to spend that time outdoors...

Shuffling the paperwork

Author: Paddy Dillon
Date: 13 October 2008

This has been a busy year, with five guidebook projects to complete, involving two new books and complete overhauls of three more books. As an outdoor writer I enjoy the outdoor part of things best, so I cram in as much time outdoors as I possibly can...

There may be a riot goin’ on

Author: Ed Glinert
Date: 9 October 2008

It may not be May Day, but with the government – a Labour government understandably, even if not a socialist government – having nationalised much of the banking system, it’s entirely appropriate that...

London, the New Jerusalem

Author: Ed Glinert
Date: 3 October 2008

Have you ever considered why some of London’s oldest and most important buildings are located so? Perhaps their setting is random. After all, why should there be any pattern to the location of buildings. Surely there is no master plan to the positioning of the city’s long-standing structures?

The life of a guidebook writer

Author: Paddy Dillon
Date: 3 October 2008

Follow the trials and tribulations of prolific outdoor writer Paddy Dillon as he provides insights into the world of guidebook writing and publishing in this revealing blog - written exclusively for Stanfords. Here’s his first report

Creation or calculation? There is no conflict

Author: Ed Glinert
Date: 25 September 2008

There has been much discussion recently about the supposed conflict between those who advocate Darwin’s Theory of Evolution in explaining the creation of the universe and those who take a Biblical approach. Apparently...

The Lonely Planet Story

Author: Douglas Schatz
Date: 24 September 2008

We had a memorable evening last night in the company of Tony and Maureen Wheeler, founders of Lonely Planet, who visited the London store to tell their personal story about LP...