Brad Newsham has authored a few entertaining travel books, and is currently working on a third book which chronicles his experiences as a San Francisco cab driver. My personal favorite from Brad is Take Me With You, in which the easy going author brings the reader along for a trip around the developing world with the specific intention to bring one lucky soul, who would otherwise not the chance, home with him to the U.S.A. The pictures and bios of the potential applicants are particularly hilarious. More than just brutally honest recollections of his travels, the author lays out an eye-opening comparison of cultures. The book culminates with Tony, an unsuspecting candidate, traveling with Brad across the United States in a borrowed taxi cab. You can learn much more about Brad and find an interesting picture of him on his website. http://www.bradnewsham.com/

 

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Coleman Barks is, among other things, a brilliant translator of the thirteenth century poet Jalāl ad-Dīn Muḥammad Rūmī. His work with Rumi was the subject of an hour-long segment in Bill Moyers's Language of Life series on PBS, and he is a featured poet and translator in Bill Moyers's poetry special, "Fooling with Words." http://www.colemanbarks.com/

 

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Matt Stangel (1985- ) is a Virginia native, residing in Portland, OR. His poetry has been featured in Poictesme, Meat & Potatoes, as well as various other publications. Stangel's journalistic writings have appeared in Style Weekly and The Commonwealth Times, and are currently housed in the pages of the Willamette Week.

 

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Jeff Biggers has worked as a writer, educator, radio correspondent, and community organizer across the United States, Europe, India and Mexico. His award-winning stories have appeared on NPR, PRI, and in scores of travel, literary and music magazines, and national and foreign newspapers. He has been a commentator on National Public Radio’s Morning Edition and for Pacific News Service national syndication. He is the author of In The Sierra Madre and The United States of Appalachia. He and his wife Carla, and their two boys, Diego and Massimo, presently divide their time between Illinois and Italy. http://www.jeffbiggers.com/

 

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