In this lively how-to book, the author, Nancy Whitney-Reiter discusses why we may feel empty, how we try to fill the void, and then prescribes her 'unplugged' cure. Nancy introduces the reader to her own life circumstances -- leaving her job, embarking on a year of international travel and the soul searching that comes with the territory. By giving herself time and space for self-reflection -- i.e. 'unplugging' -- she is then able to build a new life based on her current, vital interests. Want to do the same? The author provides a roadmap to this self-discovery process advising on how to decide where to go, pay for your adventure and take care of your commitments at home. She introduces her readers to other 'unplugged' success stories and offers a guide to resources that provide further guidance.

Juicy Tip From Book: 'Small Steps to Freedom: Writing exercise. Try it. Imagine that a travel genie has just popped out of a bottle. She is going to grant you an all expense paid trip to anywhere in the world you'd like to go, as long as you decide in one minute. Which destination would you name? Why? Why haven't you gone yet? No matter how far fetched, or how extreme, this is the destination you should probably unplug to, with the exception of major cities.'

—Journeywoman

This book is so appropriate and so necessary for this day and age where we are all running around with ears plugged up with MP3 players, IPODs, Blackberry’s or cell phones, not to mention our poor eyes constantly straining at the computer or in front of the TV. And what do we do for fun? Do we even have time for fun? What is fun? Video games, more TV – or I know – whatever pop culture tells us to do! As a society, we have become so desensitized that we can barely remember who the heck we are as individuals.

Have you ever sat down and wondered what happened to those childhood dreams of becoming a fireman, a newscaster, a photographer, an Olympic swimmer – the list goes on. Do you feel stressed out, burned out, tired, sad or irritable? Do want to have real and wholesome relationships with others? Is getting sick your only way to get time off? If so – I highly recommend you read ‘Unplugged’ by Nancy-Whitney Reiter. This book is not one of those typical self-help books that will simply ease the symptoms. It’s a book that heals and nourishes the soul – the very roots of your being, as it takes you on an off-the-beaten-path journey leading you to the real you. Look at it as the ‘journey to the center of your soul’.

In the book, Nancy shares her personal story of surviving the attacks of 9/11, leaving her job at a Fortune 500 company, and her own soul-searching journey. She encourages us to get away from it all with solo travel and sabbaticals – especially travel that takes you out into nature and away from the stress and pollution. She recommends volunteering and educational trips. The complete ‘how-to’ book on taking your soul-searching journey, ‘Unplugged’ gives you all the action steps you will need including how to decide what type of trip to take and for how long, how to pay your bills before you leave and while you are gone, how to get time of work, what to do once you leave home, what to do once you come home, how to handle your emotions, how to journal, and so much more. The exercises at the end of each chapter are terrific, and the personal stories of others who ‘unplug’ are helpful and inspiring.

This is a gem of a book that can save your life. And if your life doesn’t need saving – it’s simply a great book filled with travel tips and resources to help you plan your next travel adventure or ‘unplugged’ journey.

About the Author - Nancy Whitney-Reiter is a former economist and corporate market analyst. As a 9/11 survivor and Generation Xer, she found herself questioning the true meaning of “success,” and embarked on a year long travel sabbatical. Her travels took her to Costa Rica and South Africa, where she worked as a volunteer teacher and wildlife researcher. Thanks to this unhampered time of reflection, she decided to abandon the corporate lifestyle in order to pursue her true passions: nature, teaching, and writing.

Her first book, Unplugged: How to Disconnect from the Rat Race, Have an Existential Crisis, and Find Meaning and Fulfillment was published this summer by Sentient Publications. Her next book, It’s Not Too Late! (To Do What You Love) will be out in the Spring of 2009, from Adams Media.

Nancy has lived in six countries on three continents, and has traveled to more than 40 countries and 17 states to date. She is fluent in English, Italian, and Spanish, and is learning Portuguese and Zulu.

Nancy Whitney Reiter has a BS in Economics and International Studies from University of South Florida. She also has a MA in Economics from University of South Florida. She currently resides in northern Arizona, near Prescott.

—The Big Blend

Having to run barefooted out of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, has a way of clearing one's head. This is what happened to Nancy Whitney-Reiter as she fled into the glass-cluttered streets. It caused her to reconsider her life and how she wanted to spend the rest of it.

Quitting her job in a Fortune 500 company, she set off on her own personal journey of discovery. Traveling through Central America to Africa, she realized that her job did not fulfill her. Consequently, this book is the result of what she learned and a guide to unplugging from the rat race, either for a sabbatical year or perhaps even permanently.

Often we become so myopic we think our usual way of earning a living is the only way. But there are other possibilities, and Nancy is a perfect example of this. She left the corporate world and is now a consultant for an adventure travel company, living in Dewey, Arizona. This life provides her with the means to travel and, best of all, to write this book and share her experiences and thoughts, sharing not only the inspiration of her experiences but the nitty-gritty of dealing with such issues as insurance, packing, planning, disposing of excess possessions and all the issues that someone leaving for a short time or even for a long extended trip must face. These issues are not unlike those faced by RVers who decide to hit the road. There is a lot of good information here, especially guidance for anyone considering full-time RVing but who is not ready for permanent retirement quite yet.

Boomers and Generation Xers, take notice.

—Escapee Magazine

Unplugged came into my life at a time when everything was a question -- love, work, present, future, past. In the midst of an existential crisis, this book gave me a way to consider and prepare to take the time I needed to help me live fully and authentically the second half of my life. I'm still a bit overwhelmed with where I find myself but I know what I need to do, the generals if not the specifics, and I know I'm in good company on the road to myself. Eat, Pray, Love was a good read and inspirational, but Whitney-Reiter's book helps address the more practical issues of preparing to unplug and plugging back in. For the first time I can say "me too" and know it's possible.

—Shelfari

The tremendous success of Po Bronson's What Should I Do With My Life and Neil Crofts's Authentic, and the resurgence of Paolo Coelho's The Alchemist indicate the inner struggle faced by many working professionals today. Unplugged explains why career breaks are necessary in our modern, technologically-driven society, and explains how to take such a break in easy to follow steps. The emerging trend of young people taking mid-career breaks calls for a book that will help them find their true path.

—Shelfari

Click here for a review in the East Valley Tribune (pdf format).

—Mandy Zajac