Publishers Weekly
10/26/2020
Wheelan (The Rationing), a professor of economics at Dartmouth College, delivers a humorous account of the year he spent traveling the world with his family. In 2016, Wheelan and his wife, Leah, embarked on a nine-month trip with their three children: Katrina, 18; Sophie, 16; and eighth-grader CJ. Starting in Colombia, where the kids momentarily go missing on a train platform, high-strung Charles and budget-conscious Leah haul their moody children across six continents, balancing moments of self-discovery with family meltdowns. They encounter “avocado-sized spiders” in the Amazon, notoriously horrendous Saigon traffic, visa problems in India, and an orphanage for albino children in Tanzania, and go “kiwi spotting” in New Zealand. Frequently anxious yet determined to enjoy himself, Wheelan offers plenty of self-effacing humor, amusing digressions (“Our experience was the opposite of what happened to George Bailey,” referring to Jimmy Stewart’s character in It’s a Wonderful Life), and heartfelt observations (writing about friends they made along the way, “They are a kind, charming people with a deep respect for this unique part of the world. I felt sad to be leaving”). This rip-roaring adventure will especially appeal to those whose passports are collecting dust thanks to the pandemic. (Jan.)
Amity Gaige
"Wheelan is a lucid and likable storyteller, and his antic family dialogues are spot-on…[A]n upbeat story."
Booklist - Carol Haggas
"The family’s offbeat experiment in global immersion is a triumph of cultural connection, a celebration of humanity’s similarities and differences, presented with a winning blend of humor and humility. For those suffering from pandemic cabin fever, Wheelan’s exuberant travelogue will provide a welcome vicarious getaway."
Michael Patrick Brady
"Makes a strong case for extended travel as a means of establishing a tighter bond as a family."
Dan Coyle
"A complete and utter delight of a book, from start to finish. Charlie Wheelan and his remarkable family deliver not only a page-turning travelogue, but also a blueprint for restoring a long-lost sense of adventure into our lives."
Carson Vaughan
"A swift and refreshing escape during these isolated, isolating times…[I]t's often the utter normalcy of the Wheelan family that makes this travelogue so endearing."
John Young
"Engaging stories of a family bonding over the unusual challenges and opportunities presented by budget-minded globetrotting."
Curt Schleier
"A sprightly account of an unusual family vacation."
Nathan Deuel
"Engaging, insightful, and downright pleasant."
Kirkus Reviews
2020-11-10
A vivid chronicle of a family's intrepid sojourn.
In the fall of 2016, Wheelan, a professor of public policy at Dartmouth, and his wife, Leah, who taught high school math, both just turned 50, decided to embark on a daring midlife adventure: traveling the world for nine months, accompanied by their three teenage children. Having traveled with Leah when the two were much younger, the author was convinced that they would again find that “the world is an interesting place,” the time away would give them a much-needed period to recharge and reflect, and—because they rented their house and put budget-conscious Leah in charge of expenses—the trip would be affordable. Most important, the “gap year” would give the family a chance to “push back” against conformity and break out of the “bubble” of American life. Wheelan offers an entertaining, upbeat account of the trip, often astonishingly beautiful and sometimes harrowing. They encountered snakes, huge spiders, inch-long bullet ants, mosquitoes, quicksand, and a flesh-eating parasite; missed buses, trains, and planes; wilted in enervating heat and humidity; and dealt with profuse vomiting, since all of the children succumbed at various times to motion sickness. Still, Wheelan writes, “during the stretches when I was not worried about dying, I felt deeply relaxed.” Traveling with teenagers—and home-schooling two of them—posed its own challenges: Their 18-year daughter insisted on being independent and occasionally left to travel with friends; their garrulous 13-year-old son became a judgmental environmentalist; and their 16-year-old refused to meet her school deadlines. Wheelan records five full-blown family meltdowns and many conflicts, requiring Leah to sometimes function “like the conductor of a needy symphony orchestra.” Nevertheless, Wheelan deems the trip a success: The “quirky experiences” taught the family about the world’s immense diversity and their own capabilities.
A charming celebration of discovery.
