Beautiful States of Mind: A Father and Daughters’ Pilgrimage to All 50 States

Kansas City-based writer Chelan David loves to travel. As a young man, he often hit the road for months at a time. At the start of his first marriage, he and his wife took every opportunity to explore the region around their then-home in Seattle. But, after having children, this exploration slowed considerably.

In David’s book, Beautiful States of Mind: A Father and Daughters’ Pilgrimage to All 50 States, he returns to the on-the-go mindset of his youth – this time with his two daughters following his divorce from their mother. In a discussion with the Library’s Anne Kniggendorf, he talks about how travel has strengthened their relationship, and the unusual – and surprising – origin of his urge to roam.

Development director at Lead to Read KC, David is a graduate of the University of Kansas’ School of Journalism, and has bylines in Spin, The Seattle Times, Writer’s Digest, on CNN.com, and elsewhere.