I loved this beautiful book! The author has a gift for writing, and her descriptions of nature are lovely. This is an inspiring memoir of a couple who found themselves homeless and decided to walk the Southwest Coastal Path in England, and I highly recommend it.

A recent memoir, THE SALT PATH by debut author Raynor Winn, is one of my favorite books of the year so far. Set along the southwest coast of England, THE SALT PATH chronicles the experiences of Winn and her husband, Moth, who were dealt nearly simultaneous blows of losing their home due to a poor investment and a serious health diagnosis. I honestly think that most people would have retrenched in those circumstances, but the Winns decided to beginning walking the 630 mile South West Coast Path; they "chose to walk and seized the freedom that came with that choice." Due to their dire financial circumstances, they camped out nearly every night, making finding a suitable piece of ground an almost daily adventure. Food, too, was often scarce and regularly featured inexpensive options like noodles.

As a reader, part of me wanted to cheer them on and part wanted to scream at these 50-somethings to stop, get some needed health care and conform to expectations. Yet, that sense of rebellion against an unfair fate is what makes this duo's story so appealing – Winn includes numerous perceptive comments about ageism, the passage of time, homelessness and life choices: "that step, and the next and the next and the next, was the reason and the future. Each combe climbed out of was a victory, each day survived a reason to live through the next. Each lungful of salt scouring our memories, smoothing their edges, wearing them down. ... something in me was changing season, too. I was no longer striving, fighting to change the unchangeable, not clenching in anxiety at the life we'd been unable to hold onto .... A new season had crept into me, a softer season of acceptance."

An excerpt of this well-done memoir is available from the publisher and The Guardian has run feature articles, also. THE SALT PATH was published earlier in the UK and shortlisted for the Costa Book Award, which recognizes writing by British and Irish authors. Past winners have included Mark Haddon, Iris Murdoch, and Paul Theroux to name just a few.

4.5 stars
Links in live post:
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/dec/06/home-is-a-state-of-mind-you-dont-need-walls
https://www.penguin.co.uk/articles/2018/extract-the-salt-path.html - for excerpt

A middle-aged couple in the UK, facing bankruptcy and a terminal illness diagnosis, decides to take off and walk the South West Coast Path in the United Kingdom, from Somerset to Dorset, via Devon and Cornwall. Most identity crisis take-a-walk memoirs are from younger, healthier people who still struggle physically, emotionally, and financially, but all of those elements are worse here. They are frequently mistaken for vagrants, asked to leave, and sometimes given food for free (and they really need it in these moments, so the kind strangers are not wrong!)

There is a bit of desperation in the pages. The path is almost insurmountable, but they do not have any way to make a living or any place to live. So they walk. It almost intersects more with books like Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century than with your typical sojourning books.

I enjoyed reading about the landscape of the cliffs of this region and definitely spent some time looking up images on the internet. It is a shame that so many of these communities seem actively opposed to travelers coming through, when clearly the path has a long history.

Raynor Winn and Moth, her husband of 32 years, are living a nightmare at the start of Winn's memoir, The Salt Path. Having lost everything, they huddle under the stairs of their lovingly restored farm haven, hiding from the bailiffs come to evict them. Tragically, losing their business and home isn't the worst of it. The day after the judge's decision, they finally have time to follow up on Moth's ongoing shoulder pain and learn he's terminally ill.

Peering at packing boxes, Winn spies a copy of Five Hundred Mile Walkies, Mark Wallington's story of traversing the South West Coast Path, England's longest footpath. Homeless, penniless, with two kids at university and a bleak future, they look at each other and think, "What the f*ck, let's go for a walk." Despite the doctor's admonitions that Moth not get cold, tire himself, walk too far, carry heavy weight or look too far ahead, they fill their packs and head out for the 630-mile trek.

Winn's chronicle is filled with beauty, humor and surprises. Glorious landscape a given, the loveliest scenery is the pair themselves, their affection and easy camaraderie treasures to behold. Facing grief, harsh elements, starvation and judgment about being homeless, they relish growing feelings of achievement and purpose. When, miraculously, Moth starts to feel better, their future grows more unclear. The Salt Path is a great travelogue of surroundings, passersby and local merchants, but its heart is in Winn and Moth finding meaning in the chaos.

STREET SENSE: The lives of a husband and wife are transformed by financial ruin and terminal illness, then by their decision to walk a 630-mile coastal path in England. I loved most of this read, particularly the repartee between Winn and Moth. Although the premise starts with a downer, there is strength, humor (it becomes obvious Moth is being mistaken for some lookalike celebrity) and resilience. It sometimes became a teensy bit tiresome and repetitive (passing people on the path) for my particular wheelhouse, but it was easy enough to give a quick skim to those parts and carry on with the journey. If you're a fan of nature, comeback (kind of) stories and interesting couples, add this one to your list.

A FAVORITE PASSAGE: The first few times we'd been asked how it was that we had time to walk so far and for so long, we had answered truthfully: "Because we're homeless, we lost our home..." People recoiled and the wind was silenced by their sharp intake of breath. In every case the conversation ended abruptly and the other party walked away very quickly. So we invented a lie that was more palatable. For them and for us. We had sold our home, looking for a midlife adventure...That met with gasps of "wow, brilliant, inspirational." What was the difference between the two stories? Only one word, but one word that in the public perception meant everything: "sold." We could be homeless, having sold our home and put money in the bank, and be inspirational. Or we could be homeless, having lost our home and become penniless, and be social pariahs.

COVER NERD SAYS: I have a hard time resisting an ocean scene, especially one with a craggy shoreline and wildlife. I found this cover art really beautiful, particularly how the hikers are almost an afterthought in the grand scheme of nature. I did completely miss the very small (and sideways) note that this is a memoir, and was surprised to find this was non-fiction. It didn't really matter and is probably chalked up to my in attention to detail. In my defense, I was captivated by the font and the ocean drawing. Other than that being more clearly stated, I love this cover.

A very different spin on those we think of as homeless, because these two people did everything right, and lost everything. Added to this they find out Moth, Raynors husband has a degenerative disease. How much can two people handle? With very little money, with no where to go except sleeping on friends couches for the foreseeable future, they decide to walk. Taking only the necessities, they decide to walk the South West coastal path, 630 miles.

So this then is their story of this trip, and the things they see and experience. The descriptions and the prose is impressive, vivid. Their descriptions of the physical pain they experience is anguishing. They take up past St. Isaac where my favorite show Doc Martin is made and through Cornwall and it's copper mines, where Poldark is filmed. They have a few run ins with wild life, and meet some quirky characters. They are called old, in their fifties, by many who can't believe they are walking so far. They wild camp, not having the money for campgrounds.

They find out they are stronger than they thought, braver than expected, and feel proud of their accomplishment. The story starts out in darkness, but ends in light, as ........well read the book and find out. Don't think you'll be disappointed.

ARC from Netgalley.

Raynor Winn shares her experience in a one-of-a-kind story on the struggles and triumphs of what it is to be human.

Absolutely beautiful and inspiring book. Wonderful to read when in times of difficulty for inspiration to get through. Raynor is a gift - she recorded a brilliant episode on the podcast that will be live 21 March 2019. She had many insightful thoughts about turning a life-changing experience into a book and the process of getting it published.