Maggie Award

Virtuoso Life Magazine, 2004

“I cannot abide by the judgment of other people, because if you accept it when they say you deserve an award, then you have to accept it when they say you don’t.”

– Woody Allen

Is it true, what Woody says? I honestly don’t know. My closet is filled with awards like this one, but I still couldn’t get The New York Times to review my best book. Any of my books, actually.

I’d like to believe that all my silver statuettes and Lucite trophies and Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Awards point to some meaningful achievement. But sometimes they seem hollow: cut-rate reminders of how greedily I’ve dined on low-hanging fruit.

Will someone please sit on my laurels for me?