Ethel and Joan go to Phuket

To celebrate the life, every woman should wish for a talented novelist son such as Colin Cotterill. We’ve seen movies like Thelma & Louise and read books like Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia, which follow the exploits of women in search of meaning and fulfillment. But nothing you’ve seen or read will prepare you for Ethel and Joan, two English women, who take Thailand by storm. They had been married (at different times) to the same man. They became best friends.

Ethel and Joan were two elderly ladies, who when most people wish to stay at home and tend their garden, set off on the road of self-discovery and adventure in Southeast Asia. This is their story.

A gentle beauty unfolds as we enter their world laced with charm, humor and self-discovery. What son couldn’t adore a mother who talked with a bar girl and who told her son, “It doesn’t matter what she does for a living. That’s just society that decides what’s proper and what’s not. It’s the person that counts.” Ethel and Joan aren’t with us any more. This book is a testament to their humanity, love of life, and true-grit. They're continuing their spiritual journey and souvenir shopping in another dimension. We promise one thing: this book and these two ladies will stay with you forever.