Monday, October 24, 2016

Three Weeks With My Brother - #TeaserTuesday and First Chapter/First Paragraph/Tuesday Intros

    Nicholas Sparks fans will adore this memoir, and even though he isn't my most favorite author, I enjoyed it a lot. I like the way Sparks wove his life story into the round-the-world trip he took with his brother Micah, relating memories from his past in a natural way as the brothers reminisced. Their humble childhood surprised me.
    Thank you to my new walking-group friend, Donna, for loaning the book to me.

Genre: Memoir

Book Length (Trade paperback): 356 Pages
Amazon Link: Three Weeks With My Brother
Author's Website: Nicholas Sparks

The book begins with a prologue, explaining how Nicholas Sparks and his brother decided to go on the "Heaven and Earth" round-the-world trip to exotic places. I'm sharing the First Paragraph from Chapter 1:

     Many stories begin with a simple lesson learned, and our family's story is no exception. For brevity's sake, I'll summarize.
     In the beginning, we children were conceived. And the lesson learned - at least according to my Catholic mmother - goes like this:
     "Always remember," she told me, "that no matter what the church tells you, the rhythm method doesn't work."

Teaser Tuesday (from Page 148 in the paperback edition):

Because we couldn't afford the sort of treats that other kids seemed to get - cookies, Twinkies, Ho-Hos, etc. - we developed a binge mentality when the opportunity presented itself. If we were visiting someone's house, for instance, we'd devour whatever we could, eating until we felt like we would burst.

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

The day the brochure came was a typical one. With a wife and five small children, a hectic schedule, and a new book due to his publishers, Nicholas Sparks was busy with his usual routine. The colorful mailer, however, described something very different: a tour to some of the most exotic places on Earth. Slowly, an idea took hold in Nicholas's mind and heart. In January 2003, Nicholas Sparks and his brother, Micah, set off on a three-week trip around the globe. It was to mark a milestone in their lives, for at thirty-seven and thirty-eight respectively, they were now the only surviving members of their family. And as they voyaged to the lost city of Machu Picchu high in the Andes. . . to mysterious Easter Island. . . to Ayers Rock in the Australian outback. . . and across the vast Indian subcontinent, the ultimate story of their lives would unfold. Against the backdrop of the wonders of the world and often overtaken by their feelings, daredevil Micah and the more serious, introspective Nicholas recalled their rambunctious childhood adventures and the tragedies that tested their faith. And in the process, they discovered startling truths about loss, love and hope. Narrated with irrepressible humor and rare candor, and including personal photographs, Three Weeks with my Brother reminds us to embrace life with all its uncertainties. . . and most of all, to cherish the joyful times, both small and momentous, and the wonderful people who make them possible.


Teaser Tuesday is hosted by Jenn of Books and A Beat. Post two sentences from somewhere in a book you're reading. No spoilers, please!

First Chapter/First Paragraph/Tuesday Intros is hosted by Bibliophile By The Sea. To participate, share the first paragraph (or a few) from a book you're reading or thinking about reading soon.



Twitter: @SandyNachlinger

Facebook: sandy.nachlinger

22 comments:

  1. I'm not a Sparks fan either, but I liked the first paragraph and laughed at the teaser. I like most memoirs so I might give this one a try.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I do like the opener although I'm don't really read this type of book - the teaser was very good too and enough to make me want to know more.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I'm not a Sparks fan and typically don't read memoirs unless it's someone I'm pretty much obsessed with .... but this does sound good!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I've read a couple of his books but he's not really on my radar any more, but this sounds good. Gotta wonder, though, what kind of insanity it takes to think you can tour the world in three weeks.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Both the teaser and the paragraph made me chuckle. Enjoy! I hope you can stop by:

    http://collettaskitchensink.blogspot.com/2016/10/teaser-tuesday-veil-of-pearls-112516.html

    Colletta

    ReplyDelete
  6. Sounds like an interesting memoir. Might give this a try.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I don't like Sparkes' novels, but this sounds very readable and amusing. Thank you for sharing:). This is my teaser - https://sjhigbee.wordpress.com/2016/10/25/teaser-tuesday-25th-october-2016/

    ReplyDelete
  8. Ooh, I like the sound of this memoir. I've read a couple of his books but am not really a fan.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Whether a reader of Sparks writing or not, this sounds like it could be a really good memoir.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I'm not a Sparks fan either, but the blurb and opening are tempting me to give this a try anyway. Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Wow, lots of people who aren't Sparks fans here!

    My teaser this week is from an Amish Thriller: https://wp.me/p3Nz8P-Zy

    ReplyDelete
  12. I am not a Sparks fan but, I do recall listening to this one years ago and enjoying it. I hope you do as well.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I've enjoyed a couple of his books. Not a huge fan but this sounds interesting.

    My TT from Extinct

    ReplyDelete
  14. I've read and enjoyed a couple of Sparks' books, but he is not a go-to author for me. The idea of this adventure does sound appealing, though...especially given the facts about the brothers being the only two surviving family members.

    I had to smile at the opening lines, about the rhythm method.

    Thanks for sharing, and here's mine: “THE LAST GOOD GIRL”

    ReplyDelete
  15. I have yet to read a book by Nicholas Sparks and I need to change that soon! I love books that feature trip-taking and this one sounds like one that I would really enjoy. I am glad to hear that you liked it! :)

    My TT

    ReplyDelete
  16. I've heard this was good even if you aren't a Sparks fan (which I am not).

    ReplyDelete
  17. Not an author I've read but I did like the intro so I would give it a go.

    ReplyDelete
  18. I found the teaser very funny! Here is my TT: http://shoshireads.weebly.com/home/teaser-tuesday3908935

    ReplyDelete
  19. I'm not that fond of his writing myself, but the memoir sounds interesting. Thanks for sharing your teaser!

    ReplyDelete
  20. I didn't know he had written this autobiography. thanks for sharing

    ReplyDelete
  21. Hi Sandra,

    Iam not a huge fan of memoirs, so this one probably wouldn't be for me, although the excerpts you shared might well have hooked me if they had been from a work of fiction.

    I have read one or two of Sparks's books and personally I quite like his style of writing. He is still one of the few men brave enough to compete in the genre and his writing and storylines compare very favourably with those of many of his female counterparts.

    Thanks for sharing and I hope that you enjoyed the rest of the book :)

    Yvonne

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for visiting "Writing With a Texas Twang." All comments are sincerely appreciated. Tell me what you think!