One for the Road: Bold Spirit

by Kelly Amabile on

Sometimes I get to read the One for the Road books that I mention before writing about them here at Gadling. Other times, I simply share basic info about a book that I think may appeal to some of our readers, without having read it myself. I know that not every book mentioned will interest all — frankly, some don’t even interest me, but I try to offer up a mix that hopefully resonates with a variety of Gadling readers.

Today’s book is one that personally peaks my interest, and will be added to my own “want to read” list right away. It’s a book that I wish I had read before telling you about it, but since it fits nicely with our weekly Mother’s Day theme, now is a good time to share it with you: Bold Spirit: Helga Estby’s Forgotten Walk Across Victorian America is a captivating true story of a mother and daughter who walked across the US in 1896. Helga and her daughter Clara traveled by foot from Spokane to New York, hoping to win a $10,000 prize that was essential for the survival of her family’s farm.

The story of these two women was lost for many years, because no journals, letters or personal accounts of their trip were saved. But author Linda Lawrence Hunt pieced together as much of the story as possible through careful research and compilation of newspaper articles. The result is a moving tale that has received warm reviews. I’m quite eager to get my hands on a copy of this one, and imagine that other readers with an interest in courageous female travelers may be drawn to this extraordinary mother/daughter travel tale.

One for the Road: Lonely Planet’s Travel with Children

by Kelly Amabile on

I think it’s safe to say that Maureen Wheeler is the mother of the modern-day travel guide. Her publishing partnership with husband Tony has created a company that continues to inspire, guide and connect travelers worldwide.

Through the years, Lonely Planet has introduced all sorts of creative travel titles, in addition to their traditional shoestring guides. One of these alternative guides is Travel with Children, which Maureen originally wrote back in the 1980’s. On the most recent 2002 edition, she teamed up with author Cathy Lanigan.

The result is a practical guide for parents on how to have meaningful travel experiences with children, whether toddlers or teens. Besides the usual particulars (tips on packing, planning and prep), this handy guide includes advice on breastfeeding, pregnant travel and on-the-road health. The country profiles, while useful, receive poor marks from some reviewers as not meeting the level of detail expected from the LP brand. But they do feature the best kid-friendly sights and educational opportunities in some less obvious family destinations like Bhutan and Cairo. There’s also a little first-hand advice from the Wheeler’s well-traveled kids, Kieran and Tashi.

Although mom might want a vacation FROM the kids on Mother’s Day, this book has the potential to make her and dad look at family travel in a whole new way.

One for the Road: The Curve of Time

by Kelly Amabile on

We journey to Canada for our next traveling mom story, a true-life tale originally published in 1962. The Curve of Time: The Classic Memoir of a Woman and Her Children Who Explored the Coastal Waters of the Pacific Northwest was written by M. Wylie Blanchet, a free-spirited mom born in Montreal in 1891.

At the age of 36, Blanchet’s husband died, leaving her alone with their five children on Vancouver Island in British Columbia. Although family members said she would never manage, Blanchet did just that, and in fact made time for special journeys of discovery with her kids. For several summers, she and her children explored the waters off of Vancouver Island in Caprice, a 25-foot motorboat. She wrote several magazine articles about their travels, which eventually led to the publication of this delightful memoir about their family explorations.

Blanchet’s book is credited as a well-written Canadian classic that almost reads like fiction at times, with rich descriptions of the places and people they encounter. But it’s all real — one mom’s actual account of the adventures she took with her kids. Cool mom, huh?

One for the Road: Forever Lily

by Kelly Amabile on

I wanted to feature a book this week that had to do with the adoption process, and the journey many mothers or fathers make to bring a child from another land into their lives. Forever Lily: An Unexpected Mother’s Journey to Adoption in China is such a book, but the reviews on this memoir are mixed. Author Beth Nonte Russell accompanies her friend Alex to China, where Alex has arranged to adopt a little girl from an orphanage. But when Alex has a change of heart, it is Russell who winds up adopting the child herself. A strange turn of events indeed.

It’s a true life tale that touches on a wide range of feelings surrounding motherhood and the adoption experience, but some reviews I read claim that the elaborate dream sequences Russell shares throughout her story seem far-fetched, and only serve to distract the reader. If the plot of this real-life adoption at all sparks your interest, pick up a copy and see for yourself — Russell receives some praise for a well-written book that does a fair job of explaining the adoption process, and includes wonderful description about the experience of traveling in China.

One for the Road: The Travel Mom’s Ultimate Book of Family Travel

by Kelly Amabile on

Self-proclaimed Travel Mom Emily Kaufman has written a handy guide for mothers (and fathers!) in search of strategy when it comes to planning a family vacation. Although the reviews are mixed on just how useful this book really is, I thought The Travel Mom’s Ultimate Book of Family Travel was still worth a mention as part of this week’s Mother’s Day reading roundup.

The book is really geared to moms who need help planning their very first family vacation, so it might be a cool Mother’s Day gift for first-time moms itching for a summer vacation. It includes general trip planning advice, as well as a series of suggested family-friendly destinations. Check it out of the library before buying though, as some reviewers have said it’s really only valuable as a primer. Basically, it’s light on content that you’ll need to refer to again and again, but could really offer up some good ideas for rookie travel moms.

Kaufman has two kids of her own, and is a travel contributor to ABC’s Good Morning America and Woman’s Day magazine.