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All Over the Map

by Laura Fraser

All Over the Map Cover

ISBN13: 9780307450630
ISBN10: 0307450635
Condition: Standard
All Product Details

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Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

What's a wise, witty travel writer to do when she reaches forty and is still single? Wander the globe searching for romance and adventure, of course.

On a trip to Oaxaca, Mexico, to celebrate her fortieth birthday, Laura Fraser confronts the unique trajectory of her life. Divorced and childless in her thirties, she found solace in the wanderlust that had always directed her heart—and found love and comfort in the arms of a dashing Frenchman. Their Italian affair brought her back to herself—but now she wonders if her passion for travel (and for short-lived romantic rendezvous) has deprived her of what she secretly wants most from life: a husband, a family, a home.

When her Parisian lover meets her in Oaxaca and gives her news that he’s found someone new, Laura is stunned and hurt. Now, it seems, she has nothing but her own independence for company—and, at forty, a lot more wrinkles on her face and fewer years of fertility. How is Laura going to reconcile what seem to be two opposite desires: for adventure, travel, great food, and new experiences, but also a place to call home—and a loving pair of arms to greet her there?

And so, she globe hops. What else is a travel writer to do? From Argentina to Peru, Naples to Paris, she basks in the glow of new cultures and local delicacies, always on the lookout for the “one” who might become a lifelong companion. But when a terrible incident occurs while she’s on assignment in the South Pacific, Laura suddenly finds herself more aware of her vulnerability and becomes afraid of traveling. It seems as if she might lose the very thing that has given her so much pleasure in her life, not to mention the career she has built for herself as a world traveler and chronicler of far-flung places.

Finding herself again will be both more difficult and more natural than she imagined. Ultimately, Laura realizes the most important journey she must take is an internal one. And the tale of how she reaches that place will captivate every woman who has ever yearned for a different life.

Review:

"Readers familiar with Fraser's work in Gourmet, O the Oprah Magazine, More, and other publications may recognize the author's efforts at self-improvement, attempts at finding love, or meals she's had in places like Lima, Peru: 'We try ceviche of wild sea bass with lime and red onions... we have spicy chifa food in a downtown Chinese restaurant... we stuff ourselves with stuffed peppers...' In following up An Italian Affair, Fraser takes a closer look at her own wanderlust and examines the positive and negative effects it has had on her life, particularly over the past 10 years. For example, the author finds a glorious waterfall in Samoa. 'The water is so clear light blue it's possible to see all the way to the bottom, and the bottom is a long way down. I dive in for a swim... this is why I love to travel.' But she questions the notion of having it all, or having it all at once, and worries that her desire to explore and her professional success have come at the expense of stability and family. She challenges the ideals of happiness and home she had previously held, adding a layer of depth to a memoir that will excite travelers of the world and the armchair alike." Publishers Weekly (Copyright PWyxz LLC)

Synopsis:

Fraser, the "New York Times"-bestselling author of "The Italian Affair," buys readers the plane tickets and takes them in search of adventure and romance, as she wonders whether it's possible, in midlife, to have it all.

About the Author

LAURA FRASER is the author of the bestselling memoir An Italian Affair and Losing It, an investigative look at the weight-loss industry. She is a contributing editor to More magazine, and has written for Gourmet; O, The Oprah Magazine; the New York Times; AFAR; Self; Glamour; Vogue, Elle; Redbook; Tricycle; and more.

What Our Readers Are Saying

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Average customer rating based on 1 comment:

Denise Morland, July 9, 2010 (view all comments by Denise Morland)
The relatively new genre of memoir of middle aged woman finding herself (usually after divorce) seems almost a second coming of age. These are women disillusioned by the whole struggle of balancing careers, families, and personal growth, looking to lead fuller, more meaningful lives, and always to find their one true love. Laura Fraser fits easily in this category and All Over the Map is the story of her second coming of age.

Laura Fraser is a restless traveler with no roots, running away from the decisions she's made, when her 45th birthday approaches. She decides a man will fix everything and sets out to find the right one. Her travels are interesting and she describes the places she visits in tantalizing detail. I found myself marking places I want to see. Even Samoa, the scene of a life-changing disaster for Fraser, sounds appealing in her description. Still, I cringed every time she jumped into a new relationship and often found myself wanting to shake her. The ending saves the book for me. I won't give anything away, but I felt that Fraser did finally gain some insight.
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Product Details

ISBN:
9780307450630
Author:
Fraser, Laura
Publisher:
Crown
Subject:
Personal Memoirs
Subject:
Women authors, American
Subject:
San Francisco (Calif.)
Subject:
Travelers
Subject:
Biography - General
Copyright:
Publication Date:
20100601
Binding:
Hardback
Grade Level:
General/trade
Language:
English
Pages:
288
Dimensions:
8.38x5.80x1.02 in. .86 lbs.

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Related Subjects

Travel » Travel Writing » General

All Over the Map Used Hardcover
0 stars - 0 reviews
$9.95 In Stock
Product details 288 pages Harmony - English 9780307450630 Reviews:
"Publishers Weekly Review" by , "Readers familiar with Fraser's work in Gourmet, O the Oprah Magazine, More, and other publications may recognize the author's efforts at self-improvement, attempts at finding love, or meals she's had in places like Lima, Peru: 'We try ceviche of wild sea bass with lime and red onions... we have spicy chifa food in a downtown Chinese restaurant... we stuff ourselves with stuffed peppers...' In following up An Italian Affair, Fraser takes a closer look at her own wanderlust and examines the positive and negative effects it has had on her life, particularly over the past 10 years. For example, the author finds a glorious waterfall in Samoa. 'The water is so clear light blue it's possible to see all the way to the bottom, and the bottom is a long way down. I dive in for a swim... this is why I love to travel.' But she questions the notion of having it all, or having it all at once, and worries that her desire to explore and her professional success have come at the expense of stability and family. She challenges the ideals of happiness and home she had previously held, adding a layer of depth to a memoir that will excite travelers of the world and the armchair alike." Publishers Weekly (Copyright PWyxz LLC)
"Synopsis" by , Fraser, the "New York Times"-bestselling author of "The Italian Affair," buys readers the plane tickets and takes them in search of adventure and romance, as she wonders whether it's possible, in midlife, to have it all.
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