A Celebration of Unsung Cities: Interview with Ben Aitken

There are plenty of guidebooks about Venice and Edinburgh, but have you ever wondered about Chelmsford or Sunderland? Ben Aitken has. In this episode of The Travel Writing Podcast, we sit down with Ben, author of Shitty Breaks: A Celebration of Unsung Cities. He discusses his fun, irreverent approach to travel that seeks joy in the most under-visited destinations. From working in a Poznan chippy to skiing in Sunderland, Ben shares stories from his offbeat journey through the places tourism forgot. We also discuss the art of attention-seeking to get published, how to come up with a provocative (but not off-putting) book title, and the painful process of recording an audiobook. Despite his cheeky demeanor, Ben’s on a mission to prove that every place and its people are worth a visit. His work champions curiosity toward the overlooked places written off by major tourist guidebooks. In a world obsessed with hotspots, discover how joy can be found in that forgotten city up the road.