One Autumn in Europe [Kindle Edition]

Steven Hubbell (Author)

Book Description

This is a travel journal, a tribute, a coming of age in foreign lands adventure tale, and the celebration of a personal pilgrimage. It is a cultural feast as witnessed through the eyes of a young, small-town Texas explorer who crosses an ocean on the quest for his sword in the stone. What he finds both humbles and emboldens him; his discoveries alternately astonish and educate and terrify and reassure him as he (primarily) hitchhikes from London to Rome and back, savoring every nuance he can find. 

Many readers have enthusiastically delivered five-star ratings to "One Autumn in Europe," calling it "Brilliant... Masterfully edited by a seasoned journeyman with all the zeal and joy of his youthful exuberance intact...," "An excellent read...," and "Completely Captivating!!... Such a great book!!!" One reader suggests it is "a book to read with your heart." 

Enjoy any time: with a glass of wine at the end of the day, during a journey, as you wait for a dental appointment or car repairs, or simply while lounging about on a lazy afternoon. Anyone who appreciates the appeal of bright horizons and blossoming emotions and remarkable people and unforgettable places will find "One Autumn in Europe" to be a very satisfying experience.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"I highly recommend this book - and find a quiet, inspiring place to curl up and enjoy the trip!" 

 - Amazon reader review from Terry Brightwell, Spicewood, TX

"Although vastly different paths, and I, a generation his senior, I closely related with Steven through his journey. A wonderfully told adventure... I was right there with him..."

- Amazon reader review from Gerald Sheppard, Pompano Beach, FL

From the Author

I really didn't write "One Autumn in Europe," it wrote me. From the time I returned from that pilgrimage thirty-three years ago to this very day as I write my "From the Author" note to you, this adventure has continued to weave its essence through my life. Year after year I experience the fluid strokes of indelible ink autograph my heart with new textures, fresh perspectives, intense appreciation, and surprising twists. I have found people who were there, and who remember. I hope I may find more and more as the tribute I offer in these pages makes its way from friend to friend around the globe. Thank you so much for reading it.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• File Size: 698 KB
• Print Length: 346 pages
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B008NP5NV0
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Not Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #61,978 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Highly recommended September 6, 2012

By William R. Creech

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I read 4 or five books a month. I only review books when I can add to the conversation. I don't review books that are heavily reviewed and I don't review books that I don't finish. There are only a few books that I recommend to friends. This is one of them. In 1979, this author went to Europe with $550 because he believed the trip would best serve his education. He spent 77 days in Europe and was moved by the people he met and the things that he saw. I never lost interest in following his adventure. But that does not tell the whole story. I do not know when he actually wrote the memoir, but it is very obvious that he spent many hours trying to describe what he experienced. Most indie books are awkwardly written. This one is different. Over and over I found beautifully written sections where Mr. Hubbell obviously worked very hard to put into words feelings that he had. They are a treasure. The story was good, but it is the author's use of language that makes this book special. There is a bobble or two, but the truth is that Mr. Hubbell has written English that deserves to be read aloud and savored. I can't say that about many books. If you like good prose, you will enjoy this book.

Here is an example. He is in Venice and it has started to rain very hard. Everyone has jammed together out of the rain. The author decides to leave the crowd and:

"Either the downpour suddenly subsided or everyone else just decided to follow me in the rain, but whatever

happened, it was like a cork popped off and effervescence came spilling out. The pedestrian traffic jam dispersed

like a swarm of liberated anarchists. It was a bizarre moment, a hushed moment where a congregated mass of

potential energy suddenly goes kinetic; it was a simple, nothing moment I would never forget."

Good book.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant,but sad March 7, 2012

By ardent admirer

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

A brilliant recollection of innocence lost on the road to adulthood, a journey dreamed of by many, but travelled by few. Masterfully edited by a seasoned journeyman with all the zeal and exuberance of his youthful adventure intact. A true joy to read, yet I'm saddened, for of all of his art, poetry and stories created, this is all that is available to us the general public at this time. I strongly recomend this book to all who wish to recapture that innocent age, and I hope this is just the first of many journeys to come from this talented writer.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A lovely journey November 18, 2012

By Beckys-Place

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I'm a fan of the travel genre so it's no surprise that I enjoyed this book, but having read a lot of travel writing I have to say that this book is a notch above many others. The author tells a lovely story with descriptions that put you there on the road alongside him. Many times I expected him to befall a tragedy from befriending strangers, and I was pleasantly surprised to find that their kindness and goodness was really just that. How refreshing! This is a book I didn't want to put down until I got to the end. My only regret is - oops, I don't want to give any spoilers! Let's just say I was spellbound with the pages about Carol!

More About the Author

I write to remember, to celebrate, and to share certain treasures I have found along the road. I write that I may, for a moment, share my eyes with you. I write to connect, to explore, and to say thank you.

Backpacking across Europe when I was nineteen, I would find myself gazing from some majestic bridge at a mesmerizing river or at the silver reflections in a puddled street beneath a distant moon and I would desperately wish for a companion to share the exuberance. I wrote "One Autumn in Europe" as an invitation to walk with me there.

"La Via dell'Amore" relives my return to Europe many years later, accompanied by my adult daughter. This memoir combines a rediscovery of cultural wonders with intimate reflections on attempts to repair a wounded relationship.

"Anchors of Mist," a novel, follows the unpredictable path of an inquisitive young man whose quest for the perfect life is deeply influenced by his dreams.

My latest work is "The Year of the Wind." This personal memoir explores the whirlwind reality of a young man who believes he has heard the voice of God and abandons himself to follow it.

I live with my enchanting wife and two of my three remarkable children in an old house on a small hill near Dripping Springs, Texas. I am thankful for every reader who takes an interest in my work.