Travel writing has always been one of Granta's great strengths, and this latest issue does not disappoint. There's some brilliant writing here, and as always, it's not just the big names here who impress. We have Dave Eggers, Haruki Murakami, Robert Macfarlane and Teju Cole, all on top form, but the pieces by Miroslav Penkov and Hector Abad and some of the other, lesser known writers are just as outstanding. This is not comfortable armchair travel, these stories and essays are confronting and discomforting.