Landlines: The Remarkable Story of a Thousand-Mile Journey

Walking can be healing, as Winn (The Wild Science) found. She and her husband Moth have walked long distances in different countries over the decades, including after his diagnosis of an incurable, degenerative disease, which Winn described in The Salt Path. That journey helped Moth’s health, but as it worsens amid the pandemic, the author hopes another trek will work again. In the vein of Bill Bryson’s A Walk in the Woods, this book takes readers on the couple’s journey in a narrative sprinkled with character anecdotes and vivid scenic descriptions. They come across kind, sometimes strange people—and maybe a ghost, although Winn doesn’t call it that. History, politics, and environmental issues are explored as the couple battle blisters, relentless insects, and temperamental weather. The dangers are real, both in nature and as human ailments, which keeps readers invested in the story. The author doesn’t shy away from expressing fears and doubts about both her and her husband’s abilities.