I seriously loved this book. Nick is a great writer, even though he says he has to think long and hard about the books he has to write. This book touched my heart. Because it was something important to him. Nick on a personal level. I cried, a lot. But I laughed too. I only wish that I could remember my childhood or that I was that close to my own sibling. It made me think for sure. How important life is. From both perspectives of Nick and Micah. They are both right. Great read. Definately something to add to my ever growing library.

This book was truly awesome!!!! It affected me in a way I didn't expect it to. I have no siblings of my own, but the family's relationship and especially, Nick's relationships with his siblings struck me as so beautiful and exciting. I didn't realize and would have never guessed that he had gone through so much throughout his life, inspiring him to write all those beautifully written novels, that turn into movies, making me cry one after another! Wow, Nicholas Sparks is a true inspiration for me. I learned so much from this book about a hidden love of traveling, which I also have myself!!!! It showed me new cultures and amazing aspects of family, showing perseverance and patience to me in a such a new light!

Read this aloud to my husband, this is the memoir of Micah and Nicholas Sparks' trip around the world together interspersed with their childhood growing up with a younger sister.

How they survived childhood and their unique bond as brothers makes for compelling reading. Their experiences throughout their lives also explain how Nicholas Sparks can write the touching and moving novels he does. Their lives have not been easy, but they are strong men with indomitable spirits.

Recommended for all those who love Sparks' novels.

I really like Nicholas Sparks books so it was really interesting to read his memoir. As he travels around the world on a three week trip with his brother it was really neat to hear his personal history and where the inspiration for his books came from. Also, I really enjoyed learning some history about the places that they visited since it's currently not in my near future to visit those locations. Really enjoyed it.

I've made a vow...that I won't read any "other" books by Nicholas Sparks. I'm not a romance novel kinda guy. I'm just not. It's not that I have an unusually gruff exterior or anything like that. It's just that they bore me and if I'm up for some romance, I'd rather migrate that energy into toward my wife than read about it and spend the energy, then treat her like a "buddy" later.

So, when I read this book, it appealed to me on different levels. I related to the author's family life. My parents died when I was young. I'd love to throw my cares to the wind and take a three-week "soul-searching" excursion. Although I don't have siblings, I'd find the right person to do it with, and have many to choose from.

Given that, this book delivered. Nicholas is a good writer, giving detail when needed and background to whet the appetite. So, although I'll never close one of his staple books and wipe a tear, I did that on a few occasions with this one, and learned about some far off lands as well.

I thought I would love this because I loved the Notebook, but this wasn’t really my cup of tea. It was a bit too real. A sad tale of loss. As the only two surviving members of their immediate family, Nick and Micah go on a three week trip. It is a little about that trip and a lot about their family and the deaths that left it just the two of them. But like the Notebook, this one also made me cry. Nicholas Sparks has a way of making the reader cry.

n  All The Stars!n

... A memorable life of Nicholas and Micah Sparks.

This is nonfiction. Everything I've written in this review happened in real life.

Note: This is a memoir.

n  n   

"I am nothing special, of this I am sure. I am a common man with common thoughts and I've led a common life. There are no monuments dedicated to me and my name will soon be forgotten, but I've loved another with all my heart and soul, and to me, this has always been enough."

n  n

I've started reading romance stories when I was 14. My first book was 'A Walk to Remember' by Nicholas Sparks. I remember I've never been so heartbroken like I was when I've finished that novel. Imagine, my first ever romance book didn't end up happily. But I realized through the years, that not even a lot of happily ever afters could compare to the amazing yet short life Landon and Jamie have shared.

n  n   

"I'm sorry she never got her miracle."
"She did get her miracle, Landon, her miracle was you."

n  n

My second book was 'The Notebook,' a widely popular debut novel of Nicholas Sparks. It is a second chance romance, and contains a whole lot of heartaches as well. Gladly, Noah and Allie led a long life. Happily married and have kids. Remembering that novel, Noah was the best hero I've ever met. I even thought of exactly like this; "When I grow up, I want to be like him." I've never found a fictional character that was so faithful, hopeful, patient, and as real as Noah was. I've had my fair share of heroes, but Noah is still my number one.

n  n   

"My Dearest Allie. I couldn't sleep last night because I know that it's over between us. I'm not bitter anymore, because I know that what we had was real. And if in some distant place in the future we see each other in our new lives, I'll smile at you with joy and remember how we spent the summer beneath the trees, learning from each other and growing in love. The best love is the kind that awakens the soul and makes us reach for more, that plants a fire in our hearts and brings peace to our minds, and that's what you've given me. That's what I hope to give to you forever. I love you. I'll be seeing you. Noah."

n  n

My third and last book of that year was 'Dear John.' Actually, I've managed to finish three books when I was 14, and every one of it was by Nicholas Sparks. I hadn't had an enough money to purchase books at that time, but fortunately, my mother has some copies—although, unfortunately, it was limited and only every one of it was romance—on her small shelf. I think I did like romance though and Nicholas Sparks books because I've continued going into it. Anyway, let's go back to 'Dear John.' This was the most emotional book I've ever read. The MOST. There's no amount of pain and ache other books had—included the books I've read this past few years—that this book had brought. I couldn't imagine the hurt in John's heart watching Savannah, the woman he fell in love with building a family in other man's arms.

n  n   

"Dear John, tell me everything. Write it all down, that way, we’ll be with each other all the time, even if we’re not with each other at all."

n  n

I don't know but after that I stopped reading for months, I think.

When I was barely 15 years old, I went back on reading his books beginning with 'A Message in the Bottle.' It was a love triangle, unrequited love kind of thing. And it didn't end up in happy ending, if you're wondering. Because it was Nicholas Sparks, I've finished it sobbing uncontrollably until I dried out. If I describe that book in one word, I would say "novelty." It was so unique, so powerful, so wonderful, and so heartwrenching. My heart died when one of the characters died. But it gave me something to hold on to; that in the middle of grief and suffering, this is where a person's hope could be tested.

n  n   

"This is not a goodbye, my darling, this is a thank you. Thank you for coming into my life and giving me joy, thank you for loving me and receiving my love in return. Thank you for the memories I will cherish forever. But most of all, thank you for showing me that there will come a time when I can eventually let you go.
I love you, T."

n  n

My next book was 'Nights in Rodanthe.' And then 'The Rescue.' 'The Longest Ride.' 'The Lucky One.' 'The Wedding.' 'The Choice.' 'The Last Song.' ' And lastly, 'Two by Two.' Every time I read his books, I went to my room, securely locked it, and spent 10 hours crying my eyes out. I was almost 16 when I gave up with his books. Not that I didn't enjoy it, I loved his books. But I was just a teenager who loved to read, and I didn't like my fellow lads to see my eyes bloodshot and my lips swollen from reading, so I decided to rest for a while. And it was when I was 18 when I discovered Goodreads. And found out that there are other romance books to read that wasn't like Nicholas Sparks's. But still, I always sought emotional books. Blame Nicholas.

n  n   

"People want pretty much the same things: They wanted to be happy. Most young people seemed to think that those things lay somewhere in the future, while most older people believed they lay in the past."

n  n

Today, I'm really happy and so excited to continue my endeavor to read all of his books. And I've never been so glad that I chose to start with his memoir, "Three Weeks With My Brother." And as usual, I cried a lot and hard. I've never realized where and who Nicholas Sparks drew his inspiration from every time he begin to write a novel. But after finishing this, I understood where he came from. Nicholas Sparks didn't have an easy life as well. He suffered a lot of heartbreaks as much as the characters in his novels. I was so brokenhearted knowing that he wrote 'The Notebook,' 'A Walk To Remember,' 'A Message in the Bottle,' etc. while his family one after the next began to pass away. I once hated Nicholas Sparks for writing such emotional books that didn't have happily ever afters. But now, I salute him. He've been there; emotional, mental, and physical grief a man could ever endure. I have no idea how he was able to survive every one of it and could even manage to write the most epic and unforgettable romance stories ever.

Three Weeks With My Brother is a deeply moving true story about childhood, dreams, family, love, loss, faith, hope, and brotherhood. This is Nicholas and his brother Micah written novel, based from their real experiences in life. And as always, this story utterly and completely captured my heart. The mood, the writing, the characters, the story, the morals, everything it all delivers is beyond perfection.

In simple words, it was because of the influence of Nicholas Sparks that I've come to love romance stories.


Books read: (finished reading in chronological order)

A Walk to Remember
The Notebook
Dear John
A Message in the Bottle
Nights in Rodanthe
The Rescue
The Longest Ride
The Lucky One
The Wedding
The Last Song
Two by Two
Three Weeks With My Brother

Books to read:

A Bend in the Road
The Guardian
True Believer
At First Sight
The Choice
Safe Haven
The Best of Me
See Me
Every Breath
The Return


n  n   

"Standing beside Micah, it dawned on me that we were the only ones left in our family. It was just the two of us now. Brothers."

n  n

This book goes back and forth from describing the trip that Nicholas Sparks and his brother, Micah, took together, leaving their young families to go 3 weeks around the world, to describing their childhood through adulthood, ending in the timeframe they would start thinking about the trip. People who love touristy things will appreciate his descriptions of all of the places they saw on tour; people who grew up in any kind of family will appreciate the material on his life growing up with his family.
I laughed out loud at the childhood stories and their mom’s responses. I’m not a laugh-out-loud person, especially when reading in public....but I did. I also cried. I was interested in this book the entire time and now I feel like I know a little more about why Nicholas Sparks writes what he writes in his novels (he says a lot of the inspirations in the book but I had always questioned a certain theme that is pretty much guaranteed to appear).

Of course I've SEEN the Notebook, Message in a Bottle, and A Walk to Remember but I've never actually READ a book by the author Nicholas Sparks. I find it interesting that the first book I read by him is somewhat of an autobiography as he describes a trip around the world that he took with his brother. While giving a travelogue, he flashes back and tells about his childhood up to the present. I always love learning about people's actual lives: how they grew up, what makes them who they are, and how they found success. So I found it an interesting read. And I learned that many of his books were inspired by his family members lives and tragic endings. Now that I know about the author's personal life, it makes me intrigued to read the books that made him famous.

This one's specifically for John: look I know you don't respect Nicholas Sparks, but you've got to admit that if someone presented you with the opportunity to make millions upon millions of dollars by writing books you'd probably take it, even if all you could write were romance novels. Nevertheless, this book has absolutely nothing to do with The Notebook or Message in a Bottle and I guarantee if you read it, you will appreciate it. So do it, just like I read Game of Thrones for you.

I normally don't read non-fiction, but since Nicholas Sparks has always been a fav author of mine, I decided to read this. Why in the world did I wait so long???

Since I know I will never get to travel, I loved going on this 3 week journey with Micah & Nicholas. The places they went were fascinating and I enjoyed looking at the photos sprinkled throughout the book; some were of the trip and some were of the family when the boys and Dana were growing up.
Really learned a lot about Nicholas, Micah and Dana's lives from youngsters into adulthood. I didn't realize his books (or the majority of them) are inspired by different members of the family. I'm going to have to go back and re-read them!

While reading this, I googled the author and read a short bio. I read that he & his wife divorced awhile back. I was really saddened by the news. And they have 5 children! Wow!! I had no idea!
His son Ryan is autistic and he and his wife worked hours and hours with him each day to get him ready for kindergarten....very impressive! Nicholas also wrote a book in which there is a character based on Ryan's special needs.

Thank you Nicolas Sparks for allowing readers like me to go on this trip with you and Micah, as well as sharing your memories of growing up.

I read this book about five years ago now. I read it while on a road trip with my family. I remember sitting in the back seat as we drove through Northern California into Oregon, while reading about Sparks' travels across the world with his brother.

I have not, and probably will not, read a Nicholas Sparks novel. However, I did enjoy his non-fiction work. It was a nice blend of memoir and travel writing. I don't remember much of the details, as it's been so long, but something about it stuck with me.

To this day I remember reading this book, perhaps because I often remember books I read while traveling as associated with where I was, and that heightens my memories of it. Or because it was quite a nice, surprising read. I think I enjoyed it because it was about family and brotherhood, not about some cheesy romance relationship.

I'd like to revisit this someday as I get older.