The Private Maps of Our Lives

Postcards From Nowhere with Utsav Mamoria

In this episode, we discuss the fascinating story of Onesimo Pena, Frans Haartman, Jemboa Tran, and Corlis Benefideo—exceptional writers and cartographers; who were actually the same person. And an American student who was obsessed with this man and his work, and ended up discovering this truth, hunting down the elusive author and meeting him.

If you’ve not come across this man’s name in history, that is because he does not exist in the real world. He is part of Barry Lopez’s compelling short story, The Mappist—which made me think.

Corlis Benefideo believes that we’re all lighting candles in the pitch dark of this miraculous world. What are your candles that you will never extinguish for anyone?

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You can reach out to me on Instagram: @‌postcards.pfn

I now have a YouTube show! Check out the first two episodes of To Your Heart's Content where my co-host Deepak Gopalakrishnan and I interview a broad range of people who are in the business of Content—from musicians to marketers and artists: https://www.youtube.com/@TYHC-6PC