I am thrilled to present our May selection, BEYOND GUILT TRIPS: Mindful Travel in an Unequal World by author, professor, and DEI (Diversity Equity Inclusion) consultant, Dr. Anu Taranath.

I got to know Dr. Anu when I worked with her on events at University Book Store and every time I hear her speak, I am left feeling inspired, looking at the world with a new, broader, and more inclusive perspective.

This is the perfect book for one of the first meetings of Boarding Pass Book Club and I know that it will be a thought-provoking guide for our future literary journeys. I am looking forward to sharing this with you.

Happy Reading!
❤ , Grace


BOARDING PASS BOOK CLUB
Meeting 2
Date: Saturday, May 21st
Time: 6 PM PST (UTC-7)
Author : Dr. Anu Taranath
Book: Beyond Guilt Trips: Mindful Travel In An Unequal World

Please register in advance for this session at: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAsfuyhrz8qE9JzwDrjVG9rrRa9nCM5rGYV.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

BOOK INFO:

  • Washington State Book Award Finalist in Nonfiction
  • Oprah Magazine’s “26 Best Travel Books of All Times”
  • Fodors’ Travel “Best Books to Bring on Vacation”
  • Winner of Newsweek’s Future of Travel Awards in Storytelling
  • Wishing Shelf Book Award Finalist
  • Foreward Indies Book Award Finalist
  • Next Generation Indie Book Award Finalist
  • Global Shakers “40 Leaders in Sustainable Tourism”

Every year, hundreds of thousands of young people pack their bags to study or volunteer abroad. Well-intentioned and curious Westerners–brought up to believe that international travel broadens our horizons–travel to low-income countries to learn about people and cultures different from their own. While travel abroad can provide much-needed perspective, it can also be deeply unsettling, confusing, and discomforting. Travelers can find themselves unsure about how to think or speak about the differences in race or culture they find, even though these differences might have fueled their desire to travel in the first place.

In Beyond Guilt Trips: Mindful Travel in an Unequal World, storyteller Anu Taranath begins at home, unpacking our baggage about who we are, where we come from, and how much we have. She takes us on a journey through engaging personal travel stories and thought-provoking questions, providing us with tools to grapple with our discomfort and navigate differences with accountability and connection. Yes, travel! But be mindful. Be present.

Beyond Guilt Trips: Mindful Travel in an Unequal World was shortlisted for the Washington State Book Award, named one of Oprah Magazine’s “26 Best Travel Books of All Times” and Fodor’s Travels best “13 Books to Inspire Your Travels.” In its one year since publication, the book has been featured in numerous magazines including YES!, AFAR, Mindful Magazine, Bitch, and National Geographic. Dr. Anu has been interviewed by the Peabody award-winning podcast “To the Best of Our Knowledge” and “Travel with Rick Steves” radio program.

AUTHOR INFO:

Learn more about Dr. Anu on her website: https://www.anutaranath.com/

Dr. Anu brings both passion and expertise to her work as a speaker, facilitator and educator. As faculty at the University of Washington for the past 18-years, she teaches about global issues, race, gender, identity, and equity. A four-time member of Humanities Washington Speakers Bureau, she has also received the Seattle Weekly’s “Best of Seattle” recognition, the UW’s Distinguished Teaching Award, and multiple US Fulbright Fellowships to work abroad.