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icbikecommuter's review against another edition
3.0
Many interesting subjects discussed in the book with the underlying concept of walking tying them all
Together such as: Peace Pilgrim, Roseau, Lake District, San Francisco, Berkeley, Kierkegaard, Feminism, social Justice, Wordsworth, Jane Austen, etc… but overall it just lacked cohesion for me.
Together such as: Peace Pilgrim, Roseau, Lake District, San Francisco, Berkeley, Kierkegaard, Feminism, social Justice, Wordsworth, Jane Austen, etc… but overall it just lacked cohesion for me.
alicetheowl's review against another edition
2.0
Interminable. Probably easier to read if you're already familiar with the writers, artists, and philosophers she drones on about. It has some interesting parts, but mostly, I didn't find it worth the slog.
christinelaine's review against another edition
"...because thinking is generally thought of as doing nothing in a production-oriented culture, and doing nothing is hard to do. It's best done by disguising it as doing something, and the something closest to doing nothing is walking. Walking itself is the intentional act closest to the unwilled rhythms of the body, to breathing and the beating of the heart. It strikes a delicate balance between working and idling, being and doing. It is a bodily labor that produces nothing but thoughts, experiences, arrivals."
smilingheretic's review
4.0
Thoroughly pedestrian. And this is a good thing. Solnit takes her audience on a slow journey-on foot-into the oft maligned transportation vehicle of one's two feet. No blisters here!
naru11's review against another edition
Unfortunately DNFing this for the moment. She referenced this in some of her more feminist-focused work and I thought it would be similar, but I seem to be unable to get into this. There is so much quoting and paraphrasing of philosophical ideas, that I can't find much interest in right now. This is not a critique of the book itseld (thus, no rating), I went into it with the wrong assumptions. I will keep this on my radar though, and maybe pick ip again.
gonzogrig's review against another edition
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
4.0
This was a pleasant, thoughtful read but not necessarily the kind that lends itself to being read in one go. Though all the chapters follow the common theme of walking, it's explored in such radically different senses that various chapters don't necessarily feel like they're part of the same book. For example, in a stretch of association, Solnit argues that "climbing could be called the art of taking a vertical walk" and therefore devotes an entire chapter to mountaineering (which I didn't particularly care for). As a result, this might be the kind of book best enjoyed in fits and starts; picked up and put down over and over again over weeks or months.
Regardless of how you go about your reading, Solnit is almost guaranteed to surprise you with the rabbit holes of history that she goes down. My personal favorite was her extensive discussion of the manor gardens evolution, from the walled gardens of medieval times to the quintessential English garden in the 18th century. Erudite without getting too dry, this makes for an enjoyable, easy-going read about walking and a wide array of associated activities and landscapes (not only rural, but urban and suburban as well).
My only compliant is that being published in 2000, Solnit could not foresee the various ways walking has evolved in the last 20 years, from the step-tracking technology, so ubiquitous today, to the annual Slut Walk marches (would have been perfect for her chapter on women in public space) and explosion of political demonstrations in recent years (her chapter on political marches/processions is almost quaintly old fashioned). However, given when it was published, I'm impressed by how intersectional it is. Solnit makes a point of commenting on issues concerning class, race and sexuality, not to mention devoting an entire chapter to women's experience.
Regardless of how you go about your reading, Solnit is almost guaranteed to surprise you with the rabbit holes of history that she goes down. My personal favorite was her extensive discussion of the manor gardens evolution, from the walled gardens of medieval times to the quintessential English garden in the 18th century. Erudite without getting too dry, this makes for an enjoyable, easy-going read about walking and a wide array of associated activities and landscapes (not only rural, but urban and suburban as well).
My only compliant is that being published in 2000, Solnit could not foresee the various ways walking has evolved in the last 20 years, from the step-tracking technology, so ubiquitous today, to the annual Slut Walk marches (would have been perfect for her chapter on women in public space) and explosion of political demonstrations in recent years (her chapter on political marches/processions is almost quaintly old fashioned). However, given when it was published, I'm impressed by how intersectional it is. Solnit makes a point of commenting on issues concerning class, race and sexuality, not to mention devoting an entire chapter to women's experience.
susie_and's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this but my copy had really small font and it felt slightly too long.. meandering
thopp84's review against another edition
3.0
A rare misfire from an author that I normally love. I just didn't connect to what she was writing about here, even though I love walking and walk everywhere. But she was way too thorough and dense. It came off as overly pretentious which Solnit is definitely not. A disappointment but I'll still be reading other works by her.
apauliner's review against another edition
Premier livre de ma PAL tiré au sort. Je suis bien heureuse de m’être accrochée parce que c’était très intéressant, même si jamais fascinant pour moi qui ne suis pas PASSIONNÉE de marche à pied. Vers la fin les chapitres sur la place des femmes dans la rue et sur Las Vegas m’ont fait penser « je ne regrette pas cette lecture ». Néanmoins malgré l’érudition de l’ouvrage, comme pour certains titres de bell hooks je regrette qu’il nous parvienne en français avec 21 ans de retard. Ça le rend vraiment daté par certains aspects : trop bizarre de lire un livre sur la marche écrit par une penseuse féministe sans que Cheryl Strayed ne soit citée, par exemple.
Globalement une lecture intelligente et facile sur un sujet auquel je ne pensais que peu, un livre qui ne m’a pas renversée mais qui m’a cueillie au bon moment, me permettant de profiter d’une longue promenade dans une ville étrangère avec beaucoup plus de conscience et d’attention. Et n’est-ce pas ce qu’on attend d’un essai, qu’il nous modifie, même rien qu’un peu.
Edit: Ça m’a frappée mais j’ai oublié de le dire avant de lire d’autres reviews, je suis chagrinée également par le point de vue 100% occidentalocentré sur la question. Sûrement l’art de marcher ne peut pas être étudié en mettant de côté la vaste majorité du monde qui ne vit ni en Europe ni en Amérique du Nord.
Globalement une lecture intelligente et facile sur un sujet auquel je ne pensais que peu, un livre qui ne m’a pas renversée mais qui m’a cueillie au bon moment, me permettant de profiter d’une longue promenade dans une ville étrangère avec beaucoup plus de conscience et d’attention. Et n’est-ce pas ce qu’on attend d’un essai, qu’il nous modifie, même rien qu’un peu.
Edit: Ça m’a frappée mais j’ai oublié de le dire avant de lire d’autres reviews, je suis chagrinée également par le point de vue 100% occidentalocentré sur la question. Sûrement l’art de marcher ne peut pas être étudié en mettant de côté la vaste majorité du monde qui ne vit ni en Europe ni en Amérique du Nord.