The Wild Silence
The Sunday Times Bestseller from the Million-Copy Bestselling Author of The Salt Path
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4.3 • 133 Ratings
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- £5.99
Publisher Description
Join Raynor and Moth as their journey continues in the incredible and uplifting Sunday Times No. 1 bestseller
From the million-copy bestselling author of the phenomenon and 85-week Sunday Times bestseller The Salt Path
'Beautiful, a thrill to read . . . you feel the world is a better place because Raynor and Moth are in it' The Times
'Winn's writing transforms her surroundings and her spirits, her joy coming across clearly in her shimmering prose' i
'A beautiful, luminous and magical piece of writing' Rachel Joyce, author of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry
*Includes an extract from Raynor's brand new book, LANDLINES*
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'It was the land, the earth, the deep humming background to my very being'
In 2016, days before they were unjustly evicted from their home, Raynor Winn was told her husband Moth was dying.
Instead of giving up they embarked on a life-changing journey: walking the 630-mile South West Coast Path, living by their wits, determination and love of nature.
But all journeys must end and when the couple return to civilisation they find that four walls feel like a prison, cutting them off from the sea and sky that sustained them - that had saved Moth's life.
So when the chance to rewild an old Cornish farm comes their way, they grasp it, hoping they'll not only reconnect with the natural world but also find themselves once again on its healing path . . .
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'Confirms Raynor as a natural and extremely talented writer with an incredible way with words. This book gives us all what we wanted to know at the end of The Salt Path which is what happened next. So moving, it made me cry . . . repeatedly' Sophie Raworth, BBC
'Brilliant, powerful and touching . . . will connect with anyone who has triumphed over adversity' Stephen Moss, author and naturalist
'Unflinching . . . There is a luminous conviction to the prose' Observer
'Notions of home are poignantly explored . . . wonderful' Guardian
LONGLISTED FOR THE WAINWRIGHT PRIZE 2021
**Nominated for the Holyer an Gof Memoir Award**
Praise for The Salt Path
'An astonishing narrative of two people dragging themselves from the depths of despair along some of the most dramatic landscapes in the country, looking for a solution to their problems and ultimately finding themselves' Independent
'This is what you need right now to muster hope and resilience . . . a beautiful story and a reminder that humans can endure adversity' Stylist
'The landscape is magical: shapeshifting seas and smugglers' coves; myriads of sea birds and mauve skies. Raynor writes exquisitely . . . it's a tale of triumph; of hope over despair, of love over everything' The Sunday Times
'The Salt Path is a life-affirming tale of enduring love that smells of the sea and tastes of a rich life. With beautiful, immersive writing, it is a story heart-achingly and beautifully told' Jackie Morris, illustrator of The Lost Words by Robert Macfarlane
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
In her debut 2018 memoir, The Salt Path, Raynor Winn documented the journey of a lifetime: the 630-mile walk she and her husband Moth undertook when, after their business collapsed and they lost their income, they were made homeless. There was also the earth-shattering news that Moth was dealing with a neurodegenerative disease causing his body—and mind—to deteriorate. For its follow-up, The Wild Silence, Winn turns to what happened after that life-changing event. Having reached Cornwall, the pair now have a roof over their heads, but Ray is struggling: she trusts no-one and even sleeping in a warm bed feels wrong (in one gut-wrenching moment, she pulls out her and Moth’s old tent and crawls into it, where she finally gets a good night’s sleep). Plus, Moth is beginning to forget the adventure she can’t stop thinking about. So she writes it all down for him, pouring their story into what would eventually become The Salt Path. When its publication—and unexpected success—leads to a local stranger offering Moth and Ray the chance to restore his farm back to its former glory, it’s the call to nature, and the return to “the land” that she’s been craving. The Wild Silence is a moving, sometimes desperately sad memoir about a life being carefully reconstructed after it was blown apart, Winn also capturing her and Moth’s love story as he continues to change. But most of all, it’s an ode to nature, and its power to restore who we are—from our sense of self to our physical health—when we lose our footing. A beautiful, affecting read to stay with you for a long time.
Customer Reviews
Calming
Lovely book. You can see the landscape being described. Loved it and the Salt Path
A damned good read.
As good as the Salt Path. Interesting and inspiring. I think I’ll have to get the next book.
So observant….
I enjoyed The Salt Path, given to me by my niece for Christmas, but I loved The Wild Silence more. I so wanted to know what happened to Moth. Her observations of nature and how it works and interacts - and we ignore it at our peril - resonated with me, as did her need to be out in wide open wild places and not always feeling comfortable with people. Beautifully and movingly written. Thank you. AnneS