Carole J. Garrison’s new release from 2Leaf Press is about fulfilling a bucket list that explores diversity, culture and humanity
[/trx_title][trx_title type=”5″ align=”center” font_size=”18pt” position=”top”]The Wanderer by Carole J. Garrison[/trx_title]
When Carole J. Garrison, an avid traveler, began to experience some age-related ailments, she did what many people do late in life: she made a bucket list of all the things that she still wants to do. At the top of her list was traveling around the world to meet up with the many friends she had made over the years, as well as make some new ones. The result is Garrison’s second book with 2Leaf Press, simply entitled, The Wanderer, which features over 100 photographs. The Wanderer is scheduled to publish November 1, 2020, and is available for pre-order on major online outlets.
The Wanderer is a cross between a travelogue and a memoir. As Garrison meanders country-to-country—through Denmark, France, Russia, Turkey, Mongolia, China, Nepal, Laos, Cambodia and Fiji—her mental journey seems to expand beyond her physical trip, as she seeks a reprieve from nagging health conditions and a hostile American sociopolitical landscape. As she stepped out of her comfort zone to rejuvenate, she found a world that was more forgiving, happy and kind. The experience underscored the importance of stepping outside one’s self. The result is Garrison’s raw, honest collection of travel stories that do not sugarcoat the travel experience but capture the feeling of spontaneous exploration. “Writing this book illuminated my own understanding of my journey around the world and allowed me to share it; when you travel alone, sometimes sharing is required,” says Garrison.
The author blends beguiling descriptions of the places and people she encounters with her lust for authentic food and accounts that range from the history of a country to first-hand descriptions of cultural differences, all the while questioning her physical agility as she seeks out temples for prayer and contemplation along the way.
Most travelers are searching for something on their adventures, whether amazing archaeological sites or the most delicious meal, and many travel-themed books play to our daydreams about travel. In The Wanderer, Garrison avoids the gloss and comes across to readers as a well-seasoned traveler who, although a little older and a little more worn, is the wiser for it. She travels to remote places off the beaten path that few travel enthusiasts recount. She travels on a tight budget with sparse luggage, encountering less than ideal accommodations, yet staying focused on the people and the places where they live. She is not shy about taking photographs that are either observational or with people she may or may not know, as well as photographs of herself in front of a historical building or scenic vista—perhaps the most touristy thing she does. Garrison is incredibly articulate when describing the mundane moments of travel that we often glaze over in memory, whether it’s another mucked-up travel arrangement or mutely sitting and smiling with a monk with whom she shares no common language. The drive to seek out the unknown has always been Garrison’s mantra, as evidenced in her first book, The Fourth Moment: Journeys from the Known to the Unknown, A Memoir (2017). The Wanderer continues where The Fourth Moment left off.
To Garrison’s credit, she manages to simultaneously entice us with detailed discoveries and dissuade us with stark images of distant parts of the world. For travelers who pride themselves on finding less-traveled corners of the globe, this book humbles as much as it inspires. The Wanderer professes a philosophy for travelers who want to scratch beneath the surface of a destination: Take it slow, make friends, seek out stories, strive to be a more thoughtful explorer, and enjoy life.
Pre-order available on major online outlets. ISBN: 978-1-734618105 (Print), 186 pages. List price: $16.99. ISBN: 978-1-734618136 (ebk), $6.99. To order review or exam copies call (773) 702-7109 or email orders@press.uchicago.edu. For interviews or speaking engagements: cjgarrison972@gmail.com. For book reviews contact Gabrielle David, Publisher: gdavid@2leafpress.org.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: CAROLE J. GARRISON is a former police officer, retired professor, activist and passionate humanitarian, who has traveled around the world. Her work has appeared in numerous publications, and she is the author of the memoir, The Fourth Moment: Journeys from the Known to the Unknown, A Memoir (2017). www.cjgarrison.com
