Helpful Score: 4
Sometimes humerous sometimes heartbreaking a woman leaves everything she knows to leave her home and family and re discover herself. This is about the journey of one woman and the issues of the heart that transform all women. A good read for those of us over the age of 50 that are feeling old!
Helpful Score: 3
I took this book out of the library after reading a summary in the Isabella (wonderful books and spirit lifting products) catalog. As my husband was driving home I was reading the back cover.. Oh my goodness, why didn't just by myself a copy? I was hooked before I even read it and it didn't disappoint me. Now I buy all of Berg's books from Isabella when they list them. I also buy copies of this one to give to all my friends as we move from 30 something to 40... "I am on a trip. I needed all of a suddent to go, without saying where, because I don't know where. I know this is not like me. I know that. But please believe me, I am safe and I am not crazy, I felt as though if I didn't do this I wouldn't be safe and I would be crazy. And can you believe this? I love you."
Wow. Its a great read and all your girlfriends will love it too.
Wow. Its a great read and all your girlfriends will love it too.
This book spoke to me as a middle-aged woman. I read it in one sitting. The story of Nan, a woman who feels trapped by her life and her free fall into "old age" runs away and documents her journey through daily letters to her husband and journal entries. This is not as much a story of anger and regret as it is acceptance and learning to love change. Beautifully written...I will read this one again.
Helpful Score: 3
Elizabeth Berg uses letters and diary entries to tell the story of a woman coming to terms with her past and to explore the reasons for the lose of her self-esteem. A "mid-life coming of age" book every woman can relate to and will want to share with her friends. A thought-provoking, easy and fast read!
Helpful Score: 3
This is just a great unexpected fun book - I think any woman who has a family & all the responsibilites that come with it has thought about just getting in a car & driving- with no idea where you are heading. I passed this along to my sister & think every woman who reads it should do the same!!!
Helpful Score: 3
Through journal entries and letters, we travel with Nan, a woman who left home to find herself and, in doing so, finds her way home.
Another sweet, touching E. Berg book, with a main character I can relate to.
Another sweet, touching E. Berg book, with a main character I can relate to.
Helpful Score: 1
Nan, a menopausal wife runs away from home to confront her feelings about her life, her husband, the meaning of her life. It is a good read.
Helpful Score: 1
A woman who is turning 50 has a midlife crisis, and so, she chooses to get in her car & just drive. This book is about her introspections along the way. I loved the honesty of the main character's thoughts. So many of them rang so true! Several times I found myself shocked to see some of my own most personal thoughts brought to life by this character's words. Other times, her thoughts seemed almost bizarre. But that just adds to the honesty of the book. Not everything that goes on in our heads makes sense to other people! I would recommend this book. Not much action in it, but it's a thought-provoking read.
Helpful Score: 1
This was an amzing book. A woman goes looking for herself and what she finds is incredible....
This is an incredible journey and an incredible book.
This is an incredible journey and an incredible book.
Helpful Score: 1
This book is similar to Ladder of Years By Anne Tyler which I read last year and liked Alot. This one was OK. Although I am going to make a note here to read this book in about 10 years. The book had some really funny parts that I found myself chuckling to. But, the plot is a bit week. It basically moves from a narrative by the main character to letters she is writing to her husband on her travels. This books shows true honesty and vulnerability of a 50 year old woman who is uncomfortable with her life and getting old. At times I thought Nat was a little off the deep end and definitely had some psychological issues. But, at the end I discovered she was really just thinking it all through and had to work it out in her mind before she could accept her life the way it is and move on. As one of the previous readers said, this is not one of my favorites but I still liked it.
Helpful Score: 1
I normally love Elizabeth Berg's books, but this one was just awful. It was very tedious and the main character seemed really callous and self absorbed. I ended up skipping chapters of the book. When I got to the end I found it to be just as tedious as the rest of the book. I'd pass on this one...
Helpful Score: 1
As a woman 18 months from 50, I found this book an interesting tale.
Helpful Score: 1
50-something wife and mother runs away for a while, travels, wries letters, and journals. Emotions come to life as she uncovers and discovers her "true" self. Very good read!
Helpful Score: 1
I adore Elizabeth Berg's writing, and this has to be one of my favorites. EXCELLENT book, especially for women "of a certain age" (over 40!). All ages will enjoy it though, I am sure
Right on writing from a first person on the loss of self in relationship and the regaining of self in a time of transition.
I liked this book, but didn't love it. It had great moments of insight into getting older as a married woman, and into the problems that occur in long term relationships. But it also drug on a bit. Overall it was worth a read.
a novel about the journey of a woman and the issues of the heart that can transform a life.
Characterization is wonderful.. great story for women
I really enjoyed this book
Laughed alot, cried a little. A great story about women's friendships.
Wow, is this more common than realized? Maybe we should all get a trip across the country at about 45-50. Husband was so understanding and she met numerous people who helped to put her feeling into words. Pass it around and start some real conversation.
Great commentary on relationships.
Good book for summer reading, liked the story and the characters and how they handled their problems.
Always enjoy Elizabeth Berg! This is a good,fast read.
Really likedm this fast moving book.
My daughter loved it!
Tells of a woman trying to sort out emotions, thoughts, memories, etc. She journeys out on her own & writes her husband letters updating him on her location & thoughts. She finds self discovery & the worth of her womanhood.
Excellent book about a woman, turning 50, who needs to go away for awhile, rethink her life and her choices, rethink society's pull on women and their rolls. Very insightful fiction for a woman of any age, actually. I enjoyed this book and read it in two sittings.
another great book by Berg! -Mirah W.
Great book
Elizabeth Berg is a wonderful author. This book is simply awesome.
A very real and touching book about a woman who takes a trip to find herself.
This is not a novel about a woman leaving her home, but rather a human being finding her way back.
Although Elizabeth Berg is a good writer and has some interesting points to make, the character in this book is NOT very sympathetic. It is hard to relate to someone who has loads of money and a husband who apparently doesn't care that she has taken off (in a Mercedes, no less) to "find herself" without any warning to her husband or daughter that she is so unhappy. If this book was written about a man doing the same thing, we'd all be up in arms at how selfish he is. Talk about a lack of responsibility! If she doesn't need the money from a job, she could at least volunteer and be of SOME use to society. Perhaps if I were younger or had an easier life myself, I could relate, but her biggest complaint is that she's bored (though she says she chooses not to have friends.)
Another book about a kind of running away is "Blue Water" by A. Manette Ansay, but in that book, there is a good reason for the running. I'd read that instead.
Another book about a kind of running away is "Blue Water" by A. Manette Ansay, but in that book, there is a good reason for the running. I'd read that instead.
Not one of her better books. It's a middle aged woman who has basically run away. She writes letter to her husband about what he doesn't understand about her. It just kind of drones on and on. I couldn't finish it.
Very fast read - first I ever read Elizabeth Berg and I enjoyed her...
Ok, it's Elizabeth Berg, whom I generally enjoy greatly. So...I got through it. Wealthy 50ish wife runs away from home and intermittently rants to her husband, via mail. The chapters alternate between these missives and her speaking directly to reader. Maybe I'm just resentful because she has way too much time and money on her hands....
This was a nice book about a woman and her clever way of handling a mid-life crisis. Very quick to read.
Very good and fast read of a woman "running" away for a bit to find herself
A great book about a middle-aged woman trying to find out where she "lost" herself. It is a quick weekend reader. I enjoyed.
Great book! Something I think all married women would like to do at some point.
This book read exactly how I feels these days- It was excellent
Berg is a great author. However, this was not my favorite of book of hers.
This is a wonderful book that is still with me years later! It is that kind of book, just becomes like an old friend!
It's ben so longh since I have read this book, but it is about a middle-aged woman going out to find herself. Well written, it was one that I liked right from the beginning.
Very good book. If you like Berg's writing you will like this. Woman's change of life adventure.
good book
Great story!!!
