Armchair travel with What The Monsoon Knows

TWEED author Ian Browne’s travel and culture book, What the Monsoon Knows, is a captivating journey through the diverse cultural aspects of some of the world’s most intense cities, as seen through the eyes of a seasoned traveller.

From the tribal longhouses of the headhunter tribes of Borneo to the steaming hot jungle ruins of Asia, Browne also ponders the lives of the women of India and Myanmar as change stalks the landscape.

The author takes the reader through the Mekong in Laos, Yala’s leopards and elephants, Bollywood in Langkawi and introduces Mari, the Lithuanian jungle vegan.

The colourful multicultural lifestyle of tropical Darwin, the alternative Byron lifestyles, and the intimacy of Australia’s First Nations people are also featured.

Browne was raised in southern coastal Sydney by a New Zealand mother and an Australian father. The avid surfer, snorkeler, and rainforest trekker says he is awestruck by thunderstorms, nature, culture, and indie-alternative music.

He has studied widely and worked as a journalist for Northern Rivers media outlets since basing himself in the region. Browne’s work with Indigenous groups opened a door to a world few Australians understand, and for ten years, he travelled Asia on countless journeys, capturing the diverse aspects of life with his camera. He has been invited to Buckingham Palace and is engaging in sustainability project work with the UN.

What the Monsoon Knows is not just a travel and culture book, but a call to explore empathy and understanding. It traces the art, music, and food of vulnerable societies clinging to hard-fought cultural sanctity.

The book challenges the sense and sensibilities of both the battle-hardened traveller and the luxury seaside guest and invites the reader to explore their understanding of the nearby world. It can be found in local bookshops across the region and online.

For more information, visit austinmacauley.com/book/what-the-monsoon-knows