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Insightful,
Adventurous

1 review

Without Reservations : The Travels of an Independent Woman
by Alice Steinbach

Published: 2002-03
Paperback : 295 pages
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9 clubs reading this now
0 members have read this book
Recommended to book clubs by 1 of 1 members
"In many ways, I was an independent woman," writes Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Alice Steinbach. “For years I’d made my own choices, paid my own bills, shoveled my own snow.” But somehow she had become dependent in quite another way. “I had fallen into the habit of defining ...
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Introduction

"In many ways, I was an independent woman," writes Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Alice Steinbach. “For years I’d made my own choices, paid my own bills, shoveled my own snow.” But somehow she had become dependent in quite another way. “I had fallen into the habit of defining myself in terms of who I was to other people and what they expected of me.” But who was she away from the people and things that defined her? In this exquisite book, Steinbach searches for the answer to this question in some of the most beautiful and exciting places in the world: Paris, where she finds a soul mate; Oxford, where she takes a course on the English village; Milan, where she befriends a young woman about to be married. Beautifully illustrated with postcards from Steinbach’s journeys, this revealing and witty book transports you into a fascinating inner and outer journey, an unforgettable voyage of discovery.

Praise for Without Reservations:

“A rich account of one woman’s journey through Europe and into the self.”
—Us Weekly

“I loved going along with Alice Steinbach as she goes off on this rare, wonderful adventure, an escape into discovering herself and some of the truly magical places in this world.” —DOMINICK DUNNE

“More than a chronicle of the writer’s search for self-discovery, Without Reservations is a lovely travelogue.”
—Chicago Tribune

“The best books, like the best vacations, contain unexpected delights, surprises that enrich the soul as well as the senses. This is a book about love, and longing, and the passage of time. It’s about hope, and courage, and the resiliency of memory. This book is a feast. Bon appétit!
—The Des Moines Register

“Beautifully written, clear, insightful, thoughtful . . . Steinbach’s book should be taken in slowly and savored all the way.”
—St. Petersburg Times

Editorial Review

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Member Reviews

Overall rating:
 
 
  "A Good Read but Not the Best"by Susie B. (see profile) 01/11/10

I found this book very easy to read, easy to imagine being in the main character's place; but, I have read better. While there are some insightful phrases, I found it somewhat choppy and after mid-book,... (read more)

 
  "Good, fun, easy read"by vanessa l. (see profile) 02/09/08

great insight to traveling alone and what it means to be a women after your children are gone and you need to start over.

 
  "Enjoyable, but not enlightening"by Laura R. (see profile) 02/08/08

This wouldn't be the first book I would recommend to others, but it wouldn't be the last. It was entertaining to read and well-written, however, I didn't feel like the book "went anywhere". It may be that... (read more)

 
  "it prompted good conversation, but no one considered it a great book"by Jordana C. (see profile) 02/08/08

 
  "Journalist Alice Steinbach takes a leave from her job to live for a time in foreign cities - Paris, Oxford and Milan."by Candice M. (see profile) 01/29/08

I loved this book! Reading it was like sitting at a table across from the author with a pot of tea between us. Parts of it brought tears to my eyes. This woman has a zest for life and an abi... (read more)

 
  "She travels independently to London, Paris and Italy and chronicles her trip"by Christine T. (see profile) 07/25/06

I enjoyed the read as I was traveling to Paris about a month later. There were also several pages I earmarked because of the thought-provoking things she had to say.

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