The Wishing Trees

by John Shors

Almost a year after the death of his wife, former high-tech executive Ian finds a letter that will change his life. It contains Kate's final wish-a plea for him to take their ten-year-old daughter, Mattie, on a trip across Asia, through the countries they had always planned to visit. Eager to honor the woman they loved, Ian and Mattie embark on an epic journey, leaving notes to Kate in "wishing trees" along the way, and encountering miracles large and small. And as they begin to find their way back to each other, they discover that healing is possible and love endures-lessons that Kate hoped to show them all along...

Genres: Fiction, Book Club, Asia, Contemporary, Family, Travel, Historical

368 pages, Paperback

First published July 29, 2010

About the author

Hi, everyone. I hope this message finds people well.

I'm the bestselling author of The Demon Seekers trilogy, My Midnight Sun, Unbound, Beneath a Marble Sky, Temple of a Thousand Faces, Cross Currents, Beside a Burning Sea, Dragon House, and The Wishing Trees. My novels have won multiple awards and have been translated into twenty six languages. I have also spoken (via speakerphone) with more than 3,000 book clubs around the world.

For more information on my work, please visit www.johnshors.com or friend me on Facebook or Instagram.

Thank you for your support!

- John

Reviews

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm the author, but I do believe that this novel merits five stars. Here's what Wally Lamb, NY Times bestselling author of She's Come Undone, said about it:

"John Shors' The Wishing Trees is an affecting and sensitively rendered study of grief and loss, the healing power of artistic expression, and the life-altering rewards of travel to distant lands. I was deeply moved by this poignant and life-affirming novel."

Here's the back-cover copy for the book:

Almost a year after the death of his wife, Kate, former high-tech executive Ian finds a letter that will change his life. It contains Kate’s final wish—a plea for him to take their ten-year-old daughter, Mattie, on a trip across Asia, through all the countries they had planned to visit to celebrate their fifteenth anniversary.

Eager to honor the wife and mother they loved, Ian and Mattie embark on an epic journey that retraces the early days of Ian’s relationship with Kate. Along the way, Ian and Mattie leave paper “wishes” in ancient trees as symbols of their connection to Kate and their dreams for the future. Through incredible landscapes and inspiring people, Ian and Mattie are greeted with miracles large and small. And as they celebrate what Kate meant to them, they begin to find their way back to each other, discovering that healing is possible and that love endures—lessons that Kate hoped to show them all along...

The Wishing Trees will be available on Sept 7, 2010. For more information, please visit www.johnshors.com. Also, please know that I am supporting the Arbor Day Foundation from some of the proceeds of this novel. Thank you. - John

[Cori · Rating 3 out of 5]

For me the best part of this book was just the idea of the wishing trees, which was something I hadn't heard of before. The detail and imagery of many different parts of Asia were also well done - it was obvious that the author had visited personally or done his homework thoroughly. It almost bothered me, actually, as if the author had this knowledge of different parts of Asia and needed a reason to write a travelogue about it. I could have forgiven that if I enjoyed the characters more. I just could NOT accept the Australian father as a true character. Good fiction makes me feel that somewhere in the world I could go knock on the character's door and they would be there, of course, because they are a real person whom I know very well. This character did not convince me at all, the Australian slang seemed forced and it drove me crazy the entire book.

That said, I wondered if I would have interpreted this book differently had I lost a close loved one recently when I read it. Maybe that was part of the problem for me - I couldn't enjoy the cheesy, overdone poems and letters written from the wife to the husband. Even though in the same situation my letters probably would have been similar. It was just too much. And the ending...waaaay too neat and tidy.

But thanks for the lessons of the wishing trees, serving others, exploring other cultures, improving relationships, making our time with loved ones matter. Definitely some value in this book, just not a home run for me personally.

[Grady · Rating 5 out of 5]

'She couldn't soar if she didn't have faith.'

John Shors is a Romanticist - and thank goodness there are still writers like John who are able to continually spin tales that revive the simplicity and beauty of that aspect of living that matters most: Love. Some authors can write romance novels that hold the concentration for the duration of the book. John Shors writes novels of romance that become embedded in the psyche and find a home there where they grow and influence the lives of those fortunate enough to have joined him on his journey. THE WISHING TREES is his fourth novel (Beneath a Marble Sky, Dragon Sky, Beside a Burning Sea) and this time the love story is one of a continued life after death that nourishes those left behind.

Ian is an Australian businessman who has lost his wife Kate to an unnamed but cruel disease leaving him alone with his ten-year-old daughter Mattie. A year after Kate's death he discovers Kate left both Ian and Mattie with a collection of film canisters and a letter pleading with Ian to retrace the walkabout the two of them had shared fifteen years ago - this time taking Mattie along to help her understand the depth of love Ian and Kate had experienced and the joys they discovered. Mattie misses her mother desperately, yearning to forget the end of Kate's life as a series of tubes and paraphernalia of dying. The two decide they will fulfill Kate's plea and set out on a journey to replicate that taken long ago. They travel through Japan, Nepal, Thailand, India, Hong Kong, Vietnam, and Egypt, and obeying Kate's wishes they open a canister as they reach each destination. Inside each canister is a letter and poem that blossoms the beauty of each place. And in each place they tie a message (Mattie's drawings, notes, etc) to a tree - a wishing tree - so that Kate can experience the joys of the journey they have shared as she sees from beyond.

That is simply the outline of the story. What lies within this book are the incidents, the joys, the little miracles, the people met, the engendered love that the journey provides, binding them together because of the healing of their loss through the guidance of Kate's spirit. Shors is able to describe in breathlessly beautiful prose the atmospheres and climes of each visited country because he has actually traveled to these places. His history of observations, visually and spiritually, enhance the quality of this story immeasurably. So once again John Shors has created a little miracle. Savour it!

Grady Harp

[The Dusty Jacket · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kate McCray died ten months ago, but her absence remains as fresh and painful for her husband, Ian, and their ten-year-old daughter, Mattie as the day she slipped away from them. Upon her death, Kate leaves a letter for Ian expressing her dying wish: “Be happy. Learn to laugh again. To joke. To wrestle together like you once did. Learn to be free again.” To achieve these things, Kate wants Ian to take Mattie on the trip the two of them intended to make to celebrate their fifteenth anniversary. A trip across Asia that would allow Mattie to experience what her parents once shared in so many diverse and wondrous countries: Japan, Nepal, Thailand, India, Hong Kong, and Vietnam. But can Ian do it? Can he revisit a past full of memories of his wife in order to forge a future without her?

John Shors delivers a touching and bittersweet story of a husband and daughter embarking on a journey of self-discovery, healing, and enlightenment. Although deceased, Kate remains a prominent presence and central figure throughout the story. She has left handwritten notes inside twelve film canisters—six each for Ian and Mattie—which are to be opened upon the pair’s arrival in each country. Kate’s words of love and encouragement are a constant reminder of the tender and altruistic person so tragically torn from our main characters. Her careful planning of this trip, despite her weakened state, and her desire for her family to move on without her is heartbreaking in its selflessness and hopeful in its intent. What’s most striking is Kate’s constant encouragement for her loved ones to make a positive difference in the world. In one of her letters to Mattie, Kate writes of Buddha, “Do you know what Buddha says about happiness? He said, ‘Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.’” With each canister that is opened and with each note that is read, we can easily understand how indomitable a task it is for Ian and Mattie to emotionally recover from their loss.

"The Wishing Trees" is a beautifully written love letter to anyone who has ever lost a love and hungers for a sign—any sign—that they’re still with us. That they still see us. That they still remember us. It’s also a story about the power of kindness and the extraordinary healing powers in doing good. Numerous books have been written on research connecting helping others to health benefits or, simply stated, doing good is good for you. Perhaps Kate knew this all the time or perhaps she remembered an Indian saying during her travels, “When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life so that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice.”

[Carey · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have an unfortunate affliction whereby once a book is started I really can't just up and quit it, no matter how much I want to. AND I WANTED TO SO MUCH. Not sure how this made it onto my kindle. Probably one of those "20 titles to read before you get too old to see" lists or something. Clearly I did not curate effectively.
The characters were uninteresting and one-dimensional. Such a shame for the poor father who was apparently only able to speak in Australian colloquialisms. WE GET IT. HE'S AUSTRALIAN. The only redeeming factor was the small amount of cultural and geographical perspective from their travels. The rest was a waste.
Maybe I'm just a cold hearted wench but have we not really already seen enough of the "letters from the beyond" genre?
Be better than me. SKIP IT.

[Darlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been a fan of John Shors for a while now. He has such a beautiful way with words that never fails to capture my attention from the beginning of one of his novels to the end. The Wishing Trees, his latest, is no different. It is a heart felt story of a father and daughter's journey through Asia that heals both their spirits and their hearts.

Ian and his ten year old daughter Mattie are struggling to go on after the death of Kate. She was the glue that held the family together while Ian worked endless hours trying to make a better life for his family. It's a year later and with Kate's death Ian is at a loss as to how to make his daughter smile and laugh again. He has plenty of money and has given up his job to spend time with Mattie but he is still so deep in the throes of grief that it is difficult for him to see past that.

Then something happens that changes both Ian and Mattie's lives. Kate has left a letter with her final wishes which are for Ian to take Mattie on a trip across Asia - a trip that they had planned to take on their fifteenth wedding anniversary. There are cannisters for each of them to open in each new country they visit with her thoughts on her feelings for them and in some cases, what she wishes for them to do while there. In each place they visit Mattie, a very talented budding artist, ties a message on A Wishing Tree - whether it be her drawings or notes - to share the experience with Kate to see from the heavens above.

The trip is something Ian is skeptical about. He feels Mattie is too young to be traveling to some of these countries but eager to put a smile on his daughter's face they embark on the journey that will ultimately change their future. Ian is eager to show his daughter places that he and her mother shared together and also to teach her the importance of helping those less fortunate than they are. Mattie, a youngster already with a heart of gold, is willing and eager to help others. In doing so, she ends up meeting Rupee, a friend she will have for life.

This novel is steeped in emotion. There is no way it couldn't be. The idea of a mother leaving notes and wishes as Kate did for her family is heart wrenching, yet so beautiful. To share those last thoughts and overwhelming love you had for your child and husband in such a way is a memory they will have with them forever. It was also a way for both Ian and Mattie to heal. Ian had no choice but to try and live again as he was out of his comfort zone of home where he could just curl up and pretend everything was ok. On the trip, both he and Mattie had to face their grief and find a way to get beyond it.

I really don't think I can do this novel justice. It is beautiful. The love that shines through between Ian, Mattie, and the passed on Kate is just so heart felt. You can literally feel the love through the pages. To share in the father/daughter relationship of Ian and Mattie and the way that they find a way back to each other and learn to go on being only the two of them is something I won't soon forget. Kate's mission was to show her little family that it was possible to heal, to love again, and to move on and still live a fulfilling life even without her.

I enjoyed every minute of this novel even the ones that made me reach for my box of kleenex. The journey I was taken on through many different countries: Japan, Nepal, Thailand, India, Hong Kong, Vietnam, and Egypt was incredible. John makes you feel like you are right there experiencing all the sights, sounds, food and people right along with the characters in the novel. Even more amazing was the journey John Shors takes you through with your very own emotions. You can't help but be deeply touched by this novel.

[MaryAnn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Things I liked about this book: Shows the beauty of Asian countries and the people. Author is donating some of profit from book to Arbor Day Foundation which is cool. Has a reader's guide with a conversation with the author as well as questions for discussion. The story drew me in and I looked forward to each country being visited

Things I didn't like so much: The main character, Ian, was a fun character, but I didn't feel that he was very realistic. Not many people go from being a teacher of English in Japan to an owner of a company that does well enough to be sold off and allow for the long trip which is the foundation of the book. I also found the end a bit too tidy for today's world, although it was a nice one.

Things I loved: the concept of the wishing tree and how it was used throughout the book. The ability to travel and experience the countries visited in the book. The journey of grieving and moving on after the death of a loved one was written well. I liked all of the characters and wanted to see what was next for them.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed and recommend this book!

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a story about a man and his daughter trying to come to terms with the death of a wife and mother. She's asked them to take a trip together through Asia, to all the spots she and her husband saw when they were falling in love. They're to open 6 letters she has written to them each as the travel to each country.

Sound like a tear jerker? That's how it's designed.

I liked the book mostly for its description of some unusual places I know little about.

The father-daughter story is sweet--a little too much so for me. Think Leave It To Beaver or the Brady Bunch. Dad is a bit like an Australian Jimmy Stewart. All a little too perfect to be real. It's nice that Mom and Dad were so focused on helping others, but the idea of saving a girl in the sex trafficking trade by calling her out of a restaurant and handing her a few hundred dollars, or paying an orphanage to accept a homeless boy was a little too simplistic. And wow-- most have been nice to have all that cash to throw around. There are some nice messages in this book, but they'd be more real if the story had a little grit.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

My favorite part of this book is the landscapes and imagery. That part of the book was masterfully written and allowed me to feel as though I have been places that in life I most likely will not get to go.
The story is about a father and daughter that are struggling with grief after losing a wife/mother. I struggled with the on going grief in the book. I think it lasted too long. Also the age of the child and how she was portrayed did not match in my opinion. In the book as in life it was through service that they found healing and joy. I liked that point of the book a lot.

[Linda · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was my least favorite of the books I've read by John Shors. It was just too much grief. I know I've never lost my own spouse, but over and over to read how his gut was torn up was a little too much. The parts about their travels were interesting. It was a little cheesy and trite when they were helping people. I wish it really were that easy. Or maybe it is if you have a never ending supply of money. Oh, well, can't win them all John, better luck next time.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first book is a prequel to the series and gives the background of the town and some of the major characters. The Linden tree in the town square of Linden, Vermont is thought to be at least 150 years old. The folklore about the tree granting wishes has been passed down from one generation to the next. Neva, the oldest person in town and the owner of the B&B is considered to be the curator of wishes. She protects the small papers that people have written their wishes on and brings them to her house if there is a storm. She is a firm believer that the tree grants wishes - not by magic but making sure the right people find and grant the wishes of others - often with her help.

[Deanna Drai Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a nice book. Heavy subject woven into a delightful journey. Bang, right off, chapter one, our hearts crack. We meet a 10 year old girl whose mother has died from cancer and left her and her father alone to grieve, heal and try to rebuild a life together. The mother left behind a note, for her husband to open on his birthday, about 10 months after her death. In it, she begged him to take their daughter on the trip around the world that they had planned to take for their 15th anniversary. A trip to all the places she and her husband had fallen in love with early in their relationship. Begin chapter 2...The entire book is about their journey. Admittedly, I cried a few times. It was a well written tale that combined the revelation of emotions with the discover of the lives and cultures where they travelled. Thailand. Hong Kong. Egypt. And more. Up days. Down days. And the meeting and helping of people along the path. Yes, a nice read. Really would have given it 3.5 stars if i could have, as it not the most inspirational or best book i have ever read, but I did like it. He paints well with his words. He took me there. He enabled me to have a voyeurs peek into the landscape of feelings in circumstances like this...and the places where seeds take hold and healing can begin to bloom. I loved the father character, a charming Australian man with the quips of being a Lad Down Under. And LOVED the daughter. I think he gave her too much credit for her age perhaps, but loved her anyhow, kept finding myself wanting to take her under my wing. She is inquisitive, bright, talented, compassionate, alive. And other characters in the book captivated me as well, from the untouchables, to the tailors, to the man who makes crutches for children who have the stepped on post WWII abandoned land mines. Woosh. This author did a nice job laying out a variety of morsels on a platter before me and they were yummy. Thank you.

I think my favorite part, and the piece I will carry with me is the notion of wishing trees. I had a prayer tree in my backyard in Denver for 14 years, so am familiar with the notion. But this was presented slightly differently and is something I will be including into my life now too. Interesting the notion that we can put our wishes, and our pictures into trees, high up, so the departed can help us manifest what we want, and so we can leave pretty things for them to see...hmmm.

[Carrie Kitzmiller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Almost a year after Ian’s wife Kate dies, he opens a letter from her that makes a request of him. Kate wants Ian to take Mattie, their ten-year-old daughter, on a trip through Asia – a trip that they had planned to all take together, before Kate’s cancer derailed their plans and their lives. Mattie and Ian are treading water, barely keeping their heads afloat in a sea of grief. Ian is learning how to be a father; Mattie is trying to find her place in a world that no longer holds the person she was closest to. Ian is convinced that Kate is asking too much. How can he take Mattie to the places he once visited with Kate? To the place they met, the place he proposed, the countries and cities where they fell in love? And yet, how can he refuse his late wife’s last request?

There are certain authors whose books I want to sink down into, to wrap myself in the beauty of their words. John Shors is one of those authors for me. When I started The Wishing Trees, I was immediately pulled into the story. I fell in love with Ian, and especially with the tender, creative Mattie. Knowing the book would be over all to soon, I tried to ration it out, reading only a chapter a day. As much as I wanted the book to last, though, I couldn’t do it. When I wasn’t reading it, I was thinking of Ian and Mattie, of the way they were finding their way to each other, of the amazing places they were seeing.

It is very obvious when reading The Wishing Trees that John Shors has not only been to the countries he describes, but that he loves them: their vistas, their culture, their people. As I read, I traveled along with Ian and Mattie, experiencing the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would love to have given this book more stars but I was held off by it's sadness. This novel is beautifully written and brought many tears to my eyes but it was also very hard to read at some points.


This story is about a father and his young daughter, Mattie going to many different parts of the world as a request from their recently deceased Wife/Mother. She sands them to these places where, Ian, the dad, and her has been before their child Mattie was born. She wants them to connect and grow together. She gives them each letters to open whenever they get to each country. In these letters she writes so sad and it was hard to read.


I love how Mattie and Ian grow together and of how she is an artist and he a simple man. They grow together in such a beautiful way. Mattie is such a Strong girl and forced to grow up so fast due to the dealings of her mother's death. I really could go on about this book but I really would like to thank John Shors, the author for giving away his great novel and to chatting with us as we read along. I truly believe he is such a great person and well as a gifted writer.


The reason why I gave this book such a rating was, not only the sadness. but because it was very touching to read such writing coming from a male. I can only explain it by telling others to read it and they will totally get it.

[Kristin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I previously read John Shors's book telling the story of the Taj Mahaj and REALLY liked it, and also read one of his books telling a story about an island in Thailand and then the impact of the tsunami (yes I am lousy with book titles, sorry!). So I was really hoping this was another great book. But to be honest, I just did not really enjoy it very much. The main character is Australian and I have to wonder how much experience John Shors has with Australian people.... because they HATE people who complain (or as they would say, whinge). They're just VERY upper-lip, take things as they come. I lived there and they have VERY little sympathy for Americans and our desire to psychoanalyze things and be emotional about things. And yet I found this book's main character constantly, well, whining about missing his dead wife.... and whether his daughter is okay.... and whether they'll be okay without the dead wife.... And yes, of course I'm sympathetic about a man and his daughter losing their wife and mother. But somehow it's the way he writes the book. It just drove me completely crazy. So I like the overall concept of the book, a trip to various countries to recover from the wife/mother's death. And I enjoyed the short introduction to these countries. Somehow I just did not enjoy the characters in the book at all.

[Sydney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yet another great read from John Shors! The Wishing Trees is the story of Ian and Maddie... father and daughter picking up the pieces after beloved wife and mother Kate passes away.

Kate sends her family on an amazing journey after her death. She wants Ian to take their daughter to Asia, where Ian and Kate first met and fell in love. Ian struggles with this request, unsure if he should expose Maddie to the poverty of India and Nepal at the same time he is showing her the beauty of Thailand and Japan.

All along the way, Ian encourages Maddie to leave notes for her mother in wishing trees. The journey of father and daughter is beautifully told as they weave their way through Asia.

There are some surprises along the way and a lot of emotional moments. This was a truly heartwarming story.

p.s. Our book club was lucky enough to have a conversation with John last night. What a treat! We are so looking forward to his next book!

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Wishing Trees is an endearing story about a father and daughter relationship.
Ian's wife Kate passed away about a year ago. Prior to her death, Kate writes a letter to Ian. After reading this letter, Ian and his daughter Mattie go on a journey. They travel away from America and visit several countries. These various places all played and important part in Kate and Ian's life together.
At first, I thought this story was going to be all about traveling. It ended up being so much more!
It is a touching and emotional story of relationships and healing. I learned so much about Ian and Mattie, what they were feeling, the type of people they are and how much Kate meant to each of them.
The writing style is impressive with vivid descriptions and real emotion throughout the entire book.
I highly recommend this wonderful book.

[Katy Budget Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Darlene's Pick

This book is full of compelling characters and intriguing settings. It explores the journey of a father and daughter who are attempting to deal with an emotional loss of great significance. The author uses the "wishing trees" and the letters from the deceased mother/wife character to keep the reader engaged. I was inspired to keep reading to get to the next letter and the next country on their trip. I was moved by the depth of devotion that the father and daughter showed to one another. I also felt that the inner conflict experienced by the father as he explores the possibility of a new relationship was very realistic. The ending was quite satisfying. I would definitely recommend this book. It reminds me of the style of Jodi Piccoult, but with more emotional depth.

[Lorraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book. The premise was sad - Ian & Mattie are traveling throughout Aisa as dying request of their wife/mother. But along the way, we see how they begin to heal and get over the sadness that has engulfed their lives since her death. I loved reading about all the different countries that Ian & Mattie traveled too. I liked that in addition to big tourist attractions, like the Taj Mahal, they also went to lesser known destinations within each country. You really got a feel for how people in these countries live. I learned some interetsing things that I never knew about this part of the world - like the escalators that go up & down the mountain in Hong Kong. After reading this book, I've added a few places to my list of places to travel!

[Elyse · Rating 1 out of 5]

Boring, mushy story full of blah, blah, blahs and lots of touchy-feeling sentiments. We get it, your wife/mom died and you're sad. But hey, you've got a bazillion dollars an no commitments so travel around Asia for three months and save all the poor people you can with your money. And don't worry, reading Harry Potter at night counts as going to school five days a week.

[Christa Borne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favorite read of 2010. It started out sad, but ended up being a story about love and hope.

[Sara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unrealistic & too cheesy for my taste. It read like a chic-lit instead of emotional tear jerker book.

[Silke · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm supposed to be reading this for bookclub, but I'm already nervous just reading the back cover :-s

Nope, I only managed 12 pages of trite and clunky prose.

[MeaCulpa_ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Volle Punktzahl für Ian und Matti. ♡

[Ilynca Fiedler · Rating 1 out of 5]

Too over done. Too dramatic and over thought out. Didn't like it, didn't even finish it. Sappy.

[Kristi · Rating 1 out of 5]

My main reasons for choosing this book were the countries / cities in Asia which Ian and Mattie visit as a promise to Kate, their dead wife/mother. I turned 19 in Kyoto, Japan 54 years ago. It and Nara are two of the most beautiful cities of the world. I was a little surprised by the idea of tying wishes to a tree. We were introduced to the attachment of bad fortunes to trees so that the recipient could redirect the negative future. The omikuji predicts the person's chances of his or her hopes coming true, of finding a good match, or generally matters of health, fortune, life, etc. When the prediction is bad, it is a custom to fold up the strip of paper and attach it to a pine tree or a wall of metal wires alongside other bad fortunes in the Buddhist or Shinto temple or shrine grounds. This was my first interpretation of the papers tied to trees. I found out that good wishes are also tied to trees to speed their message to heaven........ I studied at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand for 5 months on the same trip. Because we were in Southeast Asia in 1967 at the height of the Vietnam War, ( the Tet Offensive was in the spring of 1968) we were of course unable to visit Vietnam. I found the fact that adults and children there are still losing their lives or limbs to our unexploded bombs ( not to mention agent orange ). The war led to over 10,000 R&R troops in and out of Bangkok every week; there were multistory hotels just for officers. This was the greatest cause of the rise in the sex trade in Thailand. The fact that a young girl or boy could earn more in an evening than there family could earn in a year was an overwhelming lure. Not surprisingly the largest percentage of beggars on the streets of Bangkok were young women with mixed race infants. I have never wanted to return to Thailand, because the country I grew to love no longer exists. We traveled all over Thailand - to Kanchanaburi ( the site of the later bridge over the river Kwai, Sukkothai, Ayutthaya, Chang Mai and south along the Gulf of Thailand by train and bus. Along the coast there was nothing but pristine beaches, small villages and private homes. One of our professors leant us her bungalow for a weekend. There was no running water, no electricity, and needless to say no modern bathroom. As you walked along the white sand it appeared to move in front of us as millions of tiny white crabs fanned away in front of us. We slept on the beach or on the floor of the home. It was heaven. Now it is wall to wall hotels and expensive high rises. So sad!! I also visited Hong Kong and found it to be enchanting. We stayed in Kowloon which was much more traditionally Chinese than the skyscrapers of Hong Kong which was absolutely beautiful in the night sky. We traveled into the New Territories to an ancient walled city and looked over the border at armed guards at the boundary with to China. Sadly, though Hong Kong was still under British control, the city had much more of a democratic system ( China promised the freedoms of the area would remain ) before their "independence". Now advocates for self-determination are silenced. I would not want to go back to Hong Kong again..... Now as to the book itself.... I found the story of Ian and Mattie to be a "one trick pony". They are sad. They attempt to follow the wishes of their deceased wife/ mother. They are sad. Ian spouts more Australian slang that 10 books set in the country. They are sad. They are sent to Hong Kong to visit Kate's best friend and her daughter. They are happy. They are sad. They and the story line are completely predictable. The story is sappy and sophomoric. The only redeeming factor for me was revisiting countries and cities I loved. Kristi & Abby Tabby

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book. It was probably a 4.5 for me, but I rounded up to 5. I'm sad to think I almost didn't read it. The overall reviews turn in a rating that's lower than where I would usually focus my time, so I read tons of the reviews -more than I normally ever would and decided to give it a go. This isn't a 3 star of reviews that are all 3 stars. It is a 3 star from lots of 5s and also 2s. I was interested in what factors made people rate it high or low. For me, just a few minor things stood in the way of a true 5.
1. I wish there would have been a better time line. I think the author focused on the emotional journey rather than the physical, chronological journey for Ian and Mattie. But I found this a bit confusing and distracting. I couldn't tell if they were in a country 2 days or 2 weeks and that bothered me. Shors seemed to choose to focus on one significant event from each country - but I'd have liked to have had a better understanding of the chronological part as well.
2. there were times I couldn't tell if Mattie was 10 or 15. No way she was 20 or an adult, as some of the negative reviews said, but, having raised 3 kids, there were times her behavior, emotions, etc., did NOT line up with a 10 year old to me. that said, I'm not sure what is "normal" for kid who has lost her mom - so, even having written this criticism, it's a really easy one for me to forgive.

As mentioned, I read a ton of the reviews. Now having finished the book, and really liking it, some of the negative ones are almost amusing to me:
1. he seemed almost determined to hold on to his grief - I am thankful I've not had to go through what he is going through, but I don't think there is a time line or scripted process for grief. Honestly, some of the things he go through (feeling guilty for good days, for looking at another woman, etc.) were very believable to me. He'd pledged his entire life to someone who was suddenly gone - I can't imagine that isn't a heck of a process to work through -not "just" grieving, but changing your entire mind-set.
2. A couple of my "favorite" negative reviews panned his "Australia-ness". One panned the use of Australian phrases and another questioned whether the author spent any research into how "real" Australians speak and act.
I found both comments ridiculous. As far as Ian's phrases and speech, one does not quickly move past their upbringing dialogue. I wonder if this same reviewer would critique someone from the south for saying "y'all" or "fixin". He grew up in the outback - not just in Australia, but in rural, country, "hick" Australia. Of COURSE he had a lot of "country" phrases and dialect. And of course some of them would stay with him.
As far as the questions of Shors' research of Australia, I can't imagine he didn't - any good author would. This remind me of someone who finds something wrong with every movie or every musical they see just because they think it makes them sound "cool". I would challenge this person back to indicate what research they've performed that makes them think Ian is unrealistic. Only if the reader is actually FROM Australia (in which case I'd gladly eat humble pie) do I give this review any credibility.

I realize I'm defending the book -but I'm doing so because I really do think it is a beautiful, well-written, moving book that deserves to be read. I'm so glad I went ahead and opened the cover and jumped in.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grief is the hardest part of living. The Wishing Tree by John Shors has Ian, a father and Mattie his daughter suffering grief apart and together in this story. His wife, Kate, died of cancer and all his daughter can remember of her is her last sight of her mother connected to so many tubes and hardware. Mattie is afraid of losing her memory of her mother as a well person and a loving mother. Ian would like to go some place and be alone but he has to take care of his daughter.

The two are left with Kate's wishes expressed through letters written while she was alive to guide them through their grief. Kate wanted to many of the same places in Asia that Kate and Ian went to when they were younger. The imaginary of the wishing trees where you could tie a wish to a tree for the one who has died is beautiful. I enjoyed reading about going to each of the countries. There are many comforting thought that will help a person through their grief in this book.

Also. I really liked the idea that each place held a special person for them and there was a way that they could bring some happiness to them. I love the idea of making happiness for people and have had the good experience of doing that myself. So often though, the father and daughter's gift to the other person required money and Ian seemed to have a lot of money. But sometimes helping people does not require money, just a lot of thought and inspiration.

Each of John Shor's books are unique and I have yet to be disappointed by any of them. So I will continue my annual treat of reading of his books each year.

[Erin Clark · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really, really wanted to like this book because I am a big fan of John Shors writing, but I can't say that I really enjoyed it much. Ian's Australian accent drove me bonkers, why Australian??? What reasoning for this silly character affectation??? And the story while in the end is life affirming was so, so sad. Everywhere Ian and Mattie went, each country they visited they cried, cried and then cried some more. Boo hoo, too much for me I'm afraid. Stop with the tears will you? And Ian needs to see a doctor, he pops antacids like jelly beans! Maybe a therapist would be a better choice - he was always so stressed about... what? never quite got that, take a breather buddy.

On the plus side I did like the description of the countries they visited and I like the fact that the author had first hand knowledge of the places they visited. I also liked the fact that they tried to help others as they traveled from place to place, although I think this might be more difficult to accomplish in real life than it was for them. But then again - it is a story, right? I do like the fact that the author is donating from sales of this book to the arborist society (I think) or some organization that plants trees. Nice touch. Anyway, I gave it two and a half stars because some of the characters characteristics just annoyed me too much and the plot was overly sappy. I was excited when I started it, but by the time I finished it I was done with Ian and Mattie for good.

[Debi Yoneda · Rating 2 out of 5]

when i started this book, I fell in love with the whole idea of it...the premise of the story was magical to me. Reminded me of the movie "PS I Love You", which is one of my favorite movies by the way.
A mother dies leaving behind her husband and daughter. She asks her husband via notes she has left to take their daughter to the places overseas where they met and fell in love.
The book is written in chapters that represents each country they visit. The first few chapters were wonderful and at times I was a bit teary....but then....not sure what happened...either I got bored or the lines in the story became to repetitive...I lost interest and could not wait for the book to be finished. The ending was predictable and I must say I was disappointed over all.