The Wild Silence is the follow up book to the author's bestseller The Salt Path. Winn once again explores her connection to nature and lyrically describes the beauty of the natural world in this biography of her life after The Salt Path. She considers how to return herself to the mainstream world when she lived free within the landscape while experiencing homelessness. She preserves with health concerns of others and navigates end of life matters, all the while longing for another adventure and hike to keep her connection alive with the wild world.
Winn’s mother, in hospital recovering from pneumonia, has a stroke with limited chance of survival. This presents a range of difficult choices to make for Winn. She also reflects on her partner, Moth’s, non-curable degenerative disease and how to keep him going despite his symptoms, to stay connected and active in the natural world, his great passion.
Her return to mainstream life with her partner after homelessness brings anxiety and a feeling of distrust with society once they have a roof over their heads again. They can’t be sure they will be evicted again. However, with the success of her book The Salt Path comes an offer to restore a dilapidated farm and build a sustainable farm from the ruin by rewilding the land. This is a blessing in disguise as it provides the opportunity for them both to be engaged with their passion for the environment and give them the sustenance they need for their spirit to survive in the world; as close to a wild, natural life as possible.
Longing to reconnect to their hiking experience in The Salt Path, they embark on an Icelandic hike with two friends. It’s freezing and gruelling, pushing them to their limits. Filled with self-doubt and physical hardship the story highlights a need for perseverance in life despite the odds, ageing and overcoming your own self-imposed limitations.
In The Wild Silence, Winn handles difficult personal issues while grounding herself in the natural world. It’s obvious it provides a source of strength, guidance and restoration for her spirit. If you enjoy environmental themes and like to immerse yourself in the natural world, this book will take you down the wild path. It will inspire to look at animals, plants and the landscape, wherever you are in a deeper way. A highly recommended and uplifting read to reconnect you to the earth.
Deborah
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