“Exceptionally candid, inherently interesting, impressively well written, organized, and presented . . . the kind of intensely personal, yet universally appealing memoir that will linger in the mind and memory of the reader long after the book itself has been finished and set back upon the shelf.”
—Midwest Book Review
“In this exquisitely written memoir, Wilson weaves an authentic and suspenseful tale capturing what it means to find the grace within the grit that confronts all of us.”
—Stephanie Raffelock, editor of Art in the Time of Unbearable Crisis and author of A Delightful Little Book On Aging and Creatrix Rising
“All You’ll See Is Sky is an extraordinary true story. This gripping memoir winds you through the African continent as the author spins tales of history, nature, culture, and people she meets along her pilgrimage of her birthland. Truly shocking, you’ll never forget this powerful book of growth, grief, and healing.”
—Lucinda Jackson, author of Just a Girl and Project Escape
“Vivid, raw in its candor, and sensitive to the broad diversity of cultures and people, All You’ll See is Sky takes us on a life changing journey in Africa. This memoir is rich with the beauty of the continent—the roaring grunts of hippos, the diesel fumes, the sandstorms. It speaks profound truths about responsibility and compassion, intimacy and connection.”
—Marlena Maduro Baraf, author of At the Narrow Waist of the World and coauthor of Three Poets/Tres Poetas
“With honesty and humility, Janet A. Wilson takes the reader on a roller coaster ride through Africa with all the sights, sounds, and history of a very complex continent. Set against the beautiful backdrop of the land and the people of Africa, All You’ll See is Sky is a gripping and enjoyable read.”
—Vicki Cody, author of Army Wife and Fly Safe
“Janet’s prose is clear, rich, and from the heart, and opens a window into another world. She shares a deep immersion into the beauty and power of the African wilderness and culture, and exposes the complicated and emotional knot what constitutes a true partnership.”
—Annie Chappell, author of Away Up The North Fork: A Girl Search for Home in the Wilderness
Amazon reviews
“This book is life changing and educational. The power of compassion and forgiveness demonstrated in this book is eye opening and beautifully told. This story changed how I view life. Thank you for writing this well written book!”
—Nicole
“This is a beautifully positive story, although heartbreaking at times. Most of all, it encourages the reader to perhaps take her own bold step, to break free of family or society’s expectations of a woman’s place and to embrace the courage to live with intent and with purpose.”
—Marcia
“A highly recommended book that will captivate the reader with the adventures the couple encounter, while at the same time providing an intimate look at the partnership between two people, and how to regain authenticity and fulfillment in a marriage.”
—Charlene J
“This book is relatable and completely foreign to me at the same time. I grieved along with Janet and Tom and felt kinship in their relationship struggles.”
—Judy
“They survived the trip and emerged stronger. Janet’s dramatic story is compelling; the candid narrative moves along so rapidly that it sometimes even feels hard to keep up. I couldn’t put the book down, and I was disappointed to come to the last page.”
—Diane C
“I could not put this book down. She is so inspiring. She makes me want to head out on an adventure. Thank you for the great read”
—Lisa I
- Professional Book Reviewer
“I’m not a huge memoir fan but I let my nan read this one first and she really loved it, so I gave it a shot and wow…amazing. I don’t rate memoirs, but this one is great ❤️”
—Carleigh’s Bookstagram
“Memoir lovers, don’t miss this extraordinary true story….This is a beautifully positive story, although heartbreaking at times. Most of all, it encourages the reader to perhaps take her own bold step, to break free of family or society’s expectations of a woman’s place and to embrace the courage to live with intent and with purpose.”
—Marcia Felts
“The author does an amazing job of taking her readers along on her journey of discovery, self worth and reflection. I loved learning about her and her husband’s life and their adventures and what lead them to the decision to take a 25,000 mile journey from Canada across Africa!
…I thoroughly enjoyed it!”
—HidsBookHub
“I loved the vivid descriptions of Africa, its people and wildlife. Janet’s perspective as a South African who moved to Canada and once again revisits Africa is honest and interesting. All You’ll See is sky is a well written, adventure-filled, and thought-provoking travel memoir.”
—LurkyKitty
“All You’ll See is Sky is a true travel adventure that doesn’t shy away from the hard subjects. I’m glad the author started the book in present day referring to her husband because there were multiple experiences in the book—broken down in extremely remote parts of Africa with no one but each other to rely on—that I didn’t know how a marriage could survive.⠀Marriage aside, kudos to the author for actually doing what so many of us merely think about: leaving it all behind and spending a year fueling our soul and finding out what we’re made of. I so admire her steadfast intent to go from Cape Town to Cairo, in whatever vehicle, with or without her husband, despite millions of mosquitos and hundreds of hippos ready to attack. And can we talk about the vastly different landscapes and cultures between South Africa and Egypt? I learned so much in this armchair travel.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Read this book to escape your own reality and venture through the highs and lows of empty nesters driving through Africa 🌍”
—Bookedup Millennials
“There are many moments in this memoir, happy, sad, horrifying, but Janet is so eloquent with her writing in her experiences. She tells you, the good and (unfortunately) the bad. I don’t want to give too much away, so I think you should read it.”
—The Book Review
“This is such an interesting read. Part memoir about fixing a marriage, part exploration of Africa and a lot of African history thrown in, I really enjoyed it all.
I grew up hearing about but not quite understanding apartheid and genocide, a luxury of living on another continent, I was moved by the couple’s visits to museums and sites and how it touched them
Some of their must see stops I knew about while others I went and searched out on the internet. I love learning as I read and I’ll admit to knowing very little about Africa. But some of my favorite parts are of the people they met along the way. Such an interesting slice of life.
While I’m not married, their growth and learning to balance each other rivaled the rest.
This is my first non-celebrity memoir of the year and it’s worth the read.”
—Reading Late into the Night
“This memoir was real and raw with so many ups and downs. I could definitely relate to the monotony that Janet felt with life and how that impacted her marriage. I was intrigued at their decision to set off on a long distance trip to potentially add spark. This adventure through Africa was the true test of Janet and Tom’s marriage and ability to reconnect. This was definitely an extreme approach to saving a marriage but the end result is unmatched.”
—ALEX DA BIBLIOPHILE
“This book was well-written and enjoyable to read. I found it portrayed a strong sense of human spirit, strength, and courage.”
—Books and biewers
“I think so many of us are a part of the daily grind, working for that next best thing.
Whether its the next bigger house, higher promotion, or thing we want to buy not really taking the time to stop and recognize what we do have and how short life can really be.
I loved that Janet wanted to immerse herself in her culture and really take advantage of the time she has left. I loved the things her and her husband realized about themselves and found this to be a very thoughtful story”
—Allyson Read with Ally
“This is a beautifully positive story, although heartbreaking at times. Most of all, it encourages the reader to perhaps take her own bold step, to break free of family or society’s expectations of a woman’s place and to embrace the courage to live with intent and with purpose.”
—Marcia Reading Past
“The memoir demonstrates grace, transforming love, and adventure. I was deeply moved while reading the story. I highly recommend!”
—Becky of Becky’s Bookshelves
“The adventure and stories in this book will have you smiling, biting your nails in nervousness, and crying. It reads partly like a travel documentary and partly like a journal. The descriptions of the landscapes and the animals are so richly detailed that I could almost hear David Attenborough narrating. Mostly though, this book is about connection. It’s about humanity and shared experiences and the realization of how interconnected we all really are. It’s the people that carry the heart of the book and every single place visited”
—Eden’s Book Den
- Goodreads
“ …a page turner that I gulped down in almost one sitting…It is a moving story of self-discovery and relational growth, trauma endured and survived, forgiveness and redemption—all told with humility and a gentle wit. But it is also a remarkable travelogue. The author weaves splendid descriptions, rich with the tastes, smells, and vivid images of Africa. We are right there with her, as she has transformative encounters with memorable people and places. It is a book that both entertains and inspires.”
—Dr Kathy B
“I was deeply moved throughout the book with Janet’s story staying with me long after I finished the final page. So many of us accept status quo, this story shows us what is possible when you embrace risk and live with intention.”
—Tania
“I related to Janet in some ways, mainly in the confines of her marriage. But Janet is far more adventurous than I will ever be. The things she and Tom encountered on their 25,000-mile drive across Africa, both thrilling and dangerous, would have had me high-tailing it to the nearest Hilton Hotel.
As much as this is a memoir about a woman’s healing and marriage, it is about a continent and its people, history, and natural landscape. Very well written, Janet will motivate you not to accept the mundane but to take risks and live the life you want.”
—Susan Ballard