This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.
Since leaving home for Europe alone at age seventeen, Karen Gershowitz has traveled to more than ninety countries.
In pursuit of her passion for travel, she lost and gained friends and lovers and made a radical career change. She learned courage and risk taking and succeeded at things she didn’t think she could do: She climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro. She visited remote areas of Indonesia on her own and became a translator, though only fluent in English.
Karen is the author of Travel Mania: Stories of Wanderlust. Her second book, Wanderlust: Extraordinary People, Quirky Places and Curious Cuisine will be published October 2023.
Every day she posts on Facebook and LinkedIn. As a result of those posts she now writes regularly for Journey Woman and International Swans.
Her example will inspire armchair travelers to become explorers and embolden everyone to be more courageous.
Reviewed by Liz Konkel for Readers' Favorite
Travel Mania: Stories of Wanderlust by Karen Gershowitz embarks on a personal and enchanting journey through over ninety countries. Karen left home at seventeen and has explored the world in both her career and personal life. Her various travels have been driven by her desire to see everything the world has to offer, from the 1950s to traveling in 2020. The amazing places and things Gershowitz has done include boat rides in Cambodia, climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro, and visiting a Zozobra celebration in New Mexico. Her travels taught her various lessons that guided her to overcome her fears, take risks, find her bravery, and even learn new skills. Her stories of wanderlust and tales of strength will inspire others to embark on their own adventures.
This stunning memoir is framed by snippets from Karen's life and various travels. The story begins with the first trip that sparked her passion for travel when she was a young girl wedged between her older brothers in the backseat of the car. Each story is filled with heart and warmth that will inspire others to explore the world. Elements of the family are woven throughout and are equally important in her journey of self-discovery. These touches allow us to get to know her better with little moments such as her fighting to sit by the window in the car, but losing out by being the youngest, and the charming description of her grandmother Bella. The stories weave through various decades, beginning with her childhood through her travel memories to the present pandemic crisis.
Each story is personal and explores how that specific place impacted her life. Each story peels back a layer from her own experiences and shares lovely details about different locations. These stories weave through the decades until taking a poignant look at traveling during the time of COVID. Several of the stories, while being empowering, also contain humorous moments such as seeing John Wayne with a French dubbed voice or creating a fake family during her time in Indonesia. Travel Mania is a charming memoir with stories that will inspire wanderlust, empowerment, and self-discovery.
