All over the Place

Adventures in Travel, True Love, and Petty Theft

By: Geraldine DeRuiter

Narrated by: Geraldine DeRuiter

Some people are meant to travel the globe, to unwrap its secrets, and share them with the world. And some people have no sense of direction, are terrified of pigeons, and get motion sickness from tying their shoes. These people are meant to stay home and eat nachos. Geraldine DeRuiter is the latter. But she won't let that stop her. Hilarious, irreverent, and heartfelt, All over the Place chronicles the years Geraldine spent traveling the world after getting laid off from a job she loved. Those years taught her a great number of things, though the ability to read a map was not one of them. She has only a vague idea of where Russia is, but she now understands her Russian father better than ever before. She learned that what she thought was her mother's functional insanity was actually an equally incurable condition called "being Italian". She learned what it's like to travel the world with someone you already know and love - how that person can help you make sense of things and make far-off places feel like home. She learned about unemployment and brain tumors, lost luggage and lost opportunities, and just getting lost in countless terminals and cabs and hotel lobbies across the globe. And she learned that sometimes you can find yourself exactly where you need to be - even if you aren't quite sure where you are.

©2017 Geraldine DeRuiter (P)2017 Hachette Audio

Critic reviews

"DeRuiter's funny, honest portrayal of life's small and large adventures will convince any hesitant would-be traveler that you don't need bravery or even an above average sense of direction to venture out into the world-all you need is a plane ticket and a sense of humor (and maybe a plunger)." (Rachel Friedman, author of The Good Girl's Guide to Getting Lost)

"Geraldine DeRuiter's All Over the Place is a travel memoir of sorts, but I'd enjoy reading pretty much any topic she wanted to cover. Her voice is funny, witty and warm, and her stories sparkle. This book is a travel companion you'll be happy you brought along." (Lauren Graham, star of Gilmore Girls and New York Times best-selling author of Talking as Fast as I Can)

"I laughed so hard during the book's 'disclaimer' that I woke up my baby, and then actively ignored him to continue reading. Geraldine is at turns laugh-out-loud hilarious and grab-me-some-tissues tender, and all I could think of after reading this was 'can we take a trip together please?'" (Nora McInerny Purmort, author of It's Okay to Laugh (Crying Is Cool Too))

Simply Delightful

Cute and written by a real person. Life happens, embrace it, and love it. From someone who travels solo and has gotten lost in countless cities, this book hit home. I enjoyed how she said that just because you don't see the path that you're on doesn't mean you're on the wrong one. Great book, not about travel but about how life happens in ways we don't anticipate.

A fascinating story(ies)!

I found this book after looking up Geraldine DeRulter on Twitter, after one of tweets went viral (the one about how Joker really should be a woman!) and I'm really happy I listened to this audiobook! Geraldine does a great job telling stories, and narrating them too! As someone who likes travelling but still has a lot more to do, I was really enjoying hearing her stories and how different they are from most travellers. The stories were more about her and her relationship with her husband, not where they were specifically. There are some gross stories about half way through which I wasn't sure I needed to hear (TMI! lol) but this is a great listen!

Joyful and Unflinchingly Real

Loved how it made me want to keep exploring (and explore with) the people I *think* I know best.

I found this to be boring which surprised me

Oh dear I found this to be very boring after a promising start. The author reads her own book which is always a delight and she does a good job here. The material is just not that funny or interesting. I bought it after reading some hilarious blog posts and Times humor articles of hers. She mainly talks about her family and husband in mostly serious and loving terms which is awesome for her. I'm glad she has them in her life but IMO I don't know them and after several chapters of the same thing I was ready to move on to another topic but she never did.

Life is messy which adds to the adventure.

I thoroughly enjoyed sharing slices of life through Geraldine's eyes. The bits about her mother are especially hilarious! Through thick and thin, I enjoyed the shenanigans.

A truly enjoyable story

Geraldine's self deprecating humor woven into relatable stories capped with poignant life lessons make All Over the Place truly enjoyable listen. The way she words things cracked me up from beginning to end, and her performance in the audio is so sincere as she relives her life with you. The book feels like one long chat with a big sister (even though she's four years younger than you) who you know isn't perfect, but when she comes to a conclusion about life, you can't help but acknowledge that she's right.

Simply delightful

Now that I've finished listening to this book, I'll miss Geraldine's storytelling, charm and overall self-deprecating wit. It made me look back on all my own travels to try to piece together what I learned about those close to me and myself. Highly recommend.

Unexpectedly delightful

I'm not exactly sure what I expected originally when I purchase, but awhile went by before I listened to this book. She almost lost me at one of the seemingly gratuitous gross parts, (note: those words together seem weird), but the book quickly took a turn into the drama of life that so often befalls us. And weaves I into a beautiful story of family that is much richer than it first appears.
I probably should have gave it 5 stars. But still. That one part.

I laughed and cried!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I've actually purchased ten additional print copies for friends, family, and strangers. So yes, I'd recommend this book.

What about Geraldine DeRuiter’s performance did you like?

It is always a treat to hear a book orated by the author.

Any additional comments?

I read Geraldine DeRuiter’s book in one day. I laughed and cried through the first three-quarters of All Over the Place in print and then when I couldn’t delay leaving the house for another minute, I downloaded the Audible version and listened in the car. Both the print and Audible formats are lovely. Geraldine is honest, vulnerable, relatable and hilarious about her less-than-perfect adventures around the globe. You’re going to love it!

Super entertaining and funny!

I Highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a good laugh. Loved this book!