Eat the Wind: Travels with Dictators, Mercenaries, and Queens
Torchflame Books, September 2026

After graduating from Stanford, Dan Wake was on track for a lucrative partnership at a Washington law firm when he left it behind to travel the world. In his debut travel memoir, Wake recounts the journeys that followed, from hitchhiking across Europe and riding buses through the Amazon to traveling across Asia during periods of political upheaval.

His travels brought him into the midst of events and encounters, including a royal jubilee in London, a revolution in the Philippines, and meeting remarkable people in remote places. Eat the Wind traces Wake’s decision to put adventure ahead of his legal career and embark on a journey that took him far beyond the path he had originally planned.

Praise: “Captivating … Everything you could want in a travel memoir.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Wake sweeps readers into a journey overflowing with rich culture, enchanting landmarks, and once-in-a-lifetime adventure.” —Booklife by Publishers Weekly