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Jennifer Wilson

Goodreads author profile

url

http://www.goodreads.com/Jen_Wilson

born

in Des Moines, The United States

gender

female

website

http://www.jennifer-wilson.com

twitter username

travelinfamily

genre

Travel, Biographies & Memoirs, Literature & Fiction

influences

Anthony Bourdain, Ann Jones, Peter Mayle, Bill Bryson, John Irving, [a...more

member since

August 2011

About this author

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RUNNING AWAY TO HOME has been chosen as Best Nonfiction Book of 2011 by the American Society of Journalists and Authors.

Jennifer Wilson has worked as a Big Band disc jockey, a high-school English teacher, detasseler of corn, and a reporter and editor for newspapers and magazines. She's written for Esquire, National Geographic Traveler, No Depression, Traditional Home, Gourmet and many other national magazines and newspapers.

RUNNING AWAY TO HOME (St. Martin's Press) is about the time she forced her family to sell their stuff and return to live in the ancient Croatian mountain village of her ancestors. A good time was had by all. Sort of. Well, define "good."

She lives and writes in Iowa, the state that gave you Barack Obama during the 2008 c...more

64 posts
Jennifer Wilson's Blog

What I Miss Today

Often what I miss about our year away is that closeness as a family.

Yes, it could get annoying to be surrounded by my people 24/7. Claustrophobic even. But after we came home, life swept us back into its current. Though we make an effort to stay tight, I think a certain degree of separation is inevitable over the years. I suppose it’s natural to let nostalgia color that time. “Remember when we...

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Jennifer Wilson's Books

Average rating: 3.94 · 304 ratings · 100 reviews · 1 distinct work · Similar authors

Running Away to Home: Our Family's Journey to Croatia in Search of Who We Are, Where We Came From, and What Really Matters
3.94 of 5 stars 3.94 avg rating — 304 ratings — published 2011 — 4 editions

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Jennifer is Currently Reading

Jennifer Wilson is currently reading

New York: The Novel

by Edward Rutherfurd

bookshelves: currently-reading, on-the-nightstand

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Jennifer Wilson said: "I've got a lot going on right now, and I need some serious escapism when that happens. Every once in a while, you'll find me in 1700s Manhattan with Edward Rutherfurd as my guide. This book is a honker, too, so it should last through the holiday seas...more "

Dec 01, 2012 01:29pm · see review

Jennifer Wilson is currently reading

Infinite Jest

by David Foster Wallace

bookshelves: currently-reading

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Jennifer Wilson said: "I am reading this, and I am worried. Does "Infinite Jest" mean that this book is going to last forever, and the joke is on me for sticking with it? Maybe I'm just not smart enough for such dense dense dense prose. Probably that. It'll stay on the nig...more "

Sep 17, 2012 05:29pm · see review

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Jennifer's Recent Updates

Jennifer Wilson is now friends with Allison Severson
Jun 07, 2013 01:47pm · like
Jennifer Wilson and 2 other people liked Steve Sullivan's review of Lebanese Blonde: " There’s a terrific chapter about midway through “Lebanese Blonde” that finds the protagonist, a Lebanese-born but thoroughly Americanized young man named Sammy taking his aging, cigar-chomping Uncle Waxy to the dentist. A medical emergency arises,... " Read more of this review »
Feb 11, 2013 07:42am · see review
Jennifer Wilson wants to read Lebanese Blonde by Joseph Geha (Goodreads Author)	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Feb 11, 2013 07:42am
Jennifer Wilson wants to read Skippy Dies by Paul Murray	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jan 10, 2013 07:45am
Jennifer Wilson liked Michelle's review of Skippy Dies: " Bret Easton Ellis recommended this book on Twitter. Said it was one of the best books ever. I would do a lot of things BEE told me to do so, naturally, I picked up this book at the library the next day. Loved it - it's a bit of a read (600+ pages)... " Read more of this review »
Jan 10, 2013 07:44am · see review
Jennifer Wilson voted for 1 books on the list Historical Fiction 2013 Vote on this list »
Dec 05, 2012 02:20pm · like
Jennifer Wilson is currently reading New York: The Novel by Edward Rutherfurd	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
I've got a lot going on right now, and I need some serious escapism when that happens. Every once in a while, you'll find me in 1700s Manhattan with Edward Rutherfurd as my guide. This book is a honker, too, so it should last through the holiday seas...more
Dec 01, 2012 01:29pm · see review
Jennifer Wilson rated a book 4 of 5 stars An Object of Beauty by Steve Martin read in December, 2012	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Dec 01, 2012 01:27pm
Jennifer Wilson rated a book 3 of 5 stars Lucky Girl by Mei-Ling Hopgood read in December, 2012	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
I have this feeling that this memoir by an adopted Chinese-American is about to get nuts ... the family from China is desperately, repeatedly trying to contact her. Looking forward to finding out what happens next.
Dec 01, 2012 01:27pm · see review
Jennifer Wilson wants to read Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity by Katherine Boo	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Nov 19, 2012 05:10pm