Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.85 AVERAGE
3.85 AVERAGE
reflective
slow-paced
Not bad but he’s no John McPhee and Jenny’s book was much more profound
I was overall quite impressed with the author's observations and conclusions on walking in nature, and I especially resonated with it being so familiar with Massachusetts' South Coast. He acknowledges the problem of race and class being the gateway to his making these astute observations, but doesn't dive too deeply there, so I'll ding him a bit for that. Otherwise, I really enjoyed how he sought to recreate some of Thoreau's walks and highlighted their contrast to modern day experience. He really pulls a lot of great Thoreau quotes too.
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Author Ben Shattuck follows in the footsteps of noted walker and philosopher Henry David Thoreau, beginning by walking the outer beaches of Cape Cod. Part travelogue, part memoir, and filled with insights on family, friendships and interwoven with meditations from Thoreau’s journals. It’s not all sunshine and roses as along the way Shattuck gets lost, badly sunburned, contracts Lyme disease, and suffers a partial amputation. Six Walks is beautifully written and, in places, poignant. It begins with the end of a relationship and finishes with the start of fatherhood, and there’s often more going on beneath the surface than first appears. I enjoyed it so much that I immediately wanted to re-read it, and to delve deeper into the writings of Thoreau. Oh, and it’s filled with landscape sketches made by Shattuck along his journey. Recommended.
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
I liked this book a lot more than I thought I would. The insights and connections made between nature/walking in nature and the way we just go about life today were so poignant. The writing was beautiful and flowed so easily—this book was the equivalent of sitting on a raft in a river that is gently flowing onward, and all you have to do is sit and observe. A gentle read for calm days.
I am a big fan of walks. I take a lot of them, whether at home/in my local neighborhood or traveling. So this book held a lot of appeal--especially since it channeled Henry David Thoreau! (I have also seen _Dead Poets Society_ a time or six, so might have had Robin Williams's voice in my head at times. )
This book started out appealing, and indeed was (varying degrees of) interesting throughout the read. Shattuck definitely met some colorful characters on his walks; some of these encounters read better than others, lol. The first half of the book was also more interesting to me; the second half struggled to hold my interest. I'm not really sure why...then again, maybe it was the severed-finger story, that went on longer than I wished (with my vivid imagination and own reasons for not being a doctor). :D
Would I pick up Thoreau after reading this? Absolutely. Would I reread this? Mmm...no.
I received an eARC of the book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
This book started out appealing, and indeed was (varying degrees of) interesting throughout the read. Shattuck definitely met some colorful characters on his walks; some of these encounters read better than others, lol. The first half of the book was also more interesting to me; the second half struggled to hold my interest. I'm not really sure why...then again, maybe it was the severed-finger story, that went on longer than I wished (with my vivid imagination and own reasons for not being a doctor). :D
Would I pick up Thoreau after reading this? Absolutely. Would I reread this? Mmm...no.
I received an eARC of the book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
Shattuck's writing is illustrative and thoughtful. I felt like I was walking alongside him, especially as the book continued. At the beginning of the book, it's obvious that he's musing in an ungrounded way. (Not unlike transcendentalists of Thoreau's time. Sorry.) But we experience the life side of his life as the book continues, and the writing opens up. I would say this is a summer read, if anyone is interested.