As an avid sports fan, I found Richard Newton’s columns were always one of my favorite sections to read in Global Traveler. Over the years, I have learned about many sports outside of my usual viewing. Now, many of those former columns are collected in Global Games, Newton’s recently published book.

© Richard Newton
Global Games contains more than 90 of Newton’s columns in 281 pages. Newton delivers much more than scores and game details. He shares tales bold, strange and exhilarating. The stories are rooted in sports but extend far beyond the playing field.
A sportsman and traveler from his youth, Newton parlayed his experiences into his column in Global Traveler. His adventures take him across the globe.
In our Talking Travel interview, Newton gave a glimpse into Global Games. He told why he associates squash with kissing. He lightheartedly warned women named Fanny to avoid petánque. He described a whole town becoming the playing field for a sport. These are just a few of the interesting stories found in Global Games.
Newton also discussed Taylor & Burton in Africa, covering three visits to Africa by the famous couple. He also gave a sneak preview into his next book. Between putting together that next tale and his travel plans, Newton remains busy. He promised an updated interview when the book is retired and he has more travel tales to tell.

© Richard Newton
Newton was kind enough to share a few photos and his notes relating to stories in Global Games.

“Snorkeling off Sulawesi, trying to downplay the size of the tiger shark I had just seen.” © Richard Newton

“Nick Faldo and Sam Snead at the Greenbriar in 2000 in West Virginia. I played a few holes with them.”
© Richard Newton

West Virginian Ed teaching me archery in a motel parking lot. A passing policeman stopped us. When we tried removing the target, we found we had nailed it to the sign.” © Richard Newton
Talking Travel is an interview series on Global Traveler. Subscribe to the GT YouTube channel to be notified of all future interviews and other travel-related videos.
— John Wroblewski, podcaster
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