One Year Off: Leaving It All Behind for a Round-the-World Journey with Our Children

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Summary: A fascinating story told with humor and warmth!
Review: Read this book whether you're planning to take a year off or just thinking about what it would be like. Cohen's family life could parallel any of ours - career, kids in school and keeping up with our lives day to day. And the story begins with all the questions we would ask ourselves if we chose to leave it all behind. The to-do list alone sounds daunting. But once Cohen and his family get going, the adventures begin. Cohen writes about their one year off with colorful detail, humor and warmth. Even in an era of CNN and the Internet, this story makes the world still feel like a great big place waiting to be discovered. Ultimately, you see that what's most interesting about a year off with one's family is the chance to pursue life together. Be prepared to want to gather up your family (or yourself), lock the door and go!

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Summary: A great summer read!
Review: David Cohen did what I would never have the guts to do--take three kids on a trip around the world. His book describes all the highs and lows with lots of humor, warmth, wit and riveting detail. I'm glad I didn't make the trip myself, but I'm also glad I could read this thoroughly enjoyable account.

Rating:
Summary: Wish-fulfilling, funny, poignant!
Review: As a septuagenerian, it's a trip I would have loved to have made with my husband and children. The book is totally delightful! Cohen writes with humor and poignance. In addition to being entertaining, the book is informative. He and his wife must have boned up on all those exotic places they visited. I loved the way they explained things to their children.

Rating:
Summary: They Lived My Dream
Review: What an enjoyable experience! David Cohen makes travel writing seem effortless as he injects humor and wry observations amidst profound awe-inspiring moments. The e-mail-style letters broke each trip into quickly readable chapters that had me thinking, "I'll just read one more, and then I'll put it down."
As far as taking the children along - I would love for my children to be exposed to such raw life experiences at such an impressionable age (and to make it out pretty much unscathed!) How lucky the three Cohen kids are for having gone on the trip - and that their creative parents understood that the benefits far outweighed the risks. Too bad David Cohen seemed too worn out and ready to get home as they made their way back through Japan and Hawaii. I was looking forward to reading their adventures in these two locales, but the book pretty much ends without any details about those parts of the trip. Hopefully, there will be a follow-up someday down the line!

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Summary: Extremely funny armchair travelling
Review: I *loved* this book! I couldn't put it down, which is a problem because I have three kids about the same age as the author's to care for! And perhaps that's why I could identify with the author and his experiences. I almost think you have to be a parent to fully appreciate this book.

A couple of points: the book is a series of emails, but what emails! Emails that were 10 pages long and extremely well written -- they were basically chapters. Cohen is a professional writer and it shows.

Also for those who quibbled about the lack of insight. Well, they have a point, but that's a different book. This is simply the story of a family and their adventures travelling around the world. Most of the things they did were touristy things -- this is no Under The Tuscan Sun, where the author really gets inside a culture or country. This is a skimming of the best of the world -- barging in France! A safari in Africa! As I have not (yet) done these things I highly enjoyed reading about them and imagining my family doing (some -- not all!) of them.

Rating:
Summary: They Lived My Dream
Review: What an enjoyable experience! David Cohen makes travel writing seem effortless as he injects humor and wry observations amidst profound awe-inspiring moments. The e-mail-style letters broke each trip into quickly readable chapters that had me thinking, "I'll just read one more, and then I'll put it down."
As far as taking the children along - I would love for my children to be exposed to such raw life experiences at such an impressionable age (and to make it out pretty much unscathed!) How lucky the three Cohen kids are for having gone on the trip - and that their creative parents understood that the benefits far outweighed the risks. Too bad David Cohen seemed too worn out and ready to get home as they made their way back through Japan and Hawaii. I was looking forward to reading their adventures in these two locales, but the book pretty much ends without any details about those parts of the trip. Hopefully, there will be a follow-up someday down the line!

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Lessons for Life!
Review: I read this book years ago and continue to share it with friends and family members. It is a lovely mix of family stories and world travel. I particularly like the lessons it teaches us about how important life is. We only go around once so we better make it good.

Rating:
Summary: Could've Dug Deeper...
Review: Cohen doesn't ever own up to his story or its meaning. While it was helpful to my husband & I to read before traipsing off to live an adventure in the English countryside with our five little ones, it left us with the feeling that we could certainly do better.

Rating:
Summary: Great Book!!
Review: Having bought this book i simply could not put it down. I admire anybody who can sell their house and car to travel somewhere new, taking the bull by the horns and knowing they need to take a risk to experience life. I know, i've done it! However, this was a risk and a half. I read the book living the adventure through David Cohen and his family and didn't want it to end. I am truly inspired and saving for a journey of my own (though i am not sure i am quite brave enough to do what he did).