Adventures Outside My Comfort Zone 

From Woodstock to the Okavango. How a bookworm turned flower child turned healthcare executive found joy in traveling the world. 

Structured in a series of essays and anecdotes, this memoir tells the story of a small-town Pennsylvania girl who stretched her horizons, tested her limits, and traveled all over the globe.

This first of two volumes follows author Sherry Knowlton and her husband Mike’s post-college tour of America in their hippie van; it describes regular hikes of the Appalachian and Rocky Mountain backcountry; and, driven by a love of wild animals, Sherry and Mike are beckoned to Africa again and again.

These essays address topics as diverse as modes of transportation, wild animal encounters, Indiana Jones moments, and people met along the way. They also include practical travel tips gained through firsthand experience.

Augmented by stunning photos by Knowlton and her husband, Beyond the Sunset is a love letter to all those explorers with a nine to five job and a zest for travel. 

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING:

“I love this book. Sherry Knowlton shares some amazing stories that a life of travel brought her way, and these were not ordinary adventures that she and her husband Mike experienced over the years. Coming from the travel industry myself, I found reading Beyond the Sunset both calming and exciting – a perfect escape from the times we have endured the past few years. I highly recommend it and can’t wait for more. Sherry, keep traveling and sharing your stories.” – Steve Cox, a founder of International Expeditions and CEO of Conservancy Travel 

"Beyond the Sunset is an exhilarating read... The stories are interspersed with beautiful photographs from the trips too. Lush with sensory detail and brimming with diverse travel experiences, Beyond the Sunset is bound to appeal to seasoned and unseasoned travelers alike." –Independent Book Review 

★★★★★ “Whether recounting an unforgettable journey that took her to Woodstock for the famous music festival in the 1960s… or trekking through Indian forests searching for elusive tigers, she recounts adventures with a flair and talent that made me feel almost like I was a part of the journey. .. Whether you are an armchair traveler or one who seeks more adventure, Knowlton's memoir is sure to impress.” - Manhattan Book Review 

★★★★- “Beyond the Sunset… is exquisitely written by award-winning author Sherry Knowlton. She takes readers on an adventure across the world. From the national parks of the U.S. Virgin Islands to the pristine waters of the Puerto Rican coast and far beyond, Knowlton recounts the details of each destination with clarity… Her expertise, gift with words, and amazing photographs all contribute immensely.” - San Francisco Book Review 

“Readers of Sherry Knowlton’s Alexa Williams books will not be surprised to learn she’s an inveterate traveler. As I read her new travel memoir, Beyond the Sunset, I was struck by how much Knowlton’s writing reminded me of Delia Owens’. While Owens established herself as a nonfiction conservation writer before breaking into fiction, Knowlton began as a novelist and now demonstrates her formidable skills and extensive knowledge in her first travel memoir. I can hardly wait to see where Knowlton will take me next. Whether it’s in fiction or non-fiction, I’m sure I’ll she’ll leave me engaged, entertained, and better educated about the world.”  - Gerri Almand, Author of The Reluctant RV Wife, Home Is Where the RV Is, and Running from Covid in our RV Cocoon