TRAVERSE Issue 10 - February 2019 | Page 127

BOOK REVIEWS I Títle: Mango: A Thai Rescue Dog Travels The World Writer: Sherrie McCarthy Year: 2016 When Sherrie McCarthy and partner Patrick set out on their round the world ride little did they realise they would return with an extra passenger. Mango: A Thai Rescue Dog Trav- els The World is Sherrie’s account of how she and Patrick came across a street dog that they fell in love with and promptly adopted to take back to Germany via South-East Asia, Canada and the United States. Mango’s story is beautifully writ- ten in both the first person by Sher- rie as well as an amusing account by Mango, at times this is key to the story and gets the reader thinking from an animal’s point of view. Would you adopt an animal from a different country in the hope to take it home with you? Sherrie (and Mango) demonstrate that it’s possi- ble and in many ways, despite the bureaucratic red tape can be quite easy. As you read through Mango: A Thai Rescue Dog Travels The World there’s no doubt you’ll see the love building between human and ani- mal, and for those of you that share your adventures with an animal you’ll see some of yourself. That’s the beauty of the story of Mango. If there’s one criticism, it’s that the story starts well however by midway it seems to rush through; blog entries don’t help the cause. There’s no doubt Mango’s story could’ve continued and gone into greater detail and it wouldn’t have hurt the overall appeal. Mango: A Thai Rescue Dog Trav- els The World is a good little book and well worth sharing the experi- ence of how a Thai street dog be- comes a pampered family member in Germany and the journey to get there. Who Are You? isn't so much a book about motorcycling but rather the reflections of the author and his travelling companion Chloe on the life they shared with Ken Eaton's wife Sue. Ken writes of his life, and loss, as his wife and he went through one of the most insidious of diseases; de- mentia. Through verse and poems, beau- tifully written from the heart, while Ken and his little mate, Chloe, travel Australia, the story of what a dementia sufferers family goes through is thoughtfully told. Who Are You? is the perfect example of how the solitude of motorcycle travel can open your mind, help you reflect, collect your thoughts, and discover more than you ever realised. Through tragedy, Ken has managed to do what many travellers hope to achieve and has opened his heart. His little mate, Chloe, has no doubt helped a great deal, even 'writing' her own piece of the story; Chloe's 'input' into the Who Are You? story is simply beau- tiful and a thoughtful way of narrat- ing the story. Who Are You? is a short book that tells a massive story, it will have you smiling and crying, it will have you thinking, reflecting and thankful for what you have. You'll finish it, put it down and almost immediate- ly pick it up and start again. Each time it reveals a little more of the story shared between Sue, Ken and Chloe. A simply beautiful little book! E Títle: Who Are You, She Said To Me Writer: Ken Eaton (& Chloe) Year: 2018 TRAVERSE 127 W S