So far, in the Year of Our Lord 2017, I've read 15 books, 10 of which have been of the memoir and essay genre. Of those 10 books, All Over the Place: Adventures in Travel, True Love, and Petty Theft has been my absolute favorite.
Geraldine DeRuiter is a blogger-turned-memoir writer and usually this transition doesn't work out well. It takes a special type of writer to transcend storytelling mediums; if you thought Geraldine was a talented blog writer then just wait to have your socks blown off when you read All Over the Place.
As you can tell from the tagline, it's a story of travel and love, but the most compelling arc of this book is the story of family. Geraldine takes you through her family history, from anecdotes about her brother, to her mom, father, and her husband.
You'll laugh, as any reader of her blog will expect, but she'll also make you cry. A lot. From discussing her brain tumor to pondering on the purpose of life (in a way that's completely non-wanky), you'll find yourself shocked at the amount of times you'll cry over a book that has been marketed as "hilarious". (Like, it definitely is, but don't feel guilty for having to use an entire toilet paper roll to wipe away all your snot.)
Wow, writing this review has really made me want to re-read this book. You go buy your copy here and I'll go re-read my copy and it'll be a great day for everyone involved.
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