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The World Walk: 7 Years. 28,000 Miles. 6 Continents. A Grand Meditation, One Step at a Time.
28,000 miles. 6 continents. 38 countries. A grand meditation, one step at a time.
The World Walk is 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 foot in front of the other.
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.
The World Walk is 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 foot in front of the other.
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.
337 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 8, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 122 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.
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.
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].
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.
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.
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.
May 4, 2026
3.5 stars. I listened to this as an audiobook. This is obviously a really cool thing that he did. I can’t even imagine the things he’s seen and the experiences he’s had. What he’s done is such an accomplishment and he’ll have those memories forever. But I can't get behind this. What about his family? I would be devastated if my son willingly chose to walk away from me for 7 years. That’s such a long time. I would also not be happy that he was willingly putting himself in that much danger. And I don't just mean from scary people or potentially dangerous authorities. But also, what if he had experienced a heart attack or other health crisis while he was crossing the desert or one of the other more barren parts of his journey? Help was so far away. He could have died out there and would his family ever have even known what happened to him? I just don’t know if I like anything about this journey. I know I'm looking at this completely the wrong way, but those were the thoughts that were going through my head the whole time I was reading this. There are no words to describe how incapable I would be of making a journey like this. I mean, most people wouldn’t be able to accomplish what he did for sure, I'm not unique. But in every way imaginable, I could not do this. I wouldn’t want to leave my family for that long. I’m not responsible enough with money. I’m too attached to all of my many, many material possessions. I’m not a problem solver. I’d be too afraid of sleeping somewhere that might end up being private property. All of the contact he had with cops, even while still in the U.S. would send me into a nervous breakdown. And above all, my body couldn’t handle it. This is just so far outside the realm of my reality. And that fact made this feel somehow less realistic than the romantasy books that I read. I mean, I'm not saying that I don't believe he completed this journey, I do believe him. But trying to wrap my head around someone doing magic is easier than trying to wrap my head around what he did here. I am in a unique position right at this moment to understand exactly how long 7 years is, because I finished this book 2 days before my 7-year anniversary at my current job, so that really put into perspective for me how long he spent on this journey. Any other time, it would be hard to conceptualize exactly how long a particular amount of years lasts. I don’t know how I feel about his decision to include Savannah on this journey. I know after she got used to it, she seemed to love what they were doing and I'm sure she was happy and well taken care of. But that just seems like so many miles a day to ask of a dog. I may only feel that way because that is so many more miles than I could ever walk and my legs are much longer than Savannah’s. But also, that medical crisis she experienced when they were so far from help felt so unfair to her. If they were in civilization when she got sick, she wouldn’t have had to suffer as long as she did before getting the medicine that helped her get better. And also, if she was truly happy on the walk, how is she supposed to adjust to life afterwards? Tom might have felt ready to finally settle down in one place, but was Savannah? And it’s not like you can explain to her what’s happening. She must have thought that walking was just life and then the walk just stopped. My heart breaks to imagine her thinking they were just going to take a little break like they had before here and there and then the walk was going to start again, but then it never did. Realistically, I know it’s not that deep. She was loved, she was with her person, I'm sure she was happy. Plus, many years had passed since the walk started and so she was older than when they started out and maybe it was good for her to be done with the walk at that point, too. I don’t know, I wish I could get her perspective on this whole thing. This made me so emotional at the end. The last section of his walk with his whole home town supporting him. Oh man. Not to mention the very last page of this book. So cruel. A beautiful tribute and fitting thank you for Savannah, but such a cruel thing to have to read. I enjoyed hearing about his relationship with Bonnie, how they just couldn’t quite let each other go, especially knowing that they stayed together for at least 3 years, maybe longer. I am so glad that towards the end of the walk, he talked about how he was ready to be done with it. After 7 years of seeing the world and having the most incredible experiences, I was worried about his ability to adjust to a more normal life and leave the wanderlust behind. I really appreciated being able to know that he was at peace with the walk ending.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 13, 2026
I wanted to like it more than I did. It's such an interesting subject matter but a lot of the things I wanted him to discuss, he didn't. I understand that if he included everything about a seven year walk around the world, that it would be like a 5,000 page book lol. However, what he chose to highlight and what he chose to omit was so different than what I would have done.
He never gave the reader a breakdown of a typical day in terms of the camping aspect. Where did he poop? How did he deal with bathroom breaks? Did he struggle to sleep or was he so exhausted by walking that he passed out the second his head hit the pillow? How long did it take to set up and break down his tent? What about food and cooking? How frequently did he bathe? Did he brush his teeth? How many items of clothes did he pack? When did he wash his clothes?
There are 195 countries in the world and he visited 38 countries. Why those 38? He never says. He didn't visit Australia. Why? He went to Antarctica but did not write about it at all! He mentioned in one sentence that he went on a two week boat journey there. That was strange, that omission. He spent a lot of pages on his walks in North and South America and barely any pages on Europe. Maybe one sentence about France. Why? It turns out there are official world walk standards he had to meet(thank you Google) but he never discusses that. It felt like he was winging it since he never discussed his thought process behind his route.
He mentions working through personal issues while spending so much time alone but he doesn't discuss those issues. I never got a feel for who he was. I didn't see any growth in the seven years because he never opened up to the reader. It's rare that after reading an entire memoir by someone that I feel so unsure as to who the person is. He is still a cipher to me. I couldn't follow the other people in his book, either. He would introduce people and I would be so confused as to how they met and who they were. Towards the end of the book, he mentions getting a date on Tinder. Huh. Was he doing that regularly? Setting up dates online?
That leads me to wondering about his internet use during the seven years. In passing he would mention his phone and being online but it wasn't until the very end of the book that he mentions feeling "done" with the journey and stopping all of his online activity. He was recording videos and photos and posting them. Writing blog posts. Interacting with followers. I found that fascinating. How do you balance that - the solitude of IRL vs constantly being digitally connected with people? He wasn't what I would consider walking alone since he was always connected digitally to his friends and his family and his followers. How many followers did he have? How did his online media grow over those seven years? Was it difficult becoming fully present on the journey when he had the easy out of his smart phone?
The stop and start of his journey was a bit odd to me. He would walk for a while and then stop for weeks or even months at a time. He frequently - I think - slept inside in hotels. He would fly and take buses and take trains, not just walk. I understand, his journey/his rules, but since he never explicitly told the reader the rules he had set for himself, I struggled to follow. Or maybe he didn't have set rules for himself and he was winging it? Who knows. Not the reader!
I had to do a google search and read interviews with him in order to understand his experience better. I shouldn't have had to do that; the book should have not left me with so many unanswered questions. It could have been so much better.
He never gave the reader a breakdown of a typical day in terms of the camping aspect. Where did he poop? How did he deal with bathroom breaks? Did he struggle to sleep or was he so exhausted by walking that he passed out the second his head hit the pillow? How long did it take to set up and break down his tent? What about food and cooking? How frequently did he bathe? Did he brush his teeth? How many items of clothes did he pack? When did he wash his clothes?
There are 195 countries in the world and he visited 38 countries. Why those 38? He never says. He didn't visit Australia. Why? He went to Antarctica but did not write about it at all! He mentioned in one sentence that he went on a two week boat journey there. That was strange, that omission. He spent a lot of pages on his walks in North and South America and barely any pages on Europe. Maybe one sentence about France. Why? It turns out there are official world walk standards he had to meet(thank you Google) but he never discusses that. It felt like he was winging it since he never discussed his thought process behind his route.
He mentions working through personal issues while spending so much time alone but he doesn't discuss those issues. I never got a feel for who he was. I didn't see any growth in the seven years because he never opened up to the reader. It's rare that after reading an entire memoir by someone that I feel so unsure as to who the person is. He is still a cipher to me. I couldn't follow the other people in his book, either. He would introduce people and I would be so confused as to how they met and who they were. Towards the end of the book, he mentions getting a date on Tinder. Huh. Was he doing that regularly? Setting up dates online?
That leads me to wondering about his internet use during the seven years. In passing he would mention his phone and being online but it wasn't until the very end of the book that he mentions feeling "done" with the journey and stopping all of his online activity. He was recording videos and photos and posting them. Writing blog posts. Interacting with followers. I found that fascinating. How do you balance that - the solitude of IRL vs constantly being digitally connected with people? He wasn't what I would consider walking alone since he was always connected digitally to his friends and his family and his followers. How many followers did he have? How did his online media grow over those seven years? Was it difficult becoming fully present on the journey when he had the easy out of his smart phone?
The stop and start of his journey was a bit odd to me. He would walk for a while and then stop for weeks or even months at a time. He frequently - I think - slept inside in hotels. He would fly and take buses and take trains, not just walk. I understand, his journey/his rules, but since he never explicitly told the reader the rules he had set for himself, I struggled to follow. Or maybe he didn't have set rules for himself and he was winging it? Who knows. Not the reader!
I had to do a google search and read interviews with him in order to understand his experience better. I shouldn't have had to do that; the book should have not left me with so many unanswered questions. It could have been so much better.
January 18, 2026
Thank you to Skyhorse for the review copy!
I mostly liked this but I think you have to check your expectations before starting this (which, I think, could be part of the way it’s marketed).
What I thought this would be: a chronicle of walking around the world.
I thought this would be an uninterrupted walk around the world, across all continents in the long way.
I thought it would be more detailed and atmospheric, and.. thorough?
What it actually is: a collection of stories and thoughts that happened to occur while he was walking around the world.
It was over seven years but that includes months at home dealing with health issues, months In Azerbaijan (because of COVID), and months in turkey(?) for reasons, flying between regions (which is fair, I don’t know why I didn’t expect that).
It’s quite literally the most around the world route while still reaching six continents. Like, why not go all the way down to Ushuaia then Antarctica? Why Uruguay? And only Algeria and Tunisia in Africa?!
I think my biggest issues was how jarring it was? Like, the way it jumps around. He’s in Guatemala, then mentions being in El Salvador then all of a sudden he’s in Honduras then flying to Colombia, then we get a mention of Ecuador and walking through some of Peru then we’re all of a sudden in Chile, then, most egregious of all, the next page is in Iceland!
When this whole beginning part he’s been saying he’s going to Uruguay then Antarctica, then not one mention of Antarctica again? We get ONE picture of a kayak and ice there in the middle and that’s it!? And we learn you did Ayahuasca in Peru and only get one picture and a paragraph in the epilogue about that?
And at one point he says “costa rica was hell” with no further elaboration whatsoever. I would have much rather heard about that than the two pages we got in Iceland, and I didn’t love the Ireland stuff either but that’s my own preference.
He seemed quite miserable and unhappy.. a lot of the time (not all of it but a lot of it) which is fair but not the most fun to read.
I really loved the pictures in the middle and wish we had gotten more of that.
I also wish we had gotten a better route map, and location and dates with each chapter because there is no sense of time in this whatsoever.
Another thing that I would have loved to read more about was his route planning (why choose this route and countries? Why not something more winding?), and more about the challenges and what it’s like logistically to do something like this with a dog.
Overall, I didn’t love this but I didn’t hate either by any means. I would have read this eventually even if I found it on my own so I’m glad I did get to read it now, and I am very glad he accomplished his goal of walking around the world because that’s amazing.
This was lacking a lot of what I wanted and expected from a book like this (based on countless other books in the genre I’ve read and my own preference so not necessarily a book specific issue), but it was still an intriguing read.
I mostly liked this but I think you have to check your expectations before starting this (which, I think, could be part of the way it’s marketed).
What I thought this would be: a chronicle of walking around the world.
I thought this would be an uninterrupted walk around the world, across all continents in the long way.
I thought it would be more detailed and atmospheric, and.. thorough?
What it actually is: a collection of stories and thoughts that happened to occur while he was walking around the world.
It was over seven years but that includes months at home dealing with health issues, months In Azerbaijan (because of COVID), and months in turkey(?) for reasons, flying between regions (which is fair, I don’t know why I didn’t expect that).
It’s quite literally the most around the world route while still reaching six continents. Like, why not go all the way down to Ushuaia then Antarctica? Why Uruguay? And only Algeria and Tunisia in Africa?!
I think my biggest issues was how jarring it was? Like, the way it jumps around. He’s in Guatemala, then mentions being in El Salvador then all of a sudden he’s in Honduras then flying to Colombia, then we get a mention of Ecuador and walking through some of Peru then we’re all of a sudden in Chile, then, most egregious of all, the next page is in Iceland!
When this whole beginning part he’s been saying he’s going to Uruguay then Antarctica, then not one mention of Antarctica again? We get ONE picture of a kayak and ice there in the middle and that’s it!? And we learn you did Ayahuasca in Peru and only get one picture and a paragraph in the epilogue about that?
And at one point he says “costa rica was hell” with no further elaboration whatsoever. I would have much rather heard about that than the two pages we got in Iceland, and I didn’t love the Ireland stuff either but that’s my own preference.
He seemed quite miserable and unhappy.. a lot of the time (not all of it but a lot of it) which is fair but not the most fun to read.
I really loved the pictures in the middle and wish we had gotten more of that.
I also wish we had gotten a better route map, and location and dates with each chapter because there is no sense of time in this whatsoever.
Another thing that I would have loved to read more about was his route planning (why choose this route and countries? Why not something more winding?), and more about the challenges and what it’s like logistically to do something like this with a dog.
Overall, I didn’t love this but I didn’t hate either by any means. I would have read this eventually even if I found it on my own so I’m glad I did get to read it now, and I am very glad he accomplished his goal of walking around the world because that’s amazing.
This was lacking a lot of what I wanted and expected from a book like this (based on countless other books in the genre I’ve read and my own preference so not necessarily a book specific issue), but it was still an intriguing read.
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.
February 10, 2026
The book reminded me of a glass of chocolate milk----it was pretty tasty going down, but left no lasting impressions. Here are a couple of my problems. His narration was not linear enough for me. He is telling a story about an event at location A, then, all of a sudden, in the next paragraph, or chapter, he is at location B, without having told us how he went from A to B. I was left wondering where the hell is this guy now at many points in the book. He needed to tell me, not leave me wondering where he was.
In addition, the book is, for the most part, except for a few recitations of his deeper reflections on his role in the world, a summary of trivial events, like giving his dog water and eating hummus. The book was pretty much devoid of any revelations about any cultural, political, religious or social impressions of any country in which he found himself. Telling me about how difficult it was to climb an incline in Algeria without telling me anything interesting about Algeria; or how it compared to any other place through which he traveled was a major defect in the book. However, I can understand how the language problem could have been the major reason why this type of information was not given by the author. However, a little research after returning home, while writing his book, could have provided some information for his readers' thoughts.
However, I do enjoy a glass of chocolate milk, from time to time.
In addition, the book is, for the most part, except for a few recitations of his deeper reflections on his role in the world, a summary of trivial events, like giving his dog water and eating hummus. The book was pretty much devoid of any revelations about any cultural, political, religious or social impressions of any country in which he found himself. Telling me about how difficult it was to climb an incline in Algeria without telling me anything interesting about Algeria; or how it compared to any other place through which he traveled was a major defect in the book. However, I can understand how the language problem could have been the major reason why this type of information was not given by the author. However, a little research after returning home, while writing his book, could have provided some information for his readers' thoughts.
However, I do enjoy a glass of chocolate milk, from time to time.
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