After reading ALL of Nicholas Sparks’ novels, I picked up this autobiography including tales of the trip of a lifetime that he shared with his older brother, Micah. It has taken me a while to read it and I took a few breaks along the way, but it was interesting to learn more about the man behind the bestsellers.
The book alternates tales of their adventures in scenic locations and their lives starting with their childhood years. What most people, who have read the Notebook or a Message in a Bottle, would not know is that Sparks grew up very poor, moving frequently and had a LOT of freedom to explore and get into trouble as a child. As an adult, he was a track star (until he was injured), married young and started a family with his wife which includes 5 children. He has struggled, helping his second child who has a disability to learn and be able to attend regular school. Despite many specialists and testing, the family is not clear of his diagnosis.
The locations that the brothers described sound like amazing places to add to bucket lists. The book brings you to tears as the brother’s lose both their parents in quick succession and later their younger sister. Sparks describes how certain characters in books are modeled after certain family members.
While not a riveting book that is difficult to put down (like many of his novels), it was interesting to learn more about this prolific author.
