This is a travel book interwoven with a biography. Although Micah Sparks is credited along with Nicholas, the point of view is always Nicholas'.

These two brothers have enjoyed a close relationship for years and it stands them in good stead through their ups...and their tragic downs.

A trivial point- I always like it when I read about something happening in a place where I was, and I believe I was in Sacramento during some of the time mentioned in the book. (Though I never ate at Zelda's...)

It was very involving and very sad in spots. You wish the best for these guys, but they don't get it...they've seen a lot of loss. I'm glad they shared it all.

On the flyleaf of the book I got was a dedication from someone to his brother, the previous owner. It's very much in the spirit of the book, though the fact that I bought it means he didn't keep it in spite of it being a gift from his brother.

What you want and what you get are often not the same...

This book did not just give me an idea of how the other countries look like. Nevertheless, it gave me an idea of how my favorite author’s life was like. Through this book, I’ve learned that A Walk to Rememberwas inspired by her sister, Dana, who had brain tumor; A Bend in the Roadwas inspired by his brother-in-law, Bob (Dana’s husband); and The Rescuewas inspired by his own son, Ryan.

I enjoyed reading the book and felt as if I was with the brothers traveling the world. It kept me going until the last page because I found their life story very inspiring. I love how close they are as siblings. And maybe, one day, once I already have kids, I’ll do the same just like what their Mom did to them when they were kids before going to sleep. I’ll ask my kids to give 3 good things that their siblings did to them that day. I’ll keep my family close so when everything else fails, they’ll still have each other.

I’ve learned that no matter how hard life is, you have to believe that everything will be okay and there is a reason for everything. Set your goals and dreams. Just be optimistic.

"...Life could end at any moment, and it was better to be happy than busy."

This book is a mix of a travelogue to tell about a trip around the world and flashbacks to tell the story of Nicholas and Micah Sparks' lives. While Sparks is a great writer and his story was interesting, I wasn't sure what the point of his story was.

He spends very little time describing the places he visits, so it's not an effective travelogue, really. If you were actually interested in the places they visit, this isn't the right book to get any detailed information.

The flashbacks that tell of his life are much more interesting, but he had a pretty normal growing-up life. Sure, he was poor, sure his parents allowed him and his brother a lot of independence, and there were some other little quirky things, but it seemed like a fairly normal childhood to me.

It's later in life when the more dramatic things start happening and perhaps give reason for the writing of the book (I don't want to get into details in case you haven't read it yet, but there are several hardships that both brothers have to deal with as adults). On the other hand, Sparks is a famous author, so maybe the point of the book was just to publish his memoirs?

Regardless, his writing is very interesting and easy to read. I am definitely more interested in reading his other books than I may otherwise have been.

A great book. It is an autobiography that completely dispels any notion the author has had a charmed life - the need for which dispelling he admits.

Thanks to my mom for introducing me to this book, it is totally different than any other Nicholas Sparks book. It is actually a memoir written by his brother and himself. Tells the story of his life in a very personal way as he takes a 3 week trip around the world with his brother. Warning: it is a very sad book! I loved it though - couldn't put it down. Makes me want to go read all his other books now that I know where he got his inspiration.

Before I write this review, you need to know two things:

1. I’m not a fan of Nicholas Sparks and I hate all his books (obviously the ones that I have read), with the exception of this one.
2. I’m not a fan of memoirs either, because I find memoirs one-dimensional and you never get to know the other side of the story.

Having said that, I loved this memoir! I love how Sparks weaves two stories beautifully into one; must I say that going back and forth in time is not easy, but, he does this job brilliantly. Not once I’m confused or find things out of sync. The book is high on tragedy, but is well-balanced with humour and some philosophy. The book revolves around relationships, especially siblings’ relationship, and since I have a very close bond with my parents and sister, I kept on thinking about my own family whilst reading the book. I feel that’s the beauty of this book, it’s a sweet reminder of your childhood, of the relationships you’ve shared in the past and how those have evolved or grown in the due course of time.

The book will also make you jealous of the world tour the Sparks brothers took, and will make you add a few places or sites to your own bucket list.

Takeaway from the book: I’m definitely going to plan a trip with my sister soon.

4.5/5

This was the best book I’ve read in a long time. I got it for free at a work book swap & wasn’t expecting anything special. However, it was a journey through both life and the world. So many good lessons & makes you realize everyone has their own problems.

Very inspiring. 10/10.

I loved reading this memoir by Nicholas Sparks! It was a change of pace compared to his other books, and I’d definitely be interested in reading more nonfiction by him.

This book for me had me going from laughter to melancholy, from sad and upset but overall I enjoyed this book and I can highly recommend it.

It covers 3 weeks wheree nick and his big brother Micah go on a group trip around the world, visiting among other places as lalibela,Ethiopia, machu picchu, the temples of Cambodia, the inka pyrimids, Easter islands and other places like that. In between he writes about his life growing up and all the strains and loss that he and Micah had to cope with.

After the loss of their parents the loss of their sister hit them hard, and Nick also had troubles at home with his second son. They got through all the loss and heart ache, by the brother s becoming even closer and with the help of their wives. The book though was filled with humour and its gives a frank and honest view of the way his family grew up,

إنها نوع من السير الذاتية التي كتبت بطريقة فريدة...

تبدأ برغبة الأخوان بالقيام برحلة معاً..لزيارة معالم أثرية حول العالم..

لقد كانت الرحلة التي طالما تمنيا القيام بها..

يتأرجح السرد بين خطين..

الأول يصف الرحلة بكل تفاصيلها والأماكن التي قاما بزيارتها حول أماكن متباعدة في العالم ،والخط الثاني يعود للوراء ليحكي حكاية هذان الأخوان منذ طفولتهما..


إنها سيرة ذاتية ممزوجة بأدب الرحلات..

الكثير من الصدق المشحون في ثنايا تلك الأحداث يتسرب إليك ليخبرك أن الحياة تتفاوت صعوداً ونزولاً..

توفيت والدتهما في حادث سقوط من خيلها المفضل، وبعد عدة سنوات توفي الأب في حادث سيارة وأصيبت أختهما الجميلة والمفضلة بسرطان في الدماغ انهى حياتها وهي لم تزل في الثالثة والثلاثين ، وتركها تذوي كزهرة ذابلة..

هذا عدا أن أحد ابناء نيكولاس مصاب بالتوحد..

أمام كل تلك الإحباطات كانت هناك دفقات خاصة من السعادة..والنجاح

عرض الناشر على نيكولاس مليون دولار لنشر روايته الأولى، رزق بزوجة وأطفال محبون، ورزق كل من الأخوان ببعضهما لمواجهة أحداث الحياة..

لفت نظري بشدة تركيز الرواية على تلك العلاقات الأخوية والروابط الأسرية في مجتمع كالمجتمع الأمريكي،دور الوالدان في تنمية تلك المشاعر والروابط واختلاف انماط الحياة وقواعد التربية من جيل إلى جيل..

شيء آخر..كتب اسم الأخوان على الرواية كمؤلفين رغم أن الكاتب فيهما هو نيكولاس ولست أدري هل تشاركا معاً في التأليف أم أن مشاركتهما في أحداث الحياة معاًوالرحلة التي قاما بها جعلت نيكولاس يضيف اسم أخيه كمؤلف..!


قرأتها بالعربية لكنني أعتقد أن قرائتها بالإنجليزية ستبدو أجمل وأمتع كثيراً..

First, a disclaimer – I have never read a Nicholas Sparks book and I am not a fan of the movie adaptations of his novels. The stories just seem ridiculously sappy.

I bought “Three Weeks with My Brother” for my friend as a birthday gift. It is a memoir written by both Nicholas Sparks and his brother, Micah. It sounded like the perfect present for my friend. She read it and loved it and wanted me to read it. I was not sure what to expect and ended up blown away by it.

The memoir jumps between the brothers going on an Amazing Race style whirlwind trip to exotic places around the world and their family History. The Sparks brothers are the only two surviving members of their family and have experienced a lot of tragedy through the years. Their shared experiences have brought them extremely close together. The book is very much part travelogue and adventures on the trip, prompt reflection on their lives and decisions.

I felt a very strong personal connection to their story, as I have also very little family remaining and have experienced similar tragedy within my own History. In particular, I related to Micah and how he took death as an opportunity to live his life to the fullest. I very much felt this in the year after my mom passed away. Death is a horrible thing to experience, but it is also a reminder to live life with zest. That being said, I had a difficult time reading many portions of this book, as it hit too close to home. I cried a lot and had trouble sleeping. Ultimately, I think this book is very helpful for grieving, even if it stirs up emotions. It’s healthy to have those emotions stirred.

I wasn't reviewing when I read this! Loved it. Obviously they are in a position of privilege, but the moral themes discussed I enjoyed.