Three Weeks with my Brother

I had always been a great fan of Nicholas Sparks. I've read most (if not all) of his novels. I could say, I could blame him for most of my hopeless romantic ideas.

I will not claim that I like all of his works. Sometimes, when you had already read a lot of books from the same author, you get to realize that he is following a certain pattern and in a way that makes the story predictable and down right boring. As with Sparks' case, I usually find his works easy to read (like I could most of the time finish it in one sitting) and always, almost, most of the time the story involves a tragedy or more often than not --- death. And in Three Weeks with my Brothers his readers will get to realize why. Why death as a topic is usually part of the plot of his story. And that even a best seller writer like him, do needs inspiration as well.

When I was a kid, I had always had this notion that all authors are dead. I don't know where the heck did I got that idea. Maybe because I was introduced first with the likes of Rizal which of course is pretty much part of history. And I usually think of them as old, always wearing reading glasses, writing over a small desk with the aid of a little lamp as source of light and a chicken feather and a bottle of ink as writing materials. Those early perception of course changed cause of "growing up" and modern times.

Nicholas Sparks of course is very much alive, young and after reading this book, I get to realize one thing: he is the only New York Best Selling author that had read every volume of Encyclopedia Britannica --- twice. Cool!

But seriously, after reading this book, I missed my siblings even more (and my mom and dad of course). If only time would only allow us to spend quality time with each other again. But like what Nick's mom would usually tell her kids: What you want and what you get are usually two entirely different things.

From the title itself, this book is a story of brotherhood. The only difference is, the main character is the author himself. This is the story of Nicholas Sparks and Micah Sparks (his brother) and their trip around the world. But more than that, Nick get to share with us his own struggle as a child, as a brother, as a husband, as a father, and as a writer. This is a moving tale of familial solidarity, a voyage not only across continents but also across time, a journey back to faith, of success, and a brotherhood tested through time.