Edge of the World, an anthology of queer travel writing edited by Alden Jones

The vital importance of reflection within the context of self-development cannot be overstated. As a queer person living in a society held together with norms I cannot abide, I know this in my bone marrow. Many of us, queer or not, have never been asked who we are, and as a result have to do some quantity of floating around as the projections of others to do until we find the resonance we need to become grounded in ourselves. This is why queer first-person narrative stories like the ones that appear in  Alden Jones’ anthology of queer travel writing Edge of the World are so important: they provide a necessary reflection of a non-conforming experience in a world that demands conformity of us.

Within the collection of all travel essay collections, this book is special in that it is explicitly queer. We have seen the traveling-while-gay collections and the women's travel anthologies, but this collection widens the playing field so that queer voices of multiple orientations can be held together in the unity our community deeply needs.  

I ordered this book immediately when I found out Putsata Reang had a contribution within, and her story emerges as a crown jewel in the book. Her tale of returning to her homeland also meaning her temporary return to the closet is deeply resonant even as we do not share identities. She is a master of story craft and she fashions her narrative with such poetic precision, I am tempted once again to put my pen down once and for all. When these feelings arise, I always say these authors would not support me in my melodrama. 

It is clear that being “out” is a challenge in and of itself even while one is at home. The plot only thickens when we set out of our familiar environments. And the stakes are raised even further when one ventures into territory that is openly hostile towards their humanity. All of these stories highlight the internal and relational conditions that queer people navigate while traveling that normalizes the struggle, offers resonance.

I offer this book’s image on top of a small collection of other first-person queer narrative collections in the event anyone may be looking for some recommendations. These are books that helped me find myself. And while this collection is in no way comprehensive, I know there are many more out there and certainly hope for many more. 

May we all find ourselves.