A fascinating story of a portion of a woman’s life told with the benefit of hindsight. Part extraordinary travelogue, part musing on her faith (but in an absolutely non preachy way) part telling of the genesis and breakdown of a relationship that was very different to what was portrayed in the media at the time of the couples earlier National Geographic publication and biographical success. My sense is that the author is intelligent and fiercely honest. She’s also articulate and her life and the physical journey recounted here are both compelling.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

In the realm of memoirs and tales of personal triumph, Barbara Jenkins’ “So Long as It’s Wild” stands as a beacon of raw honesty and unfiltered courage. This book is not merely a recounting of an extraordinary journey across America; it is a profound narrative of resilience, a testament to the indomitable human spirit.

Jenkins takes us on a journey that begins in the rugged beauty of the Ozarks, where her childhood was steeped in poverty but rich in imagination. Her longing for adventure and escape from homemade clothes and outdoor toilets is palpable. The opportunity for change presents itself in the form of Peter, a wild-eyed “viking” who sweeps Barbara off her feet and onto a path that would lead them from New Orleans to the Pacific Coast.

The walk itself, which captured the nation’s attention and landed the couple on the cover of National Geographic, is depicted with a vividness that places the reader right alongside Jenkins. We feel the weight of each step, the sting of disillusionment as she realizes the man she married is not the partner she envisioned, and the grit it took to face each challenge, from aggressive encounters to life-threatening falls.

What sets this memoir apart is Jenkins’ willingness to delve into the aftermath of the walk—the crushing heartbreak, the fleeting fame, and the journey towards reclaiming her own story. Her prose is lyrical allowing us to witness her transformation from a follower in the shadow of a man to a figure of strength and inspiration.

“So Long as It’s Wild” is a compelling read, not just for its adventure and the remarkable feat of endurance, but for its deeper exploration of self-discovery and empowerment. Jenkins’ story is a reminder that sometimes the longest journey is the one that leads back to ourselves.

I was not able to finish this one in time to give a full review by the publish date. However, I gave this book 3.5 stars

This book was fantastic. After reading the author's son's book Mother, Nature, I had to read this. What I didn't realize that I had already been given an advance copy to review. Barbara's story was one of bravery and making her own way in the world, after following in the shadows of her husband. I respect her so much, and empathized with her bitter divorce as my own mother experienced something similar. Such a wonderful memoir of a wonderful lady.

The author’s memoir of her walk across America in the 1970s reflecting on her life, her childhood where she dreamt of escaping the reality of a hillbilly life. She met and fell for a wild and good looking young guy Peter Jenkins who she thought was her key to a better life. They set off on a trail towards the West Coast. Their adventures draw the attention of National Geographic and the media, somewhat of a rare event of its time. Despite their fame and the excitement of their adventure, the journey gives Jenkins time to question her relationship with the man she’s travelling with and who she doesn’t really know, the adverse weather conditions and physical discomfort of making such a journey.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and publishers for an ARC of this book in return for an honest review

Barbara's writing is so melodic the words dance right off the page. Her remarkable story is one of grit and determination, but most importantly of grace - grace to keep going when things get tough and the grace to allow yourself to grow into who you were made to be. I'm grateful for her words, her courage, and her perseverance to share this honest and dazzling story of her lifelong adventures.

I’m a younger generation, so I had no idea who the author is or what her claim to fame was. I’m glad I read this though. As an avid outdoors-person who grew up in an outdoorsy family, it was a good refresher on how far America has come in terms of tolerance and view on Nature.
Barbara’s story is certainly a troubling one. I think it would have been helpful to have a few more comments on the mental health issues her and her family struggled through without diagnoses or treatment (that’s not what we did in the 70s…or 80s…or…).
The hike across America takes up about half of the book to set the scene for her family life. It was all presented very factually without any nuance or self-review. It’s almost like she took her daily journal, edited it briefly and hit publish. I think a good editor could have really helped expound sections of her trauma and helped many readers possibly as well. Maybe that’s not what the author was going for and this really is supposed to be more of an autobiography rather than memoir.

I'm old enough to remember when "A Walk Across America" was published, & the acclaim it garnered...& actually have an unread paperback copy of it on my bookshelf! I remember the country being quite captivated by it! So I found this pretty interesting to read of her account of that time, of that walk/journey. We also learn of her family background & her growing up years, how she came to meet Peter Jenkins, & her life after 'the walk'.....& even ending at near present day! I found it to be a quick, easy, interesting look back to a time, at events that I remember....& learned some things about, of that, that I didn't know.... might be interesting to go back & read that old paperback now....
I received an e-ARC of this book from publisher Dexterity via NetGalley for review purposes. All the opinions are my own.

So Long as It’s Wild was much more than a book about a walk across America. The story of Barbara Jenkins, her life, love, marriage, family and ultimately how she learned to stand up for herself.

**Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an electronic ARC of this book and the opportunity to provide feedback.

This is a bit different from my usual reads, but as an avid hiker and wilderness lover I came across SO LONG IF IT'S WILD and couldn't help but request it from Netgalley. It's a book I enjoyed reading for the most part; I felt a certain kinship with Jenkins about her imposter syndrome - I always feel like I don't belong in the hiking community (but everyone *does* belong in the outdoors, it is a space for all). Unfortunately what let me down here is the heavy religious undertones that I hadn't been expecting. Granted, I hadn't educated myself properly that the publisher is a Christian publishing house, but they do advertise they publish secular works also, so may be it would be a good point to distinguish between the two.

This book was different than I expected, but still a good read. I don't identify as Christian, and wasn't expecting that aspect to the book--I don't feel as though it was advertised that way. That said, it was interesting to read through their trek, which her husband got most of the credit for. It's clear she's a strong woman who has moved on to better things, which was good to read about.

I remember reading "The Walk West" decades ago and being entranced by the young Jenkinses and their ambitious trek.

Alas they- and I- are older and wiser and this is a different book. It is sad to hear Barbara's experiences in what turned out to be a very unhappy marriage.

Perhaps because I had just read Class, by Stephanie Land, this one fell a little flat for me. It seemed a lot less honest and self revealing to me.

great book and loved the mystery through out the book. I loved the characters and how they grew through all of their adventures. I enjoyed this book and this author and will check them out again add them to my reading pile.

As a big fan of hiking memoirs, this one didn't work all that well. The constant reminder that she had NO IDEA how someone like HER could be going on this adventure got old real quick. Admittedly, I was unaware of how religious this would be which was another turn off.

Peter Jenkins, author of "A Walk Across America," is something of a local legend here in Spring Hill, TN, where a popular walking trail has been named in his honor. But we've only ever known half the story. Now, Nashville's own Barbara Jenkins cl0ses the circle with this gritty, honest, and inspiring memoir. The ball - or, rather, the hiking boots - are in her court now.

So I had never heard about this walk across America. But when I saw this book on netgalley, I asked to read it.
I love books about hiking trails and finding yourself. And this one was no different.

The synopsis is fairly easy to understand. Girl meets boy who’s walking the US. Girl and boy fall in love. And they go from there.

I have to remember the time this took place. And what limits were still put on women. But I will tell you this, I won’t ever read a book her husband wrote. He doesn’t deserve that. I’m happy with how her life turned out.

I loved this book and will be telling everyone to read it. I went into this blind knowing nothing of this story or walk. When I started reading this it sparked conversations with older family members that gave me feedback from what they remembered about the walk. The stories and relationships built along the walk kept me intrigued and wanting to read more and more. There was not one chapter that I didn't find myself cheering for Barbara.

Kind of hard to rate this one for me. Honestly, the blurb did not read to me at all like an inspirational (Christian) category book; I'm not Christian, so I really don't seek out that genre. Especially in the beginning, it felt like a lot. I even considered quitting, but I like books about traveling rough terrain, especially from women, so I persisted.

The strongest parts were when it focused on the physical and mental challenges of the trek, along with the personal couple issues. The jumps to the backstory/childhood helped set the scene for certain parts, though I don't know that it needed to be chopped up into quite so many pieces. I wish her later in life adventures had been detailed a little more, unless there's another upcoming book about those.

I probably have a different read on this aspect of the story, being a non-Christian, but it was also a fascinating and uneasy read into how religion traps people into thought processes, such as trying to make a relationship with a covert narcissist work. Everything would have been very different with a longer courtship, more caution, less turning the other cheek. But at the end of the day, it was satisfying to read her eventual exit plan and follow-through.

I'd recommend this to those that enjoy stories like Wild or Eat Pray Love (though this book isn't nearly so pretentious as the latter). And a tip to the publisher: be upfront about the religious aspect of this book. Maybe they were banking on fans of Barbara Jenkins (and Peter) already knowing this, but it was a near-turnoff to someone going in blind.

This is Barbara Jenkins' account of a journey across America that she took with her husband Peter in the 1970s. Peter got most of the glory at the time, but her version paints a truer tale. The subsequent story of their unraveling marriage and divorce is told in a very honest way.

Barbara's courage in dealing with Peter's many failings is commendable and the true story is sometimes heartbreaking to read.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

Barbara Jenkins is my hero! I read "A Walk Across America" when it was published 25 years ago. This follow-up by his wife Barbara is a real eye opener. I give her so much credit for sticking with her husband to the end. Most of us would have quit considering the many discouraging situations that arose along the way. This book was well written and held my interest to the end. Barbara Jenkins is the true meaning of Grit! And she has proven what a good writer she is.