A few days ago I got my copy of the Best American Travel Writing 2008 in the mail. Needless to say, I was happy to have two of my stories chosen for the Notable Travel Writing list in the back. But it was also nice to see some of my friends and favorite writers in there too. Among the collection were great pieces by Jim Campbell (a charter member of our Madison writers drinking squad) Bryan Mealer, who I interviewed for World Hum a few months ago, and fellow twin citoyen Catherine Watson. But one of my favorite pieces in the book is a gem by Jeffery Tayler who wrote The Woman in the Keffiyeh for World Hum. It is, I think, a near-perfect story, a crystal clear moment in time. You can’t help be transported right there with him. There are also some great pieces in the anthology by writers like Bill Buford, Peter Hessler, J. Malcolm Garcia and others.