Carol McIlwain, PhD’s ‘Managing the Bucket List’ Appears in the ‘New York Times Book Review’

Carol McIlwain, PhD’s travel memoir, ‘Managing the Bucket List: The Journey Begins, Volume I,’ appeared in the August 9, 2026, issue of the ‘New York Times Book Review,’ the weekly book-review section of the ‘New York Times.’

Canada, October 13, 2026 -- The title appeared on page four in a showcase featuring seven other independently published works spanning fantasy, literary fiction, nonfiction, and children’s literature.

Founded in 1896, the New York Times Book Review publishes book reviews, literary criticism, essays, and features, and has played a longstanding role in American literary culture. The appearance placed Managing the Bucket List alongside other independently published works in the section.

In the showcase, the book was described as “award-winning writing for inspiring journeys that broaden global perspectives.” At 544 pages, the book is divided into two parts. The first part serves as a travel reference guide, describing wonders of the world, UNESCO World Heritage Sites, museums, castles, and places of worship around the world while also tracing the origins of the term “bucket list.” The second chronicles what McIlwain calls her “Travel Big Year,” an extended period of international travel around her 2023 retirement. She traveled through destinations including Portugal, Patagonia, Italy, Switzerland, Australia, and Alaska, as well as other countries across Europe, South America, and beyond, visiting fifty UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Throughout the book, McIlwain frames travel as a form of continuing education, describing her aim to become an “intellectual traveler” who studies the history and culture behind each destination, while encouraging readers to “plan for spontaneity” in their own journeys. Reviewing the book for Independent Book Review, critic Erin Britton called it “an inspiring reminder that the greatest journeys are not measured in miles traveled but in knowledge gained.” The book has also received a Literary Titan Gold Book Award, and McIlwain has since published a second volume in the series.

Carol McIlwain, PhD, is a retired Senior Executive of the United States Navy with thirty-nine years of service. During her career, she deployed as senior advisor for acquisition and logistics to support Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. She also supported Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn in Iraq.

Readers can browse the August 9, 2026, issue of the New York Times Book Review on the New York Times news app. Managing the Bucket List: The Journey Begins Volume I is available through Amazon and other major online bookstores.

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