A Spirituality of Walking
by Graham B. Usher
When my sister and I visit Fountains Abbey, we always go to the shop at the visitor centre, and I can not remember a time when we did not buy some thing or other there. Last year in July, I spotted this book and knew I wanted it, but did not buy it then - it was a very hot day, and I had no intention of carrying around any unnecessary weight with me for the rest of the day.
Imagine my delight when I unwrapped it as a Christmas gift from my sister! Only now did I get round to reading it, and finished it earlier this week.
Back at the shop, what attracted me most was the cover art and the fact that the book is about walking. I read the blurb on the back but nothing else. Therefore, I did not know that the author is a bishop, and that much of the book includes religious aspects of walking. For some readers, this might be a bit much, but it was fine with me.
The book is neatly divided into chapters with one-word headlines, such as Starting, Moving, Thinking, Seeing, but there is also Fearing, Treading, Praying and Living.
I liked the first chapters the most, but enjoyed the entire book. Like one of the blurbs says, it "offers highly original and striking observations combined with [...] humorous personal anecdotes". Even the f-word appears (only once).
Graham B. Usher has read and quotes from two books I have also read and reviewed on my blog: Rebecca Solnit's "Wanderlust" and Robert Macfarlane's "The Old Ways". (He quotes from the Bible a lot, too, which I have also read.)
The only thing that could have improved my reading experience: A clearer separation of paragraphs within one chapter. Sometimes the author moves very suddenly from one thought or anecdote or topic to the next; all related to the chapter's headline, but not directly connected to each other. That made me wish for an empty line inserted, giving the reader the chance to pause and think a moment before moving on.
Still, a book I can highly recommend - maybe not to my blogging friend YP, as I guess he would not like the many references to faith and religion - but to anyone else who enjoys walking.
More about the author can be found here on wikipedia. He is 2 years younger than I and is an active ecologyst and author on top of his work as a bishop.
Excellent book review Meike - and that book cover is so beautiful. Do you ever buy a book just for the cover? I think I've done that sometimes, usually at the discount store where they sell for just $1.00! Actually I've found some fabulous books there - inside those covers there have often been some very interesting reading covering non-fiction subjects/stories I never would have known about, and some fiction thrown in which has made for an interesting novel now and then.
ReplyDeleteHappy holiday weekend - very wet here so may stay indoors, with a good book of course!
Hugs - Mary
Thank you, Mary!
DeleteYes, I have chosen books for their cover. Mostly not to buy, but to borrow from the library when I was still a regular library goer. Now that I rarely buy books other than the occasional download for ky kindle, I choose more carefully - last but not least because I usually have to transport home on my own everything I buy. It has to fit in my suitcase, and I need to be able to carry it.
With free kindle downloads, I often decide on a book based on its title alone. Sometimes I have been disappointed, but I have also found some gems.
Happy holiday weekend to you and Bob, too!
DeleteWe‘re expecting sunshine and milder temperatures again, but today we are hosting the festive Easter lunch for O.K.‘s family, and so won‘t have time to go out.