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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
A fun, inspiring and well written book!!, November 4, 2013
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This review is from: Generally Speaking (Hardcover)
The book is sectioned in a way that made it easy to read and pick back up, or jump around to different chapters because they are written with a playful, humorous style. Readers familiar with military-life experience will enjoy this book. But the book is also a series of snapshots into American history, the hardships of survival, dabbed with bits of Americana that is unfortunately long gone and framed in the life of the author. Fellow travelers will also find an interesting look at different destinations, cultures and points on the globe that are beyond the reach of most people now and especially at the time. All are captured remarkably well by the author and her personality and open mind paint a refreshing perspective of each venue and the interesting people met along the way. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who likes adventure and taking a path less traveled.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
A Turly Delightful Read, August 31, 2013
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This review is from: Generally Speaking (Paperback)
Travel aficionados heads up! This book is a tour de force. We are exposed to this memoir of Sandra's extraordinary life through her excellent writing. It is laced with her unique witticisms and occasional irreverence, even in her chapter titles, all of which entices the reader from one enthralling chapter of adventure to the next. Hold on, this afterburner tale is a wild ride.You will learn some very valuable lessons, at least I hope you do. Being intimately drawn into just a few heart breaking episodes that would bring others to their knees and what might have felled Sandra, we learn she is one tenacious and stalwart woman; she soldiers on concluding these excruciating times with honesty, grace, and heartfelt wisdom. The delightful sense of humor that sparkles the pages illuminates a keen sense of appreciation for her many opportunities and friendships.
As the story unfolds, one gets the feeling that she is enriched by her quest for beauty, which we are treated to through her descriptions of extraordinary and thrilling trips; fabulous jewels of the ancient world, and clothing sewn with French fabrics and precious accoutrement by an angel in the persona a gifted seamstress. All of this is described with her artist's eye enticing us to immediately schedule a flight to replicate her travels or at least to see some of the same treasures. I wanted to leave immediately on a flight to somewhere more than once. She seems to find euphoria in witnessing the wonder and rich beauty of the world. Furthermore, there is her love of animals that threads through her life from early childhood to the present--from the tiniest dogs to huge horses. Her pets help fill the empty spaces in her journey with their hilarious antics and companionship through the long separations so typical of military life.
Reading about her pets leaves absolutely no doubt that together with her photography, they have created a symbiotic balancing act. I wish there were more examples of her artful photos. However, what we do see are demonstrative of that artist's eye. So, when you finish the book, don't be surprised if you return again to enjoy those pearls of sardonic turns of phrases you enjoyed throughout the first read. I did!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Fascinating, August 27, 2013
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This review is from: Generally Speaking (Paperback)
Such an emotional roller-coaster of sadness and joy while enjoying the author's life story and picturing the people, places and events she came in contact with around the world; with a fascinating touch of humor and amazement.
From the Heart - An Autobiography & Travelogue, August 30, 2013
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This review is from: Generally Speaking (Hardcover)
Sandy Brown is her own person. Defined by others throughout her life as a military brat and a military wife, she has succeeded in being true to herself and to others. Outspoken, sometimes riotous, and often mischievous, Sandy shares her experiences living in five countries on three continents with sixty moves during her lifetime. Visiting forty countries, always with her camera over her shoulder, she takes the reader, not to the usual tourist sites, but to the Arctic Circle and Berber villages in the Moroccan desert. She has captured the essence of these places with pictures and words. Her book is both a painfully honest autobiography and an adventurous travelogue.Finding herself in hot water was not unusual for Sandy, but getting out of hot water was expected. With her demure manner, wit, and beauty, she managed and maneuvered herself and others out of many questionable situations. Many of her military friends never knew her father was a major general; many of her civilian friends do not know her husband is a retired lieutenant general. Instead, her friends know her as simply Sandy who has two sons, two granddaughters, two horses, two dogs, and two cats. They know she likes to shop, cannot resist a bargain, and collects French antiques.
Giving an insight into the lives of military families, she writes of the pain of her youngest son attending four high schools in one year, the toll heavy drinking can take on both wives and members of the military, and the expectations of wives to perform volunteer work the equivalent of paying jobs. Happy events and memories outweigh the challenges. With friendships lasting over fifty years, a home of beautiful furnishings and accessories from around the world, and a loving extended family, Sandy has given us insight into lives of military families and allowed us to experience her adventures. This book is written from her heart.
Author Sandra Shores Brown Unravels Her Eventful Life Story in “Generally Speaking”
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