Tuesday, March 8, 2016

A wonderful gem that I'm so glad I discovered!

The 100 Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and DisappearedThe 100 Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I absolutely LOVED this book. I both listened to it on Audible and read the Kindle book. I can't wait to watch the movie on Amazon Prime next. This book was SO funny and engaging; I just loved Allan Karlsson and all his adventures with famous people - Franco, Stalin, Harry Truman, LBJ, Mao, Kim Il Jung, DeGaulle, and more. I can't wait for our book discussion group to talk about it (actually two of my local book clubs that I am in are reading it now), because it was so fun. I actually laughed out loud at parts of it while driving. I'm sure the narrator's wonderful narration contributed to my enjoyment of the book and I highly recommend listening to this book.

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A fun travel adventure/memoir.

We'll Always Have Paris: A Mother/Daughter MemoirWe'll Always Have Paris: A Mother/Daughter Memoir by Jennifer Coburn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Let me just say that I love this book. I am currently an “armchair traveler” (although upon retirement I plan to become a “real” traveler, ha ha) and travel adventure books are among my favorite genre of books, as are memoirs. I love books about bicycle travel, sailing travel, walking travel, group travel – all of it! I even like travel shows on television.
I loved how the author decided to “go for it” and make these trips happen, even though her family had other financial necessities in their life; she made travel (and memories for her daughter) a priority. After seeing her father did young of cancer, she didn’t want to have any regrets in her life (she thought she would also die young) and didn’t want to leave travel until later in life, in case she died before it could happen. I kind of feel the same way; that by waiting until retirement (in 2.5 years for me), I might have waited too long. If I end up getting some debilitating health issues before then, I’ll really be mad. I’ve already been through breast cancer, and that’s enough for me. I just cannot wait to be able to travel at will with my husband. I traveled a lot as a young Army brat and in my early 20’s, but very little since having a family.
I really like the author and her daughter (who appears to be a very intelligent young lady), both of whom I’d like to meet. I feel like a kindred spirit. The two of them appear to have a really good relationship, and I loved reading about their adventures, and misadventures. The book was a delightful read and I especially liked it because I have been to all these places! I could picture the places in Italy and Spain, for example. I was right there with her as she toured Barcelona! I definitely want to go back to all these places someday and maybe keep a journal this time, as Jennifer Coburn has inspired me to write about my travels. The book is an easy and quick read, and, unlike some of the other reviews, I really liked how she interspersed her past life into the book, so that the reader feels like they really know Jennifer and Katie as personal friends. I also like Jennifer’s husband, William, because he supported her in her need for travel, even though he did not accompany them on their trips. He’s a real keeper! I laughed out loud at some parts; it was such an engaging book. I do recommend it if you love travel adventures.


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