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From humble beginnings on a middle-American farm in the forties and fifties to world travel and self-discovery, this author’s memoir details a life holding its fair share of challenges while also presenting exotic and varied opportunities for adventure. With her father away at war, the author’s mother was responsible for raising three young children and maintaining the family farm, which led to the children being instructed to play outside. Imaginative rural games and farm activities gave the author a bit of a tomboyish attitude and a streak of independence that served her well as she matured into adulthood, college, and a career of her own in teaching, yet created schisms in her roles as a wife and mother. Though things were not always stable and happy, she found ways to take care of herself and her loved ones while also moving forward on her own path.
In an unexpected contrast to the small-town upbringing she started with, the author’s open mind and search for new experiences lead her in the second half of the book to Alaska, Central America, the Caribbean, Europe, and Africa, each trip taken with personal development and enrichment in mind. Each change of scenery and different walk of life provide excellent contrasts and scenes that highlight what it means to subvert expectations and follow the path that suits one best. Though these journeys are often far from dream getaways filled with opulence and lavish luxury, the sense of awe and wonder in every difference and surprise comes through on the page and captures that hunger for the unanticipated. While readers will doubtless arrive at their own conclusions and personal takeaways, the author beautifully sums up these experiences at the end of the book with a section about her takeaways and how she came to those conclusions, creating a dialogue and a moment of shared wisdom.
Though this book often deals with difficult family issues and conflict that can arise as people work and struggle to coexist, the prevailing attitude keeps itself receptive to coping, surviving, and exiting when appropriate. Even when dealing with the destructive nature of alcoholism and its effects on the family, both toward adults and children, the overall tone is pragmatic and direct, and the author illustrates how she stood on her values without giving in to hopelessness or depression, even if those feelings arose. The result is a tale chronicling the fascinating life of a person with a strong sense of personal identity and a willingness to challenge her surroundings to become stronger and achieve her goals or modify them if they no longer suited her.
Something that will strike readers and perhaps rub off on them is the author's voice, which, even in moments of doubt and uncertainty, draws a clear line between the person she was from an early phase of development and growth to who she is now. There are often sections explaining her feelings toward a general topic, her likes and dislikes, and what spaces are comfortable or not for her. These asides prove to be topical in the moment but also inform the audience of who this person is at a foundational level. All of this is not to say that there is stagnation or stubbornness to her character, but instead, a confident example that can teach a lot about setting boundaries, keeping dreams alive, and knowing when to compromise. Full of surprises and lessons, this is a life story that can inspire others to be themselves and challenge what that means on an individualized basis.