In Praise of Paths: Walking Through Time and Nature is a beautifully written ode to paths, and the journeys we take through nature. As told by a gifted writer, who stopped driving – and rediscovered the joys of travelling by foot. He started to walk everywhere, after an epilepsy diagnosis affected his ability to drive. The more he ventured out, the more he came to love walks in nature.
In this poignant meandering book, the author interweaves literature and history of paths, with stories from the trail. As he walks with shoes on (and barefoot), through forest creeks and across urban streets, he contemplates the early tracks made by ancient snails. And traces the wanderings of Romantic poets. If we can still ‘understand ourselves in relation to the landscape’, then what do we lose in an era of car travel and navigation apps? And what will we gain, from taking to paths?
About the Author
Torbjørn Ekelund is a writer and co-founder of Harvest, an online magazine documenting wilderness adventures, environmental issues, and our relationship with nature. He lives in Oslo, Norway. The foreword is by Geoff Nicholson, whose writings have appeared in the New York Times and the Guardian. From Norwegian, Becky Crook’s translations have appeared in Granta and Freeman’s.
