Professional Trade Reviews

AllBooksReviews.com--was chosen as one of 101 best websites for  writers by Writer's Digest Magazine, May 2004 and May 2005.  Shirley Roe is the Managing Editor and offers the review below:

Reviewer:   Elaine Fuhr:   "I enjoyed this book and the armchair journey immensely. "

"Have you ever wished you could travel around Europe for a year and experience the unusual?  Perhaps you want to see the real Europe and not just the tourist attractions.  Maybe, you have absolutely no idea where to go or what to see, or maybe you have no hope of ever being able to travel at all.  If any of these scenarios fit, then sit back, relax and enjoy Europe from the perspective of Larry and Vilma (Precious).  From the beautiful city of Venice to Croatia, this ingenious couple travel by boat, plane, train, car, and on foot to experience Europe like few have before.  They travel through Europe like two youngsters experiencing an extraordinary adventure, a trip of a lifetime. "

"They attend the Romantica Ball in Venice where a costume is essential.  Larry describes his lovely Guiliette in her extravagant costume, but his tongue-in-cheek description of himself as 'Romeo in tights' is really funny.  Larry adds humor throughout this book and this sense of humor serves him well as he and Vilma experience some not so pleasant problems, and many weary hours of travel.  His descriptions of town and countryside, of the inhabitants of many foreign countries and of their own feelings as they follow their itinerary, take us along on their year-long journey.  They learn much about themselves as they encounter and learn about other nationalities. 

"The final pages of this book include a question and answer section where many of the 'most asked questions' are answered.  Among the pages, are colorful descriptions and historical facts making this book not only a great read but a pleasant form of education."

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About.com--is a top 15search property used by one of every five people on the internet, with over 20 million hits per month.  James Martin is the site author/guide for European travels and he offers his review below:

A View Beyond - Book Review (July 30, 2005)
You ever wanted to travel for a whole year and see Europe the way it was meant to be seen? Well, Larry G. Anderson has done it, and he's more than willing to tell you about it. You can't dampen his enthusiasm for the task, so you might as well enjoy him taking you for a ride. See A View Beyond - A Travel Adventure for Dreamers - A Year in Europe.

Guide Rating -

The Bottom Line

A View Beyond is a journal of a couple's year-long trip around Europe. I cracked open the published-on-demand volume with mixed emotions. I like travel books, but Larry G. Anderson isn't one of your big names. And who these days calls his wife Precious?

At first I found myself muttering "show us that something is 'neat,' don't tell us." And what was up with all these exclamation points? But these were the reddest of herrings; this book just might incite you to travel!  

Guide Review - A View Beyond - Travel Book Review

We're off on an adventure. Our guide isn't a silver-tongued devil intent on demonstrating the fact that he has the power to wrap your emotions around a tall tale made up of equal parts press trip and big-buck travel fantasy--he's a man who is along for the ride of his life and just has to tell you about it.

By now I was sucked in. But there were more surprises. That Precious, who started out as someone I'd pegged as an annoying woman obsessed with butting in on other people's marriages, turns out to be a tenacious travel fiend and voracious consumer of knowledge, one of those people you need to hire to plan your trip, someone who'd settle in beside one of those Italian widows in black knitting in front of her tiny casetta on a moonlit night and, without a great command of the language, would come away with a fascinating history of a village nobody'd think twice about visiting.

Two car crashes! Precious unabashedly admiring David's bum! Charlemagne's fattened, flying pig! Whoooeee!

When I first came to Europe in the mid 70s, everyone I knew had taken off and travelled for extended periods. Today, folks are away too long if they're gone for two weeks. Maybe what we need is a little enthusiasm for the discoveries travelers make each day they wander. Let A View Beyond be your travel catalyst. Pack your bags. Find a tenacious travel partner like Precious. Go and discover the world.

Then, maybe your very own exclamation points will come fast and furious. Duck!

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Reader Comments

Submitted by:  Wolfgang and Hilda Blasche, Germany

"Two days ago I received a wonderful surprise.  What an interesting travelogue. The whole book is fascinating and leads to dreaming on my part also.  Too bad I will never be able to fulfill such a dream, but we had some similarities on our trip 40 years ago.  Only we were not in a position to move the decimal point in any direction, our financial status was always low even though the dollar was high back then.  I also liked Larry's reminiscing of the Hofbrauhaus and the big-breasted Hilda serving beer.  Well that sure wasn't me!   It was funny to read though.  This man is some writer.  He has such lively description of events and landscapes that you feel you are actually there participating in everything with the Andersons. It was very joyful reading."

Submitted by:  Sharon Byerly, USA

"Have you ever thought of permanently re-locating to Italy? I'm  at that part of Larry's rendition and I'm savoring the read slowly, and don't want it to end."