If you like to read travel stories, you will like this book. If you like to travel, it has some destination ideas. If you wonder why some people never stop traveling and settle down, this book might provide some insight on that too!
Tattoo-Journeys on My Mind
The trouble with over 30 years of traveling is being over 30 years older. But I can’t help it; I’m curious and the years flew. In my midlife review, I invite you to join me for the ride in TATTOO—JOURNEYS ON MY MIND. These 21 chapters share an eclectic mix of genres and places. Included is a canoe trip in South Carolina to set the fun tone of tree house to right; retracing how I lost my cultural empathy in Northern India; an unexpected lesson in team dynamics and self-empowerment while dog sledding in Minnesota, notes on wives being put out to pasture in the Utah desert; Eastern Europe’s sideways look into gulags; and a pair of caving trips that altered my view on the ground. These are the journeys on my mind.
Why is this compilation a midlife review? My travels have been a vehicle for self-discovery. If you read the book, you might recognize having similar discoveries in your life. Growing up, I attended monthly travelogue lectures. Being conscious of possibilities outside of my small world helped widen my perspectives. I was intrigued by the world’s variety. I am ever amazed that I don’t deplete the options for finding new variety. Just keep turning the globe and you will likely agree. While I enjoy coming home, I feel compelled to go away. Travel sometimes tests my unshakable self-confidence. It is good to be tested. Frequently, it is life’s challenges that help us to grow. —TMLL
GET the audio book (7 hours, 13 minutes) at Nook Audiobook or Google Play or Chirpbooks or Kobo or AudiobooksNow or Downpour or The Podcast App or Scribd or Overdrive or Apple or Storytel or Libro.FM. On iTunes, click on audiobooks and search by author.
Curious?
Click on TRAVELER’S TALES for the Table of Contents. Click on TRAVELER for author information.
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See book reviews on GOODREADS.
AH wrote: “I love your book! I’m surprised at all of the places we have both been. And I didn’t know that there was another adult on the planet who loves dragons, it’s good to know I’m not alone.”
CC wrote: ” “I started your book last night and am loving reading it.” (January 3, 2014)
SR says after reading the book: “I could never do what you do.”
5.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining Travel Memoir Filled with Humor and Detail April 27, 2014
By E. Lucas TOP 500 REVIEWER
Format:Kindle Edition|Verified Purchase
“Tattoo: Journeys on My Mind” is an excellent, vividly written travel memoir in which its narrator the many trips she’s taken in her life, most on a shoestring budget but still full of adventure and memories. As someone who is passionate about travel and seeing a lot of the world, this book was right up my alley!
Each chapter in “Tattoo” is a story in itself about the author’s vacation to a wide range of destinations, which include both domestic and international locations. She writes about a canoe trip in South Carolina, a walking trip in southern Africa, exploring Mayan ruins, and ants in her rice in Thailand; there really don’t seem to be many corners of the world she hasn’t been! Each chapter is rich in description of not only her experiences in the country but also the scenery; she makes everything come alive, from the market stalls in Cairo to the desert in Utah. She also works in bits of trivia and history for each country as well (for instance, I didn’t know that the cat is missing from the zodiac calendar in China because it fell asleep—details like that make this a rich and entertaining read). The vignettes are also very honest—not every thing in every country is great and magical, and the author writes with humor and wit about her experiences that were less than satisfying.
I also really liked how the author emphasized that she is from a working class family and didn’t get to travel because she is rich—instead, she used a lot of preparation and strategy to get the best trip for her money. If you dream of travel, love travel and like to read of others experiences, or just enjoy memoirs, I recommend “Tattoo: Journeys on My Mind.”
EF says: “I like the style. Keep writing.”
Ariel wrote a book review:
“Refreshing read. I would put this book somewhere with Chicken Soup for the Soul kind of book. I liked her writing style and it was smooth to read. You could get to know the author through her stories. Sometimes people exaggerate stories but even in some o the more surprising situations, she makes it all sound so believable. I feel lucky that these worldly stories were shared.” Thank you!
BOOK REVIEW by KR: “Not being much of a traveler myself, I was very interested in Tattoo –Journeys On My Mind, by Tina Marie L. Lamb. I found the book to be well
written, humorous, and definitely educational as well. There were actually
some places mentioned in this book that I have not previously heard of, so
I found that to be quite interesting. Its fun to read about her own
journey, along with trying to come up with a bucket list of your own based
on what she has seen and been through. What I loved best is that her
adventures across the different Countries didnt just teach her about
specific locations; they also taught her about herself as well. I would
highly recommend this one! Its a fun read.” Dec. 2015
Book review by Stewart C:
“In Tattoo – Journeys on my Mind newcomer Tina Marie L. Lamb shares her life’s adventures while traveling across the world and learns a few life lessons along the way. A truly entertaining read she has had a pretty interesting life and this will give you an insight on not only what shes come across but also may give you a few ideas of what to add to your own bucket list for either activities to do or places to go. Also, it may add a few places to avoid. A great read for those who enjoy traveling or different life experiences written through a mostly humorous slant.”
Book review by NL:
“This is a collection of stories the author has compiled of her travels. Her adventures take place in a number of countries. Not only do her journeys teach her about other countries but also about herself. This book is full of information and history and offers interesting facts I did not know. While her adventures are varied and neat to read I did get a little bored reading it. My life is busy and my attention span short however others may find it a fascinating read. If you are going travel to the countries she talks about I would suggest perusing it. It is eye opening how other countries function”
Book review by BG:
“What a great read! I love the author’s laid back style. Whether you are well traveled or UNtraveled you will find this book a delight as the author takes you around the world with her to places you’ve heard of & places you’ve not. You’ll feel the searing heat or, perhaps, a much needed, gentle breeze; hear the waves, taste the local fare, get to know the animals & meet the natives as she so articulately delivers her experiences. I so enjoyed the detail she goes to length to convey about her travels. I could feel the bumpy, fast-paced sled dog ride, the fear, frustration & anger that arises when the locals try to force you to buy their wares or pay more than is due. She had some CLOSE calls! I don’t know if I would have the courage to do what she does, but Tina Marie Lamb has helped me to experience many people, places & things that I may never get to on my own by writing about her travels. If you think you’d like to get out & see the world this is a great book to get the ideas flowing. She’s traveled by every means possible all across the globe. I look forward to more books as she continues her journeys.”
JM wrote a book review: “The book was good. It was very straight-forward which is really interesting. I thought its going to be stories but it turned out to be much more like summary but in the meantime we could feel her adventures. How adventurous this book was? You met an alligator in the first chapter! She literally went to everywhere, Southern Africa, India, US, Vietnam, Egypt and much more. Every chapter was divided according to the places that she visited, which was nice since you wont get confused reading it. I like how she told the interesting part of the places that she visited and didnt left the bad part either. For an instance, she told us about the ‘Vollywood in Zimbabwe where the lions walking around and how she got sick at Delhi. It was an amazing journey, you got the suspense because she wrote a sentence like, ‘I went to Delhi the next day and that was my biggest mistake, before she continued to the next paragraph. Since she wrote everything off her experience, I really appreciate and enjoy it. She was a very brave woman to travel all around the world even she didnt get the best experience sometimes. It was amazing to read a journey of a traveller. Overall, it was an easy reading and very compact which was very accommodating.”
TLD wrote a book review:
“Tattoo- Journeys on my Mind, by Tina Marie L. Lamb, is a book that the author wrote about her travels. Lamb reminisces about the different places and things that she did throughout the book, and its pleasant for both travelers and homebodies alike. Though the book reads as the authors memories of different countries and adventures, I felt that I as the reader got to see the author discover herself and who she really was. She describes herself as being timid and not at all adventurous, and then tells you a story of how she swam in the Nile river or how she pet a lion. To me, this is not something that a timid and non-adventurous person would do.
Lamb’s book is very well written and each chapter flows beautifully into the next, each telling a new story of another adventure! The book comes across as both a learning experience and good for a laugh, and Lamb does a great job at describing her experience to the reader. I found very few grammatical errors throughout the book, and the few that I found did not take away from my reading experience in any way. This was a lighthearted, refreshing read that I would definitely recommended to both world travelers and homebodies alike!”
This supports what I had to say about Millwaukee in Chapter 11. —TMLL
‘Back in time 60 years’: America’s most segregated city | Toronto Star
https://www.thestar.com/news/world/2016/01/25/back-in-time-60-years-americas-most-segregated-city.html
Bethany wrote a review on the audiobook:
“I love travel writing but a lot of the time it can sound…rehearsed. Tatoo: Journeys on my mind is just the opposite. I loved how the story jumped from place to place and that the author was reading her own work. It gave an authentic feel to the whole thing. On top of that she is witty, fun to listen to, and has a great cadence to her voice. I particularly liked the sections about India and Alaska. The only problems I had were that the transitioning sounds at the chapters were very loud and there was some background noise at time. Overall this was a highly enjoyable listen and I will definitely listen to it again.”
Teresa wrote a review on the audiobook:
“Tatoo: Journeys on My Mind was a fun and enlightening listen. I enjoyed hearing about Tina Marie’s journeys, and it was even narrated by her as well. If this was a mid-life crisis, it was an adventurous one. It would be a blast to travel and visit these awesome places during life’s prime. I did cringe a little at the ear cleaning in Viet Nam.
I liked the music in between the chapters. It was folksy and pleasant. I also liked that she narrated her own book. She had a nice voice and she told her own story. The audio quality wasn’t perfect, there were a few highs and lows but it didn’t take away from this being a nice listen.”
JD wrote a review on the audiobook:
“A Midlife Crisis?’ The story line is about the author Tina Marie L. Lamb and her travel adventures around the globe. The author wrote a compelling story about the good and the bad that happened during her travels that made me feel as though I was traveling with her. Overall, it was an Engaging and Entertaining Read. The author, Tina Marie L. Lamb, did well with narrating her book.”
TM wrote a book review:
“Tattoo – Journeys on My Mind by Tina Marie L. Lamb was a beyond interesting book the things that occur seem so spectacular or amazing that there were times where I had to check if this was a fiction or non-fiction book. I really enjoyed learning about eh life of Tina Marie L. Lamb. The things she has done in her life are amazing. The way the book was organized and led from one adventure to another was perfect and really kept me interested.”
SH wrote: Never a dull moment.
“Tattoo – Journeys on My Mind by Tina Marie L. Lamb was a beyond interesting book the things that occur seem so spectacular or amazing that there were times where I had to check if this was a fiction or non-fiction book. I really enjoyed learning about eh life of Tina Marie L. Lamb. The things she has done in her life are amazing. The way the book was organized and led from one adventure to another was perfect and really kept me interested.”
RD wrote a book review:
“Tattoo – Journeys on my Mind by Tina Marie L. Lamb is a gorgeous collection of stories that the author describes as stories of her midlife crisis, beautifully written and gripping. The author takes readers through her adventures in life, involving a Carolina Tree House that harbors snakes and spiders, to being a captive to a Ganges River boatman and a lot more.
These stories are the author’s adventures that allow her to come into contact with herself and to re-discover her zest for life. The stories are thrilling, filled with adventure, but what is interesting is that they are purposeful and each story unveils a layer of the authors/ narrators personality.
Tina Marie L. Lamb tells her stories in the first person narrative, a style that absorbs the reader and makes them part of the story. Through these stories, she shares lessons about personal growth, freedom, and courage, lessons that can help anyone on the journey towards growth. I found this book very enjoyable.”
Thank you. —TMLL
Damon wrote: “an adventurous and interesting journey made for a great listen.”
MR wrote a book review:
“Tattoo – Journeys on My Mind by Tina Marie L. Lamb is a great mixture of life lessons hidden in variety of short exciting stories about places and people. The author shares some of the most emotional episodes of her life in order to makes us, readers open our eyes and to see the life beyond limits.
There is a strong message in every single one of Tina Marie’s stories but the most important thing she wants us to see, feel and why not understand is how life does not control us – we control our life. With every decision we do will or make at some point we choose the direction our life will follow from now on.
The book is written in a truly captivating manner with strong details, inspiring overviews and of course – smooth, understandable and delightful story line. It’s really a pleasure to step into author’s world and to feel all the emotions and fears she shares between the lines.”
SS wrote an audio book review: “This audio book was very educational and at times fun to listen to. It has helped me to decide where I would like to go when traveling and where not to go. I like that the history/religion/people/etc. of the area where mentioned in the book, that it is not just about the authors travels. I enjoyed listening to this audio book, my children did as well, when they were in the car with me.”
CS gave the audio book a 4 star rating and wrote: “Interesting!!”
AE wrote a review…
“The Author’s stories are interesting from the start, drawing the reader in, and taking them on fun, sometimes dangerous adventures that make the reader thrill and hunger for more. I appreciate how the author included food into her experiences along with her daily interactions with people from vastly different life styles and religions. I enjoyed this book and sharing the author’s experiences. I would recommend this book to those that love to travel or enjoy armchair traveling.”
readersfavorite.com/book-review/tattoo/1
SP wrote: “Very well written and I especially loved the chapter on dragons and castles in France. All of your book was witty, brilliant, and thought provoking; some (India and the treatment of women and in the west and its treatment of cattle) was difficult to read. Overall, it is a great work, and I hope you write another.”
CS wrote: “Interesting!!”
“Tattoo is wonderful – charming and shows
such an amazingly adventurous spirit.” —GC
HH wrote a review: “This is an amazing travel memoir! Lamb tells stories of inconveniences in Nepal, navigating Russian theatres, visiting caves in New York, going to cattle auctions in the western U.S., trying traditional Chinese dishes in Beijing, and many more. I never wanted it to end. I’m officially inspired to begin detailing my travels in a journal and visiting more underrated travel destinations. And the audiobook is narrated by the author, which gets an A+ in my book!” (June 12, 2022)