Walking With Walser

by Daphne Gordon

Ursula, an eccentric, middle-aged writer, likes to walk almost as much as she likes to write. One day in the spring of 2013, possibly to avoid the digital network where she makes her living but also just because it's a beautiful day, Ursula puts her hat on her head and sets out along her favourite thoroughfare, Queen St. West, in Toronto.
Walking, thinking, watching and talking, Ursula opens to her neighbourhood. She visits a bookstore, goes to the bank, has lunch with a friend, attends a dress fitting, posts a scathing letter to the mayor, and considers having her hair cut. She chants om. She picks flowers.
Walking is Ursula's way of greeting Mother Nature. This is her way of honouring her favourite writer of all time, the flâneur Robert Walser. This is bliss.
But every sunny day must come to an end, and every walk must turn homeward again. As a soft rain begins to fall, Ursula is overcome with grief, loss, and regret.
Will she find relief from her pain? Will she run for mayor? Will she learn to skate? Most importantly, will Ursula finally learn to believe in love?

134 pages, Paperback

First published June 27, 2015

About the author

I am a writer and journalist living in Toronto. I am also a seeker, a yogi and an asker of deep questions.

Reviews

[Jo Gordon]

Musings such as "Is there justice in art? Is there art in justice?", which culminate in a deeply touching and heartfelt ending make for a wonderfully simple, yet deceptively deep read. Using an enjoyable walk to juxtapose and then meld together "with just two mincing, geisha-girl steps" such institutions as Osgoode Hall and The Toronto Opera House, The Great Hall and The Queen St. Mental Hospital were particularly poignant moments leading readers to ponder the oneness of all things. Congratulations Daphne, on the sustained effort involved, not only in the writing of this treasure, but especially in your profoundly vulnerable observations of self and surroundings. Beautifully written and very thought provoking. Bravo

[Diana]

In a fast-paced world, this book is a gem, and something different. If you're looking for an immersive experience where details matter, then this book is for you. It advances with attention, but also with humor, reconfirming that the mundane and ordinary have their own magic, moment by moment, if we only stop to look and cherish the small and the beautiful. The language is precise and delightful.

[Sola Raynor]

"Walking With Walser" immerses the reader in Toronto's Queen Street West. Ursula, a writer, takes a walk on a summer day. Her adventures are unpredictable, funny, and poignant. Through her eyes, ordinary people and places become magical.

[Paola]

This book is bliss!!! It is a breath of fresh air. I had a great time reading it. I adored Ursula!