East Toward Dawn: A Woman's Solo Journey Around the World (Adventura Books) [Paperback]

Nan Watkins (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Watkins is a reference librarian at Western Carolina University whose work has been published in several Seal Press anthologies, including A Woman Alone and Hot Flashes from Abroad. After the sudden death of her 23-year-old son, and her subsequent divorce, it seemed natural to Watkins to celebrate her 60th birthday by taking a trip around the world. Purchasing an airline ticket good for one year as long as she traveled in one direction, Watkins began traveling east, visiting friends and places she had seen before and places she had only dreamed of seeing. These included such diverse locations as Ireland, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Hawaii, to name a few. And since her family had hosted a series of international students in the past, Watkins visits many of them on their home turf, immersing herself in their way of life. Throughout this travelog, the author takes a look back at her past experiences in an attempt to understand how they have brought her to the present. It is a journey of self-awareness and of finding comfort, of experiencing foreign cultures and traditions while rediscovering the meaning of one's own history. Sometimes lyrical and sometimes alarming in tone, this tender and personal memoir is sure to find an audience in larger public libraries. Alison Hopkins, Queens Borough P.L., Jamaica, NY
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Product Description

On the eve of her 60th birthday, Nan Watkins decided to embark on the around-the-globe trip she had always dreamed of--a trip she would take alone. Having endured both the death of her twenty-two-year-old son and the dissolution of a thirty-year marriage, the author resolved to follow a solo path east across Europe and Asia to renew connections with old friends and explore foreign lands and cultures. As her adventure-filled weeks and months unfolded, what began as a trip of discovery transformed itself into a powerful journey of the spirit.

With elegant style and thoughtful insight, Watkins considers the issues particular to a woman living and traveling alone and examines the complexities of global development and the changing role of women in non-Western cultures. This rich and beautifully rendered chronicle, which takes the author from the lonesome, rugged coast of Ireland to the bustling streets of Kathmandu to the majestic Rajasthan desert of western India, is a spirited testament to a woman's determination to overcome loss with joy and passion.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Seal Press; 1 edition (April 12, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1580050646
• ISBN-13: 978-1580050647
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #611,127 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

  #41 in

  Books > Travel > Specialty Travel > Solo Travel

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A Little Disappointed, July 24, 2006

By	Elfinstone (San Francisco) - See all my reviews

This review is from: East Toward Dawn: A Woman's Solo Journey Around the World (Adventura Books) (Paperback)

When I saw the title and description of the book I jumped at it because I turned 60 this year and have yearned to do something special to mark the passage. When I saw that she had bought an around the world airline ticket good for a year, I expected a nomadic sort of ramble to strange countries and adventures. I was disappointed to realize that this trip was relatively short and had a set itinerary. Even though she went to exotic places, she had been to some of them before, and she had friends or acquaintances in all of them who put her up and took her around. A nice middle class academic on vacation. Her introspective moments were sometimes moving, but I tended to skip over the poetry quoting and philosophizing. This isn't really a bad read. I guess I was expecting something more exciting and insightful.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Two Journeys, October 4, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: East Toward Dawn: A Woman's Solo Journey Around the World (Adventura Books) (Paperback)

I found this a fascinating book on two levels. The journey around the world visiting and sometimes traveling with friends was an absorbing story in itself. But the inner journey-the "solo" journey- was a moving and uplifting experience. Everyone has those special birthdays-30, 40, and in the author's case, 60, when one tends to take stock of one's life. The trip was a chance to both see a part of the world we rarely get to see as well as to look back with the author at the process of becoming the person who is taking this trip. I believe a great many people will enjoy taking these journies with Ms Watkins.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Falls just a little short, January 3, 2007

By	M. Ware "old rider" (Kansas) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: East Toward Dawn: A Woman's Solo Journey Around the World (Adventura Books) (Paperback)

I bought the book after hearing an excerpt on public radio program Sound and Spirit. I was drawn to buy it because the experience of the author in the loss of her son. I had recently had a loss of a grandson due to suicide and was interested in reading more. I found the author had an interesting story but I really didn't glean anything more profound than what had been quoted. I gave it 4 stars because it was still well written. It just didn't really give anything to me.