uthor and researcher of Michael Brein's Travel Guides to Sightseeing by Public Transportation–the world’s first and only travel guide series specifically designed to show travelers how to sightsee the top 50 visitor attractions by public transportation in a variety of the world’s most visited cities. When asked, “Do you go to all these places yourself to write your guides?” he is quick to respond, “Somebody’s got to do it; it might as well be me!”.

ichael is an author, lecturer, traveler and adventurer. He was born in Philadelphia, PA and lived most of his adult life in Hawaii, where he lived in a one room tree-house off and on for 12 years, betwixt and between living in a variety of other island habitats ranging from the beach to the mountains. Michael migrates annually to Hawaii, where he, among other things, likes to play [conga drums] under the banyan trees and sits with his friends in his favorite coffee houses, mulling over his next book, "The Coffee House Office."

oreign languages have always been Michael's passion, leading him to be basically conversant (when he needs to be!) in French, German, Spanish and Russian, besides English. Other languages long ago learned and already mostly forgotten include Mandarin Chinese, Indonesian, Italian and Tongan. "Can master fundamentals of any language with minimum lead time–will travel!"–he used to say (possibly if his life depended on it!) In addition to emulating the lives of primates, Michael was once a member of two high IQ societies, Mensa and The Triple Nine Society. Now, he doubts that he could pass the tests!

ichael earned a Ph.D. in social psychology at the University of Hawaii, and to make matters worse, also earned there, an MBA. Michael may be a one-of-a-kind travel psychologist! (After all, he almost got thrown out of graduate school when he said that he was there to study ‘the psychology of travel'–a subject matter which, apparently, no one had ever heard of before!) In fact, he is writing a book on the psychology of travel as revealed through the best travel stories of more than 1,000 world travelers!

n a former life, he once upon a time, taught graduate and undergraduate courses in psychology and business. Michael’s most memorable experience in this past life was teaching for the University of Maryland's overseas European Division for two years, where he largely began collecting people's travel stories in earnest for his above-mentioned book. Michael… suffers from an addiction to travel, having visited, so far, more than 100 countries! If this is not enough, he is a member of three travel and Adventure Clubs. Michael's dubious crowning achievement is his winning (among 77 other winners!), United Airline's ‘50 State Marathon' promotional challenge to fly to all 50 states within 50 days, earning a 'Gold Card', good for unlimited, free first-class air travel for one year throughout the United States (back in 1985).

oday, Michael works on his Travel Guides , Travel Stories and his latest passion,his web site! As another avocation, Michael is Ambassador-at-Large for MUFON, the world's largest UFO researchorganization. ichael lives on his llama ranch, 'Shangri-La', in southern Oregon, in a would-be, quasi African lodge on top of a mountain amongst his llamas, pot-bellied pigs, deer and other notable wildlife. He has never married – at least NOT YET! – having a few times met the "right woman", for whom so far he has unfortunately not yet been the "right man"!

Penne

Co-researcher on the London and Paris guides; co-author/co-researcher on the New York and Washington guides.

Penelope (Penne) Franklin was born in Manhattan but grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where she read voraciously and began writing at an early age. During her college years she escaped back to New York, where she has lived ever since.

She graduated from Columbia University with majors in psychology and art, then attended New York University's Publishing Institute. After serving as promotion director and then editor for several publishers, she became a freelance writer/editor/researcher in 1980.

In addition to her contributions to Michael Brein's Guides, Penne has worked as a journalist and personal historian; directed several publications for UNICEF; been a photo editor and researcher; written industrial films, advertising copy, and short fiction; researched international art and artists; taught journal writing; and produced a monthly radio program. She was the founder and editor of the American Women's Diary Series and is the author of Private Pages: Diaries of American Women, 1830s-1970s, published by Ballantine Books.

Penne is cofounder of an independent editors' group, the Creative Literary Alliance, and the international editing group English Edit International. Her most recent project is Pet Personal Histories. She currently divides her time between Manhattan and Southampton, New York.

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Ted

Ted Keller's life is all about art and diving. He has held the unique title of Art and Diving Director for the International Swimming Hall of Fame in Fort Lauderdale. As an art instructor, junior high thru college, his experience has covered sculpture, ceramics, mosaics, water color and poster design. Ted designs and produces sports awards for the American College Swim Coaches Association and international diving awards for the Swimming Hall of Fame as well as gifts and awards for swimming clubs in Canada. Ted has also produced water color paintings, selling them on occasion at the week-end Marketplace in Ashland, Oregon, where he currently resides with his wonderful wife, Diana.

Ted has traveled extensively throughout the Far East and Europe. He earned a B.A. from the University of Miami and a Masters from Barry College, after a four-year tour with the U.S. Army in the South Pacific.

Ted has been responsible for the layout and design of numerous Hall of Fame publications and has illustrated a book on competitive diving. Ted's travels and experience, coupled with his flair for the creative and unique has landed him the dubious distinctive title of ‘illustrator' of Michael Brein's forthcoming book on Travel Tales. Take a look at some of Ted's Sketches which should soon appear in the book.

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Chet

Chet Nickerson is Michael's webmaster. He invites you to read his poetry & creative writing. He runs a website development business in Ashland, Oregon.

More images of Michael, Penne and Ted can be found in Michael's Museum!

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United Airlines	American Airlines	Consumer Reports
“Your maps are the greatest. I recommend them all the time.” —Sue H. “Your Metro Map was the envy of my entire tour group. It made underground travel easy, and I certainly wouldn't leave home without one on any future trip.” —Steve B.

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Michael Brein's Travel Guides to Sightseeing by Public Transportation

Amsterdam	Barcelona	Berlin	Boston	Chicago	Honolulu	Lisbon	London	Los Angeles	Madrid
Munich	New York	Paris	Prague	Rome	San Francisco	San Jose	Sydney	Vienna	Washington