Comments on: Book Your Trip Now: 12 Literary Pilgrimages

By: Nichols

Nichols — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 00:19:37 +0000

Well there is F. Scott Fitzgerald’s grave next to 2 main roads in Rockville MD. A Poe house in Richmond VA. And Hannibal MO is a touristcentric, overrun parody of what the town was like during Twain’s time.

By: Meredith

Meredith — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 14:33:33 +0000

Gotta get it said…the walk around St. Peterburg from Crime & Punishment.

By: Drew

Drew — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 19:26:34 +0000

I re-read all the comments and found JohnnyCat’s unintentionally humorous.

For those readers who don’t know, for all the romantic notion, Walden was actually about a mile outside of town and Thoreau took his laundry to his sisters’ place and was well fed by her and her husband.

Once the actual background of an “inspirational” work is unearthed, it does not remain quite so revered. For example, my favorite tale about Thoreau is the END of the jail story few people know – you remember, where Thoreau would not pay the war tax and ended up in jail, whereupon Whitman saw him and asked, “what are you doing in there?” and Thoreau asked, “No, the question is what are YOU doing OUT there?” End of the story is Whitman paid the tax for Thoreau, and had Thoreau meant what he said, he would have refused to gift. But he accepted and was let out of jail, leading some historians to theorize Thoreau was not a rebel . . . he was merely cheap.

So, by all means, look for your own Walden. But goodness sakes, research the subject in depth first.

By: Britta

Britta — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 17:05:18 +0000

The Anne Frank House in Amsterdam were she was in hiding where she wrote her diary.

By: Drew

Drew — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 17:01:02 +0000

Someone already posted this, but I simply can’t believe you did not include Bloom’s Day in Dublin. It is hands-down the best known granddaddy of all these so-called pilgrimages.

By: Rob

Rob — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 14:40:14 +0000

Unless you make friends with a Boston University student who will let you into Shelton Hall it would be difficult to visit, but the residence used to be a Sheraton Hotel. I think it still says Sheraton on the front of the building. Room 401 is where Eugene O’Neill spent his final days and gave his dying words. \Born in a G.D.ed hotel room; died in a G.D.ed hotel room.\

By: Sarah

Sarah — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 13:38:05 +0000

Don’t forget Forks, WA for the Twilight series…

By: Pam

Pam — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 09:11:18 +0000

Absolutely not interested in visiting well trampled places featured in books, whether real or imaginary based on real places. Nothing spoils the pleasant imagery of a book I’ve enjoyed quicker than to see the place in real life. I’d rather keep the fantasy intact.

reCaptcha (my favorite so far) Bold dinkies

By: PartiallyDeflected

PartiallyDeflected — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 04:43:23 +0000

I took the tour of Hemingway’s house several years ago. Wow, those guides were over the top. It was like watching John Lovitz do his “Master Thespian” character.

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 23:36:23 +0000

Salinas!! Long live John Steinbeck