We Stood Upon Stars: Finding God in Lost Places

by Roger W. Thompson

Get Lost. . . and Find What Really Matters
We are made for freedom and adventure, friendship and romance. Yet too much of life is spent unfulfilled at work, restless at home, and bored at church. All the while knowing there is something more. You'll find some of life's best moments waiting for you over a campfire, on a river--even in that coffee shop or brewery you didn't know you'd discover along the way. It's time to begin the search.
In the literary spirit of well-worn tales about America's open road, this poetic, honest, often hilarious collection of essays shows how to embark on adventures that kindle spiritual reflection, personal growth, and deeper family connections.
From surfing California's coastlines, stargazing southwestern deserts, and fly-fishing in remote mountains of Montana, you'll be inspired to follow the author's footsteps and use the hand-drawn maps from each chapter to plan your own trips. There you will hear God's voice - and it may help you find what you're searching for.

-We search mountaintops and valleys, deserts and oceans, hoping sunrises and long views through the canyons will help us discover who we are, or who we still want to be. The language of our hearts reflects that of creation because in both are fingerprints of God.-
--Roger W. Thompson

Genres: Nonfiction, Christian, Adventure, Religion, Faith, Essays, Nature

240 pages, Paperback

Published May 2, 2017

Reviews

[Stephen Carter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thompson's writing is gorgeous, provoking images that I didn't know possible. He writes like someone who actually believes what he's saying, which can be a rarity these days.

As someone who is quite religious, I love these essays. The book isn't preachy, doesn't seem to have an agenda, but for me, it's incredibly easy to find the religious aspect. I believe him.

This book was a very quick read, but one that I really enjoyed. Would for sure recommend it.

[Gail Welborn · Rating 5 out of 5]

***true stories filled with tips, maps and more..."

Roger W. Thompson, entrepreneur, adventurer and writer, pens a powerful collection of travel essays set in some of the most beautiful wilderness areas of our nation in “We Stood Upon Stars.” Each of 31 stories reveal a different adventure and how diverse settings helped him find “God in Lost Places,” the subtitle of his new release.

The essays capture his “journey to find freedom from the mundane,” journeys where he “encounters God in nature” and gets to “know himself more deeply as a father and a husband.” Beautiful places such as Yellowstone National Park, Glacier National Park and Washington’s San Juan Islands. The extraordinary stories aren’t preachy, but instead are filled with the wonder of people, places, God and the open road spirit of adventure.

He uses the analogy of maps to wrap his stories in. Essays begin with hand-drawn maps of what he calls “maps of sacred places” with notations about hotels, restaurants, fishing holes and sights that captured his imagination during specific adventures. Each story reveals personal discoveries of what it is to be a man and the connection he found between God and faith in nature.

The essay, “Deep November” (pg.193) takes place in Washington’s San Juan Islands. There are two hand-drawn maps. One, a smaller insert, is an overview of the San Juan Islands with notations of the Islands East Sound and memorable spots that include Darvill’s Book Store, Teezer’s Coffeecakes, Mijita’s Mexican Kitchen and more.

The larger map is of Orcas Island with notations about “Deer Harbor, Orcas Hotel and Café, Moran State Park, Inn at Ship Bay, Sunset at West Beach, Mountain Lake, Cascade Lake and Mount Constitution, ‘the highest point in San Juan Islands’” that includes the essay.

He writes about choices and love in this essay. From the stormy ferry boat ride “where the brunt of gale-force winds slammed the ferry broadside,” to celebration of his wife’s fortieth birthday to sipping tea at Darvill’s Bookstore. Each interludes reminded him through “sickness and health,” with “kids, school, sports and the craziness of life,” through temptations and options,” each one had chosen the other and their relationship was still very, very good.

Journey along with Thompson as he searches “mountaintops and valleys, deserts and oceans, canyons” and more to “discover who we are and, or who we still want to be.” Because “the language of our hearts,” he writes, “reflect that of creation because in both are fingerprints of God.” These memorable stories are filled with travel tips and the book would also serve as a travel guidebook, or gift.

‘We Stood Upon Stars: Finding God in Lost Places,’ by Roger W. Thompson, WaterBrook, 2017, 240 Pages, 978-1601429599, $15.99

“Gail’s Bookshelf” Midwest Book Reviews: "November 2017"
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[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

We Stood Upon Stars by Roger W. Thompson is all about finding God in lost places. The subtitle spoke to me immediately as that is often when I feel closest to God - out in His masterpiece of nature, feeling the sun upon me and hearing the birds sing.

"Spearfish Creek descends from heights of the Black Hills like a chinook wink. The canyon whispers of a previous age, a sacred time, when people communed with creation. They were drawn to the mountains because language there spoke of a Creator.
No one seemed to speak this language anymore. Motorcycles and buses of tourists sped through the canyon from waterfall to waterfall, with brief stops so people could insert themselves into photos to prove they'd been here. We are not meant to be tourists in this life. We are all travelers, like those before and those after. The proof we've been in a place is the part of us we leave there. We know we've been somewhere special because we are forever different as a result of it.
This land and time are gifts. If we stop long enough, we might hear in the wind the voice of a Creator. We don't have to search for it. It has always been and always will be. We just have to remember the language." Page 142-143

This book calls us back to the wild, to our Creator and what He created. It reminds me of the John Muir quote of "And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul."

Each chapter begins with a drawn map of the area with suggestions of places to visit, eat, etc. then goes on to tell a life lesson Thompson learned while on that particular adventure. While I got a lot out of this book I felt as though it was a bit disjointed. It would go from a trip he took while single, to one he took with his children, to one of the first trips as a newlywed. That back and forth made this book not flow so well.

This book was given to me by Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This memoir takes you on a journey with the author through the American West as he tries to reconcile difficult life transitions with finding God in unexpected places. While honest, funny, and even poetic at times, this one fell a little flat for me. Some of the narrative felt disjointed and came across as a little too Wild at Heart for my taste.

[Stephanie]

This book is amazing. So many great things I took away from it. That being said, it’s definitely written man to man, more specifically probably to fathers, which wasn’t indicated anywhere I saw. I guess maybe that would have stopped me from reading it, and it had a lot of good wisdom in there.

[Josh Saunders · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is for adventurers, dreamers, seekers, lovers, fathers, and, sons.

[Autumn Horst · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love how the author makes you feel like you are in those places with him. It is a relaxing book and makes you feel as if you are in Creation. He has a way of writing that is somewhat poetic.

[Via Bella · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read the Full Review here: http://viabella-thebeautifullife.blog...

The beginning of each chapter or essay is a map which is beautiful and makes you want to bust out your colour pencils so you can colour it in. Seriously.... I may do this!

His writing style is done in such a way that you feel you are reading a story and an experience all in one. The words are descriptive and vivid.

The tag line of the book: "Finding God in Lost Places" left something to be desired because you didn't see how each chapter or mini story connected to being lost or finding God in those places. Not that I am a hunkered down Christian because I am very far from it. I am a spiritual person who finds meaning in many things. At the end of the chapters, I felt there was things missing though.

The transitions between stories was void but I think it was meant that way. It was meant as short stories you can read in the morning over coffee. You of course, find this out for yourself while reading the book.

The chapters are totally different in story and time (and obviously location as it's a travel book). However, it's a great read for short stories. Although, leaves something to be desired.

Read the Full Review here: http://viabella-thebeautifullife.blog...

[Jason Lilly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an absolute treat, a surprising mix of travel writing and inspirational musings about God and beauty and nature and family and how we find peace and worship in the midst of all those things. This book is at its best when the author shares often humorous stories about trips that didn't work out as planned (like so many of the best travel and adventure stories) because he seamlessly directs the story to how this adventure changed him and his family because God was at work in some subtle way.

Thompson is also a darn good writer, and the book contains only faint echoes of others like it, such as Wild at Heart: Discovering the Secret of a Man's Soul or The Heroic Path: In Search of the Masculine Heart. But Thompson has his own unique voice and tells each story with such vivid detail and wit that you not only feel as if you are along for the adventure, but you may be inspired to live your own adventure. The illustrations and maps are also a delight and add a unique and unexpected element to the book.

Once you finish this one, be sure to also check out his other excellent book, My Best Friend's Funeral: A Memoir.

[Zachary Houle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Often, the Christian book market is targeted to women, so it’s nice to finally get a faith book in my hands that’s more skewed towards men. We Stood Upon Stars is a manly man’s book, a travelogue and memoir of live battering down the open highway in search of adventure in the remote wilderness of America. A word should be said about that: Roger W. Thompson never gets further than western Texas, and spends much of his time in the Rockies or on the Californian coast (where he’s from). So if you want a complete picture of the byways of America, this ain’t it. However, the book is thrilling, charming and poetic, and should implant in you a bit of a bug to head out on the road yourselves.

There’s a lot that’s packed into this book, even if it has a tendency to repeat itself. There’s the author’s relationship with his grandfather, with whom he would travel California by way of motorcycle. Then there’s the author’s adventures in camping with his wife and two kids, usually revolving around a Volkswagen van that constantly breaks down. Sometimes, the author heads out by himself to a secluded spot to do some fly fishing and meditate on his life. Whatever the case may be, We Stood Upon Stars is a book of reflection and faith — even if the God talk is quite a bit muted.

Read more here: https://medium.com/@zachary_houle/a-r...

[Danielle Warren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance copy of this book. I loved this book, and highly recommend it to anyone that loves life and adventure. I work a stressful job and I need an escape from day to day life. I loved going on adventures hiking in the mountains and rafting down rivers through the stories in this book. The stories also caused me to reflect back on a special trip I made one summer with my grandfather and grandmother across the west coast. We drove from California through Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Nevada. During this trip we got lost quite a few times and found some very cool places to explore. If we had stuck directly to a map and not made a few wrong turns, we would have missed out on so many cool experiences. Roger W. Thompson reminds us to get out there and live. Life goes so quickly and in the blink of an eye, our children will be adults, and we will be retired… but why wait until then to travel? Do it now! I am excited to plan more adventures with my husband in the future years and to take my children along with us.

[Brittany Riffe · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off can I say WOW! The cover of this book is so beautiful! I have always been a sucker for stars! I absolutely fell in love with this book. My favorite thing that I would like to talk about is that at the beginning of the chapters there is a hand drawn map that you can go to and find your own adventures in finding God! I thought that was a great idea and who knows, one day I actually might do so. I haven't read a book like this in a long time and I am so happy that I chose this book to review! If you see it on shelves when it comes out I hope you decide to pick it up!

[Elliott · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I love about the Bible is that it teaches us how theology always involves biography (people) and geography (places). Throughout the Old Testament, we see how Abram sets up altars along his spiritual journey to becoming Abraham, the father of many nations. At one point, Genesis is so specific on this it states that he built an altar near "the great trees of Mamre in Hebron."

Yet how many of us view the places where we are, where we visit, are exactly the places where we can encounter the presence God in our lives? In this collection of essays, Roger W. Thompson does and he writes about it in wonderful prose:

We search mountaintops and valley, deserts and oceans, hoping sunrises and long views through the canyons will help us discover who we are, or who we still want to be. The language of our hearts reflects that of creation because in both are the fingerprints of God.

How many of us have lost that concept of the sacredness of place and how that relates to our lives. Throughout the book, the author connects the places of John Muir, John Steinbeck and Jack Kerouac to the memories of his own life, of his family and friendships amidst rivers, mountains and deserts and does so with humor, honesty and wide-eyed wonder.

One of the most beautiful chapters (A Gathered Blue) in the book is one that deals with sorrow and grieving over the loss of their stillborn child. While in Sonoma. California, Roger and his wife begin touring the vineyards of wine country. In one of my favorite passages in the book, Thompson writes:

The earth was organized in undulating rows of vineyards. The vineyards were created with love, and the love could be tasted in every glass of wine. With a little distance we were able to talk about the loss. We walked the vineyards, where we learned the best wines grow in struggled soil. We studied the vines, scarred with age. The signs left behind by years of pruning are easily visible. We also learned that the best wine grapes grow on vines with the most scars. Struggles create richness and complexity, producing a wine worth sharing. Pruning is an act of love by the vinedresser.

What a gorgeous metaphor for the heartbreak he and his wife were going through and one that relates to all of our lives.

Roger W. Thompson understands the importance that the world can have on us both physically and spiritually. In our technological age where we spend so much time looking at our screens, we have lost much of the wonder that comes with the impact of being out in nature. The places Thompson writes of (Big Sur, Yellowstone, the Black Hills, the Sierras) are able to expand our imaginations and open one's world in ways nothing else can. These places expose us to what he calls "the deeper magic behind it." It is magic indeed and this book makes me long to go out exploring it even more.

[mars · Rating 2 out of 5]

"We search mountaintops and valleys, deserts and oceans, hoping sunrises and long views through the canyons will help us discover who we are, or who we still want to be. The language of your hearts reflect that of creation because in both are fingerprints of God."

[Actual rating: 2.5 Stars]

This book explores the journey of life and what fatherhood means, the wonder of looking up at the stars, camping in the West,etc. I think that this book has the potential to be an insightful and introspective piece of travel memoir art, if it's read at the right time to the right audience. However, being a female teenager, nothing in this book interested or applied to me personally, and so that's why I found it hard to get into it.

My favorite passages were those where Thompson describes all of the motorcycle rides with his grandfather and sees canyons, valleys, and tunnels. Those seem to be heartfelt, and his grandfather is a wise old man who brightened some of the dull stories and also gave us insight into the kind of contemplation that was taught to him, and in return pass this on to his two sons.

Generally though, I found myself skimming through most of these short camping stories, because a lot of the moral lessons are repetitive. Things like how he wants to be a better father by exposing his sons into the wild west and all the dangers that come in, how he has these moments with God that change him to be a better person. That's all good and nice, however this type of reflection would have been more suited for a short novella or even longer essay. 

On the other hand, in memoirs I like when all of the other characters are fleshed out and seem realistic, not paper-cut with roles. That's what it seemed to be here; the wife fulfills the life partner and romantic elements that are needed, supporting her husband in all of her endeavors. We don't even get one insightful shred about how their relationship actually functions, we don't really see the individual personalities of his two sons (the only details being that they're eight and ten years old). 

Overall, if you enjoy travel memoirs that talk about landscape and faith, this just might be the book for me. For me, however, it fell incredibly boring and flat as a result of this disconnection.

**Thanks to bloggingforbooks and the publisher for providing me with a copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinion are my own.**

[Nikole Hahn · Rating 5 out of 5]

We Stood Upon Stars by Roger W. Thompson attracted me because of its cover of a VW van and a star-covered night sky. The advertisement of 32 maps was a bonus. I had never heard of the author, but an outdoor-themed devotional was attractive to this backpacker.

The book is a memoir of collected memories separated into quick chapters with a hand-drawn map of the areas the book describes in that particular chapter. It is a book that expresses worship in God, adventures in dating, marriage and fatherhood with humor, deep conviction, and a beautiful narrative. Threaded throughout the book are references of his grandfather and their motorcycle adventures. The book is a meditation of relaxation in the middle of a busy day, to get lost in the book’s narrative and dream of adventures yet to come.

Loss is especially poignant in the book. My eyes suspiciously watered a few times in which I blinked and tried to push down the knot in my throat. Some chapters hit too close to home like the loss of their dog and when the author said goodbye to his grandfather. The only drawback to the book was the lack of Scripture references. If there were any, I didn’t catch them. The maps are wonderful for decoration, travel tips, and reminiscing; or perhaps pieces of art that one could blow up into a print and frame.

My husband read the book first. He sped through the pages like a child eating his first cake. “Easy reading,” He mentioned to me. When I reached parts of the book that made me laugh, he would turn to look at me and ask me what part I was reading. The book was memorable to him. While not marketed to men (that I saw anyway), the book is ideal for men’s groups or young men. The wisdom in its pages are timeless. Whole families are difficult to find and young men need good mentors. Any young man might enjoy this book purely for the inspiration to get up from the couch and go somewhere.

*book given by the publisher to review.

[Joe Terrell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Roger Thompson's gorgeous book We Stood Upon Stars is a collection of travel essays centered around important wilderness areas (Yosemite, Big Sur, Death Valley, Marfa, etc) and their meaning in his life as it relates to fatherhood, faith, and masculinity. However, this is not a book about "Biblical manhood" (thank God), but about vulnerability and fear as it relates to our experiences in the untamed areas in our lives.

This book is not preachy and it appears to have no agenda. Some people may not like the disjointed nature of the book - there is no real overarching narrative and it jumps around in time a lot - but it's easy to read (the chapters are short), and the prose is gorgeous and poetic. We Stood Upon Stars fills a glaring void in the Christian book market - the relationship between people, places, and the allure of the open road, early morning mountain sunset, and a good craft brew (beer or coffee, your choice).

Thompson certainly has a gift with describing the intertwining beauty of faith and nature. Some of these essays are extremely powerful, especially the ones related to fatherhood and the death of his grandfather. Ultimately, We Stood Upon Stars is an breathtakingly simple and intoxicating read - one that affirms the desire for travel and adventure without downplaying the harsh reality of the heartbreaks of life. Most travelogues or adventure narratives are about escaping yourself by running away into the unknown; We Stood Upon Stars is all about finding yourself by running into the wildness of your soul and the land.

Also of note: Each essay has a hand-sketched map attached the beginning of each chapter. These are amazing. Each map contains notes on where to eat, drink, fish, hike, and explore that you won't find on a mainstream travel guide.

[Tony Parsons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Follow Roger & his family travel all over the US &N some foreign countries, camping, fishing, hiking, & every other outdoor thing you can think of.

My bio-father was a lifetime NRA member, & loved to big game hunt.
He, stepmom, me & my adopted sister never had a dull summer.
Outdoors in a lot of the parks you went to were our lifestyle also.
We however pitched a tent & stepmom cooked in a cast iron skillet over a fire.

For 3 summers the 3 of us – stepmom (divorce) went to Lake Idlewild on/in Michigan Lake.

We lived in 13 different states so we didn’t miss much of the wild outdoors.

I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.

A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well written family vacation planning book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great family vacation planning movie, a college PP presentation, or better yet a paid-per-view mini TV series or even a documentary (A & E, History channel). There is no doubt in my mind this is a very easy rating of 5 stars.

Thank you for the free author; Waterbrook Publishing (Penguin Random House LLC.); paperback book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

We Stood Upon Stars: Finding God In Lost Places by Roger W. Thompson is a series of 31 short stories of various travels Roger has been on throughout his life. Most of these recollected journeys focus on the detours, wrong turns, and other mishaps that happen when things don't go quite as you anticipate. But, as Roger demonstrates, those wrong turns often lead us on the greatest adventures and hold the secrets to life's biggest mysteries.

Most of the stories tend to wander and get off topic themselves, which lends to the overall flow that life doesn't follow a set map or order when it comes to how we learn the lessons it has to teach us. And for those of you who want a definitive purpose or moral behind each of these mini road trips, Roger has made a point to show us what he's come to learn from the experience.

While I found some of the stories to be things I could relate to, I had a hard time getting on the same page as the author for most of this book. I think it would be a great gift for the outdoorsy man who enjoys mini road trips and summer camping ventures and fishing with his family. Or, the guy that remembers having done all of those things in his childhood and would be able to reminisce about those days of seemingly carefree wonder while reading the ventures enclosed. 3/5 stars.

*Disclaimer: I received a complimentary print copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of this honest review. All opinions are my own.*

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Poetic Account of Travel in Western Wilderness Areas

Roger Thompson loves the wilderness areas of the West: Yosemite, Big Sur, areas of Montana, etc. He has traveled extensively in these places both alone and with his family. When you read his descriptions of the night sky, the towering trees, and the sunset in the mountains, you feel a part of nature. You can see what he’s describing.

Although the book has wonderfully descriptive prose, it’s not the only attraction. Thompson talks about things important to him the death of his grandfather, becoming a father, and his fierce desire to explore himself and grow. Nature and travel provide the background for a very personal narrative filled with the love of adventure.

Thompson speaks of his losses and desires from the perspective of a man, but I found his descriptions of finding himself through the inspiring natural wonders very easy to connect to. His love of the beautiful places of our country came through clearly. The writing pulls you into his world, but also challenges you the think about your own experiences.

I highly recommend this book if you love the outdoors whether camping, hiking, or just sitting in an inspirational spot. It’s a good book to take on a camping trip. The stories would be excellent for reading around the campfire.

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

[Joel Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

As the pages turn in "We Stood Upon Stars" the reader would benefit from the accompaniment of Americana music. This book serves as the words to the soundtrack of the postmodern traveler, seeking to discover God in the lost places around our country. The stories from Roger Thompson's travels succeed in entertaining the reader and helping the reader discover the journey that Thompson travels, both on the road and in his soul. In "We Stood Upon Stars," the stories invite one into a wandering of the highways of America and into a wandering of the spiritual highways of a unique soul seeking to love his family, friends, and God. The book offers many inspirational thoughts for how to live life with those we love. A great take away from this book is the invitation to travel ourselves, both down the physical highway and the spiritual highway, discovering the fullness of family and faith.
This book would benefit from two changes. First, if the stories read more like a travel narrative in sequential order, the reader would engage more deeply in Thomson's life. Secondly, the spiritual lessons could be deeper, with more intimate interaction with Scripture so that we can discover how important living by Biblical truth as we travel the highways of life. I received this book from Random House's blogging for books program.

[Emma Maher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very humble gentleman. I heard him being interviewed on Rebel Parenting. Good reader and excellently narrated. This book was uplifting, encouraging, beautiful, such a true blessing and I think all people who love God but who also love life should read this book. This book emphasizes so many important things. The relationship between parents and children. The relationship between son and fathers, the relationship between nature, touring and travelling and God's amazing hand of protection as well of how he designed every beautiful stunning place to be. This book made me sad in times because I long and ache for a more personal relationship with my dad and I thought that this book really shows the depth of love and commitment this author had for his wife and kids. Very well described and It sounded so many times like you were with this family as they were travelling around America. This book really lifted my spirits. It makes you really think and It shows you that Its not just about the holiday or travelling, but Its about the person you are and also the people you with. Trying to be the best parent you can be and really being in the moment with your family and friends and concentrating on the beauty around you as well on the activities that you as a family do for bonding, and for fun too. Its really a book you can read over and over and It puts a smile on your face.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

I decided to read this book because my family loves to be outdoors, loves to live a life with a wildness; and right now, my husband is out on the Pacific Crest Trail, living out of a tent, eating dehydrated food, and traveling each mile by foot. There are so many chapters in this book that perfectly relate to the life my family lives.

I appreciate what Roger W Thompson has pointed out in this book, and that is that we were born with a wildness instinctively within us. When we think about how God created the world, He made man in the wilderness, there were no tents, no houses, no "indoors" or "outdoors." And the point I gather from Roger's writing is that we need to reclaim that wildness in our own lives, especially with God. Once we reclaim that wildness, we need to share it. We need to create our own opportunities to stand upon the stars.

Some of the chapters are laugh-out-loud funny, some are poignant, some are somewhere in-between, but each chapter has some nugget the reader takes away from the reading.

I have to give this five stars, two thumbs up, and a VW Vanagon that has a marginal track record.

[Michelle Castaneda · Rating 3 out of 5]

We Stood Upon the Stars by Roger W. Thompson is a memoir by an author who loves to travel. In this book, he takes readers along for the ultimate road trip. In this book, he writes various vignettes, organized by location. Each one explores his family background, relationship with his family, and what really matters. The author has a great ability to bring readers along and make them feel present on his adventures. While this is a Christian book, I would say that it is more about life lessons and finding out what really matters than it is about finding out truths about God. This is the perfect book for those who love adventures and outdoor exploration. However, it is difficult to read through this book in one setting. Chapters can be read one at a time and have little to do with each other. I think this book would be great to keep and read a chapter before visiting the place mentioned. Overall, this is a good book, but it is very choppy and hard to read in one setting. I received this book from Blogging for Books. These opinions are entirely my own.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Roger Thompson invites the reader into his life and takes them on a journey through the wilderness, through life, and through faith. Each chapter features a wilderness adventure that Thompson had embarked on, not only through brush and shrubbery but through the contours of a man's heart and what it means to be alive. No area is left unexplored. Love, life, death, birth, adventure, and stillness, are all presented through these pages of this book and through the pages of Thompson's own life.

As I read through the book it felt like hearing stories from an old friend by a campfire. Stories that make you laugh, think, mourn, and find hope. But soon, night takes over and the once roaring fire is only but embers. A new day fast approaches, and with that, goodbyes, but also hellos to an adventure waiting to be embarked on. I thank Roger Thompson for sharing his stories and will now write my own.

[Sally Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a nice easy read consisting of short only 4 pages each for most, stories of travels the author has taken. I didn't find very many references to God, so that is a sub title that doesn't fit. He's clearly Christian but anyone could enjoy these stories and not feel overly saturated in religious overtones.Most stories revolve around outdoor life, traveling in vw buses, his relationship with his grandfather and being a parent. There's some honor in the first few stories, those really made me laugh. There's some heart warming stories and much philosophical pondering. The illustrations for each story provide ideas of fun places to visit if you're in the same area. The first few stories and the last were definitely the best. Got a little repetitive in the middle but I pushed through and enjoyed the ending.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I LOVE to travel and so many of the things in this book are just how I think. It is so amazing to experience new places and adventures. I love all of the maps and how the book is set up to be read. I think the author did a great job in telling short stories about different places and his experience. I love that he is teaching his kids to love to travel and experience new things. At times the book did get a bit slow but otherwise I really enjoyed this book.



Four stars.



"I received this book from Blogging for Books for free in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own."

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a big fan of outdoor travel books. And WOW. From the very first page of this book. I felt special. Like the hand drawn maps were included just for me. What a nice touch.

I truly am a lover of the documentary type style. And, while this story is an inventive retelling of exploration throughout many well known parksm and some lovely out of the way vistas, I did not expect it to be so funny.

But life is often more complicated than simple. The whole section on the canopy of cottonwoods and the photos in Grandpa's garage, was so beautifully written, it made me cry for about two chapters.

As the author states, this well detailed book, reads like, 'a map of a man's heart'.

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Roger tells beautiful stories about trying to be a father, trying to be a husband, and learning what it means to be a son who may not live up to his perceived father’s expectations because he didn’t get enough time to figure it out. This book is filled with crazy adventures and heartfelt memoirs of riding motorcycles with his grandpa, time spent with family, failing as a road trip mechanic, taking on wild rapids with less than capable equipment, yet willing to press on and make memories with his family. Life is a learning process in which we slowly learn humility and give it all up to God. I’m glad I’m not the only one. Thanks for sharing Roger!

[Lovely Loveday · Rating 4 out of 5]

We Stood Upon Stars by Roger W. Thompson was released May 2, 2017. I truly enjoyed reading this lovely book. Thompson writes a collection of travel essays that share his experiences and deep gratitude for nature to be spiritual. I felt his essays are very relatable and entertaining. This book will make you want to travel over the summer and experience a lot of the same things that Thompson shares through his essays. I feel this would make a great gift for any graduate who is about to venture out into the world.

[Bethany B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reminded me of a guys version of Cold Tangerines by Shauna Niequist. He is a great writer. Paints pictures with words and I wanted to linger on a lot of the sentences he wove. We have a very similar family philosophy and have been to almost all the same places that he describes in this book. So I related to his writing and really enjoyed it. Some of the short essays I wished would continue, but I've read other books like this before so I enjoyed it for what it was. Can easily be read all at once or over a long time. This would make a great gift for men.