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WALK: Slow Down, Wake Up, and Connect at 1-3 Miles per Hour
A transformative collection of essays on the power of walking to connect with ourselves, each other, and nature itself.
In 2010, Jonathon Stalls and his blue-heeler husky mix began their 242-day walk across the United States, depending upon each other and the kindness of strangers along the way. In this collection of essays, Stalls explores walking as waking up: how a cross-country journey through the family farms of West Virginia, the deep freedom of Nevada’s High desert, and everywhere in between unlocked connections to his deepest aches and dreams--and opened new avenues for renewal, connection, and change.
While most of us won’t walk or roll across the country, the deep wisdom and insights that Stalls receives from the people, land, and animals he meets on his pilgrimage have profound impacts for each of us. He shares how walking deepened his relationship to himself as a gay man, offering deep and clarifying emotional medicine. He confronts the systemic racism, classism, and ableism that shape and reshape the communities he walks through. And he invites readers to become awakened activists, to begin healing our culture’s profound separation from the natural world.
WALK is for those who crave to feel and embody, not just know and study, their way through complex themes that live in each chapter: vulnerability, human dignity, presence, mystery, and resistance. With dedicated practices--like connecting to Earth stewardship, moving into vulnerability, and walking and rolling with intention--Stalls’ WALK is an urgent and glorious call to slow down, look around, and engage with the world in front of us. It awakens us to what we miss when we’re driving by, flying over, and rushing past what surrounds us. It’s an invitation to move, to connect, to participate deeply in the world--and to dissolve the barriers that disconnect us from each other and the living Earth.
In 2010, Jonathon Stalls and his blue-heeler husky mix began their 242-day walk across the United States, depending upon each other and the kindness of strangers along the way. In this collection of essays, Stalls explores walking as waking up: how a cross-country journey through the family farms of West Virginia, the deep freedom of Nevada’s High desert, and everywhere in between unlocked connections to his deepest aches and dreams--and opened new avenues for renewal, connection, and change.
While most of us won’t walk or roll across the country, the deep wisdom and insights that Stalls receives from the people, land, and animals he meets on his pilgrimage have profound impacts for each of us. He shares how walking deepened his relationship to himself as a gay man, offering deep and clarifying emotional medicine. He confronts the systemic racism, classism, and ableism that shape and reshape the communities he walks through. And he invites readers to become awakened activists, to begin healing our culture’s profound separation from the natural world.
WALK is for those who crave to feel and embody, not just know and study, their way through complex themes that live in each chapter: vulnerability, human dignity, presence, mystery, and resistance. With dedicated practices--like connecting to Earth stewardship, moving into vulnerability, and walking and rolling with intention--Stalls’ WALK is an urgent and glorious call to slow down, look around, and engage with the world in front of us. It awakens us to what we miss when we’re driving by, flying over, and rushing past what surrounds us. It’s an invitation to move, to connect, to participate deeply in the world--and to dissolve the barriers that disconnect us from each other and the living Earth.
240 pages, Paperback
Published August 16, 2022
38 people are currently reading
2804 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
January 5, 2023
Absolutely happy this was my first book of the year. I won this on Goodreads and thought I would read this to start 2023, now that I'm back to walking / running more after a horrible year of not being to physically. This book actually surprised me. I thought it would be about exercises for walking and our mind. But it was so much more. It talked about how walking has become so difficult as more and more cities cater to cars only. How systematic racism and sexism have limited walking. And also, this book talks about the stories of many who walk on a daily basis...some just getting air, some going to work, or some trying to escape the power of suicidal thoughts and depression. I love that he includes people with disabilities and using wheelchairs. Although, he is wrong about people inclined to help or be more open when they see someone with a walking stick. I walked with a cane and I had people refused to get out of the way.
All in all, I loved this book. I adored this book. And I hope people read this book.
My favorite quote within a quote from the book: "it took many years of vomiting up all of the filth I'd been taught about myself, and half-believed, before I was able to walk on the Earth as though I had a right to be here. - James Baldwin"
All in all, I loved this book. I adored this book. And I hope people read this book.
My favorite quote within a quote from the book: "it took many years of vomiting up all of the filth I'd been taught about myself, and half-believed, before I was able to walk on the Earth as though I had a right to be here. - James Baldwin"
March 4, 2024
I wanted to like this book so much. I would often get frustrated that it was not what I wanted it to be. Set it aside and return to it. I did this for years until I finished. I think I was hopping for a ‘teach me to enjoy walking more’ book and I got a ‘Heres all the great things that happened to me because I walk’ book. There were good stories and motivation and inspiration but all in all this book was not for me
March 28, 2022
** Thanks to NetGalley, Jonathon Stalls, and North Atlantic Books for this ARC **
I want to start this review by saying that I think I was the ideal audience for this book. I LOVE reading books about walking and The Old Ways by Robert Macfarlane is one of my favorite books of all time. I'm very liberal and was excited about a book about walking that honored indigenous land, discussed LGBTQ identity, focused on mindfulness, and centered wheelchair users. With that being said, I absolutely HATED this book. It was repetitive, preachy, and deeply obnoxious. If I hadn't gotten this book through NetGalley, I honestly don't think I could have made myself finish it. It is the first book I have ever just immediately deleted from my kindle, because I am THAT sure I will never read it again. One of the most irritating books I have ever read.
I want to start this review by saying that I think I was the ideal audience for this book. I LOVE reading books about walking and The Old Ways by Robert Macfarlane is one of my favorite books of all time. I'm very liberal and was excited about a book about walking that honored indigenous land, discussed LGBTQ identity, focused on mindfulness, and centered wheelchair users. With that being said, I absolutely HATED this book. It was repetitive, preachy, and deeply obnoxious. If I hadn't gotten this book through NetGalley, I honestly don't think I could have made myself finish it. It is the first book I have ever just immediately deleted from my kindle, because I am THAT sure I will never read it again. One of the most irritating books I have ever read.
March 7, 2022
Thank you, North Atlantic Books, for the advance reading copy.
A nonfiction, much needed book which focuses on various aspects of walking and how it would affect us. I feel the book is a much required reading and a must add on our shelves.
A book fit for both the young and older age groups, the book gives a general view on the topic with easy-to-read and follow short chapters.
You will be surprised with the inclusion of poetry and minimal illustrations in between the pages.
The highlight for me would be the short, easy to read and absorb short paragraphs. This way it made the reading experience more fun and engaging.
You will be motivated to walk and fit the same in your routine with more awareness and information. A good read. You will find this particular read very calming and you will find yourself more closer to nature.
A nonfiction, much needed book which focuses on various aspects of walking and how it would affect us. I feel the book is a much required reading and a must add on our shelves.
A book fit for both the young and older age groups, the book gives a general view on the topic with easy-to-read and follow short chapters.
You will be surprised with the inclusion of poetry and minimal illustrations in between the pages.
The highlight for me would be the short, easy to read and absorb short paragraphs. This way it made the reading experience more fun and engaging.
You will be motivated to walk and fit the same in your routine with more awareness and information. A good read. You will find this particular read very calming and you will find yourself more closer to nature.
July 19, 2022
Author Jonathon Stalls has done a *lot* of walking. He's walked across the entire continental US, he walked The Way of Saint Francis in Italy, and he founded a community walking organization called Walk2Connect.
This book, though, doesn't center on any of those experiences. Instead, it's more about the spiritual practice of walking- being present in your body, grounded in nature, and open to connection. (Expect lots of mindfulness and meditation.) It's also about accessibility and social justice, and makes some very good points about the need for better accessibility for pedestrians and people who use wheelchairs.
I appreciated Stall's thoughts and his passion (his included artwork is also very cool), but the book quickly became very repetitive. A tighter outline and more stories/personal experiences could have helped, in my opinion. 3.5 stars.
I received an arc of this book in exchange for my honest review. My thanks to the author, publisher, and #NetGalley.
#Walk
This book, though, doesn't center on any of those experiences. Instead, it's more about the spiritual practice of walking- being present in your body, grounded in nature, and open to connection. (Expect lots of mindfulness and meditation.) It's also about accessibility and social justice, and makes some very good points about the need for better accessibility for pedestrians and people who use wheelchairs.
I appreciated Stall's thoughts and his passion (his included artwork is also very cool), but the book quickly became very repetitive. A tighter outline and more stories/personal experiences could have helped, in my opinion. 3.5 stars.
I received an arc of this book in exchange for my honest review. My thanks to the author, publisher, and #NetGalley.
#Walk
September 21, 2022
This was a transformational book/piece of art. I heard so many calls to locate genuine inner wilderness. The writing speaks deeply to our desire to be liberated, to our desire to think differently about the details of the world, our desire to leave behind the things that bind us. It's about walking, but even if you're not a fan of walking, you will be deeply transformed by this book if you're willing. Also, the author is fresh. There's nothing, not a single turn of phrase, that's recycled here. Even the specific activities and meditations invite you to think about phrases you may not have considered--all of us who have been through the facilitated activities--these are fresh. Finally, the author gives us his all with this piece of writing. It's like an opus. He held nothing back, and yet I really hope he has more books for us in his future.
September 6, 2022
I won this book in a giveaway. I was attracted to the title because I love to walk. I know it is good for me and I should walk more. I was hoping this book could inspire me and it did. I liked the walking practices in the book. I always listen to audio books when I walk. After reading this book I leave the headphones at home and connect with nature and my thoughts. My walks are now very intentional as well as meditational.
November 26, 2024
Absolutely loved this book! Insightful, perceptive, engaging, thoughtful, soulful, engaging. Loved the intersectional and justice-oriented approach. Especially loved the thoughts and framing of walking as a rite of passage, an initiatory journey. So much gentle power here.
July 24, 2022
Thank you to North Atlantic Books and Jonathon Stalls for the advance reading copy!
Jonathon Stalls has created a book that brings to the forefront what often goes completely ignored: pedestrian dignity. WALK is a complete, inclusive account of the observations of one walking individual speaking up for the moving collective. Those of us who rely on walking, rolling, and/or public transit are unheard and passed over during city development, on roadways, by drivers and city planners alike. Jonathon challenges all of us, no matter how you travel, to de-center car transportation as our normal - and he provides pathways to rewire our thinking about what it means to move by walking or rolling. Jonathon invites all of us to join together within our communities to intentionally observe and participate in what the Earth provides for us, all the time. Simply put, this book is a righteous delight.
Jonathon Stalls has created a book that brings to the forefront what often goes completely ignored: pedestrian dignity. WALK is a complete, inclusive account of the observations of one walking individual speaking up for the moving collective. Those of us who rely on walking, rolling, and/or public transit are unheard and passed over during city development, on roadways, by drivers and city planners alike. Jonathon challenges all of us, no matter how you travel, to de-center car transportation as our normal - and he provides pathways to rewire our thinking about what it means to move by walking or rolling. Jonathon invites all of us to join together within our communities to intentionally observe and participate in what the Earth provides for us, all the time. Simply put, this book is a righteous delight.
July 12, 2022
I read this book for a podcast interview somewhat expecting another book on transportation planning that was all about statistics and policy, but it was another thing entirely, a book about how walking makes us feel and how walking can change the world. Jonathon takes us on a journey through his own life and struggles as well as colleagues in the active transportation advocacy space and what we come away with is a connection guide for novices and experts alike. As a former runner, I connected deeply with this book because of how it treats not only the pathway, but the mental journey as well. I imagine like anything in the world it won't be for everyone, but it hit me in the center.
May 17, 2022
1.5 stars
I didn’t enjoy the book. As much as I love walking I felt that I’m not part of the target audience that the book was writing for
*ARC provided by NetGalley*
I didn’t enjoy the book. As much as I love walking I felt that I’m not part of the target audience that the book was writing for
*ARC provided by NetGalley*
July 3, 2023
Normally I like books that are introspective; books that involve individuals who are not afraid to look inside and do their best to really understand what motivates them, what scares them, what makes them happy, what gives them purpose. However, there is a difference between introspection and self-indulgence. I am an advocate for walking and biking, and creating safer environments for people who are walking and biking and often doing so in unsafe conditions, so I normally enjoy books by people talking about their own journeys associated with walking and biking, and advocacy on behalf of people who frequently walk and bike. But I just could not get into this book. My spouse did and she told me I should "just keep reading; it gets better." However, I just kept reading...and it didn't. This book, in the first 100 pages or so I read before, admittedly, abandoning it, was so focused on a journey into inner self that it felt like walking was an after thought. Mind you, this was written by an individual who made a cross-country hike across the entire U.S. which could have been BOTH introspective and a fascinating glimpse into what it is like to be a pedestrian navigating the entire breadth of this country, but the few glimpses into his cross-country experience were buried amidst ramblings on self discovery and one's connection to the earth, the people on the earth, and it's other inhabitants as well. I'm sure Jonathan is a fascinating and interesting individual and I laud him for all his efforts to advocate for safer conditions for all pedestrians, especially among marginalized populations that also experience worse outcomes as pedestrians. However, at the end of the day, there are so many wonderful books about walking out there. Read a book about walking by Rebecca Solnit. Read about Grandma Gatewood. Read Bill Bryson. Read works by the non-profit organization America Walks or AARP about working to build more walkable communities. Take a pass on this one.
November 26, 2023
Wonderful meditation on the value of “unhurried movement” (walking) through the world.
Stalls draws on his experience walking across America as well as countless observations on the lack of pedestrian dignity across the US to inform his book structure. Some of the chapters do a wonderful job saying the quiet part out loud for urban planning - walking is vital to our very humanity but we often live in a world where walking is outright discouraged if not dangerous.
Parts of the book are far more spiritual and meditative than I was anticipating. I found this valuable but some in a mainstream audience might struggle to connect or be open to such a message. The book summary also references his cross country walk as a major event relating to the book but it takes up about roughly on 20% of the text. I would’ve loved to hear more but the vast majority of the book was about how to hold space for walking - both alone and with groups. It also includes many suggestions for “practices” around deriving more value from your unhurried movement.
Walk is a great reflection on the lack of support and awareness around the vital nature of this seemingly mundane activity. Would recommend to anyone and everyone to reexamine their mindsets about such an important topic for our own sanity and well being.
Stalls draws on his experience walking across America as well as countless observations on the lack of pedestrian dignity across the US to inform his book structure. Some of the chapters do a wonderful job saying the quiet part out loud for urban planning - walking is vital to our very humanity but we often live in a world where walking is outright discouraged if not dangerous.
Parts of the book are far more spiritual and meditative than I was anticipating. I found this valuable but some in a mainstream audience might struggle to connect or be open to such a message. The book summary also references his cross country walk as a major event relating to the book but it takes up about roughly on 20% of the text. I would’ve loved to hear more but the vast majority of the book was about how to hold space for walking - both alone and with groups. It also includes many suggestions for “practices” around deriving more value from your unhurried movement.
Walk is a great reflection on the lack of support and awareness around the vital nature of this seemingly mundane activity. Would recommend to anyone and everyone to reexamine their mindsets about such an important topic for our own sanity and well being.
October 15, 2022
I deeply believe that the closer we are to nature, the more human we become. When I say “human,” I am not talking about humans at the center, but the more natural, nonlinear, and circular alignment between our existence and that of nature. We awaken to the humbling notion that we are nature and not separate from nature.
I am not interested in convincing you of anything intellectually. I want you to move with more intention, openness, and creativity. I want your heart and body to vibrate more honestly and fully.
Yes, just wholly and fully yes. A fantastic overview of how walking can be a health and spirit experience, with a particular joy as he talks about Colorado in many places, especially the Montbello neighborhood of Denver where much of my work is based.
Here we are. A place where
my imperfect words and life
experiences meet your precious
life and unique story.
Trust
that I continue to drum up
these aches with you. There
is no arriving. It seems,
at least for me, to be only
uncovering,
listening, releasing,
and emerging. We are weaving
a tapestry, dancing in spirals,
and often returning to familiar
places with no end in sight.
Let us lean into believing
the best in each other
throughout this experience.
You are worthy because you
breathe. You are worthy
because you exist.
We need systems to change. We need federal, state, city, and county agencies to radicalize their relationship to transportation to center accessibility, rolling, walking, taking transit, and biking. We need public-serving, policy-making leaders to propose, organize, and push bills that radically reorient our transportation systems around our physical and mental health, social connection, and Earth stewardship. We also need leaders and the public showing up with more awareness, urgency, integrity, and equity with stories, heart, and creativity. I believe that for more of us to more genuinely show up, we must take more risks to live it, feel it, and experience it frequently and in a variety of seasons and conditions.
As we get a little farther along, one of the youth leaders stops us. “Those mountains over there. They are the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. They are what our people refer to as La Sierra. They are the sacred mountains that we have depended on for generations. These mountains, all eighty thousand acres of them, and our rights to access them are a part of one of the largest land-grant fights in the country, Lobato v. Taylor. Having gone through multiple private landowners, the people of our community, especially the heirs of the 1844 Sangre de Cristo Land Grant, have had to fight the courts for over forty years to protect just some of our most basic rights related to using trees for wood and fire, grazing our animals, hunting, and recreating. In 2018, and with the help of an amazing team of pro bono attorneys, we officially won our case in front of the Colorado Supreme Court to lock in some of these rights in perpetuity. We have many fights ahead, but now every family who manages land and is related to a family heir can have a key to open all of the gates to access our mountains.”
Now if I hear the sound of the genuine in me, and if you hear the sound of the genuine in you, it is possible for me to go down in me and come up in you. So that when I look at myself through your eyes having made that pilgrimage, I see in me what you see in me and the wall that separates and divides will disappear, and we will become one because the sound of the genuine makes the same music. by Rev. Dr. Howard Thurman
I am not interested in convincing you of anything intellectually. I want you to move with more intention, openness, and creativity. I want your heart and body to vibrate more honestly and fully.
Yes, just wholly and fully yes. A fantastic overview of how walking can be a health and spirit experience, with a particular joy as he talks about Colorado in many places, especially the Montbello neighborhood of Denver where much of my work is based.
Here we are. A place where
my imperfect words and life
experiences meet your precious
life and unique story.
Trust
that I continue to drum up
these aches with you. There
is no arriving. It seems,
at least for me, to be only
uncovering,
listening, releasing,
and emerging. We are weaving
a tapestry, dancing in spirals,
and often returning to familiar
places with no end in sight.
Let us lean into believing
the best in each other
throughout this experience.
You are worthy because you
breathe. You are worthy
because you exist.
We need systems to change. We need federal, state, city, and county agencies to radicalize their relationship to transportation to center accessibility, rolling, walking, taking transit, and biking. We need public-serving, policy-making leaders to propose, organize, and push bills that radically reorient our transportation systems around our physical and mental health, social connection, and Earth stewardship. We also need leaders and the public showing up with more awareness, urgency, integrity, and equity with stories, heart, and creativity. I believe that for more of us to more genuinely show up, we must take more risks to live it, feel it, and experience it frequently and in a variety of seasons and conditions.
As we get a little farther along, one of the youth leaders stops us. “Those mountains over there. They are the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. They are what our people refer to as La Sierra. They are the sacred mountains that we have depended on for generations. These mountains, all eighty thousand acres of them, and our rights to access them are a part of one of the largest land-grant fights in the country, Lobato v. Taylor. Having gone through multiple private landowners, the people of our community, especially the heirs of the 1844 Sangre de Cristo Land Grant, have had to fight the courts for over forty years to protect just some of our most basic rights related to using trees for wood and fire, grazing our animals, hunting, and recreating. In 2018, and with the help of an amazing team of pro bono attorneys, we officially won our case in front of the Colorado Supreme Court to lock in some of these rights in perpetuity. We have many fights ahead, but now every family who manages land and is related to a family heir can have a key to open all of the gates to access our mountains.”
Now if I hear the sound of the genuine in me, and if you hear the sound of the genuine in you, it is possible for me to go down in me and come up in you. So that when I look at myself through your eyes having made that pilgrimage, I see in me what you see in me and the wall that separates and divides will disappear, and we will become one because the sound of the genuine makes the same music. by Rev. Dr. Howard Thurman
August 31, 2024
This is what I call white-man guru privilege: the ability to publish a book that masquerades as profound, but is actually eye-rollingly dumb, preachy, pretentious, and repetitive. It sounds like this book was written (and can possibly only be enjoyed) after a few edibles.
I can't believe how many times I read the word "honor" or saw someone described as a "cherished friend."
Some quotes that I did dramatic readings of to my friends and coworkers:
"I invite you, with courage and wonder, to imagine us, you and I, moving side by side. All that you are next to all that I am. All that I am next to all that you are." pg xi
"Dear reader, my education is the brush of wind between you and me while moving alongside each other." pg xii
"Speak your prayer to [the tree], if you're so inclined, and it will hold them until the wind picks them up and they're carried to the Creator on the wings of soaring eagles." To be fair, this was actually a quote from one of his "cherished friends." pg 90
"I love when I see tails. I hope to wear a tail someday." pg 143
"I pull up my shorts a little higher and release an extra button on the shirt. I love wearing drawstring shorts well above the knee, with wavy mostly unbuttoned shirts. I love the way the wind feels wrapping itself around my upper thighs and chest." pg 144
"I am the wind. I am the trees. I am the sunset. I am the spaces between. I am the void. I am the stars. I am the universe. I am mysterious and wild." pg 213
I can't believe how many times I read the word "honor" or saw someone described as a "cherished friend."
Some quotes that I did dramatic readings of to my friends and coworkers:
"I invite you, with courage and wonder, to imagine us, you and I, moving side by side. All that you are next to all that I am. All that I am next to all that you are." pg xi
"Dear reader, my education is the brush of wind between you and me while moving alongside each other." pg xii
"Speak your prayer to [the tree], if you're so inclined, and it will hold them until the wind picks them up and they're carried to the Creator on the wings of soaring eagles." To be fair, this was actually a quote from one of his "cherished friends." pg 90
"I love when I see tails. I hope to wear a tail someday." pg 143
"I pull up my shorts a little higher and release an extra button on the shirt. I love wearing drawstring shorts well above the knee, with wavy mostly unbuttoned shirts. I love the way the wind feels wrapping itself around my upper thighs and chest." pg 144
"I am the wind. I am the trees. I am the sunset. I am the spaces between. I am the void. I am the stars. I am the universe. I am mysterious and wild." pg 213
September 1, 2022
This review first appeared on The Queer Bookish where you can also find more information about WALK.
I was hopeful when I picked up this book because the author states his many privileges and acknowledges that the experiences of different people will be different when they walk or roll.
And I really tried. I really, really tried because I wanted to dive into WALK and enjoy it. But I couldn’t make myself enjoy it. At best I was bored, at worst I was rolling my eyes.
The memories wildly jump around in time, so I never knew where exactly we are, pre-walking time? When exactly? Oh, we are walking, okay. At times I also didn’t know who was recounting their memories, so more often than not I was trying to understand logistics instead of losing myself in the flow of words. And then there are the jumps between present tense and past tense even though it’s one situation that is talked about.
The author is reassuring people that if they “identify as white, this isn’t a personal attack.” (kindle pos. 413) and I’m… I don’t know where to start. I really, really don’t know where to start.
Overall, WALK left a bitter taste in my mouth even though the book doesn’t even manage to show the story. It tells and tells and tells. I felt like I wasn’t allowed to paint my own picture of the situations or analyze interactions. And I don’t know. Everything just felt so… forced. People immediately open up to a fucking stranger.
Everyone is just sooooo inspired. I might have vomited a little bit in my mouth. WALK might be authentic, but to me, it just doesn’t feel that way. At all. It rather felt… missionary and preachy, with a touch of… maybe snootiness?
I didn’t want to read it during my lunch break, so I put it aside and then never picked it up again. So I don’t know if it gets better or worse. And honestly? I don’t care.
Disclaimer
I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you.
I was hopeful when I picked up this book because the author states his many privileges and acknowledges that the experiences of different people will be different when they walk or roll.
And I really tried. I really, really tried because I wanted to dive into WALK and enjoy it. But I couldn’t make myself enjoy it. At best I was bored, at worst I was rolling my eyes.
The memories wildly jump around in time, so I never knew where exactly we are, pre-walking time? When exactly? Oh, we are walking, okay. At times I also didn’t know who was recounting their memories, so more often than not I was trying to understand logistics instead of losing myself in the flow of words. And then there are the jumps between present tense and past tense even though it’s one situation that is talked about.
The author is reassuring people that if they “identify as white, this isn’t a personal attack.” (kindle pos. 413) and I’m… I don’t know where to start. I really, really don’t know where to start.
Overall, WALK left a bitter taste in my mouth even though the book doesn’t even manage to show the story. It tells and tells and tells. I felt like I wasn’t allowed to paint my own picture of the situations or analyze interactions. And I don’t know. Everything just felt so… forced. People immediately open up to a fucking stranger.
Everyone is just sooooo inspired. I might have vomited a little bit in my mouth. WALK might be authentic, but to me, it just doesn’t feel that way. At all. It rather felt… missionary and preachy, with a touch of… maybe snootiness?
I didn’t want to read it during my lunch break, so I put it aside and then never picked it up again. So I don’t know if it gets better or worse. And honestly? I don’t care.
Disclaimer
I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you.
December 31, 2022
I heard about this book on a podcast praising the benefits of walking and the connection walking has to the mind. Having walked a decent bit in my life, I believe in this connection deeply and believe nature deepens the connection ever further. The parallels the author of this book draws to my experience are real. But I probably didn’t need to read the book to discover that. There are some useful snippets here and there but the book was a bit too cosmic for my tastes. It also didn’t spend the time I would have hoped it did on the journey itself. 242 days walking across the country deserves more vivid anecdotes and detail connected to the walk itself. Instead, the book journey into the metaphysical a bit too much for my interests. I find the stuff I love most about hiking/walking or anything requiring distance is the little parts of struggle that often go unnoticed by those not on the trip. Those are the memories that shine brightest for me and bring the greatest entertainment. A good story and quick read but missing what I was hoping to get from it. One thumb up.
August 17, 2022
Walking as a way to connect with others and your environment is what the author is most passionate about. I enjoyed the way that he offers way to reflect on walking, as an opportunity to slow down, as a way to be more at one with nature and as way to meet people. He outlines how to set up a walk and connect group and also how to make it accessible for people in wheelchairs. He also invites the reader to reflect on the experience of walking whilst Black and how unsafe that can be. He notices and names that it may also not be safe for woman or LGBT people to walk alone and suggests ways you can find people to walk with. The author and the book is American, so there is much about getting people away from their dependency on cars. At times repetitive and preachy, this is an interesting book to dip in and out of, to take what you want and to begin an exploration of walking.
With thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
With thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 16, 2023
Fabulous book, filled with nuggets of wisdom, practical advice, social commentary, and stories from others. There's even a UFO sighting at the end!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 10, 2023
A mix of travelogue, philosophy/spiritual storytelling and community activism. I found the narrative aspects most interesting. There are group and individual exercises that I enjoyed reading but didn’t put int practice this go around. The author speaks to the injustices people experience when they are just trying to get around and live their lives. He opens up this world of mobility that sheds light on the areas where cars create cracks in our ability to see each other as humans.
December 28, 2023
Great for listening while on walks/runs. I found it a little hard to enjoy the physical copy as it put me to sleep. It is interesting but some essays are very meditative. I found the audiobook to be better suited to my interests.
February 2, 2025
The thought process to walk and connect with yourself/ the world is valuable but book is very repetitive.
Appreciate the idea to make even urban settings passable to all who walk/roll along the concrete world.
Appreciate the idea to make even urban settings passable to all who walk/roll along the concrete world.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 7, 2023
A lot more of an instructional guide than I was expecting. Also a bit more woowoo than I like. But there was also some really good stuff buried in here.
February 8, 2024
DNF page 54/216.
June 18, 2024
1.5 rounded up. Oof
August 5, 2024
Unbearable. Woo-woo Boulder hippy cringe. So preachy it felt like I was reading the writings of a wannabe cult leader. Firm DNF and delete.
Read
April 13, 2025Thoughtful and great message. Not my cup of tea as a book.
March 9, 2022
This was a cool and interesting read. I liked how everything was broken out and how at the end of each chapter there was guidance on how to apply that chapter's mindset with your walks.
I would recommend this to someone looking to enhance their walking experience and connect spiritually.
I would recommend this to someone looking to enhance their walking experience and connect spiritually.
May 19, 2023
As someone whose primary mode of transportation is walking, I appreciated a thoughtful, deep look at this type of mobility. The book wandered in directions I was not expecting. I found myself highlighting and underlining something on almost every page. The author has this beautiful way of reminding us of the humanity and worth in everyone. I would love if this book were required for those seeking their driver’s license, those seeking street engineering careers, those who have any type of decision making ability over transportation of any kind.
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