Nowhere for Very Long: The Unexpected Road to an Unconventional Life

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I absolutely loved Madia’s memoir. Even Madia will admit that she is a highly flawed person, which makes her a fascinating subject for a memoir. I loved how she dived into her own motivations, parsing out why she made the choices she did, which helps connect her story to life at large. Her discussion about gatekeeping in the van life community and the ridiculous rules we force upon ourselves (and others) to truly “belong” to any community was extremely thought-provoking. Brianna knew her road would be the one less traveled from an early age. Rejecting the competitive and capitalistic path set out before her, she chose to seek a different version of happiness, a road scary, uncertain, and entirely her own. But pursuing a life of intention isn’t always what it seems. In fact, at times it was downright boring, exhausting, and even desperate—when the van overheated and she was forced to pull over on a lonely stretch of South Dakota highway; when the weather was bitterly cold and her water jugs froze beneath her as she slept in the parking lot of her office; when she worried about money, her marriage, and the looming question mark of her future. But she was living a life true to herself, come what may, and that made all the difference. A real review will come when I actually get my hands on her book. But I’ll be reviewing it based on her writing, the story, and her actual talent not based on the opinions of angry strangers on the internet. Despite being someone who has dogs, and adventures myself, and is a woman who embarks it all alone, I don’t feel like I’m the target audience here - and that’s okay. It takes all kinds, and I’m sure this is more for her fans and less for those who actually live a comparable life or like to read regularly.

However, pursuing a life of intention isn’t always what it seems. In fact, at times it was downright boring, exhausting, and even desperate—when the van overheated and she was forced to pull over on a lonely stretch of Wyoming highway; when the weather was bitterly cold and the water jugs froze beneath her as she slept in the parking lot of her office; when she worried about money, her marriage, and the looming question mark of her future. But she was living a life true to herself, come what may, and that made all the difference. However, pursuing a life of intention isn’t always what it seems. In fact, at times it was downright boring, exhausting, and even desperate—when Bertha overheated and she was forced to pull over on a lonely stretch of South Dakota highway; when the weather was bitterly cold and her water jugs froze beneath her as she slept in the parking lot of her office; when she worried about money, her marriage, and the looming question mark of her future. But Brianna was committed to living a life true to herself, come what may, and that made all the difference. I requested and received an advanced copy followed by a final version prior to publication. (The pub date is set for 4/5/2022.) And, as critical as I am of her, what drew me to and kept me as a follower is only amplified in the memoir; Madia is an extremely gifted storyteller.Some minor issues: the memoir flows along chronologically for the most part, but some placements are a bit off – this is more noticeable toward the end where it is apparent a conclusion is being fumbled for. These misplaced sections are jarring and detract from the general feel of the memoir; it’s clear they are important sections, they just don’t really have a home in the work.

Madia’s book is full of her vivid anecdotes and ramblings, each portrait of her experiences, as unusual and inspiring and unexpected as the last. I won’t give more away, but this down-to-earth and heartwarming memoir is the real-life inspiring story that you have been missing. I have kept up and followed Brianna’s life via social media for many years. Like a lot of us the bright orange van and the carefree aunt that lives inside it has been a constant inspiration. I even drove out from Washington state to the Utah dessert in 2019 at the fresh age of 21 to see the marvel of the red/orange desert to see exactly what she was talking about with my own eyes. Rejecting the capitalistic path of others, Brianna Madia always sought to take the road less traveled. So she bought a beat-up orange van named Bertha and set out to travel the deserts of the American West with two dogs and her husband. Madia’s journey – from married to single and from lost to found – is about more than #vanlife or minimalism or dogs; it’s a memoir that explores both the outer world and her inner self.In this beautifully written, vividly detailed memoir, a young woman chronicles her adventures traveling across the deserts of the American West in an orange van named Bertha and reflects on an unconventional approach to life. However, pursuing a life of intention isn’t always what it seems. In fact, at times it was downright boring, exhausting, and even desperate - when Bertha overheated and she was forced to pull over on a lonely stretch of South Dakota highway; when the weather was bitterly cold and her water jugs froze beneath her as she slept in the parking lot of her office; when she worried about money, her marriage, and the looming question mark of her future. But Brianna was committed to living a life true to herself, come what may, and that made all the difference.

Madia is an excellent writer. You can’t ask more from a writer than to be as funny and honest as she is about her personal life, to be able to take a bad experience and laugh at herself in retrospect, to be truthful about not knowing what the hell she was—and is—doing half the time. But she did it anyway, trying and failing, and then trying again anyway. Her bravery shines through each pitfall.I was quite impressed with how she handled her ex-husband throughout the work. It’s respectful and delicate. Her memories, even the bad ones, are soaked in the love she had for him – the love they had for each other. They were both Lost Boys; tragedy forced him out of Neverland and her further in.