The Outrun by Amy Liptrot
The Outrun is Amy Liptrot’s journey through alcoholism and her healing amid the wild and rugged landscapes of the remote Orkney Islands.
The outrun is the name for the outer edges of the vast farmlands on Orkney, near the cliffs — perhaps a metaphor for walking the tightrope between addiction and recovery. In her late teens, Amy can’t wait to leave the remote islands where she grew up and head to the bright lights of London. There, she finds work and a new love, embracing the party scene and seeking heightened sensations and a sense of aliveness. Her drinking increases, leading to the breakup of her relationship, and her life spirals out of control. She ends up in a rehabilitation program.
Determined to make a change, she returns to Orkney after completing her rehab and becomes increasingly engulfed in island life, helping her dad with the lambing on his farm and getting a job doing bird surveys for the elusive Corncrake. The amazing landscape draws her in and helps her to heal. She becomes fascinated by the natural world around her — astronomy, seaweed, cold-water swimming, and the ‘merry dancers’ (the northern lights). She is also embraced by the close-knit community on these far-flung islands.
Amy writes beautifully about the natural landscape and wildlife, and her raw and honest explanation of the trials of addiction makes for poignant, heartfelt reading. I enjoyed listening to the audiobook, read by Tracy Wiles, and the book has been made into a movie starring Saoirse Ronan. I highly recommend this wonderful story of courage, nature, and the human spirit.
Robyn
Format
Audio books
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