Customer Reviews

When Wanderers Cease to Roam: A Traveler's Journal of Staying Put

5 star:		(28)
4 star:		(5)
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2 star:		(1)
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Vivian Swift has led an interesting, nomadic life. After living in 23 different places in 20 years, she decided to stay put in a small village on Long Island Sound. When Wanderers Cease to Roam: A Traveler's Journal of Staying Put is so much more than her journal for a year of "staying put." This is one of those books that is hard to categorize or describe. Yes, it is a journal, but it also tells of Vivian's past (she's kept a journal since she was 19.) There are some tidbits of news from the local village and some delightful quotes. There are also some interesting facts about things like the teacup handle and why we start our year with January. And, oh, the illustrations! Some of that may sound dull, but this book is anything but!

I adored this book. The drawings are beautiful and I found myself poring over every detail in them. The best thing about this book, though, is the fact that it reminds us to take delight in and be thankful for the small, everyday things in life - things like a bird's feather, an animal's tracks in the snow, or a shady spot in the summer. This book was published by Bloomsbury on October 28.

This remarkable book is very difficult to explain. On the back cover, author Vivian Swift calls it an "illustrated chronicle," but that descriptor suggests a story or at least a loose stringing together of related events. Rather than a "chronicle," When Wanderers Cease to Roam is more of a seasonal collage. The book progresses month by month through Swift's life in a small village on the Long Island Sound and is stuffed full of the author's watercolor paintings, drawings, and related musings. Swift hand lettered the entire book, including the front page with the publishing information and the ISBN numbers. I haven't come across anything so carefully crafted in a long time.

In January, we are treated to watercolors of snowy country scenes and pen-and-ink drawings of snowmen and winter gulls in various poses. There's also a mini-memoir describing five of Swift's notable past birthdays, including: "Celebrating at the King David Hotel (built in 1931) in Jerusalem (founded in 2000 BCE) where the tomates provencals are unforgettable and I have no idea that my soldier dining companion will become my first husband. I am 30." February is a homage to travel while May focuses on gardens and gardening. Some of the book's most beautiful watercolors are of the night sky in July.

When Wanderers Cease to Roam won't appeal to everyone. It's slightly cutesy in places and contains plenty of cats and tea cups. Although I usually abhor such books, I was utterly charmed by this one. Judging by the glowing reviews this book is receiving, I'm not alone.

I loved this book. It's absolutely charming - both in the writing and in the artwork (which the author also did). She has a way of writing about common every-day things in a way that makes you look at them differently. I know that sounds like a cliche, but it's really true. For instance, she has a page on mud. Yes, mud. And, believe it or not, after reading that page, I was fascinated by mud and the different kinds of mud. I wouldn't have believed that to be possible. Whenever I'm someone's houseguest, I always bring a gift for my host/hostess. I used to bring candles or baked goods. But now I'm going to give copies of this book.

This was a charming and quirky book to read. It's part journal, part memoir and diary. It's very unique in style, filled with beautiful watercolor drawings created by the author. It's formatted by months of the year with stories and experiences and drawings that correlate to each of the 12 months of the year. Ms. Swift spent years traveling the world from the age of 19 to 39 and then she discovered the Long Island Sound and set roots there for 10 years living in a small village. I enjoyed the town newsletter clippings that shared small town events and news and the items that Ms. Swift found around the village. One one page is a set of all of the colored children's mittens she found. On another is a mish-mosh of various items including foreign coins. She shares favorite clothes ,old and new, and where she has worn them and her stories behind them. There are even a few recipes included along the way. There are beautiful sketches and drawings related to the seasons and for the winter there is a set of drawings of a snowman's activities. She intertwines stories and experiences related to her travels and life experiences along the way. You can read it month by month or just browse through the pictures or read the whole book as I did.

This book was highly recommended on a blog I frequent. When I came to Amazon and checked it out, I was immediately entranced by the author's charming watercolors.

I ordered the book, and I was thrilled to discover that it was EVEN MORE BEAUTIFUL and MORE INTERESTING than I had anticipated. I find myself continually admiring her use of line and color.

What I had not expected was her witty writing style. I frequently chuckle and even laugh outloud. This book is so special that I will only let myself pour over it for short bits of time...as I do with all of my favorite books...trying to make them last as long as possible.

If you like a simpler, colorful illustrative style of art, this book is for you.

If you love transparent watercolors, this book is for you.

If you love nature, this book is for you.

If you love reading witty writing that sheds new light on your own life, this book is for you.

If you want to reflect on the rhythm of seasons throughout the year, this book is for you.

If you want a book to savor, this book is for you.

Some books to do not fall easily into a category and When Wanders Cease to Roam is one of those books. Part memoir, part travel diary, part daily observations of a calendar year in a small town on Long Island Sound, part amusing insights on things past, present and future from the mundane to the poetic, it is a tome filled with a wonderful variety of delightful nuggets.

After traveling around the world from the time she was 19, holding a wide variety of jobs and having a number of fascinating...and not so fascinating experiences...Ms. Swift decided when she was about forty to take a pause in her travels. A ten year pause along the coast of Long Island Sound; a pause that in her hands proves to be just as interesting as some of her more exotic adventures. To quote the author, "I bummed around the world for twenty years before I suddenly decided to unpack my duffle bags once for all. On a whim I chose a small village on the Long Island Sound to be my happily-ever- after address. Little did I know that home would be the most extraordinary place I'd ever visit."

Well, in her hands and through her eyes it is.

The book is illustrated with about 300 of Ms. Swift's works of art, from her wonderful watercolors, to pen and ink line drawings and illustrations of everything from her cats to her neighbors. There is a page of her painting of eight varieties of snowflakes, another of 19 lost mittens she found over the ten years in her walks in the snow, two pages devoted to lovely colorful drawings of her collection of tea cups, many with a story.

We travel with her from January, when we learn how to 'winterize' our minds, through March, which is both Tea Time and the time of 14 types of mud...all illustrated...May, the season of Secret Gardens to September, when she proposes The Acre of Earth Theory of Life. "Everyone gets an acre of Earth when they're born... If you ever feel crowded into a corner by your life, you need to take a better look at your acre of Earth. It's bigger than you think." Her 'acre' has extended from Zen Buddhist boyfriends in Paris to rainy days in Dublin and mornings in the Sahara. The book ends when we have come full circle, back to the short, cold winter days of December. Along the way, we have brief visits with Thoreau, Dickinson, Willa Cather and Scooter, the ugly kitten. Every step is beautifully illustrated and it those illustrations that make this book so special.

Don't get me wrong; the text of this book is very good. At time it is poetic, at time philosophical and at times just very, very funny... and always entertaining. But the book is really just so attractive to look at and I absolutely love the watercolors.

I totally recommend this absolutely charming book.

The beauty, wit and colors of this book radiate from the first January journal entry through the celebration of December. I simply could not put it down but I made myself so that I could savor each and every sentence and watercolor. I happened upon this book by pure accident and I like to think it found its way to me. Ms. Swift expresses the joys and laughs of every day living as she stays put in her home village on the shores of the Long Island Sound while weaving-in her travel adventures of her young adult years. I highly recommend this book to all readers and suggest you sit down and enjoy a cup of tea as Ms. Swift entertains us with her everyday adventures. I will be buying many copies of this book to share with friends and family this holiday season. Thank you, Ms. Swift!

This book will have a permanent place on my night stand. I could pour over the watercolor illustrations by the author forever, never allowed to read a word of the text, and be perfectly happy. Conversely, I could be allowed to read the text and never see an illustration and be equally as happy. Each turn of the page brings something totally unexpected and breathtakingly beautiful.

Perfect for : Personal reading, Gift book, Great coffee table book

In a nutshell: I really enjoyed this delightful book. The author has a way of sharing things she observed or thought, causing me to look at my surroundings differently. She has grouped thoughts, experiences, facts, etc into the months of the year (as opposed to chapters). In January, there are some great facts associated with the calendar and the month, thoughts about dressing warmly, journal entries, and some good examples to help you look at things through a new perspective. The drawings done by the author are charming, and her thoughts expressive and captivating. I found myself lost in the new world surrounding me as I looked at things more closely. There are so many delightful things in this book! On pages 44-45, the author shares little bits and drawings of her charming tea cup collection - it made me want to brew a cup of tea and curl up with a warm blanket to keep reading!

My Review:

Something I found very interesting - on the copyright page, there is a note that says, "The entire text of this book has been hand lettered by the author." It really gives the book that personal feeling, that you are really reading the authors personal thoughts and observations. I don't think there was a page in the book that didn't make me smile at least once!

Characters: The book reads like a journal of sorts - of the author's personal thoughts and observations. As such, she is the main character, and her experiences are very enjoyable. She has a great sense of humor.

Story-Line: There wasn't really a traditional story-line, but rather, groups of thoughts and observations that fit well together and flowed nicely from one month to the next.

Readability: This was a very fun read. The use of different information (thoughts, diary entries, facts, charming drawings and watercolors, etc. I really liked that I could start and stop at any time without feeling I needed to complete a "chapter" first.

Overall: A very delightful book! Even if you don't normally read this type of book, stretch outside your comfort zone and give this book a try! It would also make a great gift when going to celebrations or parties.

It was by chance that I saw a review of this book on a friends blog and decided to order it. I am so glad I did. The lovely watercolor sketches caught my eye immediately, but it was the written words that drew me in and kept there for three days while I slowly entered the world of Long Island Sound and the many seasons there. This is one of the few books that put a smile on my face as I was reading it. I was glad to trade those hours of my life to be a part of this adventure.

If you love reading journals, are inspired by watercolor and love to see the treasures in everyday life, this book is for you.