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Marco Polo Didn't Go There
Rolf's new book!

Vagabonding
Vagabonding

Rolf's Upcoming Events

To schedule speaking engagements, travel-writing seminars, vagabonding seminars, and book events, please send inquiries to events@rolfpotts.com.

PARIS

Rolf's Past Events

RUSSIA

  • June 17th-30th, 2007 • St. Petersburg Online Info
    Summer Literary Seminars, Creative writing seminars with Jonathan Ames, Fanny Howe, Chuck Klosterman, Colum McCann, Gina Ochsner, Gary Shteyngart, Binyavanga Wainaina, and others.

PARIS

NEW YORK

SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA

PARIS

KANSAS

  • Thursday, September 18th, 2008 • Salina, 7:00pm Online Info
    Salina Public Library, 301 West Elm Street, (785) 825-4624
  • Friday, September 19th, 2008 • Wichita, 7:00pm Online Info
    Watermark Books, 4701 East Douglas, (316) 682-1181
  • Saturday, September 20th, 2008 • Salina, 1:00pm - 3:00pm
    Waldenbooks, Salina Central Mall, 2259 S. 9th St, (785) 825-2232
  • Monday, September 22nd, 2008 • Manhattan, 1:20pm - 2:30pm Online Info
    Kansas State University Student Union (Room 20)
  • Tuesday, September 23rd, 2008 • Topeka, 7:00pm Online Info
    Washburn University, Vogel Room, Memorial Union, (785) 670-1441
  • Wednesday, September 24th, 2008 • Kansas City, Noon - 1:00pm Online Info
    Johnson County CC, General Education Building 233, 12345 College Blvd., Overland Park
  • Saturday, September 27th, 2008 • Lawrence, 2:00pm - 3:00pm Online Info
    River City Reading Festival, with Thomas Frank, Scott Phillips, and others
    Lawrence Public Library Auditorium, 707 Vermont

CHICAGO

  • Wednesday, October 1st, 2008 • Chicago, 7:30pm Online Info
    Bookslut reading series, with Dubravka Ugresic and Peter Ferry
    Hopleaf, Second Floor, 5148 N. Clark Street
  • Thursday, October 2nd, 2008 • Chicago, 7:00pm Online Info
    Book Cellar, 4736-38 North Lincoln Ave, (773) 293-2665

NEW ORLEANS

MINNEAPOLIS

  • Saturday, October 11th, 2008 • Minneapolis, 10:00am - 5:00pm Online Info
    Twin Cities Book Festival, with Elizabeth Oness, Frank Wilderson, and others. Minneapolis Community & Technical College, 1501 Hennepin Avenue S
  • Monday, October 13th, 2008 • St. Paul, 7:30pm Online Info
    Common Good Books, 165 Western Ave N #14, St. Paul, (651) 225-8989

NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY

  • Monday, October 20th, 2008 • Manhattan, 7:00pm Online Info
    The Half King, 505 W 23rd St, just west of 10th Ave, (212) 462-4300nThe closest subway stop is the "C" and "E" line at 23rd and 8th Ave.n
  • Tuesday, October 21st, 2008 • Manhattan, 7:00pm Online Info
    Book Culture, 536 West 112th St, (212) 865-1588
  • Wednesday, October 22nd, 2008 • Camden, NJ (near Philadelphia, PA), 7:00pm Online Info
    Rutgers-Camden, Stedman Gallery, Fine Arts Building, with poet Patrick Rosal
  • Thursday, October 23rd, 2008 • Manhattan, 7:00pm Online Info
    Book Culture, 536 West 112th St, (212) 865-1588nTravel seminar with Pauline Frommer and Matt Gros

PACIFIC NORTHWEST

SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA

  • Sunday, November 16th, 2008 • Corte Madera, 7:00pm Online Info
    Book Passage, 51 Tamal Vista Blvd. Corte Madera, (415) 927-0960
  • Tuesday, November 18th, 2008 • San Francisco, 7:30pm Online Info
    Books, Inc. in the Marina, 2251 Chestnut Street, (415) 931-3633

LOS ANGELES AREA

PACIFIC NORTHWEST

LOS ANGELES

KANSAS CITY AREA

  • Wednesday, February 18th, 2009 • Overland Park, Noon - 1:00pm Online Info
    Johnson County CC, Independent Travel Seminar, General Education Building 233, 12345 College Blvd., Overland Park

ARIZONA

KANSAS CITY AREA

NEW ORLEANS

PARIS

SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA

UNITED KINGDOM (WALES)

ITALY

NEW JERSEY

  • Wednesday, November 18th, 2009 • Metuchen, 8:00pm Online Info
    The Raconteur, Public reading from Marco Polo Didn't Go There and other works. 431 Main St, Metuchen, NJ; (732) 906-0009

NEW YORK

  • Thursday, November 19th, 2009 • Staten Island, 5:00pm Online Info
    College of Staten Island, International Education Week, travel seminar with New York Times writer Matt Gross

BOSTON

KANSAS CITY AREA

  • Tuesday, March 30th, 2010 • Lawrence, 7:00pm Online Info
    University of Kansas, Mallot Room, 6th floor of the Kansas Union. Lecture on travel writing and long-term travel (non-students welcome). Queries can be sent to tlorenz [at] ku.edu or (785) 864-2516.

ST. LOUIS

OHIO

  • Tuesday, April 27th, 2010 • Springfield, 7:00pm Online Info
    Wittenberg University, Hollenbeck Hall. Lecture on travel writing and long-term travel (non-students welcome). Rolf will also speak in English classes on the 26th and 27th. Queries can be sent to kdixon [at] wittenberg.edu.

KANSAS CITY

  • Saturday, May 22nd, 2010 • Kansas City, 8:00pm Online Info
    Storytelling With Miss Gina K., The Brick, 1727 McGhee, Kansas City, MO 64108. This installment of the ongoing performance series explores the theme of "Community + Loneliness." Other storytellers include Kaite Mediatore-Stover, Beth Byrd-Lonski, Frankie Krainz, Meshel Cook, and Hadley Johnson. Queries can be sent to mllekaufmann [at] gmail.com or (816) 421-1634.

QUEBEC

PARIS

  • July 1st-29th, 2010 • Paris Online Info
    Paris American Academy Summer Creative Writing Workshop, Creative Nonfiction seminar; queries can be sent to info [at] pariswritingworkshop.com.

ICELAND

  • August 1st-9th, 2010 • Reykjavik Online Info
    Summer Literary Seminars, Creative writing seminars with Jonathan Ames, Fanny Howe, Chuck Klosterman, Colum McCann, Gina Ochsner, Gary Shteyngart, Binyavanga Wainaina, and others.

NEW YORK

  • Monday, October 4th, 2010 • New York, 1:00pm - 2:00pm Online Info
    New York University, Tisch School of the Arts Performance Studies class lecture on travel video.

VERMONT

  • Thursday, January 13th, 2011 • Bennington College, Barn 100, 2:15pm - 3:45pm Online Info
    Bennington Writing Seminars, Lecture on travel writing, and how the act of travel can inform genres like poetry and fiction. Email events@rolfpotts.com for more information.

SWITZERLAND

  • Friday, April 1st, 2011 • Lugano, 5:00pm Online Info
    University of Lugano, Lecture and discussion about the art, ethic, and economics of independent travel. Sponsored by the university's Master of Arts in Economics and Communication program. More information at events@rolfpotts.com.

ITALY

  • Saturday, April 2nd, 2011 • Milan, 7:00pm Online Info
    Scuola del Viaggio, Informal talk and mixer at Milan's foremost school of travel. More information at events@rolfpotts.com.

SEATTLE

  • Thursday, June 2nd, 2011 • Seattle Art Museum, 7:00pm - 8:00pm Online Info
    World Affairs Council, Lecture and discussion on the art, ethic, and economics of independent travel. Sponsored by the Young Professional International Network. More information at events@rolfpotts.com.

IRELAND

  • Saturday, June 11th, 2011 • Lismore House Hotel, 10:00am - 1:00pm Online Info
    Immrama Lismore Festival of Travel Writing , Blogger's Clinic panel, with Rolf Potts, Áine Goggins and Darragh Doyle, moderated by Manchán Magan. Tickets are €25.00; queries can be sent to lismoreheritage [at] eircom.net.
  • Saturday, June 11th, 2011 • Lismore, Courthouse Theatre, 8:00pm - 9:00pm Online Info
    Immrama Lismore Festival of Travel Writing, Roundtable on literary travel writing -Rolf Potts and Alex Von Tunzelmann in conversation with Pól Ó Conghaile. Tickets are €25.00; queries can be sent to lismoreheritage [at] eircom.net.

VERMONT

  • Friday, June 24th, 2011 • Bennington College, Tishman Auditorium, 9:40am - 10:40am Online Info
    Bennington Writing Seminars, Lecture on the influence and example of Emanuel Haldeman-Julius, the "The Henry Ford of Literature," whose "Little Blue Books" created a mail-order information superhighway that paved the way for the sexual revolution, influenced the feminist and civil rights movements, and foreshadowed the Age of Information. Free vintage books for lecture attendees. Email events@rolfpotts.com for more information.

PARIS

PHILADELPHIA

  • Tuesday, November 15th, 2011 • University of Pennsylvania, Kelly Writers House, 6:00pm - 7:30pm Online Info
    Creative Ventures Lecture Series , Presentation on the influence and example of Emanuel Haldeman-Julius, the "The Henry Ford of Literature," whose "Little Blue Books" created a mail-order information superhighway that paved the way for the sexual revolution, influenced the feminist and civil rights movements, and foreshadowed the Age of Information. Free vintage books for lecture attendees. Queries can be sent to jalowent [at] writing.upenn.edu.
  • Thursday, January 26th, 2012 • University of Pennsylvania, Kelly Writers House, 5:30pm - 7:00pm Online Info
    Mind of Winter, Rolf will read a George Saunders essay about Dubai's indoor snow as part of Penn's annual post-holiday celebration of winter, inspired by Wallace Stevens's poem, "The Snow Man." Activities include snow-themed readings, a fire in the parlor, and several big pots of soups and stews. Please RSVP to wh@writing.upenn.edu or call 215-746-POEM.
  • Wednesday, February 8th, 2012 • University of Pennsylvania, Kelly Writers House, 6:00pm - 7:30pm Online Info
    Conversation with Pico Iyer, Rolf will introduce and moderate a discussion with travel writer Pico Iyer, whose new book The Man Within My Head explores the author's life-long obsession with Graham Greene. Queries can be sent to wh@writing.upenn.edu.

IOWA

  • Monday, February 27th, 2012 • Iowa State University, Campanile Room, Memorial Union, 2:00pm - 3:30pm Online Info
    On Travel Writing - Anthony Doerr and Rolf Potts, As part of ISU's 8th Annual Symposium on Wilderness and the Creative Imagination, Rolf will discuss travel writing alongside author Anthony Doerr. Cosponsored by Iowa State's MFA Program in Creative Writing and Environment, this event is free and open to the public. Queries can be sent to lectures@iastate.edu.
  • Monday, February 27th, 2012 • Iowa State University, Campanile Room, Memorial Union, 4:00pm - 5:30pm Online Info
    Lecture — Stories and Revelations from a Postmodern Travel Writer, Rolf discusses the art and ethics of travel writing, in light of his latest book, Marco Polo Didn't Go There. This lecture is a part of the Symposium on Wilderness and the Creative Imagination, an environmental literary festival that features readings, poetry performances, panel discussions, documentary films, book signings, and receptions. All events are free and open to the public. Queries can be sent to lectures@iastate.edu.

NEW YORK

  • Saturday, March 3rd, 2012 • Javits Convention Center, 11:00am - Noon Online Info
    New York Times Travel Show, Rolf will join other travel experts in discussing how (and how not) to use online travel-planning resources.
  • Saturday, March 3rd, 2012 • Lolita Bar, Lower East Side, 6:00pm - 7:00pm Online Info
    Restless Legs Reading Series, Rolf will share the stage with travel writer Josey Miller as part of David Farley's ongoing travel-writing reading series.

PACIFIC NORTHWEST

  • March 5th-11th, 2012 • Washington State University Online Info
    Spring 2012 Visiting Writer, Rolf will teach a weeklong travel writing workshop that includes evening readings open to the public. Queries can be sent to deblee@wsu.edu.

NORTH CAROLINA

  • Thursday, April 5th, 2012 • University of North Carolina, Greensboro, 3:30pm - 5:00pm Online Info
    Distinguished Visiting Writers Series, Rolf will discuss the art, craft, and ethics of travel writing, as part of the Creative Writing MFA Program's ongoing lecture series, cosponsored by UNCG's International Program. Queries can be sent to s_dische@uncg.edu.
  • Thursday, April 5th, 2012 • University of North Carolina, Greensboro, 7:00pm - 8:30pm Online Info
    Distinguished Visiting Writers Series, Rolf will read selections from his books. Vagabonding and Marco Polo Didn't Go There. Queries can be sent to s_dische@uncg.edu.

PHILADELPHIA

  • Wednesday, April 11th, 2012 • University of Pennsylvania, Kelly Writers House, 6:00pm - 7:30pm Online Info
    Travel writing panel presentation, Professional travel journalists and editors discuss the art and business of travel writing in the 21st century. Participants include David Farley, Matt Gross, Jason Wilson, and Rachel Friedman; Rolf will moderate. Queries can be sent to jalowent@writing.upenn.edu.
  • Thursday, April 12th, 2012 • University of Pennsylvania, Kelly Writers House, Noon - 1:30pm Online Info
    Panel - The Common, Issue #3 - Rolf will join a moderated discussion about place-based writing, literary magazines, and MFA writing programs. Participants include moderator Jamie-Lee Josselyn, fiction writer Katherine Hill, and Jen Acker, who edits www.thecommononline.org. Queries can be sent to wh@writing.upenn.edu

NEW YORK

  • Monday, April 30th, 2012 • Cornelia Street Café, 6:00pm - 8:00pm Online Info
    Bennington Reading Series, Rolf will headline an evening of nonfiction readings featuring memoirist Aimee Anderson and food/travel writer Hugh Ryan.

PARIS

BOSTON

AUSTRALIA

  • March 22nd-25th, 2013 • Melbourne Online Info
    Australian Festival of Travel Writing, Rolf will be a featured writer and writing workshop leader at this international travel-writing conference. Other speakers include Brian Thacker, Chris Taylor, Maya Ward, Patrick Holland, Tess Rice, Rusty Miller and Olivier Magny.

CONNECTICUT

  • April 26th-28th, 2013 • Mystic, CT Online Info
    Workshop- Travel and Transformation, Rolf and Best Women's Travel Writing series editor Lavinia Spalding will lead a series of lectures and workshops on travel and travel writing; queries can be sent to janepercy [at] sbcglobal.net.