Tag books

Book of the Year: Looking for Alaska

Reg Spittle 3 Comments

A little late, isn’t it? You’re right, but I hope you’ll forgive me for focusing on the launch of my third book.

So, here it is, my review (published last March) of my favorite book that I read in 2024:

I glanced at this book’s title; I thought, “Perfect. A travel adventure book. To Alaska!”

But I was wrong. Looking for Alaska is indeed a journey, but the teen-aged protagonist travels through his eventful life in a new boarding school.

This is no ordinary coming-of-age story. Divided into two sections, before and after, John Green tells a tale filled with poignant happenings in the life of Miles “Pudge” Halter. One event is a defining, shocking moment where the “after” story begins. (No spoiler here.)

Obsessed with famous last words, Pudge falls into the world of the Great Perhaps with Alaska Young. She feeds his sense of humor, challenges his tendency to play it safe, and captures his heart. The entertaining story may move you to consider your own journey to self-discovery.

Looking for Alaska is one more in a series of young adult novels that have kept me away from my usual non-fiction leanings. I am drawn to YA books for stories that take me back to my own teen-aged years and my struggle to find myself. Like Pudge, I found a friend in high school who accepted me for who I was, giving me confidence that changed everything. I am thankful every day for that friendship.

Looking for Alaska was Green’s debut novel. He has written many more, including The Fault of Our Stars, selling a total of 50 million copies.

An Unexpected Passion

Reg Spittle 10 Comments

How did I get to this point in my life, more than 12 years after I left the working world?

Today, I share with you these words from carryoncouple.com, where my wife Sue traces our journey:

The headlines jump out at us daily — Find your passion…Create a more purposeful and fulfilling life.

Passion is such a strong, emotional word. Does everyone have a passion? What if I can’t find mine? Will I be happy if I’m not passionate about something…anything?

Reg and I have never dwelled on finding answers to these questions. We set goals, make plans and often make decisions as life’s pathways unfold before us. But then something interesting happened…

In 2013, not long after we had both retired, Reg and I walked Spain’s Camino de Santiago. Neither of us walked with expectations. We weren’t searching for healing or peace or direction. I just knew that we needed to do it. Reg wasn’t so sure, and may have been the most reluctant pilgrim on the Camino that year, but my stubborn enthusiasm opened a new world of interests and travel opportunities for us.

Passion had found us!


Since that fateful walk through Spain, we have become passionate about long distance walking, exploring some of the world’s most beautiful treks. I keep our carryoncouple blog up-to-date, sharing bits and pieces of our travels. We both started additional blogs; Reg posts book reviews and I share my favorite photos. Reg became serious about writing, publishing three separate books detailing our adventures. I’ve designed maps for his books as well as the covers.

Reg recently released his third book, (here’s a link) Hoofin’ It On The John Muir Trail, an adventure memoir recounting our 30-day trek through California’s Sierra Nevada mountains. This, along with his other two books, are available at Amazon.com.

In April we will set off on a couple new trekking adventures. One through Italy on the Via Francigena and another shorter walk on England’s Cotswolds Way. I hope you’ll follow along.