What comes after frontier history? More frontiers, only this time world wide venues in search of folkoric cures for headaches. Having my own headache has led me to talk to people worldwide—campesinos in Peru, Bora Indians in the Amazon, Tibetans in Lhasa, Cuban farmers, Mexican curandros– about this universal affliction. What does a headache mean culturally? What is its history, and when were the first headaches recorded? The book, Travels With My Headache, targets folkloric practices and remedies, as well as examining the history of headaches from anthropological records to narrative accounts.

On a recent visit to Cuba I talked to people in all areas of the island, including medical professionals. Headache? Yes, there was a remedy guaranteed to get rid of it. Just fill a glass with water, place it upended on top of your head and wait for the water to boil!

This calls for a completely smooth head and a good sense of humor, and typifies what I find delightful about folkloric remedies.