... addresses the disconnect and 'itch' many people might currently be feeling. Her thought-provoking call to action shines light on the personal fog and spiritual trauma experienced while living with consumerism, climate change, COVID-19, social injustice, and collective anxiety. She both looks at how we got here and explains what we can do about it, using joyful practices and some serious changes ... This almost reads like three books—one on the need for meaningful connection within ourselves, another about her personal hikes and worldwide journeys, and a third detailing her personal experiences with loss—and a blog on activism all put together. The writing can flag at times, but nonetheless, this book is inspiring.
... like an Eat, Pray, Love for COVID-rattled people ... This may be one of the first books that culminates in the events of 2020 and offers a solution for moving forward. Although Wilson comes across as a bit rambling and even privileged at times, her stories are fascinating and her message is universal and hopeful. Readers with wanderlust will be inspired by her journey and calls to action.
... [a] vibrant take on how to build a more joyful existence and sustainable world ... The author ranges widely, interspersing personal stories with interviews, scientific research, and quotes from religious texts, making for a reading experience that has the feel of an impassioned conversation with a friend ... Wilson’s engaging prose and timely advice will appeal to those who enjoyed Matt Haig’s Notes on a Nervous Planet.
[Wilson] has made a good faith effort to integrate the changes wrought on the world by the coronavirus into a book ready for publication before the pandemic hit. No one could accuse her of inadequate research: Almost every page is peppered with quotations, statistics, and factoids, often set in the margins. While there are no sources included in the book, the author notes links to some on her website. Many others are not readily verifiable and may take further digging by readers. The text comprises 136 miniature chapters, interwoven with frustratingly brief descriptions of hikes the author has taken in various sites in the world ... Some of Wilson's advice is suspect: She advocates hitchhiking as well as hiking without water or a map. Her suggestions regarding frugality are sometimes excessive, as when she notes how she 'started collecting butter scraps at cafes' in addition to fish bones and carcasses to make bone broth. Loosely structured at best, the disjointed narrative jumps from topic to topic every page or two, which will leave many readers adrift ... One for the fans.
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay[/caption]
