HONEYMOON WITH MY BROTHER: A Memoir

This notable, upbeat memoir takes readers through an overwhelming romantic disaster to the author's eventual redemption and personal transformation. As the book opens, Wisner, then a v-p at a large corporation, arrives in a scenic California town to marry his fiancée. But she gets cold feet and decides to call the ceremony off, leaving Wisner "angry, embarrassed, overwhelmed, numbed and despondent." Compounding this personal crisis, Wisner is subsequently demoted by his company. So he chooses to go ahead with a mock wedding and honeymoon, sans bride, with his estranged younger brother filling in for her. The brothers visit 53 countries in two years, covering Russia, Scandinavia, Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia and South America. Along the way, they see the sights and establish a new closeness and candor. Wisner's narrative style is occasionally comic, but he can be serious, too, especially with his descriptions of people and places, and with his telling analysis of the talks he and his brother engage in. The brothers' rekindled bond makes this memoir deeply moving. Agent, Kris Dahl. (Feb.)

Forecast: An author tour and national broadcast and print publicity campaigns will support this book, which could appeal to fans of Sideways, the recent Alexander Payne film on a similar subject. In fact, Wisner's story is currently being adapted for film (Gold/Miller Productions at Sony/Columbia bought rights).