A Year by the Sea

Her sons grown and her husband off to a job assignment out of state, Anderson retreated to a cottage on Cape Cod for a year to nurture herself and fulfill some of her goals. Through this inspirational memoir of that year, the author seeks to inspire other women to take a journey of self-discovery. Now available in paperback, the entrancing story of how one woman's journey of self-discovery gave her the courage to persevere in re-creating her life. Life is a work in progress, as ever-changing as a sandy shoreline along the beach. During the years Joan Anderson was a loving wife and supportive mother, she had slowly and unconsciously replaced her own dreams with the needs of her family. With her sons grown, however, she realized that the family no longer centered on the home she provided, and her relationship with her husband had become stagnant. Like many women in her situation, Joan realized that she had neglected to nurture herself and, worse, to envision fulfilling goals for her future. As her husband received a wonderful job opportunity out-of-state, it seemed that the best part of her own life was finished. Shocking both of them, she refused to follow him to his new job and decided to retreat to a family cottage on Cape Cod. At first casting about for direction, Joan soon began to take plea-sure in her surroundings and call on resources she didn't realize she had. Over the course of a year, she gradually discovered that her life as an "unfinished woman" was full of possibilities. Out of that magical, difficult, transformative year came A Year by the Sea, a record of her experiences and a treasury of wisdom for readers. This year of self-discovery brought about extraordinary changes in the author's life. The steps that Joan took to revitalize herself and rediscover her potential have helped thousands of woman reveal and release untapped resources within themselves.

A woman, separated from her husband and a flat marriage, spends a year alone in a Cape Cod cottage, examining her life and finding the affirmative wisdom and peace that allows her to revitalize her marriage and freely engage life. Reprint.

Joan Anderson is the author of numerous children's novels, as well as Breaking the TV Habit. A Year by the Sea is her first venture into narrative nonfiction and her most personal work to date. Anderson lives with her husband on Cape Cod, where she conducts her popular "Year by the Sea" workshops.