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    A Year by the Sea: Thoughts of an Unfinished Woman
    A Year by the Sea: Thoughts of an Unfinished Woman
    A Year by the Sea: Thoughts of an Unfinished Woman
    Audiobook4 hours

    A Year by the Sea: Thoughts of an Unfinished Woman

    Written by Joan Anderson

    Narrated by Laural Merlington

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Life is a work in progress, as ever-changing as a sandy shoreline along the beach. During the years Joan Anderson was a loving wife and supportive mother, she had slowly and unconsciously replaced her own dreams with the needs of her family. With her sons grown, however, she realized that the family no longer centered on the home she provided, and her relationship with her husband had become stagnant. Like many women in her situation, Joan realized that she had neglected to nurture herself and, worse, to envision fulfilling goals for her future. As her husband received a wonderful job opportunity out-of-state, it seemed that the best part of her own life was finished. Shocking both of them, she refused to follow him to his new job and decided to retreat to a family cottage on Cape Cod.

    At first casting about for direction, Joan soon began to take pleasure in her surroundings and call on resources she didn't realize she had. Over the course of a year, she gradually discovered that her life as an "unfinished woman" was full of possibilities. Out of that magical, difficult, transformative year came A Year by the Sea, a record of her experiences and a treasury of wisdom for listeners.

    This year of self-discovery brought about extraordinary changes in the author's life. The steps that Joan took to revitalize herself and rediscover her potential have helped thousands of women reveal and release untapped resources within themselves.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBrilliance Audio
    Release dateAug 14, 2012
    ISBN9781469214689
    A Year by the Sea: Thoughts of an Unfinished Woman
    Author

    Joan Anderson

    Joan Anderson is the author of the bestsellers A Year by the Sea and An Unfinished Marriage. She has also written numerous children’s novels, including 1787, The First Thanksgiving Feast, and The American Family Farm, as well as a critically acclaimed adult nonfiction book, Breaking the TV Habit. A Walk on the Beach is her third work of narrative nonfiction. A graduate of Yale University School of Drama, Anderson lives with her husband on Cape Cod.

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    Reviews for A Year by the Sea

    4/5

    224 ratings13 reviews

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    • 3/5
      A Year by the Sea chronicles Joan Anderson's life after she chooses to take a break from her marriage. Her children grown and on their own, her husband was offered a job in a new location. She chooses to move to their beach house instead of following him, reflecting on her feelings of repression and lack of appreciation on the years of marriage and motherhood. She takes time to find herself, her inner courage, and comes out the other side more confident and content.

      Anyone who has been in a long-term marriage will be able to appreciate this book. Although her journey is different from mine (a beach house, really, Joan?), I could relate to her feelings and the experiences she gave herself during this year alone. It made me celebrate my relationship with my husband a little more and reminded me that regardless of our strong partnership, that I should always take time for myself.

      2 people found this helpful

    • 5/5
      I loved this beautiful book...raw and real and resonates deeply
    • 5/5
      authentic. a happy ever after that was real, real in that the author did the work. encouraging for relationships that have reached a girl in their journey.
    • 5/5
      Joan's husband has been transferred and they will need to move out of their long time home. Joan decides that with her 2 adult sons gone from the home and her marriage dull and lifeless maybe its time to set out on her own. So when her hubby brings up the needs to shop for a place to live in the new town, she tells him that she is going to move into their summer house and he will need to pick a place for himself in the new town. The story follows her on her adventure and personal growth in the town of her summer cottage. This is a well written and well thought out story of a middle aged woman who battles "empty nest" and triumphs over it. I thoroughly enjoy the book and Joan's adventures.
    • 5/5
      It’s Succinctness, it’s depth, yet someone who has walked a similar journey can identify with it. Full of rich reflections of a woman’s journey in life!
    • 5/5
      Wonderful! Beautifully written! Exactly what I needed to hear during a transitional time of my life. Thank you!
    • 3/5
      A pleasant small book about a woman's separation from her husband for a year and how she grew in that time.
    • 5/5
      Loved this. Women need to take risks and this woman did it. She shook things up,went against the norm for a wife and mother!
      This is all about lessons in life, lessons to learn and lessons learned. This should be required reading for all young women!!!!
      All women period!
    • 5/5
      Excellent, insightful endearing.
    • 3/5
      Analytical account of reconstruction of marriage after separation
    • 5/5
      Perhaps because I was going through 'that time' of my life as well, I found this story very inspiring. As women, we are often times judged when we take time out for ourselves. But that is what Joan did, and she found out lots of things about herself, that she wouldn't have realized any other way. Would recommend (to women reaching 'middle' age).
    • 5/5
      A woman leaves her husband to live by herself for a year.
    • 4/5
      Some years ago I read 'A year by the sea' by Joan Anderson.The book really inspired me and some lessons learned are:Silence can be a good friend.Believing in yourself isn't everything, but you can't begin to live unless you do.Joy comes from the capacity to appreciate all things elemental.Be at home in your body.The four necessary steps to finding yourself are the four R's: Retreat, Repair, Regenerate and Renew.Put your relationship with yourself first. I always find it interesting to read about what I call 'Wonderful Women'.