I have just finished reading Janet Wilson's excellent book 0 part travelogue and part self-discovery. Written in a style that to me sounded as if Janet was just talking out loud. The descriptions of the journey, the sights and sounds were very evocative. I commend this book to all.

Memoir lovers, don’t miss this extraordinary true story, ALL YOU SEE IS SKY: Resetting a Marriage on an Adventure Through Africa. Author Janet Wilson drew me in immediately, identifying with her nagging discomfort with a mundane life, one on reset and begins again every single morning. Added to that is a marriage that had grown increasingly distant.

So Janet is inspired her to make a radical change that alters her life forever. She asks herself, “If I had one year left to live what would I do?” The answer comes, and now she has a plan to leave her comfortable life in Canada, return to her native home of South Africa, and begin a pilgrimage of sorts, driving the length of Africa, from Cape Town to Cairo. I loved her husband, Tom’s, answer when offered a half-hearted invitation to accompany her. He said, “I don’t want to lose you.”

Their trip was anything but easy, and we tag along with this adventurous couple every step of the way. The description of the continent is complete, with an abundance of native wildlife: African buffalos, antelopes, rhinos, hippos, man-eating lions, and cat-sized rats.

I would have loved to hear more of their personal story, of their thoughts and conversations relative to their wounded relationship, but it is evident that their adventure was successful in strengthening their bond.

This is a beautifully positive story, although heartbreaking at times. Most of all, it encourages the reader to perhaps take her own bold step, to break free of family or society’s expectations of a woman’s place and to embrace the courage to live with intent and with purpose. What about you: If you had one year left to live, what would you do?

I really liked this adventure very much.
The author and her husband had moved to Canada from South Africa, where they were both originally from. After many years and feeling her life was not advancing or developing, the author decided she needed change and decided to get reacquainted with her homeland and take a road trip from South Africa to Egypt to figure out her life and marriage.
Her husband was against her taking the trip, but when he saw how determined she was, he decided to go with her, not wanting to lose her. Both left their home and jobs for Months to see if they could salvage their relationship and get a new perspective on their lives.
In a land cruiser they bought in South Africa, they took off on their long journey North to Egypt, with a lot of great and some not so great encounters along the way.
It was fun to see how they had to learn to negotiate what each of them needed from the relationship, and trip. Learning what were each others strengths and weaknesses, and thus able to start getting back into a relationship they had forgotten they had.
They give us wonderful descriptions of the countries they go through and the people, but Aslo about the fun or educational things they saw or did along the way.
Definitely worth reading.
I would like to thank NetGalley and She Writes Press for a copy of this book.

There were aspects of this book I really enjoyed, and others that didn't work so well for me. As someone who has spent years of my life living and working across the African continent, I really enjoyed Janet Wilson's travelogue around Africa, revisiting places I've been and giving me inspiration for future travels, although the writing is a bit repetitive. When tragedy strikes, Wilson's writing is at its strongest although I did wonder if the people in this section were consulted or aware of this book.

Overall, I would say this is an interesting travelogue of Africa and of rebuilding a relationship with some areas that don't work as well as others.