Reviews
"Funny and feisty . . . Hugely pleasurable." - Christopher Hirst, The Independent "It probably cannot be taught-a writer either is or is not sympathetic, amusing, insightful and informative. Sara Wheeler has had it from the off. You want to travel with her, and you want to travel blind." - Roger Hutchinson, The Scotsman "Precise . . . Compelling . . . A tribute to female exuberance in that most unsung of settings: middle age . . . Wheeler is consistently deft both at conveying atmosphere and character." - Talitha Stevenson, The Observer "Perfect for women who want to shake a fist at the fading light." - Ginny Dougary, The Guardian "A true celebration." - Ruth Scurr, The Daily Telegraph "Wheeler is a writer of great composure and energy, and out of these American adventures she fashions something unexpected and compelling." - Anthony Sattin, The Spectator "Filled with rollicking anecdotes and entertaining facts." - Sarah Churchwell, New Statesman "Touching . . . Carefully observed and finely written . . . [ O My America! ] is not quite biography or history or memoir or the kind of travelogue for which this writer is justly praised but an oddly successful hybrid of them all." - Kate Colquhoun, Daily Express "[Wheeler] went looking for inspiration from women who traveled to America and found 'second acts.' Fanny Trollope (mother of Anthony), Fanny Kemble, Harriet Martineau, Rebecca Burlend, Isabella Bird and Catherine Hubback (Jane Austen's niece) all left Britain-some permanently and some for shorter trips-to find something in America. Some loved the United States, and some hated it, but all were changed by the experience. Those experiences make up the meat of the book, and they are worthy of chronicling. Kemble was a British actress who eventually contributed to the cause of the Union in the Civil War. Burlend conquered the harsh wilderness of Illinois with her family and left a legacy that can still be found today. The stories are at once varied and remarkably similar, and the resilience of the women is impressive . . . asides about menopause and middle age personalize the author's fascination for her subjects . . . Wheeler's gift for biography is strong, and . . . the author ably captures these women and their travels." - Kirkus, It probably cannot be taught--a writer either is or is not sympathetic, amusing, insightful and informative. Sara Wheeler has had it from the off. You want to travel with her, and you want to travel blind., "Funny and feisty . . . Hugely pleasurable." -- Christopher Hirst, The Independent "It probably cannot be taught--a writer either is or is not sympathetic, amusing, insightful and informative. Sara Wheeler has had it from the off. You want to travel with her, and you want to travel blind." -- Roger Hutchinson, The Scotsman "Precise . . . Compelling . . . A tribute to female exuberance in that most unsung of settings: middle age . . . Wheeler is consistently deft both at conveying atmosphere and character." -- Talitha Stevenson, The Observer "Perfect for women who want to shake a fist at the fading light. " -- Ginny Dougary, The Guardian "A true celebration. " -- Ruth Scurr, The Daily Telegraph "Wheeler is a writer of great composure and energy, and out of these American adventures she fashions something unexpected and compelling. " -- Anthony Sattin, The Spectator "Filled with rollicking anecdotes and entertaining facts." -- Sarah Churchwell, New Statesman "Touching . . . Carefully observed and finely written . . . [ O My America! ] is not quite biography or history or memoir or the kind of travelogue for which this writer is justly praised but an oddly successful hybrid of them all. " -- Kate Colquhoun, Daily Express "[Wheeler] went looking for inspiration from women who traveled to America and found 'second acts.' Fanny Trollope (mother of Anthony), Fanny Kemble, Harriet Martineau, Rebecca Burlend, Isabella Bird and Catherine Hubback (Jane Austen's niece) all left Britain--some permanently and some for shorter trips--to find something in America. Some loved the United States, and some hated it, but all were changed by the experience. Those experiences make up the meat of the book, and they are worthy of chronicling. Kemble was a British actress who eventually contributed to the cause of the Union in the Civil War. Burlend conquered the harsh wilderness of Illinois with her family and left a legacy that can still be found today. The stories are at once varied and remarkably similar, and the resilience of the women is impressive . . . asides about menopause and middle age personalize the author's fascination for her subjects . . . Wheeler's gift for biography is strong, and . . . the author ably captures these women and their travels." -- Kirkus, Wheeler is a writer of great composure and energy, and out of these American adventures she fashions something unexpected and compelling., Precise . . . Compelling . . . A tribute to female exuberance in that most unsung of settings: middle age . . . Wheeler is consistently deft both at conveying atmosphere and character., "Funny and feisty . . . Hugely pleasurable." -- Christopher Hirst, The Independent "It probably cannot be taught--a writer either is or is not sympathetic, amusing, insightful and informative. Sara Wheeler has had it from the off. You want to travel with her, and you want to travel blind." -- Roger Hutchinson, The Scotsman "Precise . . . Compelling . . . A tribute to female exuberance in that most unsung of settings: middle age . . . Wheeler is consistently deft both at conveying atmosphere and character." -- Talitha Stevenson, The Observer "Perfect for women who want to shake a fist at the fading light. " -- Ginny Dougary, The Guardian "A true celebration. " -- Ruth Scurr, The Daily Telegraph "Wheeler is a writer of great composure and energy, and out of these American adventures she fashions something unexpected and compelling. " -- Anthony Sattin, The Spectator "Filled with rollicking anecdotes and entertaining facts." -- Sarah Churchwell, New Statesman "Touching . . . Carefully observed and finely written . . . [ O My America! ] is not quite biography or history or memoir or the kind of travelogue for which this writer is justly praised but an oddly successful hybrid of them all. " -- Kate Colquhoun, Daily Express "[Wheeler] went looking for inspiration from women who traveled to America and found 'second acts.' Fanny Trollope (mother of Anthony), Fanny Kemble, Harriet Martineau, Rebecca Burlend, Isabella Bird and Catherine Hubback (Jane Austen's niece) all left Britain--some permanently and some for shorter trips--to find something in America. Wheeler's gift for biography is strong, and . . . the author ably captures these women and their travels." -- Kirkus, Touching . . . Carefully observed and finely written . . . [ O My America! ] is not quite biography or history or memoir or the kind of travelogue for which this writer is justly praised but an oddly successful hybrid of them all., [Wheeler] went looking for inspiration from women who traveled to America and found 'second acts.' Fanny Trollope (mother of Anthony), Fanny Kemble, Harriet Martineau, Rebecca Burlend, Isabella Bird and Catherine Hubback (Jane Austen's niece) all left Britain--some permanently and some for shorter trips--to find something in America. Some loved the United States, and some hated it, but all were changed by the experience. Those experiences make up the meat of the book, and they are worthy of chronicling. Kemble was a British actress who eventually contributed to the cause of the Union in the Civil War. Burlend conquered the harsh wilderness of Illinois with her family and left a legacy that can still be found today. The stories are at once varied and remarkably similar, and the resilience of the women is impressive . . . asides about menopause and middle age personalize the author's fascination for her subjects . . . Wheeler's gift for biography is strong, and . . . the author ably captures these women and their travels., "Precise . . . Compelling . . . A tribute to female exuberance in that most unsung of settings: middle age . . . Wheeler is consistently deft both at conveying atmosphere and character." - Talitha Stevenson, The Observer
