Pearson's New Book Chronicles World Travels

Michael Pearson, professor of creative writing at Old Dominion University, has written a new book titled "Innocents Abroad Too: Journeys Around the World on Semester at Sea," chronicling his experiences of traveling, twice, as a faculty member in the Semester at Sea program.

Pearson's book, published by Syracuse University Press, uses rich imagery, humorous anecdotes and literary references to detail his experiences visiting new places in the company of young students and, often, novice travelers.

"Conflict makes good stories," Pearson observed, "and this book explores the depths and profundity of students engaging in the world, and the mishaps also."

During his first Semester at Sea assignment in 2002, Pearson visited Canada, Japan, China, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Malaysia, India, Kenya, South Africa, Brazil and Cuba. On his second venture, in 2006, he traveled to Mexico, Japan, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Myanmar, India, Egypt, Turkey, Croatia and Spain.

In his book, which reviewers describe as a "literary journey" as well as a travel narrative, Pearson intertwines references to great travel books and their writers with descriptions of the places he visited and his own meditations on the significance of travel and new experiences.

Pearson will give a book talk at the following locations in the coming weeks:

Friday, Nov. 14, 7 p.m. - Prince Books, Norfolk

Saturday, Dec 6, 1 p.m. - Barnes and Noble, MacArthur Center, Norfolk

Tuesday, Jan. 13, 7 p.m. - Barnes and Noble, 2289 Broadway, New York

Friday, Jan. 23, 7:30 p.m. - Tattered Cover Book Store, 1628 16th St., Denver

Tuesday, Feb. 10, 12 p.m. - University Village Bookstore, Old Dominion University

March 18-22 - Virginia Festival of the Book, Charlottesville.

For more information about Pearson and his work, visit http://www.mppearson.com.