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Onward: A Life on a Sailboat
"Onward" narrates the story of Jovanny, who, after experiencing a tragedy, decides to embark on a life of adventure on his sailboat. His journey takes him to different parts of the world, from Amalfi, sailing to Santorini, down the Nile, before ending up in Barcelona and beyond. Along the way, he learns valuable life lessons from each destination. The adventure takes the reader through the deserts of Algeria, the contrasting cities of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, and a monastery in the south of France. Each destination uncovers more of what the protagonist is searching for and reveals to him, and the reader, what matters.
242 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 4, 2024
About the author
Mark Tedesco
12 books26 followersMark Tedesco is a writer and educator who divides his time between California and Italy. He lived in Rome for eight years and is passionate about crafting stories that connect the present with the past, exploring universal human desires reflected in relationships, events, culture, and history.
Mark has written in various genres, including travel writing, historical fiction, memoirs, self-help, and children's fiction. Some of his notable works are "That Undeniable Longing," "I Am John, I Am Paul," "Lessons and Beliefs," "The Dog on the Acropolis," "Stories from Puglia," and his book about Rome, "She Seduced Me: A Love Affair with Rome." His most recent work, "Onward: A Life on a Sailboat," features adventure stories in which the protagonist learns valuable life lessons in each locale he visits.
In addition to writing, Mark is a dedicated educator who enjoys sharing his passion for history, literature, and the unique stories of individuals with his students. Recently retired, he loves to travel, and Rome holds a special place in his heart, as he believes countless untold stories are waiting to be discovered there.
Mark has written in various genres, including travel writing, historical fiction, memoirs, self-help, and children's fiction. Some of his notable works are "That Undeniable Longing," "I Am John, I Am Paul," "Lessons and Beliefs," "The Dog on the Acropolis," "Stories from Puglia," and his book about Rome, "She Seduced Me: A Love Affair with Rome." His most recent work, "Onward: A Life on a Sailboat," features adventure stories in which the protagonist learns valuable life lessons in each locale he visits.
In addition to writing, Mark is a dedicated educator who enjoys sharing his passion for history, literature, and the unique stories of individuals with his students. Recently retired, he loves to travel, and Rome holds a special place in his heart, as he believes countless untold stories are waiting to be discovered there.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
February 18, 2025
Read my review on NovelsAlive.com by clicking the link below. It is also posted in full.
https://novelsalive.com/2025/02/17/5-...
Filled with action and adventure, Onward: A Life on a Sailboat by Mark Tedesco is vividly written with beautiful and striking descriptions.
Jovanny, known as Gio, lives his life on the water. After a devasting tragedy hits his family, Gio leaves California as a young adult and college graduate. He makes his way first to Italy, where he makes his home base, and from there, he sails to wherever his heart takes him. He makes friends as he goes and learns many lessons along the way. He is very reflective throughout, and we get to know him.
I could feel the energy and emotions that Gio puts forth in everything he does. His friends became my friends since I felt the descriptions accurately portrayed their beliefs and dreams. The people he met, those he lets into his life, and even those who wanted to be friends but were mere passing acquaintances played significant roles.
Matteo was a good friend, his touch point for connecting with every few days or more if necessary, and Gio let Matteo know that he was safe and arrived where and when he planned. Their circle of friends seemed to get larger as he became friends with others who were his friends.
The chapter titles were a nice touch because they hinted at what would occur in the following pages. But everything wasn’t always happy in Gio’s life. There were difficulties. There were injuries. There were those who seemed to want to do him harm. Others were there to help show Gio their part of the world.
The story came to a nice conclusion, but since Gio was still so young, it would be interesting to see if he changed his life path after sailing for so many years. Would he ever settle down more on land? I was engrossed from the first page to the last and loved seeing the historical significance of the different locations and other people’s reflections on them. Several of the places I’d love to see with my own eyes.
Onward: A Life on a Sailboat transported me to different locales throughout the Mediterranean and the Middle East. I enjoyed traveling from my armchair and living in the moment.
https://novelsalive.com/2025/02/17/5-...
Filled with action and adventure, Onward: A Life on a Sailboat by Mark Tedesco is vividly written with beautiful and striking descriptions.
Jovanny, known as Gio, lives his life on the water. After a devasting tragedy hits his family, Gio leaves California as a young adult and college graduate. He makes his way first to Italy, where he makes his home base, and from there, he sails to wherever his heart takes him. He makes friends as he goes and learns many lessons along the way. He is very reflective throughout, and we get to know him.
I could feel the energy and emotions that Gio puts forth in everything he does. His friends became my friends since I felt the descriptions accurately portrayed their beliefs and dreams. The people he met, those he lets into his life, and even those who wanted to be friends but were mere passing acquaintances played significant roles.
Matteo was a good friend, his touch point for connecting with every few days or more if necessary, and Gio let Matteo know that he was safe and arrived where and when he planned. Their circle of friends seemed to get larger as he became friends with others who were his friends.
The chapter titles were a nice touch because they hinted at what would occur in the following pages. But everything wasn’t always happy in Gio’s life. There were difficulties. There were injuries. There were those who seemed to want to do him harm. Others were there to help show Gio their part of the world.
The story came to a nice conclusion, but since Gio was still so young, it would be interesting to see if he changed his life path after sailing for so many years. Would he ever settle down more on land? I was engrossed from the first page to the last and loved seeing the historical significance of the different locations and other people’s reflections on them. Several of the places I’d love to see with my own eyes.
Onward: A Life on a Sailboat transported me to different locales throughout the Mediterranean and the Middle East. I enjoyed traveling from my armchair and living in the moment.
February 18, 2025
Onward: A Life on a Sailboat by Mark Tedesco
Love this book because the travel and everything he learns are so important and enteraining..
Jovanny is the captain and he sails to places that interest him. He's done his research.
Love hearing all about them and thought this was such a short read. It is packed with all kinds of information about the places and the friendships he makes.
Thought for sure a few times he would be taken for a ride, get scammed but it didn't happen.
Some people are so trusting and worthy, he finds the good ones. Author is so very descriptive I felt I was exploring the caverns and other religious areas with Gio.
Love the moments he spent where he learned more about his mother: this one struck me the most as I've not yet let go of my parents.
Love hearing all about the treasures he is able to explore. Different regions and just how close he becomes with the people he meets. Lot of emotions as we watch him develop as he gets older, the people he meets and stays with and the religious things that he has common inclinations with.
Spent so much time digesting everything before I advanced onto other chapters. I felt like the information I learned was written in about 600 pages. The author is so good at what he does that it was only 242 pages. There is so much to this story. I can't wait to read it again to find more things that I missed the first time.
Super read, it's on my top 3 books for this year.
Love this book because the travel and everything he learns are so important and enteraining..
Jovanny is the captain and he sails to places that interest him. He's done his research.
Love hearing all about them and thought this was such a short read. It is packed with all kinds of information about the places and the friendships he makes.
Thought for sure a few times he would be taken for a ride, get scammed but it didn't happen.
Some people are so trusting and worthy, he finds the good ones. Author is so very descriptive I felt I was exploring the caverns and other religious areas with Gio.
Love the moments he spent where he learned more about his mother: this one struck me the most as I've not yet let go of my parents.
Love hearing all about the treasures he is able to explore. Different regions and just how close he becomes with the people he meets. Lot of emotions as we watch him develop as he gets older, the people he meets and stays with and the religious things that he has common inclinations with.
Spent so much time digesting everything before I advanced onto other chapters. I felt like the information I learned was written in about 600 pages. The author is so good at what he does that it was only 242 pages. There is so much to this story. I can't wait to read it again to find more things that I missed the first time.
Super read, it's on my top 3 books for this year.
December 27, 2024
Young Jovanny comes into money and makes his dream come true: live his life on a boat.... Or Candide x a California Golden Boy, for a story of discovery and self-discovery. Jo hangs out with friends and learns more about friendship; with new acquaintances and learns more about relationships. Jovanny's naïveté is far more endearing than Candide's, for Tedesco puts aside Voltaire's cruelly exquisite cynicism for real-life challenge and growth.
December 15, 2024
A young man’s search for what truly matters in life through travel adventures
A very entertaining and educational story of a young man whose experiences and adventures traveling through the Mediterranean points of history and culture shape his maturation and growth as a person. Experiencing and Learning what is the meaning of life and fulfillment.
A very entertaining and educational story of a young man whose experiences and adventures traveling through the Mediterranean points of history and culture shape his maturation and growth as a person. Experiencing and Learning what is the meaning of life and fulfillment.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews