Here Comes the Sun: A 1960s Story of Travel & Adventure

Alan Bryce’s debut memoir, Here Comes the Sun: A 1960s Story of Travel, Adventure and Self-Discovery, is an intoxicating blend of nostalgia, danger, and self-discovery. Less about Beatles-inspired enlightenment and more about a kaleidoscopic journey through the technicolor 1960s, the book reads like Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas meets Eat, Pray, Love, with significantly more cross-border mishaps. A captivating travelogue that vividly resurrects the spirit of the decade, it transports readers into a world of adventure, uncertainty, and transformation.

The memoir about a young man and his friend travelling through Latin America in the 1960s sparkles with authentic voice and character development that would make any fictional protagonist jealous—except these escapades actually happened. Bryce’s narrative prowess turns what could have been another “I found myself while backpacking” tale into a time capsule of transformation, complete with gun-toting antagonists and an unhinged ship captain (no, really).

While the writing captures the era’s freewheeling spirit, the frequent references to altered states can sometimes feel a bit repetitive. Along with this drawback, the book teases with mentions of letters to his girlfriend back home—yet leaves readers wanting more of these paper trail breadcrumbs. Perhaps starting chapters with these letters could have anchored the cosmic wandering with some grounded perspective. However, Bryce excels at crafting those crystalline moments of clarity that punctuate the chaos—those “aha” instances where the universe seems to pause and wink. His knack for painting both physical landscapes and internal revelations gives readers a front-row seat to his evolution. The personal photographs and stories add authenticity, though the inclusion of stock photos in the latter half of the book feels unnecessary.

Then, like the ending of a five-star vacation, the conclusion of Bryce’s adventures is so relatable it hurts. His great escape into foreign lands and incredible experiences is suddenly halted by the necessity of obligations and the surprises life brings. The unforgettable ending perfectly captures the universal struggle between aspirations for adventure and the constraints of reality.

For publishers, this manuscript would sit in that sweet spot between historical zeitgeist and personal odyssey. With some refinement and tightening, it could find a home with independent publishers who appreciate narratives that straddle the line between counter-culture confession and transformative travelogue. This would also make an exceptional audiobook—imagine Canadian Paul Gross narrating those close calls in Central America.

Regardless of which edition of this distinctive memoir is available, its title will likely have readers humming the corresponding song throughout. The memoir’s uplifting tone offers a welcome sense of joy, particularly in these uncertain times. Ultimately, Bryce’s storytelling transforms misadventure into memoir gold, making Here Comes the Sun a must-read for fans of immersive, real-life odysseys.

—CANREADS BOOK REVIEW

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