I received this book through goodreads First Reads, I don't quite know how to describe this book, other than it was perfect for me, I am absolutely addicted to travel memoirs, and Debbie's story is exactly what I look for in those reads, She completely captures the places and people, whisking the reader away with her, I loved it from start to finish, Title of the book: The Same Sky A Traveler's Quest for redemption and peace
Author: Debbie Yee Lan Wong
Publisher: Createspace
Publishing Date:
ISBN:
Summary:
After a painful breakup, a young Chinese Canadian packed her bag, a journal and a camera and went on a solo journey through Southeast Asia.
Brokenhearted and needing to escape, she embarked on a threemonth trip that took her from the ancient Buddhist temples of Tibet, to the heights of the Mt.
Everest base camp, through the bustling markets of Laos, and to the peaceful hallways of Angkor Wat in Cambodia, Along the way, as she navigated the difficulties of traveling alone, she encountered locals who have lived through war, poverty and political repression, Their moving stories of loss and resilience inspired her to reclaim her independence and rediscover peace and strength after a traumatic event,
A deeply personal story with universal resonance, The Same Sky will appeal to anyone with an interest in Southeast Asia, and particularly to women who have experienced the exhilaration and vulnerability of solo travel.
It is the inspiring story of how a young woman at the lowest point of her life began to heal by facing the challenges of traveling alone and opening her heart to people across cultures.
Author Info:
From back of the book
Debbie Yee Lan Wong is a Chinese Canadian and has been a writer all her life, starting with a pocket size journal she kept as a child to writing stories as an adult about her overseas travels.
Excerpts from her memoir have been published recently in Sound Literary and Art Book SLAB and Under the Sun literary journal,
She received a Bachelor of Arts Degree with a concentration in English literature at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada, She currently lives in New York City and when not writing, she is Training Director at a global communications firm,
Personal Opinion:
This review has been a very long time in coming, I'm only sorry that I hadn't finished and reviewed it earlier as I had hoped.
I've never traveled to any of the countries that the author visited, but still, I was amazed at the way she captures the atmospheres in Tibet, Laos, and Cambodia how these three countries come alive in her writing and at the unique and fascinating details that I learned about each of the countries and the resilience of the human spirit.
What is also unique is that the author seems to take on a storytelling approach to the audience but she makes nonfiction fascinating and well constructed.
It was actually a joy to read the book and to travel through her experiences and stories, If you are looking for a nonfictional story about self empowerment and self discovery through travel without great focus on romance, then I highly recommend this book.
Quick notes: I won this book on goodreads, com thus this review will appear in its entirety on goodreads as well as the blog
out of
: Stay away unless a masochist: Good for insomnia: Horrible but readable: Readable and quickly forgettable,: Good, enjoyable: Buy it, keep it and never let it go.
sitelink blogspot. com/ I was so excited to learn that I had won a copy of this book from Goodreads and the author thank you!, This was such an emotional book, a travel memoir describing Debbie's journey through Southeast Asia and Tibet, Not only describing her physical journey, but her emotional journey as well, I kept having to remind myself that this was not the work of an incredible, imaginative fiction writer, but a reallife story, I envy her courage to embark on this journey, even though it might have started out as not so much an act of courage, but running away.
It ended up being the way she came to terms with her feelings and emotions and was quite healing for her, The descriptions of the places she visited were so well written, I have images of them in mind that I can see perfectly! I highly recommend this book to everyone! The author's descriptions, analogies, and insights of the countries she traveled to were very well done.
I was interested in her accounts because they were all places I hope to travel to, She captured the people and their kindnesses to strangers, the peacefulness of the monasteries and monks who live in them, and the sad histories of Tibet and Laos.
I also found it interesting how foreigners reacted to and were confused by the author's CanadianChinese looks,
I couldn't put this book down, at first, But somewhere past the middle I lost interest, however it picked up again when the author traveled back to China, then on to Cambodia, I'm not sure if I got tired of reading about all the monasteries she visited, or all the men she met, Her story about her failed relationship with Chris and the lout he turned out to be was more than enough,
The Same Sky was one of those books that resonated with me after I finished, I looked up the author on her website to read where and how
she ended up, So glad to see that she found herself, a new family, and a happy life,
This travel journal stays authentic from beginning to end, While Debbie's unique heritage gives us reflection on country's differing perceptions of race, her personal stories create a connection for the reader that makes her feel like a close friend.
If you love travel stories, you should try this book! I liked the book because I felt like I could relate to the author's story.
The love of travel. The pain of a broken relationship, It was as though I was traveling with my close friend throughout Asia as she tells her most intimate thoughts on her previous relationship, The book leave me wanting more from the author, This was a book received for free through Goodreads First Reads,
This was an impulsive choice of a read for our themed reading group, the theme this time being travel, It was a little hard to get going with this book, although I ended up enjoying it deeper through the read, South East Asia is a region I am intrigued by and love to travel in and now Laos is definitely on my list of travel desiderata.
The descriptions of the places visited are very evocative, as are the details of a profound heartbreak, Some French men have a proclivity for inducing these intense experiences it would seem, . . In The Same Sky, a gracefully written travel memoir through SouthEast Asia and Tibet, Debbie relates her long quest for selfdiscovery and healing after a tumultuous relationship which left her heartbroken and at a loss.
What I particularly liked about this book, compared to similar travel writings, is that the author constantly juxtaposes the present moment with her past, bringing us into the pain and suffering she went through with her ex while living in Beijing, and out into the breathtaking alien landscapes of the Tibetan plateau as well as other exotic locations and then back again into her misery, over and over.
. . as if we were also gyrating along the perpetual cycle of the Samsara with her, Throughout this journey she interacts with various locals and other fellow travelers that give her hope, restore her broken confidence, and make her realize that a relationship's end is only the beginning of something better.
Whether it's the frustrating Chinese bureaucracy in Lhasa or the benevolent Buddhist monks of Luang Prabang, or a complete stranger in Phnom Penh who rescues her from a torrential downpour, Debbie reflects upon each incident with the gained wisdom of a Western traveler who has finally reached her destination, attained inner equilibrium and is now contemplating her footsteps though a nostalgic lens.
Debbie's words are carefully chosen and her style never ceases to evoke in us vivid images of her life and her firsthand experiences, Highly recommended, especially for those who never cease to explore, After a painful breakup, a young Chinese Canadian packed her bag, a journal and a camera and went on a solo journey through Southeast Asia.
Brokenhearted and needing to escape, she embarked on a threemonth trip that took her from the ancient Buddhist temples of Tibet, to the heights of the Mt.
Everest base camp, through the bustling markets of Laos, and to the peaceful hallways of Angkor Wat in Cambodia, Along the way, as she navigated the difficulties of traveling alone, she encountered locals who have lived through war, poverty and political repression, Their moving stories of loss and resilience inspired her to reclaim her independence and rediscover peace and strength after a traumatic event,
A deeply personal story with universal resonance, The Same Sky will appeal to anyone with an interest in Southeast Asia, and particularly to women who have experienced the exhilaration and vulnerability of solo travel.
It is the inspiring story of how a young woman at the lowest point of her life began to heal by facing the challenges of traveling alone and opening her heart to people across cultures.
I have been putting off this review now for a few days, just so I may truly collect my thoughts, When I saw that I won this book in a giveaway contest, I was elated, Upon receiving it, I was even more excited, The other reviewer uses the word "gracefully" and that is truly the most accurate description that comes to mind, This book is written with such grace and elegance, I was amazed at the intimacy that, It was such an emotional, personal journey, and that sincerity was truly refreshing, .
Catch The Same Sky: A Travelers Quest For Redemption And Peace Sketched By Debbie Yee Lan Wong Depicted In E-Text
Debbie Yee Lan Wong