November 2023 - The Salt Path

Excited, afraid, homeless, fat, dying, but at least if we made that first step we had somewhere to go, we had a purpose. And we really didn’t have anything better to do at half past three on a Thursday afternoon than to start a 630-mile walk.

The Salt Path by Raynor Winn

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/602035/the-salt-path-by-raynor-winn/

November 15, 2023 @ 1pm, at the library

“Polished, poignant… an inspiring story of true love.”—Entertainment Weekly

A BEST BOOK OF 2019, NPR’s Book Concierge
Shortlisted for THE COSTA BOOK AWARD

From the publisher: 

The true story of a couple who lost everything and embarked on a transformative journey walking the South West Coast Path in England

Just days after Raynor Winn learns that Moth, her husband of thirty-two years, is terminally ill, their house and farm are taken away, along with their livelihood. With nothing left and little time, they make the brave and impulsive decision to walk the 630 miles of the sea-swept South West Coast Path, from Somerset to Dorset, through Devon and Cornwall.

Carrying only the essentials for survival on their backs, they live wild in the ancient, weathered landscape of cliffs, sea, and sky. Yet through every step, every encounter, and every test along the way, their walk becomes a remarkable and life-affirming journey. Powerfully written and unflinchingly honest, The Salt Path is ultimately a portrayal of home—how it can be lost, rebuilt, and rediscovered in the most unexpected ways.

Copies of the book available at the library.  

Prefer to buy a copy? Gibson's and Main Street Bookends will honor a 20% discount if you purchase the book at either place and tell them it's for this group. You can also buy the streaming audiobook from Libro (choose your favorite local bookstore) or other streaming outlet.

Additional Resources (check back for more through the month):

• A map of the journey https://readingladies.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/the-salt-path-map.jpg
• Short chat with Raynor Winn: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuABZ2p9s50
• Interview with Raynor about the book. (at 16 min 20 sec, she starts to discuss the writing of the book) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-CYegWZM20 
• Many, many others have walked the same 630 mile route, before and since Raynor and Moth. Some brought a video camera. Here are two examples. Fantastic if you want stunning visuals to go with the book https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3V8TF8IEos   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhcT2agiFAw
• Plan a trip to the South West Coast Path to follow in their footsteps https://www.southwestcoastpath.org.uk/about-coast-path/about-SWCP/history-nature-and-landscape/culture/winn-walks/

 Read more...

• Books set in Dorset, Devon or Cornwall, England
  
• Books about long walks, I also like this list of walk-related books
  
• From Raynor Winn: The Wild Silence and Landlines