Nowhere for Very Long
-
-
4.3 • 23 Ratings
-
-
- $20.99
Publisher Description
Narrated by Brianna Madia
In this beautifully written, vividly detailed memoir, a young woman chronicles her adventures traveling across the deserts of the American West in an orange van named Bertha and reflects on an unconventional approach to life
A woman defined by motion, Brianna Madia bought a beat-up bright orange van, filled it with her two dogs Bucket and Dagwood, and headed into the canyons of Utah with her husband. Nowhere for Very Long is her deeply felt, immaculately told story of exploration—of the world outside and the spirit within.
However, pursuing a life of intention isn’t always what it seems. In fact, at times it was downright boring, exhausting, and even desperate—when Bertha overheated and she was forced to pull over on a lonely stretch of South Dakota highway; when the weather was bitterly cold and her water jugs froze beneath her as she slept in the parking lot of her office; when she worried about money, her marriage, and the looming question mark of her future. But Brianna was committed to living a life true to herself, come what may, and that made all the difference.
Nowhere for Very Long is the true story of a woman learning and unlearning, from backroads to breakdowns, from married to solo, and finally, from lost to found to lost again . . . this time, on purpose.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
Travel writer Brianna Madia wasn’t cut out for white-picket-fence life in Connecticut, so she set out to find herself on the open road. In this wonderfully candid memoir, Madia tells the story of her journeys behind the wheel of a shabby orange van called Bertha, accompanied by two dogs and many more mechanical troubles. It’s a captivating listen, whether she’s talking about the joys of cruising down empty desert highways in Utah or lamenting the difficulties of finding a place to shower. Madia’s down-to-earth storytelling offers a rare warts-and-all look at “van life,” which is so often idealized on social media. If you’ve ever felt like dropping everything to travel, Nowhere for Very Long is an inspiring yet realistic look at how to do it.
Customer Reviews
Loved it
Best book I’ve read in a long time. Inspired.
A book for the adventurers soul, and hearts that are healing.
I have the book, but also needed the audiobook. There’s so much to Brianna’s story. I lived vicariously through all of her adventures, hearing the yearning from my own heart to go on the adventures she went on. I did, and will. And oh how it inspires me to live bigger!
The part of her story that caught me by surprise is…she helped me to reflect on parts of myself I hadn’t fully looked at - or hadn’t really sat with to understand. It was like she shon a light in those spots and illuminated them for me.
You won’t be able to put this book down. Absolutely get it! You won’t regret a moment of this read!
Absolutely amazing Brianna
I’ve followed this incredible woman on Instagram for many years, and if I could only follow one stranger, it would definitely be her. Every morning i look forward to watching her stories and reading her beautifully written words. How she explains things is a true art in itself. I’ve never in my life preordered a book, or bought an audio book. And I was definitely not disappointed. What a beautiful, raw, real life she lives. Somehow ironically always in some way similar to the life I was personally living… the immense amount of comfort her, the dogs and her story have brought me… This absolutely incredible book just solidifies it all on an even deeper level. If you haven’t read it, you’re truly missing out. This story isn’t loud, and dramatic like most adventure stories. Instead it’s real, relatable, and my goodness is it emotional. She manages to bring you into the story with her, as if you’re there waking alongside in the desert meandering through the canyons. I have never cried harder, than when I flipped over the page and there laid Dagwoods chapter. I knew it was in there, and i knew it was going to be an emotional read. But when I tell you I bawled uncontrollably as I continued flipping the pages… This story of resilience is one that has changed my life, and helped me find my own route “off the beaten path”.
So proud of you Brianna. We all LOVE LOVE the book ;)
Sending all the Love
Taylor + my pup Adahy
@lostintheforestt_
Vancouver Island, Canada