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 - A Do-0verWhile I have truly loved all of Joan Anderson's books, this Second Journey is so welcome because of the tendency we all have to "slip back" into old habits after breakthroughs. Every time I realize a personal truth and attempt to own it consciously, the Universe provides tests (obstacles), to see if I can really integrate this truth into my everyday life. It was so refreshing to know that Joan experienced this also and I am so grateful she wrote about it. This book was truly special! Rating: - Share this book with all your girlfriendsMs. Anderson validated my feelings as I enter my 50's and this book gave me the courage to face the next half of my life with eager anticipation and eyes wide open. In fact, I found it so encouraging and refreshing that I've since purchased copies and presented them to my girlfriends who share my concerns and worries and who seek fulfillment and meaning in their own lives. Rating:  - She missed the "thin place" that is IonaHaving read and enjoyed Joan Anderson's A Year By the Sea, I was very excited to begin this book, and especially so because Iona is a sacred place - the perfect destination for someone seeking a spiritual renewal. Having read over halfway through the book before she arrives on Iona, I was very much disappointed in the last few chapters. My doubts began when she stated that the Argyll is "the island's only hotel". The St. Columba Hotel, right next to the Abbey, was originally a manse for the Abbey, and has been renting rooms to travelers since the mid-1800's. I have stayed there twice out of the three times I visited Iona. It is a larger hotel than the Argyll, where I have also stayed. Her mention of St. Columba and his role in the spread of Christianity was very slight, and her description of her stay on Iona expressed none of the holiness in evidence in the Abbey, the high standing crosses, the Nunnery, or the beauty of the island and the sea. I don't doubt that she found it a peaceful place, but she clearly missed the whole point of a visit to Iona: discovering the "thin place" where the veil separating heaven and earth is very thin. Rating: - Another Gift From A Gifted Author"Most of us, halfway to a hundred, confront a need for greater self-awareness." With this insight as the opening sentence, Joan Anderson takes her readers with her as she comes to realize that she had been ignoring her own needs for far too long. But how could this be? How could the woman who has given so many women the gift of awakening to self not be heeding her own words? Anderson's book, A Year By the Sea, is the story of her awakening. It has become a national bestseller that encourages women to find themselves. But as the book and the others that followed grew in popularity, Anderson became so busy that she has robbed herself of herself. Her popularity as an author isn't the only thief. Took tours, public speaking, weekend workshops all steal time and energy. But added to that is the work of being wife, mother, grandmother, and care-giver to an aging parent. These forces have taken their toll on Anderson. And even when faced with her own health issues, Anderson waved them off. Her schedule didn't allow for time for such things as ill-health. Enter female friends: "The Salty Sisters" to the rescue! Six women who met at one of Anderson's weekend retreats have become friends, nurturing and strengthening one another. Listening to these women, Anderson realizes that she faces too many demands. It is time to step back and re-evaluate. "If I am truly honest, I have to acknowledge that the demands I am so convinced are coming from the outer world are, in fact, coming from that perpetually unfinished part of me--the pulls and tugs originating from my own ambiguity." In Second Journey, Anderson takes her readers along as she travels to ancestral Iona where she spends time alone in nature, searching for the parts of herself that she has been ignoring in the time since she wrote her first book. She comes to the profound conclusion "For if I have learned anything, it is that the journey will always be unfinished." Reading a book by Joan Anderson is like sitting with a good friend, sharing a cup of coffee during a heartfelt conversation. With wit, humor and amazing honesty, she is able to reveal not only the pitfalls of a woman's life but also offer the insight and hope that are necessary to meet those challenges. by Lee Ambrose for Story Circle Book Reviews reviewing books by, for, and about women Rating:  - Book reviewI enjoyed this book as I have enjoyed all the other books by Joan Anderson. She makes you look inside youself to find out more about youself. In association with Amazon.com | |