Journal Entry 1 by tranq1 from Tampa, Florida USA on Tuesday, September 20, 2011

I thought I would love this book. I had trips planned for Italy and Greece. I also had another trip planned to travel with my daughter. I had read and enjoyed Sue Monk Kidd's novels. I was disappointed. There were too many mystical happening. She sees a statue and then she know what she is supposed to do, and it all works out. Both mother and daughter also seem too self-absorbed in relatively small problems. 

Journal Entry 2 by tranq1 at Thegoaliegirl's Travel Narrative bookbox, A Bookbox -- Controlled Releases on Saturday, September 24, 2011

Released 8 mos ago (9/24/2011 UTC) at Thegoaliegirl's Travel Narrative bookbox, A Bookbox -- Controlled Releases

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Putting in Thegoaliegirl's Travel Narrative bookbox. 

Journal Entry 3 by mrsjones at Hamilton, Ohio USA on Monday, February 13, 2012

I pulled this from the bookbox, even though I haven't been a big fan of Sue Monk Kidd's work. But I like the premise of this book; her writing with her daughter. I'd like to do that with my daughter and mother, so will see how this worked. 

Journal Entry 4 by mrsjones at Hamilton, Ohio USA on Monday, March 12, 2012

Throughout most of this book, Sue and Ann drove me absolutely crazy! Especially Ann. I just wanted to shake her. My God, is the girl afraid of her own shadow? All she does is worry, contemplate, question, and let months go by without deciding or doing ANYTHING. Like you, tranq1, I found them to be so self-absorbed in every single breath they took and considered their every thought so profound that it merited deeper exploration, that I thought I might scream. All I could think was how much I would hate to be around either one of them. I'm a do-er, not a sit-around-and-think-about-things-forever kind of person. They drove me crazy.

And yet -- this book inspired me. As much as I didn't like Sue's constant contemplations, I started to think about my own writing and realized how little thought and feeling I interject into it. I think this was brought forth for me when they take the trip with the larger group of women and they all sit and share their journals at night. My mother, daughter, and I do that, too. In fact, it's one of my favorite aspects of any vacation. But Sue's book reminded me that my writing is always so factual: what we did, what we saw, where we were, etc.. I think on our upcoming trip to Savannah, I may take a more contemplative approach in my journal writing.

I also loved reading about the journey and coming together of ideas that finally formed "The Secret Life of Bees." I always like to know the background and inspiration for different books and enjoyed that aspect of this one immensely. Plus, I loved Sue's idea of creating a collage/storyboard of sorts about all those images that she felt drawn to as she considered writing her novel. I think I'd like to try that. I thought it was a novel (pun intended) idea. 

Journal Entry 5 by mrsjones at Hamilton, Ohio USA on Saturday, March 24, 2012

I'm adding this to the "I Need a Vacation" bookbox, since it has such fabulous Greek, French, and South Carolina settings. Enjoy! 

Journal Entry 6 by bookstogive at Springville, Tennessee USA on Wednesday, March 28, 2012

This lovely book returned in the I Need A Vacation Bookbox, thanks for including it! It looks like a good read so onto MTR it goes where hopefully it won't stay long :)