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Road to Wonder: Finding the Extra in Your Ordinary

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About the Book:
Magician and storyteller Taylor Hughes reexamines moments of his personal life through the eyes of wonder. It is a heartfelt and sometimes hilarious journey that will encourage and inspire you to chase wonder in your own life.


About the Author:
Taylor Hughes fell in love with the art of illusion when his parents bought him a magic kit for his 7th birthday. More than 30 years and 3,000 shows later, Taylor has become known for his signature style of Magic Storytelling. He is a favorite at Hollywood’s famed Magic Castle, a highly sought after Keynote Presenter and his Comedy Magic Special '“Chasing Wonder” is streaming now. Taylor is married to his high school sweetheart Katie and they live in Southern California with their two daughters Madelyn and Kennedy.

214 pages, Paperback

First published September 14, 2021

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1907 people want to read

About the author

Taylor Hughes

9 books32 followers
Taylor Hughes fell in love with the art of illusion when his parents bought him a magic kit for his 7th birthday. More than 30 years and 3,000 shows later, Taylor has become known for his signature style of Magic Storytelling. He is a favorite at Hollywood’s famed Magic Castle, a highly sought after Keynote Presenter and his Comedy Magic Specials '“Chasing Wonder” and "Enjoy the Ride" are streaming now. Taylor is married to his high school sweetheart Katie and they live in Southern California with their two daughters Madelyn and Kennedy.



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5 stars
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19 (31%)
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
Profile Image for Jan Allen.
32 reviews
January 5, 2022
I love this guy. One of the most interesting people on the planet. His book is great. A compilation of life lessons. Fun to read. Do it.
Profile Image for Summer Denny.
73 reviews
February 13, 2024
I loved this book! Taylor Hughes is such an interesting person and I loved reading so many stories about his life. I laughed out loud so many times, this is a great feel good book.
Profile Image for Ellen Kehs.
151 reviews5 followers
February 12, 2022
Grab this book! Taylor Hughes is funny, personable, and is just someone you want to be around. I had the privilege of hearing him speak in person this weekend and bought TWO copies of this book. One for me, and another as a gift. Don’t we all wish we could find our way back to those days of wonderment and excitement?
Profile Image for Sticky Note Book Recs Melissa.
351 reviews25 followers
September 19, 2021
Disclaimer - I know the author IRL! So, yes, I'll be positively biased, but I can also guarantee all his stories are true, and he's the real deal. ;-)

Let me tell you, I had no idea I needed this book until I read it. Here's why.

Gratitude has been an important mental health tool for me these past two dumpster fire years. Gratitude is pretty powerful stuff. Maybe it’s even one of the secrets of the universe!

However, Taylor might have discovered an equally potent transformational tool -- wonder.

We live in an age where you can find every answer to about any question within seconds, thanks to the internet and smartphones. How can wonder even be a thing anymore?

Well, Taylor’s book shows us that wonder isn’t lost! But we do need to be reminded to find it once again. Every story he shares shows another way he has found wonder in his life, both past and present.

This is exciting! It means there is a treasure trove of wonder in our own lives, just waiting to be discovered. I'm so thankful for a new way of looking at my life! This makes me want to keep going, possibly with a smile on my face and in my heart.

I'm inspired. I’m going to keep my very own "Road to Wonder" journal. I’ll chase wonder in my present and my past, and I’ll let that wonder nourish me. I'm also going to use the journal to consult with 8-year-old me from time to time. (Read his book and you’ll know what I’m talking about!)

Go read this book. Let it inspire you, too!

Profile Image for Ashley Murphy.
27 reviews4 followers
August 8, 2022
Taylor Hughes set out to share little bits of curiosity and wonder in this book. He talks a lot about finding the good and the exciting in the every day. I really appreciate that concept. I thought this book would be more cohesive from start to finish, but in reality, each chapter pretty much stands on its own. The chapters are very, very short and your can easily read one or two a day and move on (which is mostly how I read it).

As the start, I felt like too many of the stories were too personal for someone that I don't know. It would've been different and way more interesting if he was a very well-known celebrity that I wanted to know a lot about, but he’s someone I had only heard of once on a podcast, I didn't feel like I was as invested in his stories. However, the stories were still interesting and by the second half of the book I felt like I knew him and was more connected to him and his stories. I would still recommend this book as a quick dose of daily feel-good-ness.
Profile Image for Jane Mitchell.
129 reviews1 follower
February 7, 2024
As a person who vowed to never lose my childlike wonder as I aged, I was immediately drawn to the title, Road To Wonder. I was amused reading about the author's personal experiences in his pursuit of wonder. Sometimes, he reminded me of Papa Bear from the children's books by Jan and Stan Berenstain, because the point he was making was more of what not to do. While he made blunders along the way, he encourages the reader to own your mistakes, find the humor in the situation, but refrain from being defined by past errors. Forgive yourself and move on. If helps to see things from a different perspective. The ride is always more important than the destination. Be present, be real and put people ahead of profits. Never take yourself too seriously. If you want to find the extra in the ordinary, think outside the box, take risks and pursue your passion. Wonder surrounds you. Each day has the potential for adventure if you just open your eyes to see it.
Profile Image for Lexyjean.
199 reviews4 followers
June 20, 2023
I'm not one for self-help or motivational books, but will dabble in them to support the author. I attended a show of Taylor Hughes in South Lake Tahoe and found him to be very charismatic. Wonderful energy! Discovered he wrote a book that he was selling after the show and decided to pick it up to support my new favorite magician. Great book! It's full of real life stories that carry the same energy he does. Reminds us to find the good in the everyday. Perfect length as well. Give it a go and enjoy!
Profile Image for RJ Gernant.
308 reviews
January 28, 2022
I downloaded this book on Audible after hearing about it on a podcast with the author as the guest. I guess he has his own podcast too, but this is a book about his life and the lessons he’s learned thus far.
It’s a very fun and entertaining book. He’s a great storyteller.
For anyone trying to figure out what to do in or with their life, read or listen and get motivated to go after it. Don’t get anxious. Take a walk.
Pursuing your dreams is worth the risk.
Profile Image for Becky Yanak.
100 reviews1 follower
February 4, 2022
Taylor Hughes is a magician/illusionist. He wrote over 40 small chapters about the importance of wonder in our lives through his own personal stories. I agree with his premise that in our culture we have lost the gift of wonder. Through his stories he gives examples in his life where wonder played an important role. He also gives many examples of the types of wonder that we can employ in our personal and professional lives. While most of his advice was thought-provoking some of it was disconcerting. There were a few chapters that somewhat glorified irresponsible behavior. Having said that I do believe his premise of embracing wonder was to encourage exploring uncharted regions of our life with imagination and courage. It did encourage me recently to step out of my comfort zone to reach out to some families that currently are hurting.

Taylor Hughes was the master of ceremonies at the mom con in Nashville that I attended. He was entertaining and engaging.
Profile Image for Michele Redman.
106 reviews
December 14, 2021
tales of every day life, full of wonder if you just open yourself to enjoy it. reminded me of the format in Bob Goff's books...a little story, then a summary "the extra" in this book. Easy and fun reading with good messages; read a few stories a day to set a daily intention. Best news, I won it on Goodreads Giveaways!
317 reviews1 follower
February 15, 2025
Taylor Hughes is an accomplished magician and talented story teller. This book is a collection of experiences in his childhood that inspired him to chase wonder. Each short chapter ends with a motivational message. His YouTube recording of his stage show is fun to watch.
105 reviews
April 8, 2024
If you were a dreamer, are a dreamer, or find yourself stuck spinning your wheels go read this book. It was uplifting, funny, and inspiring!
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews

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