Walk Thru History Into the Future

Some of you regular readers may be curious as to why I didn't post for about six weeks this summer and where Walk Thru History is going.

When I first launched the site I imagined it -- other than as a place to do what I love, which is telling stories about the world -- as connected to an e-commerce import business. I was going to have an online store that offered out-of-print books and maps and various other cool products from around the world that the sort of people are interested in this sort of thing would want. The time and research and travel that it takes to produce the site would be offset with a revenue stream.

The hiatus I took this summer was to rethink that strategy, and now we're not gonna do that. I will still have some sort of a store that will go up were you can get a few things that might be cool, but it's not the focus anymore.

In addition to the website and the stories for their own sake, there are three things I'm going to be doing with WTH over the next 18-24 months...

1. I'm Teaching a Walk Thru History Class.

I'm going to start teaching a class this Wednesday at Manna Vintage Faith, down the block from Hope College in Holland, MI. Each week I'm going to take some topic -- like monasticism or navigation or medicine -- and take a "walk through history" telling stories and making connections that will trace how that area of our world has gotten to where it is today. My hope is that in the process of discovering all of the little stories of world history we'll gradually develop some perspective on the Big Story.

I've started a separate blog page for the class, WTH @ ? (the question mark is the logo of Manna Vintage Faith), and you can check there for info, schedules, running dialogues, etc.

2. I'm Writing a Book.

I've been working on a book. Some of you wonder, I'm sure, at what rhyme or reason there might be to all the seemingly random story topics on the blog. Well, the general rule has been that I write about anything that is interesting to me. But some of them are bits and pieces of chapters that I'm working on for a book that I hope to complete by next Spring.

The book will be called, "The Church on the Edge of the World, and Other Walks Thru History." No, I don't have a publisher yet. I used to work for a major publishing house and so I've got some insider perspective on the publishing possibilities (including some new high-tech ways to self-publish and take to market). More info as the time gets closer, but I hope that you'll all buy a copy for yourself and ten to give away as gifts.

3. I'm Planning on Leading the First WTH Charter Tour.

I'm looking at early summer of 2010, a year from this coming summer. I'm planning on going back to Europe probably twice in 2009 (assuming the world doesn't end, etc.) to scout locations and make arrangements for the group. I'll start taking sign ups (and deposits) June 1, 2009. I'm working on the itinerary, but the idea is that every day I'll take the group to some very selective places (some of them not the regular tourist traps) and tell the stories of those places. We'll spend time over dinner in the evenings connecting all the little stories to some big narrative themes. It won't be just a run from museum to monument to museum snapping pictures and reading brochures. We'll do a lot of walking in some locations to listen and touch and smell and get a sense of scale. Of course we'll also have time for fun and shopping.

So if anyone is intrigued by that email me or post a comment and start saving up today.

Anyway, sense I was gone for most of the last half of the summer I thought I'd let all the regular readers know where WTH is going. Hope that you'll come along for the ride...