Educating Alice: Adventures of a Curious Woman

Inspirational for those who love to experience new things

I picked up Alice Steinbach's book "Without Reservations" in a used book store, and enjoyed it so much that I decided to see what else she had written and found this book, which is somewhat of a sequel. Her first sabbatical to travel around Europe for a year led her to the decision to take a longer sabbatical. In following her passions to travel, learn, and write, Alice describes her adventures as she travels around the world to learn new things. I love her writing style, and the way she uses a variety of techniques, to include letters to her boyfriend, to tell her story and describe her feelings about the things she is learning to do, the people she meets, the events surrounding her adventure, and the feelings from her childhood these activities evoke. As a new retiree, Alice Steinbach has inspired me to follow my passions without fear. I have recommended this book to all of my friends who love to travel.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Story of Independence

Travel is more than seeing sites or taking tours. It is an expression of independence. This and her previous book express the development of a woman who is examining and enriching her life by exploring new experiences. Excellent memoir and a model for women who enjoy this type of adventure.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Snoozer

This book was very hard to get through. Esentially it is the aimless ramblings of one woman's travels to different areas of the world. I found it incredibly boring with very few redeaming points of interest. I thought it would be a thought provoking book about a woman who learned profound life lessons through her travels. I was sorely dissapointed as the author bouced throughout the timeline of her stays in various areas and didn't seem to offer anything valuable to the reader along the way. Definitely pass this one by.

Great insight

As Alice Steinbach travels around the world, readers can get a feeling of how different each culture is. It's a book to open a little the eyes of everyone and look a little over the borders and understand that people are different, but still driven by the same emotions as ourselves.
The links to her childhood are amazing and show how the circle of life is complete, even somewhere else.

Rebirth and Travel

Unlike the cynic of the first review - bravo Alice. This is not just a travelogue but rebirth of personhood. As a traveller, I also enjoyed the descriptions of cities I've come to know and love. Alice is seeing the 'real' parts of these cities.

The Romantic Teenager's Guide to Travel

I can't believe this author is a Pulitzer Prize winner. This is like the gushing girl's guide-she makes fast friends every time she even goes into a cafe & everyone is sweet and charming-not a con artist or liar to be found anywhere. Aside from that there is precious little of substance,insight or travel value.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Traveling with your grandma

This book would only be interesting to you if you have not traveled before or want to travel with an older woman. I could only read half the book before I had to put it aside. Her writing style is 'cute', but lacking substance. The fact that she kept asking the Japanese women in Kyoto if they had ever read 'Memoirs of a Geisha' made me blush, I was so embarrassed for her. She seems like a sweet lady traveling around, and I give kudos to her for that, however it is not the adventure book I was hoping for. She complains at one point that the furniture in her hotel room didn't match and she was disappointed.

No text was provided for this review.

No text was provided for this review.