Author Eliot Stein to deliver Go Big Read keynote Nov. 19

When the headlines get heavy, Eliot Stein has a habit. He closes his eyes and thinks of the people he has met while reporting around the world:

A man on a tiny island off the coast of Japan, working single-handedly to save the secret ingredient in the country’s original 700-year-old soy sauce recipe.

A family of alchemists on the banks of a river in southern India who make a rare, mysterious metal mirror believed to reveal your truest self.

A lone night watchman in Sweden who climbs 12 stories to the top of a church tower every night, carrying on a watch over the town he loves — a tradition dutifully kept for more than 500 years.

“Humanity is amazing,” Stein concludes, recalling these remarkable encounters on his world travels. “Sometimes we just need to be reminded of it.”

These stories of humanity are at the heart of “Custodians of Wonder: Ancient Customs, Profound Traditions, and the Last People Keeping Them Alive,” UW–Madison’s 2026–27 Go Big Read selection. Stein, a journalist and editor at BBC Travel, will deliver the Go Big Read author keynote at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 19, in Varsity Hall at Union South.

10 traditions and the last people keeping them alive

“Custodians of Wonder” profiles 10 long-standing cultural traditions and the people who sustain them — among them a family in rural Guinea guarding a mythical instrument and a German postman who delivers letters to the only tree in the world with its own mailing address.

Blending travel writing, cultural history and personal reflection, Stein argues that the world faces a growing “local extinction” of languages, crafts, foods and customs, each of which carries a distinct way of understanding the world.

As a custodian of wonder himself — committed to preserving the stories of the remarkable people he’s met around the world — Stein said it was particularly meaningful when he learned his book was selected as UW–Madison’s Go Big Read selection.

“I was incredibly honored and humbled,” he says. “As a journalist, your hope first and foremost is that you’re doing the subjects justice who let you into their lives. If readers resonate with the book, that’s icing on the cake … When the university could have chosen so many other amazing books, it’s an absolute thrill.”

A message for readers and students

Stein hopes readers come away with their own habit of paying attention to the remarkable things — and people — around them.

And after you pay attention? Pass it on.

“Everyone has a story within and is the culmination of a million different pieces from their past. That, in and of itself, is remarkable,” Stein says. “Whether you’re a 20th-generation custodian or a first-year student, everyone has a light within and something to teach others. Lean into it, and share your story with others.”

About the author

A journalist and editor at BBC Travel, Stein’s reporting often focuses on culture, history and global traditions. His book grew out of his long-running BBC column “Custom Made,” which profiles people around the world who maintain unusual or historic cultural practices. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, Wired, The Washington Post, National Geographic and other U.S. and international news outlets.

Before joining the BBC, Stein lived in rural Guatemala, Berlin and Sardinia, where he wrote guidebooks. He now lives in Brooklyn, New York.

About Go Big Read

Now in its 18th year, Go Big Read is offered in partnership with UW–Madison Libraries and invites members of the campus and wider community to read and discuss one book together. All first-year students received a copy of “Custodians of Wonder” at New Student Convocation, and students using the book in their courses also receive copies. Instructors can request a copy.

Discussions, lectures and other events tied to the book continue throughout the academic year. Find the full schedule at gobigread.wisc.edu/events.