Don't Think Twice: Adventure and Healing at 100 Miles Per Hour

by Barbara Schoichet

Within six months, Barbara Schoichet lost everything: her job, her girlfriend of six years, and her mother to pancreatic cancer. Her life stripped bare, and armed with nothing but a death wish and a ton of attitude, Barbara pursues an unlikely method of coping. At the age of fifty she earns her motorcycle license, buys a Harley on eBay from two guys named Dave, and drives it alone from New York to Los Angeles on a circuitous trek loosely guided by her H.O.G. tour book and a whole lot of road whimsy.

On the open highway—where she daily takes her speed to a hundred—Barbara battles physical limitations and inner demons on a journey that flows through the majestic Appalachian Mountains, the enchanting Turquoise Trail, and all along America’s iconic Route 66. She is awed by the battlefields in Gettysburg, stunned by the decadence of Graceland, and amused by a Cadillac graveyard in the middle of nowhere. She meets kind strangers, odd strangers, and a guy who pulls a gun on her for cutting him off. She is vulnerable but sassy, broken but determined to heal . . . or die trying.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Travel, Motorcycle

336 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 6, 2016

About the author

Barbara Schoichet has a PhD in Creative Writing from Lancaster University in England, and an MFA in Creative Writing from Sarah Lawrence College in New York. She has taught Creative Writing at Stephens College, Santa Fe Community College, Denver University, and one year abroad in England.
Barbara’s memoir, Don’t Think Twice: Adventure and Healing at 100 Miles Per Hour was published September 6, 2016 by G.P. Putnam’s Sons. Her previous publications include a nonfiction book entitled The New Single Woman: Discovering a Life of Her Own (Contemporary Books) and two children’s books for Price, Stern, Sloan’s Amazing Maze series. Her short stories have appeared in Westword, Permafrost, the Sarah Lawrence Literary Review, and MSS, a literary magazine founded by John Gardner.
While completing her PhD in England, she delivered an academic paper entitled: Why Write? Finding Truth or Writing Lies at the 2010 Great Writers Conference in Bangor, Wales. She also published a book review in the International Journal of Motorcycle Studies entitled: “Roads of Her Own: Gendered Space and Mobility in American Women’s Road Narratives.” Her PhD dissertation, Uniting the Split Protagonist, is now bound and available in the Lancaster University library.

Reviews

[♥ Sandi ❣ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to First to Read, Penguin and Random House for giving me this ARC in exchange for a truthful review. To publish September 6, 2016.

Feisty, bullish, funny and witty Barbara Schoichet tells the story of one of the worst times of her life. Running from everything - everything in her life - family included. Barbara buys a Harley and takes off across country to "ride in the wind" and try to make sense of what had become of her life. No longer a youngster, at fifty, having lost her girlfriend, her job and her Mother to cancer she could cope no more.
Crossing the states, headed for home, we enjoy the trip, all the stops and people that Barbara meets, as she brings her life back around full till.
I believe this is Schoichet's debut book. I loved this book. It is full of dry wit. Well written, remembrances from the heart and the growth that the author went through, churning out her grief, her fears and her longing to be an adult. A non-fiction book that reads like fiction. Very enjoyable.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gripping non-fiction memoir.

Tells her story of deciding to purchase, purchasing a motorcycle, and the trip she took from Buffalo (NY) home to LA. Some is scenic description of several of the interesting places along the way, and others of her internal journey along the trip.

Not properly "recovery literature" in the classic substance use tradition, but more of a general psychological recovery journey.

[Katrina Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

What would you do if suddenly you lost your job, your girlfriend of six years breaks up with you, and your mother dies? For Barbara Schoichet the last six months have been full of loss and at fifty years old, she has no idea how to cope. Until she decides to get her motorcycle license, buy a Harley from Dave and Dave in New York, and then drive it all the way back to California. Barbara doesn’t feel like she has much to live for and she’s willing to die trying to find her way back to herself.

I could not put this book down, which kept me reading into the wee hours of the night. “Don’t Think Twice” is the middle aged, motorcycle loving, desperate woman’s equivalent to “Eat. Pray. Love”. A woman who is ready to give up everything for the journey of a lifetime, to find her way back to center. Haven’t we all wished, at some point in our lives, that we could just pack up and disappear until we found a sense of inner peace?

Even though I’m twenty years younger than Barbara, I found so many ways I could relate to her. The fact that this story is based off of Barbara’s real experiences makes it that much better. Though I would never wish the loss of a parent on anyone, I too, recently lost a parent to cancer. “Don’t Think Twice” made me think about the grieving process, ironically enough. I feel like this is a story I’ll possibly read again.

On another note, I couldn’t be happier about the sexuality side of this story. I loved that this book wasn’t some big gushy coming out story. I loved that it wasn’t some cheesy romance. This book was REAL and about real experiences. I love that the author didn’t identify with being gay until later in her life, that is real!

I can’t in good conscious say anything negative about this book. I know that it was based on real life and that says a lot to me. I loved the author’s voice and the book was easy to follow. Occasionally there were parts that drug out a little too much for my liking, but I understand why they were included. That is the only reason this book gets four stars instead of five.
Ready for a cross country adventure? Love motorcycles? Identified with a sexuality other than straight? Grieved the loss of a parent? This book will definitely be for you.

Thank you to firsttoread.com for providing me with this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advanced copy through First To Read: Early Access from Penguin. Wow! I loved this book and couldn't put it down! The author has a such a gift with words. I felt like I was riding along with her on her Harley as she journeyed across the country finding her way back home.. This was one of those books that you wish would keep going and my only disappointment was that I reached the last page way too soon. I highly recommend this book and look forward to hearing more from this author.

[Julie Witte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Woot, I loved this book, I also bought myself a bike years ago...put on about 3,000 miles a year on it. I love how the author tells her story. What a gift with words. This is a great tale of an adventure that made me both laugh out loud and wipe a few tears. I highly recommend.

[AudioBookReviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

My original Don't Think Twice audiobook review and many others can be found at Audiobook Reviewer.

When one is grieving, one does some really outlandish stuff to come to grips with that loss.  Barbara Schoichet is no different.  Suffering from the loss of her job, her girlfriend and the sudden passing of her mother sends her into a tailspin of self-discovery and coming to terms with her losses. While sassy she is definitely broken and a bandage isn't going to fix her.  However, buying a Harley Davidson motorcycle and driving across country at speeds of 100 mph, meeting other bikers, and accepting the lack of control one has on the road just might fix her.  Cutting herself off from her sisters and other family members, her trip across the US and the purchase of the bike is much more than the thrill of riding; it is the painful journey of self-discovery and coming to terms with herself, her relationships and the death of her parents.

Barbara’s story is told in a witty, sometimes sardonic manner with vividly rich details that makes the situation all the more real.  At fifty, who in their right mind would get their motorcycle license and then drive across country on a huge hog?  Especially since her experience and time spent on a motorcycle is less than the time it takes to uncork a delightful bottle of red rosé?

Her new-found friends – Dave and Dave, help get her started but the people she meets along the way help to steer her on her adventure filled journey through Graceland, the Appalachians, the Cadillac graveyard and more.   I found myself laughing and crying and sometimes at the same time.  The bike falling over on her and her exchange with the hotel clerk was priceless as was the conversation with the police officer.

The dialog resonated with the listener as it was too real not to.  Barbara Schoichet’s story is told from the heart and a place that every one of us has been, will be and have not yet left.  Very poignant and gut wrenching but comforting too.  Schoichet gives her listeners an abundance of advice and guidance – one can make the journey but not without some pain, doubt and fear.

A beautifully constructed story that makes it hard to stop listening as you just know the moment you go to stop she’s going to do something else that will bring a slight smile to your lips or a nod of your head that you know what she’s talking about or a small tear sliding down your cheek as she hits home time and time again. Although therapy would have been a safer and traditional route to take, the Harley journey of a lifetime gave her the tools she needed to make the choices and grow the way it meant more to her.

The narrator is also Barbara Schoichet.  She delivers a heart-felt performance that makes it even more realistic and hits the heart. The passion and humor she delivers each word is mesmerizing because she lived it!   Schoichet didn’t just read the book to the listener, she delivered it with the passion and humor that connected the listener to the story even more.  It was indeed richer being narrated by the author than if anyone else had done it.

This is a book for anyone going through the grieving process as well as anyone who just feels lost.  I lost my father a short bit ago and found myself exploring, if not the same issues, very similar ones as Schoichet.  This audiobook gave me comfort; it did not give me the courage to go on a cross-country bike ride, but it gave me comfort.  This is a wonderful book - you will laugh and you will cry and you will be better for it!

There were no issues with the production.  Everything was perfect, clear and concise.

Audiobook was provided for review by the author.

[Jesse Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very enjoyable piece of alternative Americana that reads and travels at a quick clip. I'd recommended this for anyone who loves road trip stories.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

"You know, marriage isn't all it's cracked up to be. You're going to have adventures your sisters never will never have," (p.23) Barbara's mother couldn't have spoken truer words.

Sometimes it seems like when it rains, it pours. The author lost her job, her girlfriend, and her mother all within a short time. She was in counseling, but it just didn't seem to quite be doing the trick. She signed up for a class on motorcycles and got her license to drive one. And that's where the real adventures begin.

Ms. Schoichet speaks of feeling as if she was 2 people when she dressed in her leathers and left home to fly to New York to get the motorcycle she had purchased via eBay from the 2 Daves. The journey she takes serves to reunite her halves and in essence, find herself again. Barbara is a fifty-year-old woman taking a cross country motorcycling trip on her own. This is something I would never do, but I did enjoy reading about her journey.

Barbara learns a lot on her trip, both about herself and others. It's fascinating to read. The book was hard to put down. I wanted her to heal and I didn't want to miss a minute of her story as she explored herself and followed her road whimsy.

I give this book 4 stars out of 5. It's a well-written memoir about a woman later in life healing and finding herself again.

I received a copy of this book via Penguin's First to Read program in exchange for my honest opinion. The book was published September 6, 2016 from G.P. Putnam's Sons.

[Francie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Barbara Schoichet's "Don't Think Twice: Adventure and Healing at 100 Miles Per Hour" is an interesting and unusual memoir about a 50-year-old woman who is desperately trying to figure out who she is after her mother's death, abandonment by her girlfriend and the loss of her job. As a means of healing, Barbara takes a motorcycle course, purchases a Harley on eBay from someone in New York, and embarks on a journey of self-discovery as she rides her new Harley from NY back home to LA. Although her sisters, close friends, and therapist were all available to help Barbara cope with her losses, she felt she needed to shed her remaining support system and conquer her demons by herself--something she is able to do as she rides across the country meeting new people and having new "adventures." While Barbara's choices are ones I'd never make for myself, sharing her journey through reading about it allowed me to get to know and understand this remarkable woman and admire her courage even while cringing at her recklessness. I received this books as a First To Read ARC from Penguin, and I'm glad I did as I probably would have never read this otherwise.

[Audrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I saw this book on the First Read page I thought it was a fictional story. Imagine my surprise when it was an author's telling of how she came to terms with middle age and death of her parents! I liked how she described that she kept seeing things that reminded her of both her parents after they were gone and even how her motorcycle adventure was a rebellion towards her mother and her way of grieving.

Barbara has been through a lot before her she hopped on her Harley, her girlfriend dumped her for someone else, her mother dies, she gets fired for someone younger, and enters a deep depression. Her story of taking control of her life in her own terms is heart-warming and encouraging for others going through a rough patch.

Even though this isn't really my genre I enjoyed it and recommend it to anyone that is feeling a little down and wants to see that you really are in charge of your own life.

[Sunsette · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a genuine look into the life of Barbara Schoichet. She takes us with her on her journey to self-discovery and healing, a journey that took her 21 days and covered many miles. Feeling confused and orphaned after the death of her parents, carrying the weight of past trauma, and tired of feeling vulnerable, Barbara decides to empower herself, buy a Harley, and hit the road for awhile. She needs a new perspective. When she leaves, she has no idea where she is heading or what she is looking for, but as her journey is concluded, she finds that she has discovered much about herself, and she starts to see her life in a different light. This book is raw and inspiring. I didn't want the adventure to end.

[Crystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really good book in that it reads like a novel instead of a autobiography or a memoir. The author/main character has an interesting story and represents a demographic that you might not normally come across. I appreciated reading about an older, queer character who didn't have a cookie-cutter life even though she grew up in comfort and stability. Maybe I relate to her as a fellow baby sibling, or as someone who has experienced a spectrum of sexual orientation. Or maybe I can just understand the journey she needed to take to find herself after suffering several losses back to back. I would definitely have liked if she had written even more at the conclusion of the book that expanded on her journey after her countrywide tour. Overall, it was a very good read.

[Irene O'Hare · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this through Penguin's First to Read program and I absolutely loved this book. It's a memoir so well-written and so interesting that it reads like a novel. Despite having already experienced it, Schoichet's telling lets her readers feel each twist and turn of her journey cross-country and though grief as through it were unfolding right in front of them. Each person she meets adds something to the story but the focus remains on the inner workings of Barbara and how, surprisingly, a Harley sees her through. A truly compelling read that reminded me why memoirs can be so enjoyable, sometimes life is better than fiction.

[Jenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I learned a lot about motorcycles and how life doesn't end when you're middle aged.

I think anyone who has gone through a major life change at any point can relate to this book in some way. I think this book shows how white, youngest child, free-spirited, Harley-riding, Jewish lesbians and I have anything in common, and that loss, grief, guilt, and all those other emotions are really shared experiences of everyone at some point in their life. If ever one is alone and needing to "eat, pray, love" their way through pain, here is another book to share those feelings.

Thanks to Penguin's First to Read program for this book.

[Gail Ofterdinger-Ledgister · Rating 4 out of 5]

A dry wit is an attractive quality for a middle age memoir. Barbara's life is a train wreck. She is conflicted in her sexuality, her religious beliefs, her profession, and her family relationships. At 50, she has just lost her job, her remaining parent has died and her love has dumped her for another. What to do? Buy a Harley motorcycle on EBay, fly across country to pick it up and drive it back to L.A. The book chronicles her adventures on the trek. She learns a lot about herself on the way. She has given herself the gift of time to think through what matters. My thanks to the author and the Penguin First to Read program for a complimentary copy.

[Lisa Welch · Rating 3 out of 5]

I often enjoy memoirs of someone who has made a huge life-changing journey of some sort in an attempt to redirect the course of life. I was so sure that I would enjoy the motorcycle journey spin of this memoir, and maybe my high expectations led to my ultimate disappointment. I enjoyed Schoichet's sense of humor and spirit of adventure, but her overall story just did not draw me in. I wasn't drawn into the tidbits from her trip or her descriptions of her life transformations. I think there are far better "life-changing journey" memoirs out there if you are looking for one.

[Jenny T. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the author's memoir which involved an unusual method of dealing with life stress and grief over her mother's death with a cross country motorcycle trip. The situation reminded me of descriptions of a mid-life crisis. Despite not having a thing in common with Barbara, I thought this was an interesting type of travelogue and especially enjoyed the road whimsy experiences. Thanks to First to Read- Penguin Books USA for the free copy of this book.

[Carol Kroger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent!!! I believe Barbara Schoichet is the best author I have read in a very long time. I could relate to a lot of what she went through and she had me laughing, no howling with laughter out loud. I will read anything else she wants to write.

[Sophia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book!! It took me on the author's cross country and soul searching adventure. I understood her loss and it reminded me of my own. And like all good books that are at my side until I finish them I became sad when it was over.

[Iona Megas · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting recounting of one woman's journey written with humor and insight. I enjoyed it from beginning to end.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautifully written story of loss and healing. Deals with heavy issues but keeps it light and even funny.

[Dawn Tessman · Rating 4 out of 5]

The true story of Barbara Schoichet, who, following a series of tragedies, decides on a whim to buy a Harley and travel coast-to-coast on a mission of healing and soul-searching. A friend lent me this book, because she knows I suffer from wanderlust and thought I might enjoy the story; but, not being into the biker lifestyle, I admit I was reluctant to read it. Fast-forward one year and I started thinking that an embarrassingly-long time had passed to still have something on loan, so I picked up the book with the idea that I would just force my way through it so I could finally return it to its owner. Well, imagine my surprise when I could not put the book down. Told with a wry sense of humor and raw vulnerability, this book was incredibly entertaining while still possessing heart. And, while most readers will struggle and disagree with many of Schoichet's choices along her journey (I know I did), that doesn't change the fact that this is an exceptionally well-written memoir/travelogue deserving of a couple hours' attention.

[anarresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

After being fired, breaking up with her girlfriend, and losing her mother Schoichet is understandably, if a bit dangerously, depressed. Only a motorcycle provides a glimmer of excitement, and probably also a death wish. Schoichet gets her license, buys a gently used bike online, and rides it home to LA from New York.
This is a memoir of an emotional state, not quite the travel story I hoped for. Healing is right in the title though, so it’s not false advertising. And no story of recovery would have as many details of motorcycle riding found here. There are plenty of fun (and poignant) stops along the way it so it satisfies a travel craving. The story isn’t as linear, or even coherent, as it could be - perhaps due to high emotion, perhaps because it was written after the trip with no saved photos or notes. It was engaging enough to read through quite quickly though.

[Ken · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a trip you want to take.

A trip of travel thrills and self discovery - as much as a trip across the country on a Harley, a trip into her past and present, an in-depth trip into who she is, who she wants to be and where she came from. Once I started I couldn't stop reading. I would say readers should hop behind her on the Bike and get on the road.

[Tracey Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to this as an audio book on Apple Books as I love memoir type books like this. This was a great tale of a woman who truly found herself and learned to ride while on a solo cross country motorcycle trip. It was a bit slow to start but once it got going it went like a rocket!

[Cheryl · Rating 2 out of 5]

Didn’t resonate with me. I did not like the authors style or voice and felt the snarky repartee was too contrived to feel real. Also did not like the choices she made, took foolish risks and didn’t stay in touch with her loving family and friends.

[ND · Rating 2 out of 5]

only finished it for book group. Disliked the author, narrative, writing style, everything.

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interested enough to complete the book, yet mind blown by how infantile and codependent a 50 yr old can be.

[Ruth Ellerbroek · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting.

[Erin Yoshida · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! The book spoke to me on so many levels, in terms of grief, relationships, feminism, and a desire for adventure and novelty. The tale was engaging and honest, satisfying yet never trite. The characters, both major and minor, were well-developed and each vignette was good enough to stand alone. When I finished, I felt like I had been on a cross-country road trip! I have already recommended this book to my friends and family.