Enjoy fast, free delivery, exclusive deals, and award-winning movies & TV shows with Prime
Try Prime and start saving today with fast, free delivery

Audiobook
$0.00
with membership

Hardcover
$20.29

Paperback
$18.99

$19.76 with 32 percent savings

List Price: $28.99

FREE pickup Friday, July 26 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35. Order within 21 hrs 44 mins

THE UPS STORE

1.27 mi | ASHBURN 20147

How pickup works

Only 1 left in stock - order soon.

$$20.29 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details

Enhancements you chose aren't available for this seller. Details

${cardName} not available for the seller you chose

${cardName} unavailable for quantities greater than ${maxQuantity}.

Sold by

Cia's Books and Things

Sold by

Cia's Books and Things

Returns

Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt

Returns

Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt

This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.

Read full return policy

Payment

Secure transaction

Payment

Secure transaction

We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more

Details

Other sellers on Amazon

New & Used (77) from $8.41 + $2.98 shipping

Book Preview A Short Walk Through a Wide World Dark FantasyDark Side of the Library

Image Unavailable

Image not available for
Color:

To view this video download Flash Player

Follow the author

Douglas Westerbeke

Follow

A Short Walk Through a Wide World: A Novel Hardcover – April 2, 2024

by Douglas Westerbeke (Author)

4.1 528 ratings

Editors' pick Best Literature & Fiction

See all formats and editions

{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$20.29","priceAmount":20.29,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"20","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"29","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"r5QN254vJNXSMcoUohirnGYR8pT9aCzML%2B6aWBWwWB1gWI7gKUjWWdzXTSxTt5OLRE%2F1nE%2Bs2KGZt%2Fp9Mg1lIua7BydcMkiSilPw79jhsXo0WiUO7r3SLlGQcUN3VtVTaZx81XxpX6hOyGowG7AdSw%3D%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}, {"displayPrice":"$17.80","priceAmount":17.80,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"17","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"80","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"r5QN254vJNXSMcoUohirnGYR8pT9aCzMBcFsC4p5C087j4owMr4vXh0wBptZnXG0g3GFCPM4tdnLKeAkUS7d9M2oGQLZYHd6ty0oGXW78Ga816UWVJc4qXRQPf4xcw1sTDcXg0NOXzAoWY7G%2FSViVlPVL7wEtYR8JOwYuY8Tt6j7Cpxeddy8F8MoXpEEemDh","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"USED","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":1}],"desktop_buybox_group_2":[{"displayPrice":"$19.76","priceAmount":19.76,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"19","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"76","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"r5QN254vJNXSMcoUohirnGYR8pT9aCzMDy2Cavl%2FytLosZr%2FNDxSkbz8cDyOwSbTyCcfWQxVSIZg4leRgHhKZgOXO09kECUAnvYlWooXHYAyOzZlB8vcvEZypmXWRAmRKt27iuhQqzxRV3DHazRYWuzrSN2LTeylMQBGjxJxT1a9W8EzNQEJxkqHyltWNwKh","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"PICKUP","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":2}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

“Imagine The Life of Pi, The Alchemist, and The Midnight Library rolled into one fantastical fable.” —The New York Times Book Review * “An epic adventure…rich with all the possibilities the world can hold.” —People

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A dazzlingly epic debut that charts the incredible, adventurous life of one woman as she journeys the globe trying to outrun a mysterious curse that will destroy her if she stops moving.

Paris, 1885: Aubry Tourvel, a spoiled and stubborn nine-year-old girl, comes across a wooden puzzle ball on her walk home from school. She tosses it over the fence, only to find it in her backpack that evening. Days later, at the family dinner table, she starts to bleed to death.

When medical treatment only makes her worse, she flees to the outskirts of the city, where she realizes that it is this very act of movement that keeps her alive. So begins her lifelong journey on the run from her condition, which won’t allow her to stay anywhere for longer than a few days—nor return to a place where she’s already been.

From the scorched dunes of the Calashino Sand Sea to the snow-packed peaks of the Himalayas; from a bottomless well in a Parisian courtyard, to the shelves of an infinite underground library, we follow Aubry as she learns what it takes to survive and ultimately, to truly live. But the longer Aubry wanders and the more desperate she is to share her life with others, the clearer it becomes that the world she travels through may not be quite the same as everyone else’s...

Fiercely independent and hopeful, yet full of longing, Aubry Tourvel is an unforgettable character fighting her way through a world of wonders to find a place she can call home. A spellbinding and inspiring story about discovering meaning in a life that seems otherwise impossible, A Short Walk Through a Wide World reminds us that it’s not the destination, but rather the journey—no matter how long it lasts—that makes us who we are.

Print length

400 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster
Publication date

April 2, 2024
Dimensions

6 x 1.2 x 9 inches
ISBN-10

1668026066
ISBN-13

978-1668026069
See all details

Frequently bought together

A Short Walk Through a Wide World: A Novel

$20.29

Get it as soon as Friday, Jul 26

In Stock

Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.

+

$21.62

In Stock

Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.

+

$18.32

Get it as soon as Friday, Jul 26

In Stock

Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.

Total price:

To see our price, add these items to your cart.

Try again!

Details

Added to Cart

Choose items to buy together.

Carys Davies
676
Hardcover
$18.77
Get it as soon as Friday, Jul 26
FREE Shipping on orders over $35 shipped by Amazon
Leif Enger
867
Hardcover
$21.51
Get it as soon as Friday, Jul 26
FREE Shipping on orders over $35 shipped by Amazon
Scott Alexander Howard
461
Hardcover
$20.99
Get it as soon as Friday, Jul 26
FREE Shipping on orders over $35 shipped by Amazon
Yangsze Choo
758
Hardcover
$15.45
Get it as soon as Friday, Jul 26
FREE Shipping on orders over $35 shipped by Amazon
Julia Alvarez
326
Hardcover
$24.49
Get it as soon as Friday, Jul 26
FREE Shipping on orders over $35 shipped by Amazon
Kristen Perrin
2,630
Paperback
$18.33
Get it as soon as Friday, Jul 26
FREE Shipping on orders over $35 shipped by Amazon

Popular Highlights in this book

What are popular highlights?

“There are things on this earth that only exist because you have beheld them. If you weren’t there, they would never have been.”
Highlighted by 104 Kindle readers
Scholars may study, historians may research, readers may read, but nobody knows more about today, this very day, than the person who lives it.
Highlighted by 102 Kindle readers
The best way to survive some things, thought Aubry, was not to understand them.
Highlighted by 100 Kindle readers

From the Publisher

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A ravishing, deeply human book that’s in love with the world, with people, with the new—and yet is infused with a deep, futile longing for home." —NPR, "NPR Staffers Pick Their Favorite Fiction Reads of 2024"

“This whirlwind fever dream of a novel races around the globe, through markets, deserts, and cities, across oceans, over mountains, into the caverns of a vast underground library, chasing its extraordinary protagonist, Aubry Tourvel. . . Welcome to her long, exciting, dangerous, and romantic life.” —Marion Winik, Oprah Daily

“An epic adventure. . . rich with all the possibilities the world can hold.” —People

"Sharing a shelf with philosophical adventure novels like The Midnight Library and The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, Westerbeke’s debut thoughtfully explores the effects of being forced to live only in the present." —Washington Post (10 Noteworthy Books for April)

“Part magical realism–laced travelogue, part love letter to the world, Westerbeke’s extraordinary debut spans decades . . . Striking set pieces, stunning character work, and evocative, insightful prose make every page worth savoring. A hopeful tale of improbable friendships, whirlwind romances, and unexpected joy.” —Kirkus Review (*starred* review)

"Librarian Westerbeke combines elements of Vernian adventure and Borgesian fantasy in his enthralling debut about a woman who must travel constantly in order to survive. . . Capturing each moment of Aubry’s sweeping odyssey with extraordinary vividness, Westerbeke’s poignant epic speaks to the challenges of knowing oneself and others in a world of endless change. This is unforgettable.” —Publishers Weekly (*starred* review)

“A one-of-a-kind love letter to nature, humanity, and the stories we all carry within ourselves. Westerbeke’s engrossing, assured debut will enchant fans of Erin Morgenstern and Alix Harrow.” —Booklist (*starred* review)

"Readers of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab and Life of Pi by Yann Martel will fall in love with Aubry. Librarian Westerbeke’s debut is highly recommended for anyone who enjoys armchair travel and stories that open wide to embrace every experience, even the sad ones." —Library Journal (*starred* review)

“A wild romping adventure, a poignant tale of relationships and interconnectedness, and a compelling journey of self-discovery. A Short Walk Through a Wide World is utterly engrossing, a world—worlds—to get lost in. . . every reader will find something to love.” —Shelf Awareness

"Imaginative. . . A fleet-footed winner.” —The Christian Science Monitor

"A shining story. . . with exciting twists and prose that feels like legend, this is an essential read for anyone looking to renew their lust for life. Perfect for fans of Matt Haig and V.E. Schwab." —Barnes & Noble, “Most Anticipated Debut Novels of 2024”

“An incredible, dazzling debut. . . I’ve never read anything like it.” —Thoughts From a Page podcast

"For those who believe the journey is the destination." —Goodreads

“A Short Walk Through a Wide World is a gorgeous ode to wanderlust. When Aubry Tourvel embarks on an eternal trip, trying to outrun a mysterious affliction, she quickly learns to defend herself. But while her spear’s aim is deadly, curiosity and compassion slay harder. Douglas Westerbeke's dazzling debut takes readers on a thought-provoking journey through cultures and timelines… and also, through a mysterious cave-bound library. I savored every page of this book!” —SHELBY VAN PELT, New York Times bestselling author of Remarkably Bright Creatures

“A Short Walk Through a Wide World is the rare book that immediately becomes a dear friend. Westerbeke has written a beautiful ode to wanderlust, the intrepid spirit, and the changing planet. Aubry Tourvel perfectly embodies the twin desires for exploration and rootedness in a way that makes readers long to walk with her. This is a novel that asks what it is to love the world, and what it is for the world to love us. A grand adventure that begs to be revisited again and again.” —ERIKA SWYLER, author of The Book of Speculation and Light From Other Stars

About the Author

Douglas Westerbeke was a librarian at one of the largest libraries in the US. He has spent the last decade on the local panel of the International Dublin Literary Award, which inspired him to write his own book. He lives in Ohio.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Chapter 1: A Marketplace 1 A Marketplace
The paper is clean and white—she hasn’t drawn her first line—so when the drop of blood falls and makes its little red mark on the page, she freezes. Her pencil hovers in her hand. Her heart, like it always does, gives her chest an extra kick. She drops the pencil. Hand, like a reflex, goes to her nose. She feels the wetness creeping through her sinuses, tastes the brine in the back of her throat. It’s a trickle now, no more than a nosebleed, but in moments it will be much worse—and here, of all places, just as she’d sat down.

It’s too soon. It’s bad luck. She’d hoped to sleep in a real bed tonight, not hammocks or hard ground, and in the morning have a bath, a proper bath in warm water, with soap. She’d hoped to add more entries to her book, like tinder or flint or paper—but how to draw a piece of paper on a piece of paper so that others will look at it and say, “Oh, I see. A piece of paper.”

She’d hoped to try the food. Look at this market—taro preserves, steamed crab claws, curried prawns wrapped in sheets of bean curd. No, this will have to wait, too, for another time and another market. The list of things she won’t do is even longer than that—what list isn’t?—but there’s no time to dwell. The bath can wait. She’ll find a bed somewhere else. The list is gone. Now is the time to get the hell out.

But the marketplace is alive, the people friendly, and the river right there, a shiny tearstain through the green, clogged with colorful skiffs and fishing boats that can whisk her away, no effort at all. This is Siam, a watery part of the world, all jungle, seasons measured by rainfall. She knew as soon as she set foot here that rivers would be her mode of escape.

That old man, selling fish—such a kindly face, weather-beaten, but a glint in his eye still. He will help. Quickly, she slings her bag over her shoulder and cradles her book in the crook of her arm. She picks up her walking stick, as tall as she is, and moves through blue hairs of incense smoke and burning charcoal. She moves past fishmongers and cloth merchants and tables made of bamboo. The old man smokes a long, thin opium pipe, surrounded by racks of dried fish, dried squid, and dried octopus—anything that was once wet now hangs dry, the old man perched among the racks like a caged bird. She doesn’t know the local language, but the French have colonies to the north and the British have influence to the south.

“Please,” she asks in her accented English, “a boat? Do you know where I might find a boat? I need a boat.”

The old man doesn’t understand. He hadn’t noticed her before, just looks up and there she is, the tallest person in the market, with dirty blonde hair and blue eyes, looming over him. The walking stick in her hand, long and straight, makes her look regal, like a venerable Buddhist nun or an emperor’s daughter. Nothing about her suggests the West—no corsets, no bows, no high lace collars, only local fabrics and a laborer’s straw hat—but she will never blend in here, not in this market, not in this country, where she’s at least a head taller than everyone else.

She sees the baffled expression on the old man’s face. She smiles so that he might lower his guard. She rarely blends in anywhere. It’s more rare that she tries. Her appearance invites curious looks and lots of questions. It’s the best method she has of meeting people, but it’s not working on this old man.

He begins chattering in a language she can’t understand. There’s a shift in his demeanor. It happens all the time. He’s mistaken her for a rich foreigner instead of a poor one, instead of someone who has slept in the tops of the jungle canopy and bathed in hidden rivers for the past three weeks. He tries to sell her a stick of dried pomfret. The way he’s gesticulating he might be trying to sell her his whole stand. She raises a single alarmed eyebrow. She’s wrong about this man. Her instinct has failed her. It rarely happens, but when it does it’s downright unnerving. It’s her instinct, her ability to size up a stranger with a glance or two, that’s kept her alive until now.

And then the pain strikes—a terrible, venomous pain—a weeping pain, like an ice pick through a rotten tooth. It drives straight down her spine, from the base of her skull to the small of her back. She shudders as if electrified, then stiffens up, crushing all the slack out of her body. The old man stops his chattering, watches her face turn cold and pale, watches her lips form soundless words. He’s afraid she might topple over in front of him. But she doesn’t topple. She doesn’t even cry out. She clenches her jaw, her body, and shuffles toward the next stall, a jagged limp in her step.

“A boat!” she calls out to anyone. Many turn to hear. None understand. “A boat, a boat, a boat…” She chants the words as she limps past vendors and their stands, as if tossing lifelines from a sinking ship to those onshore. Another stab of pain and the first sparks of panic fly through her brain.

She approaches a woman by a firepit, stirring a yellow curry in an iron wok. She opens her book to the page newly decorated with a drop of blood. Not easy, with all her muscles twitching.

The pages are full of little drawings, hundreds of them, a collection of useful things—bananas, beds, parasols, horses and carriages, needles and thread, locomotives, clockfaces, and candlesticks. She flips through pages with rattled hands until, finally, she finds the little pencil sketch of a boat, of several different kinds of boats—sailboats, steamboats, luxury liners, and canoes, so there can be no mistake.

“A boat? Bateau?”

No response from the woman. Do they know Cantonese here? China is not so far. She’d been in China only a month ago, or so it seemed, cutting through the jungle with a worn-down machete. Now she’s here, south, begging for her life on a riverbank.

“Syún?”

Still the woman doesn’t respond, only stares. Does she know the local word? She’d picked up a few. She’d thought that much ahead. Touk? Was that it?

“Touk?”

But instead of answering her, instead of engaging in some kind of pantomimed conversation as people usually do, the woman drops her big wooden spoon into the curry and silently backs away.

And now she knows she must look very bad. She looks at the handkerchief in her hand. It’s entirely red. The noises of the market have, bit by bit, gone mute, as if she’s underwater, which could only mean that she’s bleeding from the ears, too, and, of course, her mouth is full of blood. She can taste it. She licks her teeth and it pools over her lips and then, to her shame, she knows it’s been dripping down her chin the whole time. She must be a terror to behold.

The pain advances; her entire head is an exposed nerve, a jagged blade scraping the inside of her skull. A terrible pressure builds up against her eyeballs and the ice pick that skewers down the small of her back drives straight into her left leg. She stifles a scream. When she walks, her leg drags behind her like a dead animal.

She wipes her face with her sleeve. It only smears blood across her cheeks. She scans the market for fishermen, ferrymen, anyone who might take her away. She holds out the picture of the boat for all to see.

“Boat! Bateau! Syún!”

No one comes to her aid, but they do stare, fascinated and afraid. She looks rabid, crazed. She looks like someone who can’t be saved. Why would a diseased woman want a boat? To die in? A floating coffin in which to lay her dead body? Would they ever get their boat back? And she can’t explain because this is one language too many. She’s learned plenty by now—Arabic, Spanish, Mandarin, and Cantonese, even more, even a little Circassian, for God’s sake—but she can’t learn them all.

Then she hears—yes, it is—English behind her, somewhere in the crowd, a small clear voice.

“Mama, that lady needs help!”

She turns and sees the child, a little golden-haired girl above the crowd, above a sea of black hair and conical hats, as if suspended there in her white sunny blouse and pinafore dress—but no, actually sitting on someone’s shoulders, near enough to see, but too far to help. British? American? They will understand her. She holds out her red-stained hand, as if to wave, but in another moment the girl is swallowed up in the marketplace.

A new pain, a vulture in her womb digging itself out. She doubles over and falls to her knees. In one terrible cough, she sprays so much blood on the ground that the crowds swarming around her gasp in unison and back away.

Her hat falls off and her walking stick clatters to the ground. She tries to control her breathing—carefully, because even the smallest breath tempts the gag in her throat. She picks up her walking stick, hugging it close to her chest. She leaves the hat. The hat is not important. She can get a new hat. She climbs to her feet, wipes her mouth, approaches the men in the boats by the shore, unloading fish, selling melons and plantains. They see her coming, see the blood, the stagger. They’d flee but they’re trapped against a logjam of boats.

“Je dois avoir un bateau, s’il vous plait…” she says.

Some of the fishermen point. Some shoo her away. It’s not like anything they’ve seen before, this sickness. She stumbles along the shore and the crowd parts before her.

“Someone… please…”

She trembles, her own little earthquake. People scramble up the riverbank to get out of her way. Some choose to flee into the river, up to their knees in mud, up to their thighs in water. Now there are no more people in front of her and she’s standing on a dock that extends past the boats and into the river.

A ferryboat full of people has just cast off, chugging upstream, clouds of thick black smoke from its funnel. Over the noise of the engine is that same voice, the shout of a little girl.

“Come here! This way!”

She looks and sees two blond-haired children in white—in white of all things, a perfect lambswool white—waving to her from the stern of the boat.

“Here!” they shout. “We’ll help you!”

She tucks the book into her sash, wobbles, and almost falls over again, but she focuses and fights her pain and untaps the last of her strength. She runs the length of the dock, clutching her walking stick in her hands. She runs and when she reaches the end, she doesn’t stop or slow down, but leaps into the muddy river. She leaps and swims with all the power she has left to catch that ferry with the powerful steam engine. And everyone in the marketplace rushes to the shore to watch.

The crowd holds their breath and the children egg her on. She swims and swims and she manages to catch up to that ferry before it can find its speed, all the while her walking stick in one hand, her bag dragging behind her. The people on the ferry, amazed by this feat, reach down and lift her up by the arms and pull her into their boat.

Then she is sprawled on the deck, sopping wet, in a puddle of river water and diluted blood. She clutches her walking stick tight to her body, the way monks clutch their prayer beads. She looks up at her rescuers, her fellow travelers. Panting, she asks them, “Oh, mon dieu… Are we moving? Are we underway?”

The two children, a boy and a girl, stare down at her, and their father, too, a big vault of a man with a New Zealand accent, kneeling beside her. He says, “Yes, yes. We’re moving.”

Relief. Reprieve. No more blood, not from her nose, her lips, or her ears. The pain has already faded away. She can breathe again.

“Dieu merci,” she tells them and smiles. “I am aweigh.”

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster (April 2, 2024)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 400 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1668026066
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1668026069
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.2 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1.2 x 9 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #30,296 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #414 in Magical Realism
- #770 in Coming of Age Fiction (Books)
- #3,005 in Literary Fiction (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.1 528 ratings

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Upload your video

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.

Douglas Westerbeke

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read author blogs and more

Customer reviews

4.1 out of 5

528 global ratings

How customer reviews and ratings work

Customers say

Customers find the book fascinating, creative, and imaginative with imagination on steroids. They also describe the characters as interesting.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Select to learn more

Readability Story Characters

13 customers mention "Readability"13 positive0 negative

Customers find the book fascinating, brilliant, and captivating. They also appreciate the very deep and profound wisdom in the layers of the book.

"...If you are on the fence, just get it, it’s a wonderful read!Praise to new author, Douglas Westerbeke’s first novel!..." Read more

"You get lost in this wonderful fantasy book. Loved the way it took you to places you never imagined!" Read more

"...still read this book because the storyline is so original and deserving of your time." Read more

"A little far out, but also quite interesting.Easy to put down and pickup again.Good writer." Read more

8 customers mention "Story"8 positive0 negative

Customers find the story creative, imaginative, and unusual. They also say it's an enjoyable read with imagination on steroids.

"...However, it’s a riveting journey , definitely a page-turner! Love it thus far!..." Read more

"Creative story, imaginative fantasy, a bit too long...." Read more

"...But, by all means, you should still read this book because the storyline is so original and deserving of your time." Read more

"What a great story excellently told. A joy to read with passion and care. Lead character is one to remember." Read more

3 customers mention "Characters"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the characters in the book interesting.

"...A joy to read with passion and care. Lead character is one to remember." Read more

"...The story is complex, the characters are interesting...." Read more

"...Great characters. Good read." Read more

Reviews with images

See all photos

Sort reviews by

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Dory by the Sea

Captivating. Beautiful prose. You truly LIVE the walk…

Reviewed in the United States on April 17, 2024

Verified Purchase

I’m not finished due to circumstances beyond my control. However, it’s a riveting journey , definitely a page-turner! Love it thus far!

Warning: If you are squeamish, just be prepared for the descriptive nature of Aubrey’s sickness and resulting side effects. It just feels more real to me because of it and that’s a good thing!

I’m disappointed to find a random page ripped out (see picture) as if it were printed that way? Upsetting. I’m not downgrading my stars because the new Author doesn’t deserve that!

The book title AND COVER are really “beautiful” IMHO.

If you are on the fence, just get it, it’s a wonderful read!
Praise to new author, Douglas Westerbeke’s first novel! Cannot wait for his next!

I’ll update when finished, IF I need to add OR change anything! DOUBT IT!

It’s a buy!

5 people found this helpful

Helpful

D. Butler

Strange, majestic, thought-provoking

Reviewed in the United States on July 5, 2024

Verified Purchase

Aubry is a young child when she becomes ill and must keeping traveling, never staying more than a few days in each place and never able to go back to where she has already been. Aubry encounters marvelously beautiful yet sometimes scary/intimidating/powerful places, almost always meeting others who show her kindness, compassion, and even love. As someone who doesn’t like traveling, I found myself questioning if, by missing the fellowship and beauty that I might find in other places, is my life less rich? I am truly blessed with a wonderful family, good friends, and a loving home so I think not, but appreciated how this story caused me to consider questions and alternatives.

Reviewed in the United States on May 28, 2024

Verified Purchase

Creative story, imaginative fantasy, a bit too long. The only problem is, I think my copy is defective because I got to the end, someone forgot to include the pages with an actual resolution that explained it all... the illness, the voice, the role, if any of the wooden ball, WHY a bratty (fairly typical nine year old}was chosen (subjected?) to all this. As the pages remaining got thinner, my concern was it was going to have a quickie explanation for the voices, for the "visions" that, as a nine year old she slipped into a coma and everything was in her comatose brain (difficult to imagine how she envisioned sex) but at least it was some sort of an explanation. Didn't anyone publishing this book notice there was no real resolution?

3 people found this helpful

Helpful

Eve

Loved it

Reviewed in the United States on July 7, 2024

Verified Purchase

You get lost in this wonderful fantasy book. Loved the way it took you to places you never imagined!

Helpful

Happy Dog Owner

Great story told with far too much redundancy.

Reviewed in the United States on May 26, 2024

Verified Purchase

I enjoyed the story very much, but it would have been more exciting if about 25% of the excess duplication of the storyline was carefully excised. The unfortunate effect of retelling some of the story threads multiple times is to slow down the pace of the story. If the editing had been done properly, it would have turned this novel into a solid, un-put-downable marathon, but instead, the storyline surges ahead and then drags and then surges again and then drags. But, by all means, you should still read this book because the storyline is so original and deserving of your time.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Morgan A. James

Amazing

Reviewed in the United States on July 17, 2024

Verified Purchase

A Short Walk should be on your list of must-reads. If I could leave ten stars I would.

Reviewed in the United States on June 21, 2024

Verified Purchase

A little far out, but also quite interesting.
Easy to put down and pickup again.
Good writer.

Reviewed in the United States on May 23, 2024

Verified Purchase

What a great story excellently told. A joy to read with passion and care. Lead character is one to remember.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English

Nicole

will appeal to anyone who has ever felt the tug of wanderlust or the ache of longing for connection.

Reviewed in Canada on May 15, 2024

Verified Purchase

As someone who loves nothing more than curling up with a good book and dreaming of far-off lands, I was immediately drawn to "A Short Walk Through a Wide World" by debut author Douglas Westerbeke. From the very first page, I felt a kinship with Aubrey Tourvel, our intrepid protagonist, who is forced to keep moving to avoid a mysterious ailment.

In many ways, Aubrey's journey mirrors our own quest for connection and understanding in a vast and ever-changing world. Like many of us, she grapples with the transient nature of relationships, finding solace in fleeting connections and the beauty of the unknown. As she travels from one place to another, I found myself nodding along, empathizing with her struggles and celebrating her victories.

Westerbeke's writing is both captivating and relatable, weaving a tale that is equal parts enchanting and thought-provoking. Through Aubrey's eyes, I experienced the world in a new light, savoring every lush description and poignant moment of introspection. Despite the fantastical elements, the core of the story resonates with universal themes of love, loss, and the resilience of the human spirit.

One of the highlights of the book is Aubrey's unwavering determination and sense of humor, which shine through even in the darkest of moments. Her journey is peppered with touching encounters and unexpected twists, keeping me on the edge of my seat until the very end.

While there were moments where I wished for more depth and detail, particularly regarding certain plot points, the overall impact of the story is undeniable. The ending, while unexpected, left me feeling both satisfied and contemplative, much like the conclusion of a long journey.

In conclusion, "A Short Walk Through a Wide World" is a relatable and deeply satisfying read that will appeal to anyone who has ever felt the tug of wanderlust or the ache of longing for connection. Douglas Westerbeke has crafted a timeless tale that will stay with me long after I've turned the final page, reminding me of the beauty and complexity of the world we inhabit.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Final Thoughts: This book is more than just a story; it's a companion for anyone who has ever dared to dream of adventure and discovery. Dive in and let Aubrey's journey inspire your own wanderlust-fueled escapades.

غايه احمد

رحلة مثيرة

Reviewed in the United Arab Emirates on July 10, 2024

Verified Purchase

كتاب رائع
و أسلوب الكتاب رائع

Translate review to English

E. Armstrong

An epic tale

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 14, 2024

Verified Purchase

This book is so different to anything I have ever read before. A sort of fairy tale which you can’t believe will continue to go on……and on…..and on.!!! I love a book that takes a long time to read, and this certainly fits that requirement. It is beautifully written too. My only complaint is that I failed completely to understand the point of the heroine’s journeys through space and time, to different countries and peoples, how she could pick up languages so easily. I really did not understand the ending either. Nevertheless, I am blaming myself for my failure to understand it, not the author. Quite intriguing!

JannyMac

A fabulous story from first time author Westerbeke

Reviewed in Canada on June 5, 2024

Verified Purchase

Only took me 3 nights to devour this fascinating novel. The characters are really well constructed, especially the protagonist, Aubrey Tourvel. I would have surely gone walking with her, but would only have made it a short distance...
I highly recommend this book! But get your own copy. I know I will reread mine.

ARC56

A perfect read

Reviewed in Canada on May 14, 2024

Verified Purchase

I curled up for two days and read this wonderful book. It brought me back to my childhood summers when I could get so lost in a book the real world wasn't there. Aubry Tourvel is a marvelous character and yes, some will find flaws here and there but if you can check your adult mind at the door - you'll be drawn in completely.

See more reviews

Customers who viewed this item also viewed

Image Unavailable

Follow the author

A Short Walk Through a Wide World: A Novel Hardcover – April 2, 2024

Purchase options and add-ons

Frequently bought together

Similar items that may ship from close to you

From the Publisher

Editorial Reviews

Review

About the Author

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Product details

Videos for this product

Book Preview A Short Walk Through a Wide World Dark Fantasy

About the author

Douglas Westerbeke

Customer reviews

Customers say

Reviews with images

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Top reviews from other countries

Customers who viewed this item also viewed

Amazon Prime includes:

Follow the author

A Short Walk Through a Wide World: A Novel Hardcover – April 2, 2024

Purchase options and add-ons

Frequently bought together

Similar items that may ship from close to you

From the Publisher

Editorial Reviews

Review

About the Author

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Product details

Videos

Videos for this product

Book Preview A Short Walk Through a Wide World Dark Fantasy

About the author

Douglas Westerbeke

Customer reviews

Customers say

Reviews with images

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Top reviews from other countries