“Whenever we travel, all that we experience vanishes far too easily, a victim of flawed memory. In WRITING AWAY, Lavinia Spalding has given travelers a witty, profound, and accessible exploration of the hows and whys of keeping a journal. Novices and veterans alike will find inspiration and fresh ideas on every page, along with practical suggestions to bring out the best writer in anyone. Spalding seems to have read everybody who set pen to paper while on the move, and her narrative is laced with their wisdom and her own hardheaded yet searching advice. Best of all, she knows that the “memoir” has grown ever more diverse wings. At once a worthy addition to the literature of travel and the psychology of writing, it is also a handy, encouraging toolbox. Buy two copies—one to meditate on at home, and another to dogear, underline, and carry alongside your own journal en route.”

— Anthony Weller, author of The Siege of Salt Cove and Days and Nights on the Grand Trunk Road: Calcutta to Khyber

“Spalding doesn’t just give you ideas for keeping a travel journal— she makes a convincing case for why keeping a travel journal is important, and how this personal writing ritual can deepen your journey in unexpected ways. I recommend this book for anyone who loves travel and endeavors to do it mindfully.”

— Rolf Potts, author of Vagabonding and Marco Polo Didn’t Go There

“Writing is a sacred and an irreverent art. As such, Spalding reminds us to journey conscientiously, to arrive awakened and to write with all our hearts. This is a beautifully vital antidote to the frenetic buzz of blogging and texting, to be savored and shared.”

— Alexandra Fuller, author of Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight and The Legend of Colton H. Bryant