by Michael Shapiro | Aug 11, 2016 | Blog, Interviews, Sports, Stories, Travel
Typically when traveling overseas I like to stay a while. But when an editor emailed and asked if I’d be willilng to travel to Patagonia to track pumas for a week in the dead of the southern hemisphere’s winter, I leapt at the chance even though I...
by Michael Shapiro | Aug 10, 2016 | Blog, Stories, Travel
Islands magazine sent me to the Garden Isle of Kauai to write a feature for its Dream Trips issue which marked the magazine’s 25th anniversary. I was honored to have my essay appear among stories written by Pico Iyer, Don George, Patricia Schultz and Jeff...
by Michael Shapiro | Apr 12, 2016 | Blog, Food, Interviews, Stories, Travel
Though most of humanity doesn’t realize it, our survival depends on our oceans. During the past couple of centuries we overfished and polluted oceans to the point where many species are on the verge of collapse. But most of us love wild seafood and have no...
by Michael Shapiro | Apr 2, 2016 | Blog, Sports, Stories, Travel
“Close your eyes and you’ll see what I mean,” says my skiing companion Walt as we traverse the 10-mile trail to Yosemite’s Glacier Point. My friend Walt is legally blind, unable to see the grandeur of Half Dome and the park’s other...
by Michael Shapiro | Mar 11, 2016 | Blog, Books, Interviews, Literature, Stories, Travel
Ever since I read The House of the Spirits in the 1980s I’ve adored Isabel Allende. She’s a natural-born storyteller, warm-hearted and insightful with a wicked sense of fun. I had the opportunity to interview her for my 2004 book of interviews with...
by Michael Shapiro | Jan 8, 2016 | Blog, Gambling, Interviews, Stories, Travel
In 2012, the World Series of Poker held its most expensive tournament ever: it cost $1 million to buy into it and the top prize was more than $18 million. Antonio Esfandiari, who emigrated from Iran to the U.S. when he was a boy, finished on top and instantly became...
by Michael Shapiro | Jan 6, 2016 | Blog, Interviews, Stories, Travel
After failing to get through the gates to paradise years ago, I finally made it to Esalen. To see the story on The Press Democrat’s site with some pictures, click here. By MICHAEL SHAPIRO I couldn’t wait to get to Esalen on the Big Sur coast. I love hot...
by Michael Shapiro | Nov 29, 2015 | Blog
Tips for Science Writing, Nov. 29, 2016 California Academy of Sciences workshop Omit needless words: And make every word count – ask what it adds. Do flight attendants need to say “at this time”? Does anyone need to say “obviously”? Accuracy is essential: If you make...
by Michael Shapiro | Nov 11, 2015 | Blog, Sports, Stories, Travel
There are a number of places in Alaska where you can see bears, but when I heard that Admiralty Island near Juneau has a protected bear reserve and that the best way to get there is by paddling a kayak for a couple of days, I couldn’t resist. The irony: it took...
by Michael Shapiro | Nov 11, 2021 | Blog, Interviews, Stories, Travel
One of the most remarkable migrations on our planet is the journey of the sandhill cranes. Some fly all the way from Siberia to Texas. And they’re remarkable for all sorts of other reasons. This is one of the stories I most enjoyed writing, in Alaska...
