Sandra Bornstein

Most Recent Book

May This Be the Best Year of Your Life

“Sandy takes us on her personal adventures in India, with all the ups and downs and uncertainties of the unknown. She confronts social, family, and professional challenges with refreshing openness, vulnerability, and determination. I was right there with her, sharing both the anxiety and the joy… every step of the way.” – Rita Golden Gelman
author of Tales of a Female Nomad and more than seventy children’s books”

 

Are you ready to step outside of your comfort zone and plunge into a world of remarkable and memorable adventures?

If so, you’ve come to the right place.

Welcome

On this site, you can read about Sandra Bornstein’s incredible expat teaching adventure in Bangalore, India and how she learned to cope with an assortment of unimaginable events and unrelenting culture shock. After returning to the U.S., Sandy shared memorable experiences in her award-winning book, May This Be the Best Year of Your Life, and shortly thereafter began publishing lifestyle and travel stories on this website as well as other places. A second website, The Traveling Bornsteins, was created to exclusively showcase Sandy’s travel writing and her husband Ira’s digital images.

People over 50 encounter a host of issues. Sandy occasionally shares tips on how to overcome these midlife challenges. When Sandy isn’t traveling or busy with her four adult sons and their families, she interviews authors, writes book reviews, offers inspiring talks about her expat and travel experiences, writes stories that motivate others to explore the world, and contributes quality content to online sites and print media. And, like most authors, is contemplating writing another book. If you are interested in working with Sandy on a project, click here.

If you always stay in the security of your home environment, you will never see what the world is all about. So, take a few moments and join Sandy on her latest adventures.

Latest Work

For Hope & Inspiration Read- Yes to Life: In Spite of Everything

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Book Cover Yes to Life: In Spite of Everything

Can a book originally published in German in the aftermath of the Holocaust provide relevant inspiration for people coming to terms with the ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic? After finishing the book, I answer, “yes.”

Dr. Viktor E. Frankl, a Jewish survivor of multiple concentration camps, wrote Yes to Life: In Spite of Everything after delivering a series of three lectures less than a year after being liberated. Recently, the book was published for the first time in English.

Frankl (1905-1997) was a distinguished Austrian neurologist and psychiatrist who founded the Third Viennese School of Psychotherapy and authored books including the bestseller, Man’s Search for Meaning. Decades ago, I read this remarkable work while pursuing my undergraduate degree in Jewish Studies. Now, I am inclined to reread the book to see how it addresses our current issues. Read More

Q & A With Dr. Benjamin Bikman

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Dr. Benjamin Bikman in his lab; Photo Provided by Dr. Bikman
Dr. Benjamin Bikman in his lab; Photo Provided by Dr. Bikman

A few days ago, I reviewed Dr. Benjamin Bikman’s first book, Why We Get Sick. This book offers useful information for people who are striving to remain healthy. Since it has been widely reported that people with chronic diseases tend to struggle more with the COVID-19 virus, it is helpful to know how to avoid some of these conditions. To learn more about Dr. Bikman’s background and research, continue reading. Read More

Why We Get Sick: Showcases Linkage Between Insulin Resistance and Chronic Illness

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WhyWeGetSick_FrontCover

When I entered the empty-nester chapter of life, I started focusing on factors leading to a healthier lifestyle. Books and articles about longevity and ways to avoid illness became a priority. The COVID-19 pandemic has heightened my quest to minimize risks for medical issues. Media outlets repeatedly single out the connection between pandemic hospitalizations/mortality rates and people with underlying health issues. Intermingled in these reports are the medical terms— hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, obesity, cancer, and respiratory illnesses. This sobering news is a wake-up call. To remain healthy, it is imperative to understand what increases the odds of getting sick.

When I searched for soon to be released books, I came across Dr. Benjamin Bikman’s book, Why We Get Sick. Bikman is a Brigham Young University scientist and biomedical professor whose expertise is in bioenergetics and metabolic disorders. Unlike many authors who write on this topic, Bikman is not a medical doctor. He has a PhD. Read More