Return to a time when life made more sense. For many, such a journey may seem like fantasy, yet for author Andy Andrews, Sawyerton Springs is where he grew up. Andy shares a collection of hilariously heartwarming memories that will inspire your soul and help you remember where life’s greatest treasures can still be found.
Filled with an unforgettable cast of characters, this book will engage your mind and heart. You will recall the simple joy of living while laughing to the point of tears. So take a deep breath, and prepare to rekindle your spirit as you return to Sawyerton Springs…
Hailed by TheNew York Times as someone who has "quietly become one of the most influential people in America," Andy Andrews is a best-selling novelist and in-demand speaker for some of the world’s largest organizations. The Traveler’s Gift, a featured book selection of ABC’s Good Morning America, has been translated into more than 20 languages and was on every bestseller list in the country for months.
Andy has spoken at the request of four U.S. Presidents and toured military bases around the world at the request of the Department of Defense. Arguably, there is no single person on the planet better at weaving subtle, yet life-changing lessons into riveting tales of adventure and intrigue—both on paper and onstage.
What could this one man possibly have to say that is important enough for the Commander of the Allied Air Forces to ask his help? Why did every senior leader the United States Air Force has in Europe and the Middle East recently assemble in one room at one time to hear him speak?
Who is this man, that he would walk the golf course with Hall of Famer Nancy Lopez as she played her last tournament as a touring professional? Why was he invited to spend an afternoon with General Norman Schwarzkopf and his son, who was about to depart for college? What would he be asked to discuss with a ninety-one-year-old Bob Hope alone by the swimming pool in the entertainer's back yard?
Hailed by a New York Times writer as a 'modern-day Will Rogers who has quietly become one of the most influential people in America,' Andy Andrews is an internationally known speaker and novelist whose combined works have sold millions of copies worldwide. He has been received at the White House and has spoken at the request of four different United States presidents. His two-hour PBS special is entitled Andy Andrews: The Seven Decisions and is now airing nationally to incredible reviews.
Andrews'best-selling book, The Traveler's Gift: Seven Decisions that Determine Personal Success, is an international sensation, remaining on the New York Times bestseller list for four and a half months and being translated into nearly twenty languages. Featured on ABC's Good Morning America as a book-of-the-month selection, The Traveler's Gift is the stunning story of one man's search for meaning and success in life by traveling back into time and conversing with seven historic individuals. Its message of hope, faith, and perseverance is transforming thousands of lives worldwide every day, spawning a teen version, The Young Traveler's Gift; The Traveler's Gift Journal; a home study audio program, Timeless Wisdom from the Traveler; and life-study curriculum's in high schools, mental-health organizations, and prisons nationwide.
Andrews lived a relatively normal life until the age of nineteen, when both his parents died, his mother from cancer, his father in an automobile accident. 'I took a bad situation and made it much worse,' Andrews says with a rueful smile, referring to choices he made during this tragic period of his life. Within a span of several years, the young man found himself literally homeless (before that was even a word!' he says), sleeping occasionally under a pier on the gulf coast or in someone's garage.
It was at that time when Andrews asked the question that would focus his search for what would ultimately affect millions of people. The question? 'Is life just a lottery ticket, or are there choices one can make to direct his future?' To find the answer, he first went to the library. There, over time, he read more than two hundred biographies of great men and women. How did they become the people they were? he wondered. Were they simply born this way? Or were there decisions made at critical junctures in their lives that led to such success? The young Andrews finally determined that there were seven characteristics that each person had in common. 'What will happen,' he mused, 'if I study these seven common denominators and harness them in my own life?
The rest is history. 'The Seven Decisions,' as he calls them, were the engines used to carry Andrews' life in a different direction. And twenty-plus years later, these same Seven Decisions became the outline around which he built the story of The Traveler's Gift and the basis of his PBS Special.
- Andy's Latest Work -
Since the success of The Traveler's Gift and Mastering the Seven Decisions, Andrews has released an array of well-received literature, including the New York Times bestseller The Noticer. Offering a fresh and insightful perspective on how people can change their view of the world, and their place within it, The Noticer has succeeded tremendously in furthering Andrews' prevailing message of finding hope in the face of adversity. Based on the remarkable true story of Andrews' own life, the book teaches its readers that, "Sometimes, all a person needs is a little perspective."
Released in the same year, Return to Sawyerton Springs features Andrews' trademark wit and humor as he weaves tales around an enchanting town that can be found in the hearts of those who long to take a deep breath, relax, and find time for the humor and meaning in everyday life. "I dare you to read the first chapter aloud to a friend and not fall on the floor laughing," said Mark Victor Hansen, creator of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series. By reflecting on the seemingly ordinary aspects of everyday life, Andrews reveals them for what they truly are--extraordinary aspects of something much greater.
Released in 2010, The Heart Mender has created a stir in literary circles. Elegantly blending a riveting story, extensive research, and a powerful message of hope, the novel is a true adventure set against the warm waters and white sand of the America's Gulf of Mexico during World War II. Lieutenant Josef Landermann is a German U-Boat officer betrayed and left for dead. When he washes ashore in a sleepy coastal town, he looks to a young war widow for survival. Robert Silvers, executive publisher of The Saturday Evening Post calls The Heart Mender an "unforgettable experience."
2010 also saw the release of two more books, The Butterfly Effect, a book exploring a scientific theory based on physics within the context of our own lives, and The Boy Who Changed the World, Andrews' first children's book. The Butterfly Effect shows readers that every action, however big or small, matters. Andrews accomplishes this by introducing historical examples that illustrate how one person can set off a spark that, in turn, ignites the lives of unforeseen others.
The Boy Who Changed the World illustrates this same principle to children, enabling them to see how they can have a meaningful impact on the world around them. It is full of vibrant, full-page illustrations by Philip Hurst and chronicles the true story of the young Norman Borlaug--the boy who grew up to change the world. Children will be delighted by the illustrations and excited by the story as they learn that they too can change the world, just like Norman.
On April 12, 2011, The Final Summit, the long-awaited follow-up to The Traveler's Gift, was released and is now available everywhere books are sold. The Final Summit finds David Ponder, the hero of The Traveler's Gift, at a completely different time in his life. Now older--and with the wisdom of the Seven Decisions he discovered in The Traveler's Gift--David Ponder and a cast of historic figures have been charged with the task of discovering the one principle that will save all of humanity from dire consequences. And the answer they seek is only two words.
Driven by his own personal moving story, Andy Andrews communicates to his audience through the heart--an uncommon style in today's media-driven world. Arguably, there is no single person on the planet better at weaving subtle yet life-changing lessons into riveting tales of adventure and intrigue--both on paper and on stage.
This review is from: Return to Sawyerton Springs: A Mostly True Tale Filled with Love, Learning, and Laughter (Hardcover)
I did laugh out loud a few times, but mostly I found myself smiling as I read about the happenings in this Camelot of small town America, recalled with gentle humor by Andy Andrews. "Return to Sawyerton Springs" is a selection of "mostly true" reminiscences of a minister's son growing up in a close-knit Alabaman community that regards Birmingham as the North.
The tale meanders along like a babbling brook on a lazy summer day, creating a mood of innocent well-being. The stories are like a time capsule of the values of neighborliness and kindness that his upright, church-going community held dear. Andrews is a fine storyteller, and "Return to Sawyerton Springs" will strike a chord with anyone nostalgic for a simpler time.
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This review is from: Return to Sawyerton Springs: A Mostly True Tale Filled with Love, Learning, and Laughter (Hardcover)
This was one of the best books I have ever read. It made me laugh so hard, it made me want to share it with all my family and friends. I have since bought all of Andy Andrews books. One of the best writers ever.
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This review is from: Return to Sawyerton Springs: A Mostly True Tale Filled with Love, Learning, and Laughter (Hardcover)
Our book club in Washington State read "Return to Sawyerton Springs" by Andy Andrews in December, 2009, and over all we thoroughly enjoyed this visit to small town life. Andy tells us that he has kept the essence of his childhood and we are very happy that he has a good memory. Some of the comments from readers were `heartwarming', `sincere', `humorous', `completely engaging', `just like eating peanuts, you can't put it down' and `each chapter is a garden of delights'. I particularly enjoyed the wonderful sense of community since I don't have a hometown. One of our favorite chapters involved uniquely small town way to raise money for band uniforms involving plant pot painting, washing driveways, and baking to name a few. Local graduating seniors trick the community into believing a beloved statue has been stolen in one chapter. A parade bombed by ping pong balls and a food war between a traveling store bus and a lunch counter populate this `can't put it down' book. Creative, sentimental, and bound to create a smile, we highly recommend this book!
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