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The World Walk: 7 Years. 28,000 Miles. 6 Continents. A Grand Meditation, One Step at a Time.
The invigorating true story of a man who circled the globe on foot. After the death of a close friend at seventeen, Tom Turcich resolved to make the most out of life; to travel and be forced into adventure; to experience and understand the world. On April 2nd, 2015, he set out to see it all—one step at a time.The World Walk is the emotional and exhilarating story of the tenth person and first dog to walk around the world. Together, Turcich and his dog Savannah covered twenty-eight thousand miles over the course of seven years. Through deserts, jungles, cities, and mountains, Turcich meditated on what’s important in life and took lessons from cultures around the globe. Rarely has there been a true-life tale of such scope. From sheltered suburbanite to world traveler, Turcich’s epic account runs the full He is held up at knifepoint in Panama and gunpoint in Turkey; wanders deep within himself in the deserts of Perú; watches a democracy fortify itself in Georgia; and takes it all in with his resolute companion, Savannah, by his side. His growth spans the most basic elements of surviving on the finding food, water, and safe places to camp; to humanity’s more noble aspirations, such as the benefits of democracy, the search for love, and the weighing of personal significance. Accompanied by some of the author's world-class photography, this tour de force memoir of resilience and triumph of the human spirit will reaffirm to readers that the world is beautiful, people are good, and life should be a generous, vibrant adventure.
296 pages, Hardcover
Published October 8, 2024
118 people are currently reading
3760 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews
October 23, 2024
When I requested for the ARC of this book, I really wanted to get into the details of how the author managed to walk to the world with his dog as companion. The book lived up to my expectations (kinda) and I enjoyed reading his story.
What I really liked about the book was that the author did not try to overpaint the picture of everyone should walk the world to find yourself (or something on the similar lines). He was honest and practical about his walk, hardships he faced and that he wanted it to end and not continue as he was missing his loved ones and the comfortable life he had back home. Usually authors go overboard but the author was practical in this sense. Someone asked the author after he completed the walk if he missed traveling the world. His answer was “Right now? No. God No.”
He also quite nicely remembers and mentions the introspection during the travel. That was worth reading and pondering on for the readers as well. For instance, “At the outset of your travels, the unfolding is noticeable. Everything is new and exciting and as you bumble your way across new cultures, the big lessons hit you first – you are dumb, naïve and everything you have read amounts to nothing.” There are several such mentions of his retrospection. It made us readers feel part of the travel.
While I enjoyed reading the book, I, however, wanted more from it. The chapters were cut short abruptly. Several transitions from one chapter to another were very vague to be brutally honest. I had to turn back few pages just to be sure I didn’t miss out on anything or to sometimes wonder, where did this character come out of the blue in this new chapter.
Another thing that would have helped was if there was a timeline and a map at the beginning of each chapter. The author has travelled the world so he knows his geography pretty well. However, someone reading in Asia would not know small towns/cities from South America, Europe. Had he given a small map sorts where he was at the start of each chapter and also the month/year, that would have helped a lot.
There are several places where the author could have gone in more depth. For instance, what all challenges did he face for the dog to travel in the flight, how did he take his cart in the airplane; he briefly mentions about COVID and the borders shut, but there is absolutely no mention of what he was feeling at the moment, did he see deaths around, what all did he do about visa during COVID days, etc.
While I was looking forward to read about travel, I started enjoying more about the dog. The character development of the dog is way better than any other persons mentioned in the book. Could not relate with/remember any human being other than probably Bonnie. When you go on such travels, you meet a lot of interesting souls. There are mentions of some of them for sure but not anything concrete that would be worth remembering by any reader.
Also, the details about any particular place, the people there, culture and the cuisine would have been more enlightening for the reader. There is minimal and, in some cases, absolutely no mention of specially the cuisine he must have experienced while traveling. There was just one instance if my memory serves me right where in one particular place the author mentions about how the kids were interacting with author and his British cycling acquaintance while back in the author’s home, kids were told to be careful of the strangers. Then there is one place where he talks about a local wedding the author attended. I was expecting to read more of his experience at the wedding. He just mentioned it as a fact rather than an experience.
It would have also been nice to have more detail about how he actually planned the routes and the walks through different countries. Was it a night before or was it before he actually came to that country? The planning and why he chose those countries he travelled to was missing.
Overall I would say a good book which could have been way better had the author gone into details. Would rate this book 3.5 on 5
What I really liked about the book was that the author did not try to overpaint the picture of everyone should walk the world to find yourself (or something on the similar lines). He was honest and practical about his walk, hardships he faced and that he wanted it to end and not continue as he was missing his loved ones and the comfortable life he had back home. Usually authors go overboard but the author was practical in this sense. Someone asked the author after he completed the walk if he missed traveling the world. His answer was “Right now? No. God No.”
He also quite nicely remembers and mentions the introspection during the travel. That was worth reading and pondering on for the readers as well. For instance, “At the outset of your travels, the unfolding is noticeable. Everything is new and exciting and as you bumble your way across new cultures, the big lessons hit you first – you are dumb, naïve and everything you have read amounts to nothing.” There are several such mentions of his retrospection. It made us readers feel part of the travel.
While I enjoyed reading the book, I, however, wanted more from it. The chapters were cut short abruptly. Several transitions from one chapter to another were very vague to be brutally honest. I had to turn back few pages just to be sure I didn’t miss out on anything or to sometimes wonder, where did this character come out of the blue in this new chapter.
Another thing that would have helped was if there was a timeline and a map at the beginning of each chapter. The author has travelled the world so he knows his geography pretty well. However, someone reading in Asia would not know small towns/cities from South America, Europe. Had he given a small map sorts where he was at the start of each chapter and also the month/year, that would have helped a lot.
There are several places where the author could have gone in more depth. For instance, what all challenges did he face for the dog to travel in the flight, how did he take his cart in the airplane; he briefly mentions about COVID and the borders shut, but there is absolutely no mention of what he was feeling at the moment, did he see deaths around, what all did he do about visa during COVID days, etc.
While I was looking forward to read about travel, I started enjoying more about the dog. The character development of the dog is way better than any other persons mentioned in the book. Could not relate with/remember any human being other than probably Bonnie. When you go on such travels, you meet a lot of interesting souls. There are mentions of some of them for sure but not anything concrete that would be worth remembering by any reader.
Also, the details about any particular place, the people there, culture and the cuisine would have been more enlightening for the reader. There is minimal and, in some cases, absolutely no mention of specially the cuisine he must have experienced while traveling. There was just one instance if my memory serves me right where in one particular place the author mentions about how the kids were interacting with author and his British cycling acquaintance while back in the author’s home, kids were told to be careful of the strangers. Then there is one place where he talks about a local wedding the author attended. I was expecting to read more of his experience at the wedding. He just mentioned it as a fact rather than an experience.
It would have also been nice to have more detail about how he actually planned the routes and the walks through different countries. Was it a night before or was it before he actually came to that country? The planning and why he chose those countries he travelled to was missing.
Overall I would say a good book which could have been way better had the author gone into details. Would rate this book 3.5 on 5
October 22, 2024
Really enjoyed this. It's difficult to distill a big walk into something engaging and I think Tom (and his editor) nailed it. Rather than providing endless details about logistics and the route taken, Tom seems to have reflected on the moments that meant most to him, or have at least stayed with him, and communicated them beautifully. A nice balance of adventure, self-reflection and the stories of others – you can tell this is a writer who tried to walk, rather than a walker who tried to write.
March 12, 2025
As a longtime activist, I'm always captivated by stories like that of Tom Turcich. Turcich's "World Walk" involved a seven year, 28,000 mile journey across six continents and through 38 countries. Identified as only the 10th person to walk around the world, Turcich's trip is brought to life in his "The World Walk: 7 Years. 28,000 Miles. 6 Continents. A Grand Meditation, One Step at a Time."
Turcich wasn't and isn't an activist. While inspired by the death at a young age of a friend, he wasn't raising money for any causes and shied away from his walk being too closely identified with that journey. Essentially, he embarked on a quest for self-discovery with only his adopted pup Savannah by his side.
As someone who has traveled over 6,000 miles by wheelchair, I'm always drawn to stories like Turcich's. This has become amplified as I'm in the midst of having a documentary made about my event and its years-long impact on making the world a better place to live for everyone.
There is something profound, at least for me, about these stories when there's no grand "reason" for the effort. Turcich didn't appear to leave with much, if any, of a global network and he was often subject to the whims of nature and humanity along the way. When available, he stayed at hotels or motels (however defined by the often small communities he traveled through), however, far more often he would stay amidst the elements and all that unpredictability.
"The World Walk" is a testament to human endurance. It's a testament to the power of a relationship between a man and his dog. It's a powerful illustration of pursuing one's dreams. It's almost Forrest Gumpian (I made that up) in the way it recounts a journey that for the most part Turcich never really bothers to explain thoroughly.
Amidst all this wonder and inspiration, however, I must confess - I didn't much care for "The World Walk," a quiet retelling of what would appear to be Turcich's most vivid memories from his seven-year journey. I didn't dislike the book at all. I was quite engaged in places and often captivated by Turcich's relationship with Savannah (the latter being by far the most vivid character in this story). While I don't need to be spoon-fed motivations and I don't need to be force-fed faux inspirations, I felt a surprising lack of engagement for such an engaging story.
By the end of "The World Walk" and this seven year and 28,000 mile journey, I had little sense of what Turcich had actually accomplished. Oh sure, I heard the facts but I couldn't feel it and I had very little orientation to where Turcich had traveled, who he had met, if anything had been accomplished along the way. Even as the journey ended, I was unclear if Turcich had actually discovered himself other than gaining a career as an inspirational speaker and writer (he also has a children's book to his name). I understood this was a hard journey as it seemed like the lengthiest chapters and most vivid stories came from near tragedies - that first encounter with a guy where Tom's "gut" told him something wasn't right and not to go with him (his gut was likely right), a significant infection encountered by Savannah, being victim of a violent crime, and volatile military encounters - and there was little sense of anything else that occurred other than a couple of implied semi-romantic encounters that feel strange in the fabric of this storytelling.
We get the sense of how much Turcich's world back at home changed while he was walking around the world, but I suppose as a longtime traveler I hoped for more of a sense of how this walk really unfolded, how it was planned, where it went, where it didn't go, and even the nuts and bolts of it all. Stories feel, at least at times, disjointed and that made the walk itself feel like it unfolded in sections rather than as a cohesive whole. I found myself wondering such things as:
Did Turcich really walk for seven years? Or was this different sections over a seven year period?
Did Turcich really walk 28,000 miles or did this include the times he flew or rode or did the journey simply involve 28,000 miles?
I never doubted Turcich's story. That's not the point. It's that "The World Walk" simply didn't explain it well so that I could fully understand the comprehensiveness of how this all unfolded.
And yet, I also resonated with that relaxed approach that Turcich takes here. In many ways, I've been similarly lax in documenting my own journeys and will often share only my most vivid memories. Like Turcich, I had the walkers (or wheelers in my case) who inspired me - Bob Wieland and Peace Pilgrim and Terry Fox - while Turcich had Karl Bushby. "The World Walk" does capture well the almost impossible to communicate internal drive that fuels an effort such as this one - it's nearly impossible to say why someone would walk around the world - it wouldn't make sense. In some ways, Turcich did it because he wanted, even needed, to do it.
So he did.
Again, I didn't dislike "The World Walk" at all and I'm quite captivated by Turcich's journey. I'm likely leaning more toward a 3.5 star rating, however, I also can't help but think that "The World Walk" could have been brought so much more vividly to life than is ultimately realized. The book includes quite a few wonderful photos to complement Turcich's storytelling including some full color graphics to get at least sense of where he traveled.
For me, ultimately, "The World Walk" is a good account of a powerful, inspirational story that could have, itself, been the grand meditation to which it aspires to be.
Turcich wasn't and isn't an activist. While inspired by the death at a young age of a friend, he wasn't raising money for any causes and shied away from his walk being too closely identified with that journey. Essentially, he embarked on a quest for self-discovery with only his adopted pup Savannah by his side.
As someone who has traveled over 6,000 miles by wheelchair, I'm always drawn to stories like Turcich's. This has become amplified as I'm in the midst of having a documentary made about my event and its years-long impact on making the world a better place to live for everyone.
There is something profound, at least for me, about these stories when there's no grand "reason" for the effort. Turcich didn't appear to leave with much, if any, of a global network and he was often subject to the whims of nature and humanity along the way. When available, he stayed at hotels or motels (however defined by the often small communities he traveled through), however, far more often he would stay amidst the elements and all that unpredictability.
"The World Walk" is a testament to human endurance. It's a testament to the power of a relationship between a man and his dog. It's a powerful illustration of pursuing one's dreams. It's almost Forrest Gumpian (I made that up) in the way it recounts a journey that for the most part Turcich never really bothers to explain thoroughly.
Amidst all this wonder and inspiration, however, I must confess - I didn't much care for "The World Walk," a quiet retelling of what would appear to be Turcich's most vivid memories from his seven-year journey. I didn't dislike the book at all. I was quite engaged in places and often captivated by Turcich's relationship with Savannah (the latter being by far the most vivid character in this story). While I don't need to be spoon-fed motivations and I don't need to be force-fed faux inspirations, I felt a surprising lack of engagement for such an engaging story.
By the end of "The World Walk" and this seven year and 28,000 mile journey, I had little sense of what Turcich had actually accomplished. Oh sure, I heard the facts but I couldn't feel it and I had very little orientation to where Turcich had traveled, who he had met, if anything had been accomplished along the way. Even as the journey ended, I was unclear if Turcich had actually discovered himself other than gaining a career as an inspirational speaker and writer (he also has a children's book to his name). I understood this was a hard journey as it seemed like the lengthiest chapters and most vivid stories came from near tragedies - that first encounter with a guy where Tom's "gut" told him something wasn't right and not to go with him (his gut was likely right), a significant infection encountered by Savannah, being victim of a violent crime, and volatile military encounters - and there was little sense of anything else that occurred other than a couple of implied semi-romantic encounters that feel strange in the fabric of this storytelling.
We get the sense of how much Turcich's world back at home changed while he was walking around the world, but I suppose as a longtime traveler I hoped for more of a sense of how this walk really unfolded, how it was planned, where it went, where it didn't go, and even the nuts and bolts of it all. Stories feel, at least at times, disjointed and that made the walk itself feel like it unfolded in sections rather than as a cohesive whole. I found myself wondering such things as:
Did Turcich really walk for seven years? Or was this different sections over a seven year period?
Did Turcich really walk 28,000 miles or did this include the times he flew or rode or did the journey simply involve 28,000 miles?
I never doubted Turcich's story. That's not the point. It's that "The World Walk" simply didn't explain it well so that I could fully understand the comprehensiveness of how this all unfolded.
And yet, I also resonated with that relaxed approach that Turcich takes here. In many ways, I've been similarly lax in documenting my own journeys and will often share only my most vivid memories. Like Turcich, I had the walkers (or wheelers in my case) who inspired me - Bob Wieland and Peace Pilgrim and Terry Fox - while Turcich had Karl Bushby. "The World Walk" does capture well the almost impossible to communicate internal drive that fuels an effort such as this one - it's nearly impossible to say why someone would walk around the world - it wouldn't make sense. In some ways, Turcich did it because he wanted, even needed, to do it.
So he did.
Again, I didn't dislike "The World Walk" at all and I'm quite captivated by Turcich's journey. I'm likely leaning more toward a 3.5 star rating, however, I also can't help but think that "The World Walk" could have been brought so much more vividly to life than is ultimately realized. The book includes quite a few wonderful photos to complement Turcich's storytelling including some full color graphics to get at least sense of where he traveled.
For me, ultimately, "The World Walk" is a good account of a powerful, inspirational story that could have, itself, been the grand meditation to which it aspires to be.
October 28, 2024
Just incredible. I wanted to hear so much more than Tom could express in 300 pages. It makes you think. Love. Imagine. And motivates. I appreciate the vulnerability of the stories he shared and Savannah seems like such a blessing.
August 19, 2024
The World Walk by Tom Turcich is a memoir detailing the author’s walk around the world. Tom and his dog, Savannah walked for seven years and encountered many challenges along the way. It’s a fascinating tale of humanity and the value of a canine companion. It’s an epic undertaking to walk around the world, Tom explains how lonely it can be but he also has plenty of time to reflect on his life.
I would recommend this book for readers who enjoy nonfiction and want to experience a walking trip around the world with Tom and his dog. He is honest about the challenges and dangers of his trip but the most prominent parts of the story are the people who go out of their way to help him. These people renew your faith in humanity and show how there are good people in all parts of the world.
Thank you Skyhorse Publishing and Netgalley for the advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.
I would recommend this book for readers who enjoy nonfiction and want to experience a walking trip around the world with Tom and his dog. He is honest about the challenges and dangers of his trip but the most prominent parts of the story are the people who go out of their way to help him. These people renew your faith in humanity and show how there are good people in all parts of the world.
Thank you Skyhorse Publishing and Netgalley for the advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.
October 17, 2024
3.5 stars rounded to 4
The World Walk is a memoir by Tom Turcich, documenting his seven-year journey walking around the world with his dog, Savannah. The book details the challenges of traveling on foot, camping outdoors most nights, and getting by with limited funds.
While I enjoyed the story overall, I found myself wanting more depth. Many transitions felt abrupt, and some details were either glossed over or left out entirely. At times, it seemed like chapters started in the middle of a conversation or story, prompting me to flip back a few pages to ensure I hadn't missed something.
I understand that condensing seven years of such an extraordinary adventure into a 300-page book is no easy task, and much was likely edited for length.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing the ARC.
The World Walk is a memoir by Tom Turcich, documenting his seven-year journey walking around the world with his dog, Savannah. The book details the challenges of traveling on foot, camping outdoors most nights, and getting by with limited funds.
While I enjoyed the story overall, I found myself wanting more depth. Many transitions felt abrupt, and some details were either glossed over or left out entirely. At times, it seemed like chapters started in the middle of a conversation or story, prompting me to flip back a few pages to ensure I hadn't missed something.
I understand that condensing seven years of such an extraordinary adventure into a 300-page book is no easy task, and much was likely edited for length.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing the ARC.
February 4, 2025
This is my first memoir book! I actually received this book as a Christmas gift from my sister, which felt fitting because for the past 4 years, I've been telling everyone that I'm going to move out of AZ (my hometown). After a while, when there's no action behind those words, people start to believe you less. Tom Turcich also had a verbal goal: telling people he was going to walk the world someday...and that went on for 6 years before he made it happen.
I truly can't even imagine what it would be like to walk the world for 7 years. Reading about his experiences was thrilling and inspiring, but I know it doesn't even scratch the surface of what it was like to actually live through them. It's scary to embark on a new journey, let alone enter unfamiliar countries, camp in unknown places, and interact with people when you don't even share the same language. Tom's journey redefines the idea of "being cultured" on a whole new level.
That said, while I appreciated the inspiring stories and lessons from the book, I found it to be a little disorienting. The narratives would jump abruptly (ex. one chapter he is in Chile and the next he is suddenly in Iceland without much explanation). The same would happen with people he mentioned or he was talking to, as if we should already know who they were. I was also let down when he left out his time in Uruguay....how are you going to have a whole chapter build up to arrive there and skip over it completely?? I understand it's tough to cover 7 years of experiences in a single book, but I am someone who is NOT good at geography and the skipping around made it hard to follow where he was and how he got to certain places.
Despite all of that, one of the book's messages that I found to be profound, especially given the current political climate in the US, is that the world is often kinder than we might think.
As I prepare to embark on my own new chapter in life, this quote stuck with me: "Everyone has their own path to walk, and they will walk it all the stronger when given love and warmth."
I truly can't even imagine what it would be like to walk the world for 7 years. Reading about his experiences was thrilling and inspiring, but I know it doesn't even scratch the surface of what it was like to actually live through them. It's scary to embark on a new journey, let alone enter unfamiliar countries, camp in unknown places, and interact with people when you don't even share the same language. Tom's journey redefines the idea of "being cultured" on a whole new level.
That said, while I appreciated the inspiring stories and lessons from the book, I found it to be a little disorienting. The narratives would jump abruptly (ex. one chapter he is in Chile and the next he is suddenly in Iceland without much explanation). The same would happen with people he mentioned or he was talking to, as if we should already know who they were. I was also let down when he left out his time in Uruguay....how are you going to have a whole chapter build up to arrive there and skip over it completely?? I understand it's tough to cover 7 years of experiences in a single book, but I am someone who is NOT good at geography and the skipping around made it hard to follow where he was and how he got to certain places.
Despite all of that, one of the book's messages that I found to be profound, especially given the current political climate in the US, is that the world is often kinder than we might think.
As I prepare to embark on my own new chapter in life, this quote stuck with me: "Everyone has their own path to walk, and they will walk it all the stronger when given love and warmth."
December 29, 2024
Inspiring, humbling, and full of ideas that have continued to spur deep reflection. I’ve followed Tom’s Journey online since the early years of his walk and have been eagerly awaiting this book’s release. Can’t quite yet put into words what his perspective has meant to me over all these years, but can confidently say that I am better for it.
January 19, 2025
Easy read, but super fun journey to read of someone who I followed along with when he was about halfway through his walk. Inspiring that someone who is so local did something like this, and also top 5 favorite personal photographer of mine.
March 19, 2025
Loved this story. He walked the world with his dog! My only complaint is that he chose only parts of his journey to write about where I would have liked to hear each country and how he got to each.
March 20, 2025
The World Walk by Tom Turcich details an inspiring journey of adventure and perseverance. Turcich documents his seven year odyssey walking around the world with his dog, Savannah, facing the challenges of long-term travel on foot, navigating unfamiliar lands, and surviving on limited resources. The idea of a solo journey around the world with a dog is inherently captivating enough to pick up the book.
However, while the premise holds potential, the story fell short. The transitions between chapters sometimes felt disjointed, which left me confused, as though I missed important details. The absence of these transitions can disrupted the flow, making it hard to fully engage. There are moments when the narrative felt rushed or overly condensed, glossing over significant experiences and leaving out crucial emotional or logistical elements that could have enriched the story.
Some sections drag, while others seem to jump ahead without giving enough context to fully grasp the significance of a moment. These inconsistencies make it hard to engage with the book in a consistent way, making it feel uneven.
The World Walk offers a fascinating concept, but I personally felt like it faltered in its delivery.
However, while the premise holds potential, the story fell short. The transitions between chapters sometimes felt disjointed, which left me confused, as though I missed important details. The absence of these transitions can disrupted the flow, making it hard to fully engage. There are moments when the narrative felt rushed or overly condensed, glossing over significant experiences and leaving out crucial emotional or logistical elements that could have enriched the story.
Some sections drag, while others seem to jump ahead without giving enough context to fully grasp the significance of a moment. These inconsistencies make it hard to engage with the book in a consistent way, making it feel uneven.
The World Walk offers a fascinating concept, but I personally felt like it faltered in its delivery.
October 29, 2024
Feels like traveling the world!
This book feels like traveling the world from the comfort of your own home. I couldn’t put it down! It’s more than a travel memoir—it’s a journey of resilience, kindness, and self-discovery. Tom’s vivid storytelling takes you with him through deserts, snow, and quiet towns, capturing the beauty of each place and the warmth of the people he meets. His reflections on home, relationships, and personal growth feel incredibly authentic, and the bond with Savannah is heartwarming. Inspiring and deeply moving, it’s a perfect read for anyone seeking adventure and meaning in their life.
This book feels like traveling the world from the comfort of your own home. I couldn’t put it down! It’s more than a travel memoir—it’s a journey of resilience, kindness, and self-discovery. Tom’s vivid storytelling takes you with him through deserts, snow, and quiet towns, capturing the beauty of each place and the warmth of the people he meets. His reflections on home, relationships, and personal growth feel incredibly authentic, and the bond with Savannah is heartwarming. Inspiring and deeply moving, it’s a perfect read for anyone seeking adventure and meaning in their life.
November 29, 2024
I'm on this reading kick: read books or podcasts from 3 people who have biked around the world. And this guy wanted to walk around the world. So he walked for 7 years. With his dog--- which was the most sweet and enduring part. He did take some breaks here and there in those 7 years. This was a quick read..... Finished in just a few days or maybe it was because I stayed up late several nights stuck in the story. Recommended.
December 26, 2024
After a close friend of Tom's died, Tom decided to take a walk around the world. Something he had been saving up for and dreaming of for a long time. So on April 2nd 2015 he finally starts his walk from New Jersey down through Latin America.
I did follow his Journey both on Instagram and YouTube, and was curious to see what he chose to write about in his book.
I think he did a good job of highlighting the most memorable parts of his journey, people and places.
When he got to Texas and before crossing the border into Mexico, he decides to adopt a dog, for companionship and protection. He found the perfect young dog and named her Savannah. It was a challenge at first since she was a young dog and could not for awhile, walk the daily distances they eventually traveled, but Tom had a push cart for his belongings and she spent part of her early time in there.
She turned out to be an amazing companion to him.
He did a great job at deciding what to put in the book which would keep everyone wanting to know more.
Tom is the tenth person and Savannah the first dog to walk around the world, coming across many obstacles for the seven years they were out there.
I highly recommend this journey.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Skyhorse Publishing for a copy of this book.
I did follow his Journey both on Instagram and YouTube, and was curious to see what he chose to write about in his book.
I think he did a good job of highlighting the most memorable parts of his journey, people and places.
When he got to Texas and before crossing the border into Mexico, he decides to adopt a dog, for companionship and protection. He found the perfect young dog and named her Savannah. It was a challenge at first since she was a young dog and could not for awhile, walk the daily distances they eventually traveled, but Tom had a push cart for his belongings and she spent part of her early time in there.
She turned out to be an amazing companion to him.
He did a great job at deciding what to put in the book which would keep everyone wanting to know more.
Tom is the tenth person and Savannah the first dog to walk around the world, coming across many obstacles for the seven years they were out there.
I highly recommend this journey.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Skyhorse Publishing for a copy of this book.
December 7, 2025
I think what really took the cake for me is how honest it was. Nothing felt overly inflated or over exaggerated. There’s something really poignant about the mundane or the things we consider “unimportant” following us, sometimes haunting us, even as we pursue the novel. Great stories. Even greater takeaways.
June 21, 2025
I really enjoyed Tom’s stories about his journey and how this book was more about his connection to the people and places rather than a summary of each country he visited. 4 stars only because sometimes the jumps between chapters and places felt too soon.
February 27, 2025
4.5/5 - “When I began the walk, I sought to understand the world by experiencing the in-between and by allowing the world to expand in proportion equal to my exposure. But recently, my growth had shifted into a revealing of all the things I didn’t know. The lessons I learned during my first few years of walking - people are the same everywhere, people are small, and we control little of our own lives - were now so deeply ingrained that I took them for granted. What remained to consider was the confluence of circumstances determining how any one person lives. Wandering that forest of nuance, it grew ever more apparent that I knew absolutely nothing.”
The World Walk was great - ambitious, thrilling and heartfelt. This memoir is a testament to Tom, and his dog Savannah’s, spirit, determination and quest for living life to its absolute fullest and finding the meaning we all search for.
I went to college with Tom years ago and our lives briefly paralleled in classes and shared friend-groups; while we weren’t close, we shared commonalities during college. Despite that, there’s no bias - this work of non-fiction is well worth reading and I urge anyone to pick up a copy. I’d even take another book full of the stories and moments left on the cutting room floor. My only major critiscm is the pacing - while I realize this is a work of non-fiction, there was a lot of big time jumps that felt a bit jarring or left me a bit lost as to where we were in the world, but this was minor in the grand scheme.
Back in college, I never knew of Tom’s ambitions and dreams, but upon following his journey online after school and learning of this walk, it’s been inspiring and motivating to look up to someone pursuing the unthinkable. To finally read his memoir and see the journey in full technicolor further cements his story in my brain and motivates my own. Keep walking and keep living!
The World Walk was great - ambitious, thrilling and heartfelt. This memoir is a testament to Tom, and his dog Savannah’s, spirit, determination and quest for living life to its absolute fullest and finding the meaning we all search for.
I went to college with Tom years ago and our lives briefly paralleled in classes and shared friend-groups; while we weren’t close, we shared commonalities during college. Despite that, there’s no bias - this work of non-fiction is well worth reading and I urge anyone to pick up a copy. I’d even take another book full of the stories and moments left on the cutting room floor. My only major critiscm is the pacing - while I realize this is a work of non-fiction, there was a lot of big time jumps that felt a bit jarring or left me a bit lost as to where we were in the world, but this was minor in the grand scheme.
Back in college, I never knew of Tom’s ambitions and dreams, but upon following his journey online after school and learning of this walk, it’s been inspiring and motivating to look up to someone pursuing the unthinkable. To finally read his memoir and see the journey in full technicolor further cements his story in my brain and motivates my own. Keep walking and keep living!
October 28, 2024
I loved this book. I loved reading about the author's inner experience as well as those he had with his dog + those he met on his walk. The only thing I wish there was more of was pages! I imagine it is incredibly hard to distill 7 years down into several hundred pages... but I wish there were more stories. I know this says more about me than anything, but I found myself wanting to see the things the author saw, go the places he went and I know I most likely never will. I want to live vicariously through the author's experience because he did the thing we all dream about- cutting ourselves loose from the mundane, the day-to-day, and he did it.
I was reminded of the beginning pages of Steinbeck's Travels with Charley where John starts telling people why he bought a truck-top camper and people would get starry-eyed and wish they, too, could go along- I am fascinated by the premise of walking around the world, partly because I know that though I've had some phenomenal adventures (and will continue to!), I will never attempt something so grand and consuming as this.
I was reminded of the beginning pages of Steinbeck's Travels with Charley where John starts telling people why he bought a truck-top camper and people would get starry-eyed and wish they, too, could go along- I am fascinated by the premise of walking around the world, partly because I know that though I've had some phenomenal adventures (and will continue to!), I will never attempt something so grand and consuming as this.
October 11, 2024
Truly a remarkable story with so many adventures and lessons beyond the walk. Couldn’t put it down and I’ll surely be reading it a few more times.
December 30, 2024
How would one write a detailed travelogue of a 7 year walk around the world in just under 300 pages? You can't, it simply wouldn't be possible.
I felt that Tom did an exemplary job at capturing the essence of his journey from his home and into Central America - he would describe the places he passed, the struggles he dealt with, his anxieties and how he would fight to overcome them.
It was sometime around Central America that the book begun to jump around a bit from place to place, which took myself as the reader out of the loop somewhat. There was a quick succession from him walking through Honduras/Nicaragua to him managing to get a flight from Panama to Colombia and yet, we would then end up in the deserts of Peru without any mention of the countries prior. This happened again when he was endeavouring on the daunting task of crossing the Andes from Chile to Argentina - but right at its precipice he was suddenly in Iceland with his sister.
When he begins his European and North African journey, the writing becomes less about the places and the struggles of the day to day, and more about people who he connected with most whilst there. That's not a bad thing. But I got to know all about his family in Ireland, but nothing about how it was to walk the length of Ireland.
The only glimpses of his journey through Turkey and Georgia were his interactions with one or two families that he stayed with. I'm sure these people were special for Tom, but I as the reader have no connection with them and am unable to quickly symphasize with their story as they won't be heard from again when Tom continues his journey onward.
I guess what I desired to hear from Tom was more about his daily walk, I want to hear how he felt on any one day, if any particular place made him feel in danger, or if it made him feel completely at peace. I wanted to hear the sudden interruptions such as stray dogs coming to scare he and Savannah, or the sudden unfortunate cart malfunction. These are just examples. I say this as someone who wishes to undergo a similar walk in the future. Those are the details that would inspire me and give me confidence in my own potential journey.
I must say that I am incredibly inspired by Tom's journey overall. What an incredible undertaking. Whenever I feel that sense of wanderlust hit me I just venture over to his Instagram page and find a random photo of his journey and read the snippet he left along with it. Tom has an amazing ability to make you feel like you're there with him on his trip. The combination of beautiful photography and deep introspective writing would put any intrepid traveller into a trance. He has talent and I know that he will keep writing, and I will keep reading because what I see in Tom is not that he is just a writer, nor just a photographer; rather that he is an artist. An artist that lived his life as an art project and shared with us his art every step of the way.
I felt that Tom did an exemplary job at capturing the essence of his journey from his home and into Central America - he would describe the places he passed, the struggles he dealt with, his anxieties and how he would fight to overcome them.
It was sometime around Central America that the book begun to jump around a bit from place to place, which took myself as the reader out of the loop somewhat. There was a quick succession from him walking through Honduras/Nicaragua to him managing to get a flight from Panama to Colombia and yet, we would then end up in the deserts of Peru without any mention of the countries prior. This happened again when he was endeavouring on the daunting task of crossing the Andes from Chile to Argentina - but right at its precipice he was suddenly in Iceland with his sister.
When he begins his European and North African journey, the writing becomes less about the places and the struggles of the day to day, and more about people who he connected with most whilst there. That's not a bad thing. But I got to know all about his family in Ireland, but nothing about how it was to walk the length of Ireland.
The only glimpses of his journey through Turkey and Georgia were his interactions with one or two families that he stayed with. I'm sure these people were special for Tom, but I as the reader have no connection with them and am unable to quickly symphasize with their story as they won't be heard from again when Tom continues his journey onward.
I guess what I desired to hear from Tom was more about his daily walk, I want to hear how he felt on any one day, if any particular place made him feel in danger, or if it made him feel completely at peace. I wanted to hear the sudden interruptions such as stray dogs coming to scare he and Savannah, or the sudden unfortunate cart malfunction. These are just examples. I say this as someone who wishes to undergo a similar walk in the future. Those are the details that would inspire me and give me confidence in my own potential journey.
I must say that I am incredibly inspired by Tom's journey overall. What an incredible undertaking. Whenever I feel that sense of wanderlust hit me I just venture over to his Instagram page and find a random photo of his journey and read the snippet he left along with it. Tom has an amazing ability to make you feel like you're there with him on his trip. The combination of beautiful photography and deep introspective writing would put any intrepid traveller into a trance. He has talent and I know that he will keep writing, and I will keep reading because what I see in Tom is not that he is just a writer, nor just a photographer; rather that he is an artist. An artist that lived his life as an art project and shared with us his art every step of the way.
January 30, 2025
Tom Turcich, a man from a small town in New Jersey, walked around the world in 7 years from 2015-2022. His book, in beautiful prose and vivid storytelling, transports the reader to the many places Tom and his dog Savannah walked. I’m sure there were many more equally significant stories in addition to the ones in the book albeit the book would have been thousands of pages long. It is the paramount stories Tom tells in great openness and vividness of his extraordinary experiences across countries and continents that give the reader a glimpse of Tom’s most personal times during the world walk. His stories are fast-paced, heart-felt, and filled with suspense, encouragement, and gratitude. You will be cheering on Tom and Savannah as they traverse the globe to complete their incredible endurance journey.
March 10, 2025
The World Walk promised an epic journey—seven years, 28,000 miles, six continents—but ultimately, it fell short of my expectations. The storytelling felt flat, lacking the depth and emotional pull I was hoping for. More disappointing, however, was the misleading premise. The marketing suggests an uninterrupted walk around the world, but in reality, the author flew between regions and then walked sections of different countries. While I don’t want to take away from the sheer endurance and commitment of walking everywhere once on the ground, the approach felt inconsistent. If you’re looking for a true continuous journey on foot, this might not be the book for you.
December 5, 2024
When I saw this book listed on NetGalley, I couldn’t resist requesting it. I love stories about expeditions, exploration and long distance travel. Even though I admire Tom Turcich’s determination and fitness, the book didn’t really fulfil my expectations because it didn’t really give me a feel for many of the places he visited and the people he met. There are a few more vivid descriptions of people he really connected with, but they are few and far between and mainly towards the end of the book. The one character who really shone through was his dog Savannah, a rescue dog he adopted in Texas She gave him someone to care for, a constant companion, a point of connection with strangers and a feeling of safety.
“We had walked eight thousand miles together, always each other’s shelter, and now we rested at the top of the earth changed from who we were. We faced our fears side-by-side and discovered they were born of inexperience, and that adventure was really just an education. Somehow I knew that we had walked the earth already, that we would walk it again, and that we would be walking it forever.”
After the death of a lifelong friend at the age of sixteen, Turcich decided to make Carpe diem his life motto and to grab every chance he got to live. But it wasn’t until he did just that by actually kissing his new girlfriend instead of just thinking about it that he changed his life. The way Turcich decided to travel seems right to me: on foot and not only to the most touristy places. The road less travelled, in fact. However, it took ten years of dreaming, route planning and saving to make it happen, plus meeting a man who promoted his adventure so that he ended up with sponsors and a handmade cart to carry his gear.
One of the unusual things about Tom Turcich’s journey was that he started from his parents’ home, walking on roads and through towns in rural America, rather than flying to some more exotic place to start. This exposed him to random strangers. He soon discovered that he needed to listen to his intuition, but also that there are plenty of helpful people out there. After five months, he stayed with family in Texas and adopted a puppy who he named Savannah. After staying long enough to address her health issues and toilet train her, he expected her to be able to walk with him without any preparation, even though she had been abandoned in a busy road; she was understandably frightened of traffic.
Being aware of danger is one thing, bit in Central America he had to learn that the majority of people are friendly. It started with the paranoia he had in the Mexican border area. American children are brought up to distrust strangers and learn that Mexicans in particular are dangerous, so crossing the border was fraught with anxiety. In fact, most of that was in his head, though Mexican towns remained stressful.
In contrast, Guatemala sounds idyllic. They rested for three days in a new age resort of a town standing on the edge of a stunning lake in an extinct volcanic caldera, San Marcos La Laguna. He ended up staying three and a half weeks, but used the time wisely to take Spanish lessons. Ironically, when he carried on, he missed the English speakers.
Next up: El Salvador. So far, I have gained virtually no feeling for the places he has walked through or the people he has met. He spent far longer on a drug addict who presteren him in Georgia than anyone he met in Mexico and Guatemala. I’m sure he did interact with locals, but he’s not telling me about it. Then he was interviewed in Spanish by a television crew in El Salvador, but in the next paragraph he’s suddenly in Honduras, with the prospect of being in Nicaragua the following day! They are now covering 25 to 30 miles a day, staying in hotels. Blink and you miss it: he’s now in Panama City. What happened to Costa Rica? He’s now waiting for a flight to Bogotá (Colombia). But the next conversation takes place in Peru, where he tries to find water unsuccessfully until he discovers boys going to get water on donkeys and finds chatty women clustered around a well.
The In the Atacama Desert, everything is incredibly dry and monotonous. Turcich feels peaceful and at one with the world, until his dog Savannah has a health issue. He realises how much he has taken her health for granted. Fortunately, after a desperate journey to find veterinary help for her, they are back on the road, crossing the pass where flocks of flamingos take to the air, climbing to Salary Luna de Tara, where there are two highly reflective lakes.
Without any warning, we discover Turcich is in Iceland with his sister Lexi before she leaves home and he is planning a three-year leg in Europe. He worries about his mother having neither of her children at home, which rather boggles my mind; shouldn’t she be glad they’re independent adults? Conversely, he feels reassured that he has ‘hundreds of cousins’ in Ireland, one in London and a dozen relatives in Croatia. I can’t imagine just calling upon people I’m vaguely related but have never met before nor has any real contact with. Ironically, I’d be more likely to meet up with an online friend. He enjoys connecting with distant family, but now he has his own health issue that is sapping his strength. After tests in London that give him no answers, he decides he has to return home.
After he has healed and regained weight and fitness, he returns to Europe, but he isn’t really enjoying himself; he sounds depressed and homesick. An old friend reminds him that he’s seeing his home in the USA through rose-tinted glasses; the reality wouldn’t be as nearly as good as he thinks. He walks from Copenhagen to San Sebastián in Spain, where he has to renew his visa. His AirBNB host offers him a room for free, so he stays to study Spanish and takes out a girl, Isabella, on dates.
Once his visa comes through, he spends the rest of his time in Spain, trying to walk through the Pyrenees, then taking the Camino de Santiago, then another walking route, the Via de la Plata south. He crosses to Morocco, then takes the ferry back to Spain to cross to Algeria as the Moroccan-Algerian border is closed. In both countries, the police take an interest due to the dangers from people smuggling refugees. In Algeria, he has a police escort.
He spends 45 days in Algeria, but is constantly under surveillance and usually unable to communicate because of the language barrier. Mentally he is on high alert, so once he crosses into Tunisia, he decides to stay put for two weeks.
After Tunisia, he travels back to Spain, on his way to Italy, where he turns thirty, feeling his life is falling behind his peers’. “While my friends had careers and homes, I was earning twenty thousand dollars a year and living out of a tent.” This is one of the mysterious gaps in Turcich’s account. Where did he earn that money? Was that all sponsorship? Later on he mentions subscribers and patrons without specifying if they were [to be continued].
“We had walked eight thousand miles together, always each other’s shelter, and now we rested at the top of the earth changed from who we were. We faced our fears side-by-side and discovered they were born of inexperience, and that adventure was really just an education. Somehow I knew that we had walked the earth already, that we would walk it again, and that we would be walking it forever.”
After the death of a lifelong friend at the age of sixteen, Turcich decided to make Carpe diem his life motto and to grab every chance he got to live. But it wasn’t until he did just that by actually kissing his new girlfriend instead of just thinking about it that he changed his life. The way Turcich decided to travel seems right to me: on foot and not only to the most touristy places. The road less travelled, in fact. However, it took ten years of dreaming, route planning and saving to make it happen, plus meeting a man who promoted his adventure so that he ended up with sponsors and a handmade cart to carry his gear.
One of the unusual things about Tom Turcich’s journey was that he started from his parents’ home, walking on roads and through towns in rural America, rather than flying to some more exotic place to start. This exposed him to random strangers. He soon discovered that he needed to listen to his intuition, but also that there are plenty of helpful people out there. After five months, he stayed with family in Texas and adopted a puppy who he named Savannah. After staying long enough to address her health issues and toilet train her, he expected her to be able to walk with him without any preparation, even though she had been abandoned in a busy road; she was understandably frightened of traffic.
Being aware of danger is one thing, bit in Central America he had to learn that the majority of people are friendly. It started with the paranoia he had in the Mexican border area. American children are brought up to distrust strangers and learn that Mexicans in particular are dangerous, so crossing the border was fraught with anxiety. In fact, most of that was in his head, though Mexican towns remained stressful.
In contrast, Guatemala sounds idyllic. They rested for three days in a new age resort of a town standing on the edge of a stunning lake in an extinct volcanic caldera, San Marcos La Laguna. He ended up staying three and a half weeks, but used the time wisely to take Spanish lessons. Ironically, when he carried on, he missed the English speakers.
Next up: El Salvador. So far, I have gained virtually no feeling for the places he has walked through or the people he has met. He spent far longer on a drug addict who presteren him in Georgia than anyone he met in Mexico and Guatemala. I’m sure he did interact with locals, but he’s not telling me about it. Then he was interviewed in Spanish by a television crew in El Salvador, but in the next paragraph he’s suddenly in Honduras, with the prospect of being in Nicaragua the following day! They are now covering 25 to 30 miles a day, staying in hotels. Blink and you miss it: he’s now in Panama City. What happened to Costa Rica? He’s now waiting for a flight to Bogotá (Colombia). But the next conversation takes place in Peru, where he tries to find water unsuccessfully until he discovers boys going to get water on donkeys and finds chatty women clustered around a well.
The In the Atacama Desert, everything is incredibly dry and monotonous. Turcich feels peaceful and at one with the world, until his dog Savannah has a health issue. He realises how much he has taken her health for granted. Fortunately, after a desperate journey to find veterinary help for her, they are back on the road, crossing the pass where flocks of flamingos take to the air, climbing to Salary Luna de Tara, where there are two highly reflective lakes.
Without any warning, we discover Turcich is in Iceland with his sister Lexi before she leaves home and he is planning a three-year leg in Europe. He worries about his mother having neither of her children at home, which rather boggles my mind; shouldn’t she be glad they’re independent adults? Conversely, he feels reassured that he has ‘hundreds of cousins’ in Ireland, one in London and a dozen relatives in Croatia. I can’t imagine just calling upon people I’m vaguely related but have never met before nor has any real contact with. Ironically, I’d be more likely to meet up with an online friend. He enjoys connecting with distant family, but now he has his own health issue that is sapping his strength. After tests in London that give him no answers, he decides he has to return home.
After he has healed and regained weight and fitness, he returns to Europe, but he isn’t really enjoying himself; he sounds depressed and homesick. An old friend reminds him that he’s seeing his home in the USA through rose-tinted glasses; the reality wouldn’t be as nearly as good as he thinks. He walks from Copenhagen to San Sebastián in Spain, where he has to renew his visa. His AirBNB host offers him a room for free, so he stays to study Spanish and takes out a girl, Isabella, on dates.
Once his visa comes through, he spends the rest of his time in Spain, trying to walk through the Pyrenees, then taking the Camino de Santiago, then another walking route, the Via de la Plata south. He crosses to Morocco, then takes the ferry back to Spain to cross to Algeria as the Moroccan-Algerian border is closed. In both countries, the police take an interest due to the dangers from people smuggling refugees. In Algeria, he has a police escort.
He spends 45 days in Algeria, but is constantly under surveillance and usually unable to communicate because of the language barrier. Mentally he is on high alert, so once he crosses into Tunisia, he decides to stay put for two weeks.
After Tunisia, he travels back to Spain, on his way to Italy, where he turns thirty, feeling his life is falling behind his peers’. “While my friends had careers and homes, I was earning twenty thousand dollars a year and living out of a tent.” This is one of the mysterious gaps in Turcich’s account. Where did he earn that money? Was that all sponsorship? Later on he mentions subscribers and patrons without specifying if they were [to be continued].
November 24, 2024
The subtitle of the book is the key to Turkich's unique perspective: "A grand meditation, one step at a time."
Struggling with the death of a classmate, Turcich spent his high school and undergraduate years in a fog, trying to find meaning in a life in which suffering seemed so arbitrary. When the idea of walking around the world came to him, he seized on it as a solution to the purpose he sought. Three years of saving money -- and foregoing a meaningful college relationship -- he set out on a journey that would take him seven years to completed. Walking first to South America from his home in New Jersey, then on to Iceland, the British Isles, western Europe, north Africa and Turkey.
He was in Azerbaijan, preparing to enter Kazakhstan, when the world shut down due to the Covid 19 Pandemic. Retreating to the Mediterranean Coast of Turkey, he waited out the pandemic near the city of Kas.
By this time he had found what he was looking for -- a highlight is his climactic climb in South America, where he is bathed in stars and confronted with the truth:
Overcoming health challenges and a global pandemic were among the feats Turcich pulled off. He also bonded with a shelter dog, Savannah, he picked up on the way. He includes her in nearly every story, and she comes across as the ideal traveling companion: a reliable guard, a curious and enthusiastic companion, a reliable judge of character among the strangers they encounters.
Covid restrictions caused Turcich to miss crossing Mongolia -- he still walked 29,000 miles. The last part of his journey, his existential questions answered, focused on his life after reaching the goal of 10 years' work. He is very candid about relationships that rose and fell, and one that he formed, walking through Washington State, that endured to the publication of this book -- and for long thereafter, we hope. (Alas, Savannah made it to the end of the journey, but died before publication.)
Adventurers of all sorts will enjoy this book. Turcich is very open about the challenges of the trek, and I admit I wasn't inspired to emulate his journey. But I, too, have looked for answers to existential questions on the hiking trail, and I can attest to how therapeutic it is today.
Struggling with the death of a classmate, Turcich spent his high school and undergraduate years in a fog, trying to find meaning in a life in which suffering seemed so arbitrary. When the idea of walking around the world came to him, he seized on it as a solution to the purpose he sought. Three years of saving money -- and foregoing a meaningful college relationship -- he set out on a journey that would take him seven years to completed. Walking first to South America from his home in New Jersey, then on to Iceland, the British Isles, western Europe, north Africa and Turkey.
He was in Azerbaijan, preparing to enter Kazakhstan, when the world shut down due to the Covid 19 Pandemic. Retreating to the Mediterranean Coast of Turkey, he waited out the pandemic near the city of Kas.
By this time he had found what he was looking for -- a highlight is his climactic climb in South America, where he is bathed in stars and confronted with the truth:
We were little things none standing on their own, each determined by the great forces around them -- government, geography, culture, and the love we were shown. Although we like to believe we're masters of our fate, our lives were decided long ago. We exist forever, like marks against the stone, but you are alive now.
Pay attention.
Overcoming health challenges and a global pandemic were among the feats Turcich pulled off. He also bonded with a shelter dog, Savannah, he picked up on the way. He includes her in nearly every story, and she comes across as the ideal traveling companion: a reliable guard, a curious and enthusiastic companion, a reliable judge of character among the strangers they encounters.
Covid restrictions caused Turcich to miss crossing Mongolia -- he still walked 29,000 miles. The last part of his journey, his existential questions answered, focused on his life after reaching the goal of 10 years' work. He is very candid about relationships that rose and fell, and one that he formed, walking through Washington State, that endured to the publication of this book -- and for long thereafter, we hope. (Alas, Savannah made it to the end of the journey, but died before publication.)
Adventurers of all sorts will enjoy this book. Turcich is very open about the challenges of the trek, and I admit I wasn't inspired to emulate his journey. But I, too, have looked for answers to existential questions on the hiking trail, and I can attest to how therapeutic it is today.
January 23, 2025
“I had never taken a wrong turn, never been delayed, and everything I thought was a mistake was simply growing up and finding out.”
I really liked reading this book. I thought it was a fascinating story, and touched on many ideas that I have had that were have always been fleeting. I’m obviously a peace corps volunteer, and a few months ago, I was randomly researching walking around the world and found the author online. Coincidently, Grace & Simon (PCV) read this book recently and sent to me in the mail. Thank you both 😘
Tom is a really interesting dude and I found this book fun to read. I looked forward to my time before bed because I got to pick it up. It got me hyped about life, and the many adventures awaiting me. I am impressed by him, Savanah, and their journey together. Right on!
I loved the stories, the quotes, and the small moments of meditation. I also really appreciated Tom’s vulnerability with love and loneliness. It was refreshing to hear someone talk about it so openly. I really recommend this book.
I wanna be cautious because this is a small author and I really did like the story, but here are some of the things that I didn’t love.
-There was no map in the beginning that outlined the route. This left me confused at some points. There was a artsy map in the middle of the book, but it wasn’t super clear. A map outlining the route would have been very helpful. Also, I wish Tom wasn’t so vague with the cities he was in. On many occasions, I had to look up where a city was because it wasn’t clear.
-There was nothing that showcased what technically qualifies a world walk. Like, Tom didn’t really go through all of Asia or Africa. Which is totally fine, but I wish there was more info on what constitutes “walking around the world” in a technical sense.
-The chapters were choppy at times, and I was confused if I missed a part. Suddenly we were in a new country.
-I disliked a few comments about women. For example, at one point, he shacked up with an 18 y/o while he was 28 in South America. Maybe he should have kept that to himself. The age gap and racial power dynamic left a bad taste in my mouth.
-I forget where, but a local offered to host Tom. When it was time for bed, the owner told Tom his dog couldn’t come in the house due to their culture. Tom was pushing back on this. I found it really inappropriate to do so, & to then write about it. I’m sure he was just trying to exemplify his loyalty to his dog, but I was like: bro this dude is hosting you for free and opening his home to you and your being an ass about it.
-There was a little bit of commentary regarding privilege, but the book could have used some more.
I really liked reading this book. I thought it was a fascinating story, and touched on many ideas that I have had that were have always been fleeting. I’m obviously a peace corps volunteer, and a few months ago, I was randomly researching walking around the world and found the author online. Coincidently, Grace & Simon (PCV) read this book recently and sent to me in the mail. Thank you both 😘
Tom is a really interesting dude and I found this book fun to read. I looked forward to my time before bed because I got to pick it up. It got me hyped about life, and the many adventures awaiting me. I am impressed by him, Savanah, and their journey together. Right on!
I loved the stories, the quotes, and the small moments of meditation. I also really appreciated Tom’s vulnerability with love and loneliness. It was refreshing to hear someone talk about it so openly. I really recommend this book.
I wanna be cautious because this is a small author and I really did like the story, but here are some of the things that I didn’t love.
-There was no map in the beginning that outlined the route. This left me confused at some points. There was a artsy map in the middle of the book, but it wasn’t super clear. A map outlining the route would have been very helpful. Also, I wish Tom wasn’t so vague with the cities he was in. On many occasions, I had to look up where a city was because it wasn’t clear.
-There was nothing that showcased what technically qualifies a world walk. Like, Tom didn’t really go through all of Asia or Africa. Which is totally fine, but I wish there was more info on what constitutes “walking around the world” in a technical sense.
-The chapters were choppy at times, and I was confused if I missed a part. Suddenly we were in a new country.
-I disliked a few comments about women. For example, at one point, he shacked up with an 18 y/o while he was 28 in South America. Maybe he should have kept that to himself. The age gap and racial power dynamic left a bad taste in my mouth.
-I forget where, but a local offered to host Tom. When it was time for bed, the owner told Tom his dog couldn’t come in the house due to their culture. Tom was pushing back on this. I found it really inappropriate to do so, & to then write about it. I’m sure he was just trying to exemplify his loyalty to his dog, but I was like: bro this dude is hosting you for free and opening his home to you and your being an ass about it.
-There was a little bit of commentary regarding privilege, but the book could have used some more.
January 10, 2025
The World Walk is a memoir written by an extraordinary man, one who walked around the world with a cart, a few belongings, and a dog named Savannah. Tom Turcich spent seven years circling the globe, trying to make something of his life, to seize the day. What he has written about his journey is remarkable. It is more memoir than travel book, fear, excitement, worry, joy, and illness. It is remarkable.
Haunted by the spectre of death from young childhood, Tom's worry about life and its end peak when his 16-year old friend, Ann-Marie, dies suddenly and pointlessly, a whole life cut short in a minute. Tom is led to do something to make sure his time on earth has meaning, and seizes upon the idea of travelling the world on foot, alone. Savannah the dog enters the narrative very early, when Tom, who hails from New Jersey, has only reached Austin, Texas in his journey. The two become friends, each other's constant.
I enjoyed the multiple stories in the book so very much. I was fortunate enough to be one of Tom's patrons for the last year or so of his journey, which enabled me to read early versions of his work. The one that scared me, even though I knew the outcome, was of Savannah becoming desperately ill in South America, and Tom's mad rush to save her. It was gruelling reading, on the edge of your seats sotry-telling. I loved Turkish wanderings, precipitous hiking in Kyrgyzstan, near-death from an unknown illness as he walks through Britain. Tom plods along the Algerian coast, guarded by the police at each moment, is stuck in Azerbaijan and then Turkey while Covid rules the earth.
This memoir made me think about my own life, whether I have done the things I dream of (not yet), what I have to pass on to future generations, whether I have truly loved, if I have more to do as I reach my 62nd year (yes). I do recommend this book most heartily to those looking for a good story, and for those trying to live a good life.
Haunted by the spectre of death from young childhood, Tom's worry about life and its end peak when his 16-year old friend, Ann-Marie, dies suddenly and pointlessly, a whole life cut short in a minute. Tom is led to do something to make sure his time on earth has meaning, and seizes upon the idea of travelling the world on foot, alone. Savannah the dog enters the narrative very early, when Tom, who hails from New Jersey, has only reached Austin, Texas in his journey. The two become friends, each other's constant.
I enjoyed the multiple stories in the book so very much. I was fortunate enough to be one of Tom's patrons for the last year or so of his journey, which enabled me to read early versions of his work. The one that scared me, even though I knew the outcome, was of Savannah becoming desperately ill in South America, and Tom's mad rush to save her. It was gruelling reading, on the edge of your seats sotry-telling. I loved Turkish wanderings, precipitous hiking in Kyrgyzstan, near-death from an unknown illness as he walks through Britain. Tom plods along the Algerian coast, guarded by the police at each moment, is stuck in Azerbaijan and then Turkey while Covid rules the earth.
This memoir made me think about my own life, whether I have done the things I dream of (not yet), what I have to pass on to future generations, whether I have truly loved, if I have more to do as I reach my 62nd year (yes). I do recommend this book most heartily to those looking for a good story, and for those trying to live a good life.
January 19, 2025
For the first time I pre-ordered a book over the excitement I had for this adventure. Tom sets off at a young age from New Jersey and walks the world. He picks up a dog, Savannah, in Texas who proceeds to walk the walk with Tom! A few setbacks, one where health almost defeated him entirely, and another when he lent out his trust to a creepy dude, who offered him dinner and a place to stay turned strange and uncomfortable. He traveled the world and the few stories he shared were engaging. My excitement fell away from this book as I didn’t really gather a sense of place along his world route as I read his story. It was difficult to follow along in his journey. I wanted this book to be so much more, to dive deeper into his thoughts, perspectives and every day happenings. A few stories were highlighted, but the book seemed lacking in depth and sporadic as 7 years seemed impossible to cover in less than 300 pages. I wanted to know more. Only a snippet or two from the book actually went into detail. Everything else seemed to be surface level. Not saying he needed to disclose every minute of his journey, but this book currently as it stands feels like too many gaps and details were left out to make his route and trip easily followable.
June 29, 2025
Just to be clear, this is the diary of a young man, expressing his FEELINGS. It provides no helpful information whatsoever; it's neither enlightening, nor inspiring.
The content is highly repetitive and the writing lacks style. Aside from mentioning some countries, it sheds no light on the local culture.
No idea how the itinerary was established, jumping from one place to another, with many returns home for various reasons (visa, health, etc.).
Antarctica, the continent most people would never visit and hence is the most interesting, is not covered in the book; neither is Europe.
I wonder how someone on $20,000/year could visit Antarctica; a trip there from Patagonia is exceedingly expensive. There's no information provided whatsoever.
There is absolutely nothing to commend this book, and to me it was a complete waste of time.
Oh, and by the way, the author being a college graduate, it's even more shameful that he doesn't use the correct form "the family and I", instead stating "me and my family". Obviously the editor is to blame too, s/he did a shoddy job.
The content is highly repetitive and the writing lacks style. Aside from mentioning some countries, it sheds no light on the local culture.
No idea how the itinerary was established, jumping from one place to another, with many returns home for various reasons (visa, health, etc.).
Antarctica, the continent most people would never visit and hence is the most interesting, is not covered in the book; neither is Europe.
I wonder how someone on $20,000/year could visit Antarctica; a trip there from Patagonia is exceedingly expensive. There's no information provided whatsoever.
There is absolutely nothing to commend this book, and to me it was a complete waste of time.
Oh, and by the way, the author being a college graduate, it's even more shameful that he doesn't use the correct form "the family and I", instead stating "me and my family". Obviously the editor is to blame too, s/he did a shoddy job.
December 8, 2024
Everything about this was so so well done. How Tom managed to distill seven years of walking into 280 pages I have no idea - I’m sure he could write another memoir or two with what was left on the cutting room floor. He did a phenomenal job of writing enough specificity in each place to make you really feel it - the awe of the mountain lakes in Mexico, the barrenness of the South American desert, the terror of the mountain pass in Kazakhstan. It would be easy to either give not enough detail or way too much - he strikes the perfect balance. He weaves in a lot of personal details - from his experience with ayahuasca to his love life - in a way that really takes you on the walk with him. I found Tom years ago and threw him a couple bucks here and there on Patreon - I have a photo of Savannah hanging in my house - and he was always so kind and gracious. This is one to read and reread and gift everyone for Christmas.
December 23, 2024
I am fascinated by people that walk long distances. It sounds like something I wouldn't mind doing but I absolutely never would. I found his story hard to follow sometimes. All of a sudden he is in another country with new people and it takes me a few pages to figure out exactly what is happening. I wish at the beginning of every chapter there was a small map of where he is in that chapter. I would have loved to meet his dog Savannah and I am not a dog person. There are a few swear words. But, and I cannot believe I am about to say this, they were justified. I also cannot imagine a life where you sleep with someone the day you meet them. As you see in the story this type of lifestyle comes with a myriad of its own problems that wouldn't have happened if you didn't sleep around. Overall a good book.
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