The Wild Silence Review

I have just read Wild Silence the follow up of The Salt Path by Raynor Winn. I wrote in this post: that the Salt Oarhis about true life story about a couple who upon bring evicted decide to walk the South West coast path which is 630miles. Raynor’s Winn has been told he has a terminal disease although it can only 100% be confirmed at post mortem. It has made me think what terminal means; looking it up it is a disease that can not be cured which will ultimately lead to death. Sometimes the times the term life limiting is used instead of terminal. Walking 630miles do not seem to fit with those terms although some people with a terminal condition will deteriorate faster. The book is also thought provoking as regards homelessness. I definitely recommend!

I was eager to read the Wild Silence, to find out what happened next to the couple. Like the Salt Path, I devoured Wild Silence within a few days. The book answered a lingering question about how the Salt Path was written. I wondered whether Raynor had wrote notes as they went on but was unsure seen as she mentioned everything they packed and she had not packed a notebook. It turns out she wrote Salt Path quite a long time after the end of the walk from her memory and brief notes that Moth had made in the margins of the guide book. I was moved when in Wild Silence Raynor mentioned she had dreamed growing up of ‘writing a book with a penguin on the spine’ to check the books spine and sure Wild Silence does have a penguin, symbolising it was published by penguin

The Wild Silence describes the process of writing the Salt Path originally written to aid Moth’s memory and subsequently the process of it being published; alongside other life events such as Raynor’s Mum dying. Raynor also reminisces about events before their walk including previous walking adventures with Moth and childhood events.

In summary like the Salt Path, the Wild Silence was another enjoyable read.