Program 696a: For the Love of Guidebooks; The Gulf; Greatest Art in Europe

What do you think are the greatest works of art in Europe? On the next Travel with Rick Steves, we look at the must-see paintings, sculptures and historic edifices across Europe.

University of Florida professor Jack E. Davis notes the many roles the Gulf of Mexico has played over the years, and why it's important for us to understand its ecology.

And we'll look at the role of guidebooks, and what can make one worth reading, a hundred years after it's been published.

• Author Peter Fiennes, former publisher of Time Out magazines and guidebooks
• University of Florida history professor Jack E. Davis, author of "The Gulf: The Making of an American Sea" (Liveright)
• Gene Openshaw, lead writer for the "Rick Steves Art of Europe" TV series

• Peter Fiennes is a travel writer based in London. He spoke with Rick about his book "Footnotes: A Journey Round Britain in the Company of Great Writers" on Travel with Rick Steves program #678 in June 2022.  His interview about his latest book, "A Thing of Beauty: Travels in Mythical Greece," aired on program #684 in August 2022.
• Jack E. Davis teaches history at the University of Florida in Gainesville. His book "The Gulf" is an environmental history of the Gulf of Mexico. It earned him a Pulitzer Prize for History in 2018.
• Jack Davis writes about the various names the Gulf has had, in a commentary he wrote for The Marjorie.org in January 2025.
• Professor Davis' prior interview with Rick about his book "The Bald Eagle" aired on Travel with Rick Steves program #680 in July 2022.
• Gene Openshaw researched and wrote the scripts for the "Rick Steves Art of Europe" TV series. He also co-authored "Europe's Top 100 Masterpieces" with Rick.

• Equal 1, "Equation," Talvin Singh presents Anokha: Soundz of the Asian Underground (collection) / Omni Records-Mango (UK)
• Jethro Tull, Ian Anderson, flute, "Bourée (2001 remastered version) (J.S. Bach)," The Very Best of Jethro Tull / Parlophone-Warner Bros.
• Dimitri from Paris, "Un World Mysteriouse," Sacrebleu / Atlantic
• Light Music Society Orchestra, Vivian Dunn cond., "Little Suite I: March (Duncan)," British Light Classics (collection) / Warner Classics
• Vert, "Original Oddstep (revised by Grand Unified)," Saint Germain Café: The Finest Electro-Jazz Compilation (collection) / Wagram (France)
• Ken 'Professor' Philmore, "Pan By Storm," Best of Straker's: Ah Feel to Party, disc 1 (collection) / Rounder
• * Cookie and the Cupcakes, "The Peanut," By Request / Jin
• Psychograss, "Love on Three Levels," Windham Hill Sampler '94 (collection) / Windham Hill
• Grant Green, "Mambo Inn," Roots of Afro-Cuban Jazz (collection) / Putumayo
• Desmond Williams, "Comeback Dub," ESL Soundtracks: Modular Systems (sampler collection) / ESL
• Electribe 101, "Talking with Myself," Café del Mar, vol. 5 (collection) / Geffen
• Katia and Marielle Labeque, "Le carnival dex Animaux - Aquarium," Carnival! (various artists) / The Rainforest Foundation - RCA Victor
• Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, Erich Kunzel, cond., "Quando m'en vo' (from 'La Boheme') (Puccini)," Bella Tuscany (collection) / Telarc
• * Orquesta de las Americas, "La guirnalda," México Sinfónico (collection) / Producciones Mexicanas Discográfias
• Tin Hat Trio, "The Quick Marble Tremble," Memory is an Elephant / Angel
• Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, Uri Mayer, cond., "'Tourdion' from 'Capriol Suite' (Peter Warlock)," Orchestral Suites of the British Isles / CBC Records
• Concertgebouw Chamber Orchestra, Marco Boni, conductor, "Souvenir de Florence in D minor, op. 70 - Allegro Vivace (Tchaikovsky)," Tchaikovsky: Serenade for Strings; Souvenir de Florence / PentaTone
• USSR Symphony Orchestra, "Masha is not allowed to go over the river (Svetlanov)," Svetlanov: Daybreak in the Field, et al / Russian Disc
• Christopher Parkening, "Hymn of Christian Joy for 2 guitars (prelude in classic style)," The Great Recordings, disc 2 / EMI Classics
• Rita Connolly, Shaun Davey, "Death of Richard-An-Iarainn (Intro)," Granuaile / Tara Music
• Ensemble de'Medici, "Fantasia #27," The Renaissance Album (collection) / Windham Hill
• Stefano Mainetti, "Ubi Caritas," Abba Pater (collection) / Sony Classical
• Aria, "Secret Tear (based on 'Una Furtiva Lagrima' from Donizetti's opera 'L'Elisir D'Amore')," Aria, vol. 1 / Cafe del Mar Music

* Indicates filler music used during internal breaks on the broadcast

• The billboard and promo, and several segment liners, were updated for program 696a.
• Rick notes that Time Out went out of business "a decade ago" at 7:37. Peter clarifies that a couple of their guidebook titles remain active, under a publishing license.
• In promoting the segment B topic about the Gulf of Mexico at the end of segment A, Rick adds "whatever you want to call it" to acknowledge recent politicization of its name.
• Rick mentions Jack Davis' "latest work" is "The Bald Eagle" in resets at 25:48 and 35:09.
• At 37:45, Rick quotes from a commentary Jack posted at The Marjorie.org titled "No One Owns the Gulf of Mexico."
• In his open to segment C, Rick describes the "Art of Europe" series he produced for public TV.  He adds that "you can look for it on your public TV station." Rick also calls it his "new mini-series" in a reset at 46:09.
• Gene describes the winter solstice impact on Newgrange in Ireland at 50:03.