BABY AND A BACKPACK by my friend Jane Cornelius

I first met Jane Cornelius at the Hong Kong International Literary Festival in the spring of 2011. She was sitting in the front row at a talk for aspiring writers, wearing a huge pair of zebra patterned glasses and taking feverish notes with an oversize pen. I was a volunteer--my strategy for attending as many events as possible without having to pay for tickets--and I'd recently admitted that I was also an aspiring writer.

I don't remember everything the speaker said, but I remember Jane. She was eager to soak in as much advice as she could, asking smart questions and making it clear that she was writing actively, not just dreaming about it. At the end of the talk, the speaker suggested that members of the audience connect with each other, perhaps to form writers' groups. I ended up collecting the email addresses. When I sent out a tentative query to this bunch of strangers about possibly meeting up to talk about writing, Jane was the first to respond.

Jane, another writer named Betsy, and I met at a coffee shop at the bottom of Lan Kwai Fong that has since been replaced with another clothing store, and talked shop. Jane was nearly finished with her second manuscript, a memoir of the year she was abandoned by the father of her child and decided to travel the world with a newborn baby. As she talked about her adventures in Bali, Australia, Hawaii, California, and my home state of Arizona--all with a baby in tow and almost no money--I could hardly believe it. Hers was a life of true adventure. She had a real, high-stakes story--a story that was worth writing.

Soon, I'd get to experience the vibrant, whimsical writing style that is all her own. I'd get to see the determination with which she approached her writing career. And I'd even get to participate as we became critique partners. She asked for help with grammar mechanics and polish; I asked for help with plot and with cutting the boring stuff from my writing. It is thanks to her that my own travel memoir (forthcoming from Blacksmith Books later this year) eventually became interesting and honest enough to send to publishers. Even when Jane moved on to Shanghai, we sent chapters and encouragement back and forth.

Over time, I learned that Jane's life of adventure also had a more difficult, tragic backstory. I got to read her first manuscript, a childhood memoir of when she grew up in the English countryside with a legally insane mother, a pro-wrestler father, and a stepmother who was the Bunny Mother of the Playboy Club. When an editor suggested that Jane combine the two manuscripts, I got to read them again as she weaved her stories into one.

Now, Jane's memoir Baby and a Backpack has been published by The Five Mile Press in Australia. She's on a whirlwind tour of bookstores and media, and I couldn't be more excited for her. Baby and a Backpack is also available worldwide for Kindle, so I recently got to read the story again in its finished form. It packs the same emotional punch even after multiple reads, and I recommend it unequivocally. This is a wonderful book about motherhood, travel, and finding a home in a wild, crazy world. And through this story, you get to know the quirky, inspiring, and brave Jane Cornelius, a woman I am proud to call my friend.

BIG BACKPACK - LITTLE WORLD by Donna Morang

THE GIST:

A free-spirited older woman teaches English around the world.

THE VERDICT:

This is a memoir of the infectious love for travel of a woman who is determined to get the most out of her life. Unlike the majority of ESL teachers, the author began teaching English abroad in her fifties and has spent over ten years wandering the globe in search of adventures to have, beers to drink, and students to love. Unlike many travel memoirs, she isn't running from anything and runs toward as many new experiences as possible. The author clearly loves people and this book is full of quirky characters and funny, personal stories. This book is unique among backpacker tales because of the way Morang's age affects her relationships with people.

Morang spends most of her time in Mexico and various Central and South American countries, with jaunts to Southeast Asia in between. Adventure and hilarity ensue because she is not afraid to try anything. She doesn't mind working for low wages and living in uncomfortable conditions as long as she can visit the beach and enjoy meals with her many friends. It was inspiring to read about someone with seemingly inexhaustible enthusiasm for new places and people. She is the type of person I would want to meet on my travels.

Morang's writing style is personable and funny. However, this is a self-published book, and unfortunately there are typos and occasional errors. This isn't necessarily a reason not to read the book, but it was noticeable. I also found some inconsistencies that made it feel like journal entries that had been compiled rather than a cohesive narrative. However, the interesting stories and the author's sheer optimism prompted me to keep reading. I have no hesitation recommending this book to travelers and aspiring ESL teachers in need of inspiration and a good laugh.

THE LINK:

Donna Morang's blog

THE COST:

I received a free copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review. The Kindle edition is $4.95.

THE QUESTION:

How do you think being an older traveler would differ from seeing the world as a 20-something?

DISPATCHES FROM THE PENINSULA by Chris Tharp

THE GIST:

A bad-boy English teacher reflects on six years in South Korea.

THE VERDICT:

This is the story of a typical globe-trotting English teacher: a man who lacks direction at home and is lured to the East by the prospects of employment and adventures. Tharp, who still lives in Korea, describes the greatest adventures of his six years living in Busan. From the wild children at a Korean kindergarten to the cute, texting Korean girlfriends, Tharp describes the people he meets in his new life with a vivid, irreverent voice.

Tharp explores common expat experiences: visa troubles, cultural differences, adjustments to food, mistrust of foreigners, alcohol-fueled expat bubbles, etc. The most powerful theme in this story is the failing health of Tharp's parents. Expatriates leave behind loved ones who may get married, have babies, or die while they are far out of reach. Tharp must come to terms with his decision to live far from his parents as they go into a painful decline. Despite his love for Korea, he experiences guilt and grief from abroad.

This is an authentic story that will resonate with ESL teachers and expats everywhere. Although my job as a teacher in Hong Kong is quite different from Tharp's situation in Korean, I could identify with his experiences. This is a fun tale that paints an honest picture of life abroad with healthy doses of laughter and insight. It would be a great read for anyone who is thinking about starting a new life abroad.

THE LINK:

Chris Tharp's blog

THE COST:

I received a copy of this e-book from the publisher.

THE QUESTION:

When you think of the "typical" expat experience, what comes to mind?

RESULTS NOT TYPICAL by Catherine Ryan Howard

THE GIST:

A plus-size office worker at an evil weight loss company becomes embroiled in corporate drama when their next big product disappears.

THE VERDICT:

Slimmit is a profit-obsessed weight loss company more interested in pushing their products and supplements than promoting a healthy lifestyle. Emmy is a believable protagonist who feels crippled by self-loathing and refuses to take any risks until she loses The Weight. She gets mixed up with vapid, half-starved "slimming specialists," an evil wannabe CEO, and a slightly chubby B-list celebrity.

This is a fun novel with surprisingly complex characters. Each one is flawed, interesting and sympathetic in their own way. The toxic relationships between people with long histories form the core of the novel. Their interactions are funny and sometimes extreme, and they give vivacity to the complex plot. I particularly enjoyed the expertly handled public meltdown scenes throughout the story.

Catherine Ryan Howard's writing style is like her blog: chatty, entertaining and unapologetic. Each time I thought the plot or characters might spin out of control, she brought them back together in a clever web of strained connections and thwarted ambitions. This is a page-turning novel that makes a great subway read.

THE LINK:

Catherine Ryan Howard: I like to read Catherine's blog. You should check it out.

THE COST:

$0.99 for the Kindle edition

THE QUESTION:

Are you more interested in plot-driven or character-driven novels?

SWEPT: LOVE WITH A CHANCE OF DROWNING by Torre DeRoche

THE GIST:

A girl who's afraid of the ocean decides to sail around the world with the man she loves.

THE VERDICT:

This is the best travel memoir I have read in a while, and I read a lot of travel memoirs. Torre DeRoche meets a man in a bar in San Francisco, and before she knows it she is agreeing to sail around the world with him in an old boat named Amazing Grace. She has no sailing experience and no interest in the ocean, but she decides to face everything she is afraid of and leave behind the city life she loves for this man.

This is a great love story with genuine stakes, genuine emotion and some serious adventures. Torre and Ivan face many difficulties on their voyage, from mechanical trouble to unfriendly weather to figuring out how to get along when they haven't known each other for that long. I could not put the book down. It made me laugh and cry, sometimes in the same chapter, and it had me wondering if I could set off on a round-the-world voyage of my own.

I think one of the keys to a great travel memoir is to set a gripping narrative pace, even if there are plenty of dull moments along the road. Torre does this. A travel memoir also needs to create a sense of wonder that makes you wish you were traveling and feel as if you were there at the same time. Torre does this too, conjuring up the beauty of isolated islands in the South Pacific and intimate moments aboard the sailboat. Finally, as with any other memoir, the narrator must be an engaging, inspiring and relatable person, someone that you would want for a real life travel buddy. Torre is that narrator, and I hope you'll think about reading her story too.

THE LINK:

Torre DeRoche's blog: The Fearful Adventurer

THE COST:

$11.99 for the Kindle Edition

THE QUESTION:

Is there a limit to what you would do for someone you love? Is there a fear you couldn't overcome or a change you couldn't make?

ANGRY WHITE PYJAMAS by Robert Twigger

THE GIST:

A washed-up English teacher decides to tackle a grueling Aikido training course for the Japanese riot police.

THE VERDICT:

This memoir describes an unusual experience by a Brit abroad. Oxford grad Twigger has used up his sense of direction and most of his money when he decides to enroll in a year-long martial arts course designed for the elite Tokyo riot police. He joins a motley crew of expats in his quest to do something with his life. In the process, he discovers the personal benefits of accomplishing something unique and difficult.

The strong point of this memoir definitely lies in the character descriptions. Twigger conjures up an interesting bunch of classmates and instructors. They have flaws, rivalries and personal triumphs that emerge as they endure the physically and mentally grueling course. Twigger explores the complicated relationship between locals and expats as he tries to understand this niche of Japanese culture. He must come to terms with disillusionment and frustration with the culture even as he comes to understand it better.

This is clearly a book that would appeal to martial arts fans and practitioners. It would also appeal to 20-somethings who are trying to sort out what they want from life. I found it hard to relate to the narrator initially because of his near total lack of direction, though this is of course something he addresses through this journey. Through this effort in persistence and hard work, he comes to be more firmly grounded and he has a better understanding of the culture that he has adopted for a season.

THE LINK:

Robert Twigger's website and blog

THE COST:

I borrowed this book from a friend.

THE QUESTION:

When have you found that doing something difficult has benefited you personally?

THE LOST CONTINENT by Bill Bryson

THE GIST:

A grumpy but lovable travel writer takes A Great American Road Trip through the small towns, tourist traps and wide open spaces of the USA.

THE VERDICT:

I bought this book at the start of my own Great American Road Trip, which has been extensively documented on this blog. I read about half of it along the road, and visited many of the places Bryson describes just days before reading about them in the book. This was a great way to read, and I found myself comparing my own impressions with his, even though he took his trip the year before I was born, and plenty of things have changed. A book that is simply a series of descriptions of mile after mile of travel could be boring, but fortunately America is so big and varied that there is always something new to read about or see.

Bryson's characteristic witty and slightly grumpy writing style is the other thing that keeps the narrative interesting. I've said it before and I'll say it again: I think he's hilarious. He uses his unique voice to talk about the things that are good about the US, and he also pulls no punches when describing things that have changed for the worse. He strongly objects to the spread of cooker-cutter commercialism, and he mourns the loss of unique shops and restaurants in favor of chains and shopping malls. Bryson does tend to be quite judgmental, and some of his rants about tourists, overweight people and the uneducated were taken too far. Although many of his observations seemed to be accurate, the mean comments were occasionally too much. It can be a bit too easy to make fun of Americans sometimes, but this book is successful because it does contain a lot of truth too (Disclaimer: I'm an American and so is Bill Bryson).

The book is divided into two sections, East and West, for the two big trips that Bryson took, covering 13,978 miles. He visited Springfield, Snowflake, Gettysburg, New York City, Newport, Leadville, Gallup, Carson City, Buffalo, Murdo and more. He ate in diners and visited the birthplaces of famous people. He saw universities, national parks, and cities. He was bored, tired and filled with wonder as he traveled through the country, just like thousands of other road-trippers before and since. This is a good book if you like travel narratives, and it's a great book, if you like exploring that beautiful country called the USA.

THE LINK:

Bill Bryson's website
My review of Bryson's NOTES FROM A SMALL ISLAND

THE COST:

I bought a paperback copy in a small town bookstore for $14.99

THE QUESTION:

Do you prefer to read books about your own country and culture or about far-off lands? Have you ever read a book about your own country where you think the author got it wrong?

NOTES FROM A SMALL ISLAND by Bill Bryson

THE GIST:

A crotchety travel writer wanders around England and encounters a peculiar thing called Englishness.

THE VERDICT:

I will say up front that I love Bill Bryson’s dry, grumpy humor. He just ambles through the English countryside writing about what he sees, but his unique voice and concise observations make this a lot of fun. Bryson, an American writer, has spent many years living in England, but he is still enough of an outsider to identify the idiosyncrasies of English people.

Bryson travels by train, bus, and foot. This allows him to get a ground-level view of countryside villages, industrial cities and seaside towns. He talks to people who are also out walking and to people who are having tea and beer in little shops and pubs across the country. This method of travel is very different from the way one would explore the US, and it gives ample opportunity for Bryson to observe the ways in which people live and travel.

At the time of this post, I am in the midst of experimenting with different types of transport. This is a big travel month for me, and I am experiencing firsthand how different kinds of travel affect the way you relate to a place. In Bali last week, I rode around with various local drivers, who talked about how tourism has affected their country. After changing planes in airports around Asia, I flew to Oregon where I am spending time with family, crabbing, going to the beach, and preparing for a Great American Road Trip. Next week we’ll be renting a car to experience the big empty spaces of Montana and Wyoming; by the end of our trip we’ll hop on a train that will take us home across the Southwest. On the way, I’ll keep my eyes open for the funny idiosyncrasies of the people in my own country.

THE LINK:

Bill Bryson's website

THE COST:

I bought a used paperback copy of this book at Flow Organic Bookshop.

THE QUESTION:

How do you like to travel? Do you walk, ride, drive, fly? How does that affect your perceptions of each place?

BOSSYPANTS by Tina Fey

THE GIST:

A funny lady writes about being a successful female producer, along with everything else from motherhood to photo shoots to Sarah Palin.

THE VERDICT:

I haven't read many celebrity memoirs, but I think Tina Fey is hilarious and she's done a lot of interesting things in her career. In this loosely organized series of reflections Tina writes about being a woman in the male-dominated world of comedy and in the world of TV producers. She shares behind-the-scenes stories from her time at Saturday Night Live, her role in the vicious 2008 election season, and her experience producing her own show, 30 Rock.

This is not a story of too much drama or hardship, and Tina seems to have lived a clean and respectable life. She writes about the strong influence her parents have had on her and how that has shaped her career path. She loves what she does, and it is encouraging to see someone passionately pursuing her dreams. She works hard and does not take nonsense from people, and generally sets a good example for men and women alike. She recognizes and abhors the different treatment that women sometimes experience in the workplace but does not allow herself to be crippled by it.

Tina writes in her characteristically sharp and funny voice, and I found myself reading with her accent in my head. She steers away from most juicy, ranty topics, and was respectful towards the people that she has worked with in the past. She is honest about aging, exhaustion and balancing the various family and career aspects of her life, as well as this weird thing called celebrity. This is an engaging story told by a real woman who has been successful and likely has more to do.

THE LINK:

Here's a link for Tina Fey's fan site

THE COST:

I paid $11.99 for the Kindle edition

THE QUESTION:

How do you think women's treatment in the workplace has changed over time? Have you experienced or witnessed sexism (either towards women or men) at work?