Judith Fein does not let grass grow under her feet. She, like her husband, enjoy travel and experiencing what this world has to offer. In this book, Life Is A Journey, Judith shares 14 journeys where she learns from other cultures about their families, death, measuring success, faith, overcoming trauma, and forgiveness.
I have always enjoyed traveling and experiencing the world. As a child, I experienced California and Alaska as we have relatives in both areas. Once married and the kids were old enough to enjoy traveling, as a family we went to Florida, Mexico, Costa Rica, California (a couple of times), Haiti, an awkward experience in the Bahama’s….. (a story for another time), and then eventually and most recent Honduras, Al and I and then our college son Justin.
I love to see how people live, how they do life day to day, the sights the smells…. the culture. I too have a bit of the “Judith Fein” bug. 😀
In well written chapters, Judith shares 14 experience around the world. Places I would LOVE to experience, but most likely, I will experience them through shared stories, and books like this. From stories like Tales Of The Tomb Of Israel (breathtaking…really), to a Mexican Prison, Forgiveness in Vietnam, a
funeral in Micronesia just to name a few.
What I enjoyed most about this read is that the stories are not only about the places, sites, food, and cultural experiences, BUT about the people. I loved reading how a kindergarten teacher of Israel prayed for a husband and found him at age 40 and a Maya woman from Guatemala never gave up on her impossible dream to come and visit the United States (and succeeded against all odds!).
This is a book I will look to again…. when I feel I need a little cultural inspiration. The variety of the chapters were interesting, captivating, and delightful…. they left me thinking of people I would never meet, but thanks to Judith Fein…. feel I have.
If you enjoy books about people, travel and culture, I suggest in your travels you pick up a copy of this book.
In celebration of my birthday…. leave a comment here about where you have traveled… or wish to one day travel and I will enter you into a random giveaway of a $10 Amazon gift card (this will be emailed to the winner). I will draw a winner using random.org on Sunday morning.
Book Journey 
Hi and Happy Birthday again!
I’ve traveled to Italy and Germany, and both countries are calling me to return! I want to see more of Europe and Australia/New Zealand are on my “must see” travels. I’ve been to most of the continental states and I have a cousin in the US Virgin Islands, who I try to visit every couple of years. This book sounds like a great “armchair traveler” read! Thanks for the review!
I would love to see Italy Linda!
Today, my “would like to travel to” place is Ireland, because my friend has asked me to house-sit and feed her cat for two weeks when she goes to Ireland in May. She and I both have Irish ancestors, and I informed her I speak fluent Blarney!
Oh that would be wonderful Bonnie! I am part Irish so I would love to someday take that trip…
This sounds like quite a lovely book.
I hope it is Patty 🙂
You forgot that you’ve been to New York! lol This does sound like a delightful book. I really want to visit Italy.
Oh yeah! LOL 😀
I’ve been to Cameroon, West Africa. The list of places I want to visit is very, very loooooooooooooooooooooonnnnnng.
Oh West Africa Hannah! I bet that was incredible!
Oh, this is a book I’d like…love traveling through books.
My actual travels have been mostly in the US, with a trip to Boston being the most memorable. Although I’ve enjoyed several trips to Seattle and a couple of excursions into Canada.
Canada is breathtaking.
In my last trip to Seattle, we stayed on San Juan Island, at Friday Harbor, the setting for a book I read recently called Rainshadow Road.
As close as I am Laurel, I have never crossed the border into Canada…
I have been very lucky and have been able to travel a lot. I am Danish, currently living in the very north of Greenland. Have lived for several years in Scotland, visited England, Spain, Italy, Norway and Sweden. And in my youth (24 years ago) I travelled in South America for 6 months and visited several countries. This summer I am going back to England and then also a few weeks to Finland. yes, I guess I have been very lucky to be able to travel so much.
Wow Jane you have so many great travels!
happy birthday!
my dream is to go on an african safari…..i had enough money saved to go 20+ yrs ago and chose instead to get married and used the money for that…i’m still married but the dream is still there!
Oh a Safari would be so wonderful Diana!
WOW!! Sounds like you have been able to see a lot of the world! This past summer I spent three weeks in South Korea with my husband and daughter. It was a wonderful experience and we all grew from what we were able to see and do. I love to read about others traveling to places I may never get to. It allows me to dream and imagine what is possible.
Maura
South Korea had to be amazing!
This sounds like such a cool book! I am a major armchair traveler 🙂
I have been to Canada (I go every year to visit family) and the Dominican Republic (for a wedding), and Sri Lanka (when I was a baby) but the one place I’ve always wanted to go is the U.K. I want to visit Scotland, Wales, and especially England to see historical and literary sites (like castles, the Tower of London, museums, and Jane Austen’s home) and drink lots and lots of tea. I hope someday I get to go.
Happy birthday! I hope you had a wonderful day.
Scotland!!! Ooh thats another one! 😀
I dream of travelling but haven’t had much opportunity to do so. My bucket list includes a trip to Britain and Scotland.
I think I would love to see Scotland Shirley!
I have been to China, Russia, Vietnam, India, Hong Kong, Singapore, Europe, Peru and Ecuador, Kenya, Morrocco, Turks and Caicos and lived in Australia. This book sounds like my cup of tea.
Esme this book is your cup of tea! Your travel life astounds me.. seriously you could write a book about the flavors of the world….
This book is so my cup of tea-I often question how I ended up living in the US and did not keep on moving. Love what can you say. I am reading a book about a woman who studying cooking in four countries wishing it was me. Honestly if I did not have the kitties I think I would pick up and leave-the husband could fend on his own-I just could not leave the kitties and I do not think they would be up for the travels. I would buy this book if I won.
The cook book sounds interesting Esme!
I’ve traveled all around Australia. It is a beautiful country.
I would love to read LIFE IS A TRIP thank you.
marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com
Oh I bet Mary! That would be a great place to explore!
I’d love to visit Vietnam and Cambodia.
mystica123athotmaildotcom
I would too Mystica….
I, too, love learning about other cultures. And believe me, us Americans still have a lot to learn!
Oh I believe that Angie 😀
someone just sent me what you wrote about my book, LIFE IS A TRIP: The Transformative Magic of Travel. you got the book on the deepest level. thank you and may your life be full of travels, internal and external!
Ahhh thanks Judith! You were a pleasure to read!
There are so many places I would like to see, it’s so hard to choose. I think I’d like to do a world tour so that I could visit as many of them as I could (if only for a little while). Then I’d be able to choose where it would be worth going for longer!
I like visiting places like that too Abigail 🙂
I have been to China, Japan and Canada but stayed the longest in China-three weeks. I think what I loved the best was the people. In Tiananamen Squares, I was surrounded with people who wanted to take my picture and touch my hair. Every where you go, people ask permission to speak English with you, I want to go back so much!
China sounds amazing Carol!
I have been to Europe several times, Scandanavia is on my wish list!
Thanks for the giveaway!
Europe would be on my wish list for sure 😉
I love reading books like this.. reading and traveling – these books help take care of two of my favorite things to do! whats not to like?! would love to win…
I’ve been to the US a number of times visiting family. I also went to Spain on a World Youth Day pilgrimage in 2011. But my dream has always been to visit Asia…specifically Japan. I think it would be a liberating experience and I’m looking forward to this dream coming to pass.