INTERVIEW: Decorah Native and Luther grad Lori Erickson, author of "Near the Exit"

Dragonfly Books welcomes Decorah native and Luther College graduate Lori Erickson for an author talk featuring her new book, "Near the Exit: Travels with the Not-So-Grim Reaper." Erickson will talk about writing her book and sign books on Thursday September 5th at 7:00 p.m. at Dragonfly Books.

Blending memoir, spirituality, and travel, "Near the Exit" examines how cultures confront and have confronted death, from Egypt's Valley of the Kings and Mayan temples, to a Colorado cremation pyre and Day of the Dead celebrations, to Maori settlements and tourist-destination graveyards. Erickson reflects on mortality--the ways we avoid it, the ways we cope with it, and the ways life is made more precious by accepting it--in places as far away as New Zealand and as close as the nursing home up the street.

An Episcopal deacon, Lori Erickson is one of America's top travel writers specializing in spiritual journeys. The following is an excerpt of an interview between author Lori Erickson and decorahnews.com's Ben Gardner.

When did your interest in travel begin? What do you suppose compels this interest?

Erickson: "I grew up on a dairy farm, which meant that we never traveled anywhere (and my parents didn't have much money, which was another reason why we didn't travel). So once I discovered travel as an adult, it opened up an entirely new world for me. I've had itchy feet ever since. When people ask me what my favorite destination is, I say, 'Wherever I'm going next.'"

What role has spirituality played in your life and career?

Erickson: "I've been fascinated by religion in all its many forms for most of my life. At Luther I took a number of religion courses, and in my personal life I've explored a variety of faiths. I returned to Christianity in my early 30s, but continue to draw inspiration from a variety of other traditions, especially Buddhism."

How do spirituality and travel complement each other?

Erickson: "The two great passions of my adult life have been spirituality and travel. At a certain point I realized how interconnected they are. The first tourism was almost certainly to holy sites, because that was the only reason most people would be willing to leave the safety of their community or village. To this day, millions of people travel for spiritual reasons each year. All the world's great faiths have pilgrimage as a central practice. And even those people who aren't explicitly religious often have a sense for the spiritual power of travel, which is reflected in the growing popularity of long-distance treks such as the Appalachian Trail or Camino de Santiago in Spain."

What does the phrase "spiritual journey" mean to you?

Erickson: "A spiritual journey is one that changes you in some way. There's nothing wrong with an ordinary vacation, but a pilgrimage (another term for a spiritual journey) is one that is meant to be transformative. You come home a different person."

What authors have influenced "Near Exit?"

Erickson: "I like to think of my work as a combination of Bill Bryson, Anne Lamott, Richard Rohr, and Kathleen Norris, all mixed up in a blender."

What is the connection between "place" and spirituality?

Erickson: "Many people have a sense that certain places are different in some way--they make us want to be still and silent, perhaps, or they draw us in ways that we can't quite explain. Sometimes these are natural places such as the North Shore of Lake Superior, and sometimes they're human made, such as the great cathedrals of Europe. Here in Iowa, I think that Effigy Mounds National Monument is a spiritual place. I think as humans we're wired to respond to certain places, ones that can draw us out of ourselves, help us put aside our concerns and worries, and connect us to something larger."

Everyone is invited to join Dragonfly Books for this free event on Thursday at 7:00 p.m. If you can't attend but would like a book, please call Dragonfly Books at 563-382-4275 to reserve a copy and have it autographed for you.To learn more about this and other events at Dragonfly Books, please visit www.dragonflybooks.com, or contact events@dragonflybooks.com or 563-382-4275.