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Monday, September 30, 2019

The Salt Path

Recommending a book with nothing except "it's really good" is not much of a blog. I wish I could say more. I decided to go read some reviews to try and get a feel of how to do it. More on that in a minute.

The reviews were overwhelmingly five stars of five stars. I read two or three of those, and then indulged in a string of below five stars. A great many people could not get comfortable with the subject of the book, and I found that interesting.

I find I can no longer write in genres, of genres, about genres, since the bus accident. The TBI literally sucked maybe fifty thousand books out of my brain. Even had it only stolen the format from me, I still could imitate someone. But there's no one left for me to imitate.

So, I only will say, it's about a husband and wife, together many, many years, who are robbed of home and livelihood by an evil friend (my assessment, not theirs). In the same week as the verdict, either before or after, they finally get the medical diagnosis to explain the husband's left side weakness and pain. It's a degenerative neurological disease that will kill him, probably six or seven years from onset. It now is seven years since onset.

The bailiffs come to change the locks on the door. They set out to walk the salt path. This is set in England. Here we walk the Appalachian Trail, some to find ourselves. I had no idea what the Salt Trail is. It's one small way to find yourself in England when you've lost all and one of you is dying. 

Suspend disbelief and read it for face value.

End of book review. 

43 comments:

  1. I think you did a great job. Actually I checked online for a summary of the book and your review makes me more interested than it did!

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  2. i'll find the local library, assuming this area of Seattle has one, and look it up. Hope you're well, adjusting to Seattle life after 21 years in Butte is a chore.

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    1. I've thought about you, and saw the move, in the first time in months I've looked at FB.
      Do look up the book. I think you will like it on at least two levels. No, on three.

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  3. Good review. I'll read it when I'm finished with the books I have scheduled.

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  4. Your review intrigues me to read it even more!

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  5. Excellent review, I read the summary by my library as I put my name on the queue. My kind of book it looks like.

    XO
    WWW

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  6. I am sorry your accident caused so much loss. But I really like your review and want to read the book more than ever. Did you ever read Happiness, the book Weaver recommended? I did and I think it was fascinating.

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  8. I haven't had any bus accident and yet most of the time I can't put together a proper review of a good or bad book I've read. Instead of writing a review I'd rather spend my time reading more books ;-) But I do enjoy reading the book reviews and recommendations of others. I've added The Salt Path to my list of books to read. If it's in my library I will read it soon as I can get it. If not in my library it will take awhile as I don't buy new books very often since I just have to give them away after I've read. I no longer want a large library.

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  9. Excellent title, sounds like a great book

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  10. I think you did great describing it. I'm going to put it on my list to see if our digital library has it and if it doesn't, I'm going t suggest it. It does sound good!

    betty

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  11. I remember reading the 1 star reviews of this book and probably some good truths in these as every body else raved about it regardless.

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  12. I will wait for a translation into Hebrew, or I will try to read in English which is not always easy for me, I saw her on YouTube and it is interesting.

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  13. I always read for face value. Delving into meanings is beyond me.

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  14. I read lots but find book reviews so difficult because if I don't enjoy a book I stop reading it . So all I can say is I enjoyed Salt Path and to walk all round the South West coastal with the basics and very little money must have been hard work

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  15. Sounds like a serious book worth reading.
    Sad how your brain has been affected.
    I wonder if that is worse..knowing what you have lost, or like my daughter whose Asperger's syndrome means that despite being a graphic designer she can read a book but not remember it later. It does mean that she comes fresh to every book, even a re-read.....but I cannot discuss books with her which I find frustrating

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    1. And so we all just suck it up and get on with life. It's how it is.

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  16. Sounds an amazing book. I will put it on my Christmas presents wants list. Been there, got the t shirt and once was homeless. Leaves you with a profound sadness forever. Can't believe people can be homeless in this day and age. Thanks for telling us about the book Joanne.

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  17. That's my kind of book review. If someone reviews a book on their blog here, I normally don't read it. I have never heard of the Salt Path, but I am guessing it refers to the old Roman route to transport salt from the South coast to the North. There are many places with the word 'white' in their names along the route. There is another trail leading from the North to the South which was for transporting coal. There are many places with the word 'black' in their names along it.

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  18. Any town ending in wich usually refers to salt production. Nantwich in Cheshire produces road salt to grit England's roads in winter.

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    1. Hari OM
      Actually, generally speaking, wich/wick/wyke indicates a farm or settlement (e.g. Keswick "cheese farm"). The Anglo-Saxon use of 'wich' relates to a fortified place and is where all sorts of artisan works occur. Some of the sites are of Roman or early Post-Roman origin, in which case the 'wich' derives from the Latin 'vicus', meaning "place". If a number of buildings happened to be gathered around a place which provided salt, that was coincidental... the salt mining being an 'artisanal' work.

      All councils have to produce salt/grit mix, so Nantwich is not alone in this.

      As for salt production in the UK - only three places do this; Winsford (in Cheshire and, yes, close to Nantwich), Boulby Mine (Yorkshire) and Kilroot, (N.Ireland).

      As for the comment regarding North/South... this book is actually about the South West Coast Path, England's longest waymarked long-distance footpath and a National Trail. It stretches for 630 miles (1,014 km), running from Minehead in Somerset, along the coasts of Devon and Cornwall, to Poole Harbour in Dorset.

      I have looked a bit closer at the book and all sorts of reviews. I rather think it will not be my kind of read, but that doesn't mean it is not good. Just not my taste. YAM xx

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    2. It was a rough walk, for want of health and money. If some of us read it, I'll be interested in reviews. It's been a long time since I've been so profoundly affected by a book, and I do know why.

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    3. If you look up wich. You will read that salt producing towns end in wich. Salt production was not just confined to mines and was often collected from springs and the sea.

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  19. It is in the notes on my phone which means that when I go to the library I will have it.
    Thanks!

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  20. the synopsis or lead in on the inside of a book's jacket is usually how I decide to read it or not but when I write my reviews I very rarely refer to it. sometimes review are easy, sometimes not.

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  21. Wich in Norwich definitely has nothing to do with salt.

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  22. I have read this book. I found one or two things a bit too convenient , probably embroidered on. I did enjoy the read but by the end I found myself thinking they took people a bit for granted. Also I couldn't understand why they had no help from their children , seeing as they were so desperate.

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  23. Good review. I admittedly can't recall hearing of the book.

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  24. I asked the provincial library to order a book club kit. I think other bookies will enjoy it too.

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  25. I read this book when it first cane out and greatly enjoyed it.. The path they walked is thr South West Coastal Path that starts in Dorset goes along Devon and Cornwall coastline where the wind is salty, the air is salty and the sea is salty, sometimes the path is actually the beach especially along Chesil Beach in Dorset. As you will remember from the book, they had nothing, their children at Uni. They lost everything, I don’t how you could read this book and not become totally immersed in the walk, the weather or their lack of funds.

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    1. They truly had no resources.That to me was the sharpest pain, there was nowhere to turn. If you don't believe that, you don't believe the story, the end, take it back to the library.

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  26. We read it in our Book Group a few months ago and all enjoyed it very much.

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  27. If our library or thrift shop ever get it, I'll join the queue.
    And yes, I don't find it too difficult to believe that people can end up falling between the gaps in the welfare system. Drink or drugs can cause havoc however much help is on offerr.

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    1. And adding insult, neither were involved in this story.

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  28. Thank you. Short, but interesting review.

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  29. Good review. It told me about a book I had not heard of. Also, I now know if I ever happen to be in Southwest England there is a long well marked trail to follow along the coast. I learn many things on blogs.

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  30. I put on my To Read list on Libby ---- thanks!

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  31. Dear Joanne, thank you for the book review. I'm writing down its name on the pad here on my desk and will look to see if it's available from the library as an e-book or on a CD.

    You mention the Appalachian Trail in mentioning the Salt Trail. I've always wanted to walk the first, but could never find someone with whom to do it. On my own, while living in Minnesota and facing a big decision, I went up North by Lake Superior to a park there (Gooseberry) and walked all its trails as I tried to let my mind rest in Oneness and find the peace that would bring forth the questions that would help me to an answer to my dilemma. That has been, for me, always a way to find myself. Peace.

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  32. Sounds like a winner, Joanne. Appreciate the recommendation.

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