Book Review: ‘A Pink Suitcase: 22 Tales of Women’s Travel’ Edited by Janna Graber

The best travel experiences happen by chance. Courage and curiosity can turn an ordinary vacation into a lifetime of memories and adventures. Women traveling alone often find they have the guts and strength to handle any encounter, and many times that leads to the bond of friendship and the richness of cultural immersion. Open A Pink Suitcase by Janna Graber and you will be drawn into the essays of twenty-two women who tell of adventures, or lost and found love, as they discover the strength and guts to find their own path to their personal best.

The women whose stories appear in this anthology have an easy time making friends and finding adventure. Their bravery in new circumstances, such as a woman venturing solo to Cambodia, gives the reader the itch to get out and experience the world. In the essay, “Million Dollar Questions” by Josalin Saffer, the writer wrestles with the reality of life in Cambodia, wondering “how to help and how not to hurt.”

A Pink Suitcase celebrates women who have respect and empathy for others, and demonstrate the travelers’ spirit. These women travelers reach for their personal best as they exhibit strength, compassion, fear, love, and contentment.

Not all are traveling alone. In the essay “Thailand’s Lost Children,” Janna Graber is a mom is reporting on the local child sex trade. She brings her young daughter along to experience the full range of reality in a complex culture, so different from the security and safety of home.

Another terrific essay “Our Life Afloat” by Diane Selkirk, takes the reader along as a young couple with a small child spend sixteen days at sea in a 40-foot catamaran.

Perhaps the most unusual pilgrimage is a woman who travels to chase a memory in a tiny town on the coast of Spain. Along the way, she realizes food was always a part of her fond memories of time with family. Others in this rich anthology experience love or loss, fear or bravery, and all surprise us by their energy and grace.

Each of the contributors in this anthology presents an element of diversity, either in their point-of-view, or in their impressive author bio, reflecting their broad exposure to the world. Travel changes people, and their enthusiasm for adventure just might help you set sail for your own fabulous experience. A Pink Suitcase is waiting for you.
[amazon template=iframe image&asin=0990878643]