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Walking Distance: Pilgrimage, Parenthood, Grief, and Home Repairs
In the summer of 2000, David Hlavsa and his wife Lisa Holtby embarked on a pilgrimage. After trying for three years to conceive a child and suffering through the monthly cycle of hope and disappointment, they decided to walk the Camino de Santiago, a joint enterprise—and an act of faith—they hoped would strengthen their marriage and prepare them for parenthood.
Though walking more than 400 miles across the north of Spain turned out to be more difficult than they had anticipated, after a series of misadventures, including a brief stay in a Spanish hospital, they arrived in Santiago. Shortly after their return to Seattle, Lisa became pregnant, and the hardships of the Camino were no comparison to what the stillbirth of their first son and Lisa’s harrowing second pregnancy.
Walking Distance is a moving and disarmingly funny book, a good story with a happy ending—the safe arrival of David and Lisa’s second son, Benjamin. David and Lisa get more than they bargained for, but they also get exactly what they a child, a solid marriage, and a richer life.
Though walking more than 400 miles across the north of Spain turned out to be more difficult than they had anticipated, after a series of misadventures, including a brief stay in a Spanish hospital, they arrived in Santiago. Shortly after their return to Seattle, Lisa became pregnant, and the hardships of the Camino were no comparison to what the stillbirth of their first son and Lisa’s harrowing second pregnancy.
Walking Distance is a moving and disarmingly funny book, a good story with a happy ending—the safe arrival of David and Lisa’s second son, Benjamin. David and Lisa get more than they bargained for, but they also get exactly what they a child, a solid marriage, and a richer life.
136 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2015
2 people are currently reading
301 people want to read
About the author
David Hlavsa
5 books5 followersDavid Hlavsa heads the Theatre Arts Department at Saint Martin's University, in Lacey, Washington, where he has been teaching acting, directing, playwriting and film studies since 1989. A recipient of the University's Outstanding Teaching Award, he has served two terms as Faculty President.
He is the author of Walking Distance: Pilgrimage, Parenthood, Grief, and Home Repairs (Michigan State University Press, 2015) and An Actor Rehearses: What to Do When - and Why (Allworth Press, 2006). His article, "My First Son, A Pure Memory" appeared in the Modern Love column of The New York Times. His essay, "Two Sons, One Living" appears in They Were Still Born: Personal Stories About Stillbirth (ed., Janel Atlas, Rowman & Littlefield, 2010). Hlavsa's plays, including Pack of Lies, I'm Your Man, and Long Run, have been produced in Seattle, Chicago and New York. As an arts writer for the Seattle Repertory Theatre, he published more than twenty articles and study guides on Shakespeare, Chekhov, Synge, Pirandello, Goldoni, Feydeau, David Mamet, August Wilson and others.
Hlavsa has a BA in English/Theatre from Princeton University and an MFA in Directing from the University of Washington. Productions directed at SMU include Uncle Vanya, A Little Night Music, The Dining Room, Old Times, Brilliant Traces, You Can Count on Me, Reaching Through the Frame, Everyman, Goodnight Desdemona Good Morning Juliet, A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Day Room, The Illusion, Comings and Goings and The Memorandum. Hlavsa has also served as the University's Director of Interdisciplinary Studies, developing and co-teaching courses on Political Theatre, Acting and Economics ("Dramanomics"), Saint Joan, Jane Austen on Film, Business Leadership, Acting for Teachers, and Jesus on Film and in the Gospels. At the University's Spiritual Life Institute, he has taught workshops on Theatre as a Spiritual Path.
He lives in Seattle with his wife, Lisa Holtby, and their son Benjamin.
He is the author of Walking Distance: Pilgrimage, Parenthood, Grief, and Home Repairs (Michigan State University Press, 2015) and An Actor Rehearses: What to Do When - and Why (Allworth Press, 2006). His article, "My First Son, A Pure Memory" appeared in the Modern Love column of The New York Times. His essay, "Two Sons, One Living" appears in They Were Still Born: Personal Stories About Stillbirth (ed., Janel Atlas, Rowman & Littlefield, 2010). Hlavsa's plays, including Pack of Lies, I'm Your Man, and Long Run, have been produced in Seattle, Chicago and New York. As an arts writer for the Seattle Repertory Theatre, he published more than twenty articles and study guides on Shakespeare, Chekhov, Synge, Pirandello, Goldoni, Feydeau, David Mamet, August Wilson and others.
Hlavsa has a BA in English/Theatre from Princeton University and an MFA in Directing from the University of Washington. Productions directed at SMU include Uncle Vanya, A Little Night Music, The Dining Room, Old Times, Brilliant Traces, You Can Count on Me, Reaching Through the Frame, Everyman, Goodnight Desdemona Good Morning Juliet, A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Day Room, The Illusion, Comings and Goings and The Memorandum. Hlavsa has also served as the University's Director of Interdisciplinary Studies, developing and co-teaching courses on Political Theatre, Acting and Economics ("Dramanomics"), Saint Joan, Jane Austen on Film, Business Leadership, Acting for Teachers, and Jesus on Film and in the Gospels. At the University's Spiritual Life Institute, he has taught workshops on Theatre as a Spiritual Path.
He lives in Seattle with his wife, Lisa Holtby, and their son Benjamin.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
July 6, 2022
I'll be honest in saying that I'm a little biased about this book. I had the honor of having David Hlavsa as my theater professor and mentor. While I had heard pieces of this story, this is where it really came to life. It was so brilliantly written and full of his quintessential dry humor. I would burst out laughing and then my heart would twinge with grief. I think even without the connection others would find this to be a beautiful read.
December 7, 2015
I enjoyed this book about a couple who walks the Camino de Santiago. Their story continues after the pilgrimage, which is very different from most hiking books. It is a very personal and moving story.
March 27, 2016
A gem of a book! This is a moving story, told by a husband, with humour and honesty. Beautiful!
April 21, 2016
If I were looking for a book to read and came across Walking Distance, I do not think I would have given it a second look if I had been depending on the cover of the book to spark my interest. If I followed my normal habit – letting the cover draw me in – I would have missed a great story.
David Hlavsa takes the reader along on a walking journey, a pilgrimage. The author and his wife walked 400 miles across Spain on the Camino de Santiago. They had suffered loss and their hope was waning and this journey was a spiritual journey for both of them.
"Guidebooks advise the modern peregrino to limit his possessions to no more than 10 percent of his body weight…After obsessing for some time over whether to bring a second pair of shoes, say, or a Spanish phrasebook, one day I caught myself actually contemplating boosting my gross weight in order to increase the net weight of my cargo. I was considering getting fat so that I could bring more stuff. (!)"
David Hlavsa captured their journey in words, leaving nothing sacred. He opens up his heart and pours out his doubts and his struggle to find and connect to God.
I personally loved the author’s sense of humor and tried to pick passages from the book that would showcase his humor and his struggles.
I admire the journey that David and Lisa made. I’m not sure I would have been quite as brave or had the tenacity for such an undertaking. I probably would have said, “Let’s jump in the car and drive cross-country, stay in nice hotels, not sweat, and spend the time communing with each other while we look at the country side from inside the air conditioned vehicle.”
Walking Distance is a very good book and I feel somehow richer for having read it.
"By week eight, however, when she was at her sickest and witchiest, my attempts to project calm in the face of the impending storm only maddened Lisa further. From her perspective, which she shared with me rather forcefully, everything around her – not excepting her husband – was half-assed and unfinished. Inside, outside, nothing was pretty to look at. And there’s no good shopping in this hick neighborhood. We might as well be in, in…Nebraska. The baby needs furniture. And windows you can actually see out of. The baby wants orange juice. Fresh, from oranges, not from a plastic container. And go get me some meat, too. The baby wants meat. Is mama happy? No, she is not. And when mama’s not happy, nobody’s happy."
There are a number of quotes here, but all are parts of the journey our author calls life. It could be anyone’s life. Once again, I have to say that Walking Distance is a great book. I am giving it 5 stars.
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Read more on:
https://mylifeonestoryatatime.com/201...
David Hlavsa takes the reader along on a walking journey, a pilgrimage. The author and his wife walked 400 miles across Spain on the Camino de Santiago. They had suffered loss and their hope was waning and this journey was a spiritual journey for both of them.
"Guidebooks advise the modern peregrino to limit his possessions to no more than 10 percent of his body weight…After obsessing for some time over whether to bring a second pair of shoes, say, or a Spanish phrasebook, one day I caught myself actually contemplating boosting my gross weight in order to increase the net weight of my cargo. I was considering getting fat so that I could bring more stuff. (!)"
David Hlavsa captured their journey in words, leaving nothing sacred. He opens up his heart and pours out his doubts and his struggle to find and connect to God.
I personally loved the author’s sense of humor and tried to pick passages from the book that would showcase his humor and his struggles.
I admire the journey that David and Lisa made. I’m not sure I would have been quite as brave or had the tenacity for such an undertaking. I probably would have said, “Let’s jump in the car and drive cross-country, stay in nice hotels, not sweat, and spend the time communing with each other while we look at the country side from inside the air conditioned vehicle.”
Walking Distance is a very good book and I feel somehow richer for having read it.
"By week eight, however, when she was at her sickest and witchiest, my attempts to project calm in the face of the impending storm only maddened Lisa further. From her perspective, which she shared with me rather forcefully, everything around her – not excepting her husband – was half-assed and unfinished. Inside, outside, nothing was pretty to look at. And there’s no good shopping in this hick neighborhood. We might as well be in, in…Nebraska. The baby needs furniture. And windows you can actually see out of. The baby wants orange juice. Fresh, from oranges, not from a plastic container. And go get me some meat, too. The baby wants meat. Is mama happy? No, she is not. And when mama’s not happy, nobody’s happy."
There are a number of quotes here, but all are parts of the journey our author calls life. It could be anyone’s life. Once again, I have to say that Walking Distance is a great book. I am giving it 5 stars.
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Read more on:
https://mylifeonestoryatatime.com/201...
January 25, 2016
Several reasons prompted me to say yes to reading this book: one, the author and his wife struggled through infertility for many years; we have that in common. Two, they live in my part of the world. Three, they walked the Camino de Santiago; while we do not yet have that in common, it’s not outside the realm of possibility that someday we might, and that potential intrigues me.
David Hlavsa’s story is several things. It’s a travelogue of sorts, with twists. It’s an exploration of faith. He refers to travel as an expression of faith, and though he doesn’t say this outright, as a seeking of faith, which is what I found this memoir to be. Agnostic by his own admission, Hlavsa’s walking The Walk struck me as his way of exploring, examining, and experiencing Roman Catholic Christianity. His story is also, above all, a love letter to his wife. This is perhaps what I enjoyed most about it, for though he speaks plainly about quirks and idiosyncrasies on both sides, his abiding love for his wife shines beautifully.
Hlavsa has an artful way of expression that I found particularly appealing. This line, for instance: “The entire length of the Camino is impossibly layered with history, myth, legend, rumor, literary reference, local tradition, and religious anecdote. Story upon story in an absurd, indigestible Dagwood sandwich of narrative.” (p. 27)
Or this description of a Seattle winter “in which every day looks like the inside of a burned-out light bulb and feels like the underside of a slug.” (p. 78) Um, yeah. Pretty much nailed it.
I was not expecting the humor of this book, and I mean LOL funny. I don’t normally purpose to read books that are meant to be humorous, so when one is, it tends to catch me off-guard. In this case, in the most delightful way. Particularly wonderful is his description of how he made his “baby Spanish” work for him.
Though I don’t agree with all of his philosophical conclusions, I found his story to be touching and deeply human. When I finished, I felt I’d been given a glimpse into a thoughtful, articulate, intelligent soul, and this enriched me. It also gave me my first flickering interest in walking the Camino de Santiago myself…someday.
Thanks to the author for providing me a free copy to review. All opinions are mine.
David Hlavsa’s story is several things. It’s a travelogue of sorts, with twists. It’s an exploration of faith. He refers to travel as an expression of faith, and though he doesn’t say this outright, as a seeking of faith, which is what I found this memoir to be. Agnostic by his own admission, Hlavsa’s walking The Walk struck me as his way of exploring, examining, and experiencing Roman Catholic Christianity. His story is also, above all, a love letter to his wife. This is perhaps what I enjoyed most about it, for though he speaks plainly about quirks and idiosyncrasies on both sides, his abiding love for his wife shines beautifully.
Hlavsa has an artful way of expression that I found particularly appealing. This line, for instance: “The entire length of the Camino is impossibly layered with history, myth, legend, rumor, literary reference, local tradition, and religious anecdote. Story upon story in an absurd, indigestible Dagwood sandwich of narrative.” (p. 27)
Or this description of a Seattle winter “in which every day looks like the inside of a burned-out light bulb and feels like the underside of a slug.” (p. 78) Um, yeah. Pretty much nailed it.
I was not expecting the humor of this book, and I mean LOL funny. I don’t normally purpose to read books that are meant to be humorous, so when one is, it tends to catch me off-guard. In this case, in the most delightful way. Particularly wonderful is his description of how he made his “baby Spanish” work for him.
Though I don’t agree with all of his philosophical conclusions, I found his story to be touching and deeply human. When I finished, I felt I’d been given a glimpse into a thoughtful, articulate, intelligent soul, and this enriched me. It also gave me my first flickering interest in walking the Camino de Santiago myself…someday.
Thanks to the author for providing me a free copy to review. All opinions are mine.
January 20, 2016
To be honest, I'm not entirely sure how I feel about this book. I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would but I can't pinpoint why exactly.
I thought the premise behind the book was very interesting and I enjoyed learning about the pilgrimage of Camino de Santiago. I also found it inspiring how they applied the things they learned on that journey to their lives and the difficulties they went through afterwards. I think perhaps I thought there would be more about their marriage, parenthood and grief and less about the walking and I can't say I found it to be "disarmingly funny" as mentioned in the description. Though I admire the author's openness about their journey I felt I couldn't quite connect with him. I think it would have been interesting to hear more from his wife's perspective, though I know since it's his book it's meant to be his perspective but since the journey was together I think it really would have added to it.
My rating would be 3.5 stars but since I can't do that I rounded it up to 4 as I would say it was better than other books I've rated 3. As I mentioned, though it might not have been quite what I was expecting it was a good read and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys memoirs and books about personal growth.
I received this book through a Goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review.
I thought the premise behind the book was very interesting and I enjoyed learning about the pilgrimage of Camino de Santiago. I also found it inspiring how they applied the things they learned on that journey to their lives and the difficulties they went through afterwards. I think perhaps I thought there would be more about their marriage, parenthood and grief and less about the walking and I can't say I found it to be "disarmingly funny" as mentioned in the description. Though I admire the author's openness about their journey I felt I couldn't quite connect with him. I think it would have been interesting to hear more from his wife's perspective, though I know since it's his book it's meant to be his perspective but since the journey was together I think it really would have added to it.
My rating would be 3.5 stars but since I can't do that I rounded it up to 4 as I would say it was better than other books I've rated 3. As I mentioned, though it might not have been quite what I was expecting it was a good read and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys memoirs and books about personal growth.
I received this book through a Goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review.
December 16, 2015
This is a very personal story written by David Hlavsa about he and his wife's journey walking the Way of Saint James, the Camino de Santiago, the 400+ miles across Northern Spain from the Pyrenees to Santiago de Compostela.
Before a friend recently told me that she wanted to make this pilgrimage, I had only briefly heard of it. I assume that there are as many reasons to walk this trail as there are people who have traveled it. But I wanted to learn more. This has shown me what a profound mark it can make on your life. How making yourself vulnerable can allow for more personal growth than you thought possible.
I enjoyed reading about what this journey was like for David and Lisa and how it inspired them to live their lives afterwards when they faced very difficult obstacles. I think this is a great read for anyone who is interested in self-discovery. I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Before a friend recently told me that she wanted to make this pilgrimage, I had only briefly heard of it. I assume that there are as many reasons to walk this trail as there are people who have traveled it. But I wanted to learn more. This has shown me what a profound mark it can make on your life. How making yourself vulnerable can allow for more personal growth than you thought possible.
I enjoyed reading about what this journey was like for David and Lisa and how it inspired them to live their lives afterwards when they faced very difficult obstacles. I think this is a great read for anyone who is interested in self-discovery. I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 4, 2016
"There is a deeper reality, just under this one: Like Everyman, we are, all of us, on a pilgrimage to the end of the world: and we know it, but it’s hard to remember; perhaps people who pray remember more often; and then there are people who grieve. When you grieve, you remember. This remembering puts a distance between you and those who are not grieving. The language of their country is not the language of your country. You become a stranger passing through, and you are on fire. Everything is on fire."
Visit my website for the rest of this review: https://cynthiarobertson.wordpress.co...
Visit my website for the rest of this review: https://cynthiarobertson.wordpress.co...
October 28, 2015
David Hlavsa’s _Walking Distance_ is a short but deep gem of a book. Seldom do I read contemporary memoir that is such a delightful balance of grief, humor, self-reflection, and great story-telling. Hlavsa’s book, straight-forward yet shot through with lyricism, tells of the pilgrimage he took with his wife, Lisa, on the Camino de Santiago. The author juxtaposes moments of humor with moments of pain, and the reader’s life is richer for the love Hlavsa shares through his book. I loved it.
January 28, 2016
Disclosure: I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
I really had no expectations when I started this memoir but once I got into this book I could not put it down. I am not typically a memoir reader, but this memoir is different than most. At timeshumorous, philosophical, and sad and always well written, this book tells the story of a married coupke's journey to parenthood (both literally and figuratively), of loss and joy and life. Well written and compelling--I highly recommend it!
I really had no expectations when I started this memoir but once I got into this book I could not put it down. I am not typically a memoir reader, but this memoir is different than most. At timeshumorous, philosophical, and sad and always well written, this book tells the story of a married coupke's journey to parenthood (both literally and figuratively), of loss and joy and life. Well written and compelling--I highly recommend it!
August 11, 2015
Walking Distance is lyrical, dramatic, tender, insightful, and an engrossing read. It's a memoir of a marriage by a husband, of parenthood by a father, of two sons, James who was stillborn and Ben who lived. It's a memoir of a pilgrimage, spiritual and philosophical as well as humorous and quite witty. It's really a heart-grabbing love story. I give it five thousand stars.
October 10, 2015
This is such a beautifully written book, with lyrical language and a lot of humor. It is, ultimately, about a marriage--from its cheerful adventures, through its petty bickering, to its deep divides. Fortunately, Lisa and David are such an endearing couple, you'll wish you knew them in real life.
March 11, 2016
A moving journey through life and love.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews