Windswept, Annabel Abbs
Windswept, Annabel Abbs
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Windswept
Walking the Paths of Trailblazing Women

Author: Annabel Abbs

Narrator: Fenella Fudge

Unabridged: 11 hr 17 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 09/07/2021


Synopsis

Annabel Abbs's Windswept: Walking the Paths of Trailblazing Women is a beautifully written meditation on connecting with the outdoors through the simple act of walking. In captivating and elegant prose, Abbs follows in the footsteps of women who boldly reclaimed wild landscapes for themselves, including Georgia O’Keeffe in the empty plains of Texas and New Mexico, Nan Shepherd in the mountains of Scotland, Gwen John following the French River Garonne, Daphne du Maurier along the River Rhône, and Simone de Beauvoir—who walked as much as twenty-five miles a day in a dress and espadrilles—through the mountains and forests of France.

Part historical inquiry and part memoir, the stories of these writers and artists are laced together by moments in Abbs's own life, beginning with her poet father who raised her in the Welsh countryside as an "experiment," according to the principles of Rousseau. Abbs explores a forgotten legacy of moving on foot and discovers how it has helped women throughout history to find their voices, to reimagine their lives, and to break free from convention.

As Abbs traces the paths of exceptional women, she realizes that she, too, is walking away from her past and into a radically different future. Windswept crosses continents and centuries in a provocative and poignant account of the power of walking in nature.

About Annabel Abbs

Annabel Abbs is the new rising star of biographical historical novels. She grew up in Bristol, Sussex and Wales before studying English Literature at the University of East Anglia and Marketing at the University of Kingston. Her debut novel The Joyce Girl was a Guardian Reader’s Pick and her second novel Frieda: The Original Lady Chatterley earned critical acclaim including Times 2018 Book of the Year. She regularly appears on national and regional media, with recent appearances on Radio 4 Woman’s Hour and Sky News, and is popular on the literary festival circuit. She was longlisted for the Bath Novel Award, the Caledonia Novel Award and the Waverton GoodRead Award. Annabel lives in London with her husband and four children. 


Reviews

Goodreads review by Dagio_maya on January 26, 2025

"Quand’è che camminare smette di essere una cosa che fai e diventa parte di quello che sei? Sei donne più o meno note. Sei camminatrici a cui Annabel Abbs, scrittrice anglosassone si unisce ripercorrendo itinerari da loro intrapresi. La prima è Frieda von Richtofen meglio nota come Frieda Lawrenc......more

Goodreads review by Tamara on October 25, 2021

In Windswept: Walking the Paths of Trailblazing Women, Annabel Abbs retraces the steps of exceptional women who had a passion for walking. Her selection of women is international: Frieda Lawrence, the German wife and muse of D.H. Lawrence; Gwen John, a Welsh artist; Clara Vyvyan, an Australian autho......more

Goodreads review by Pam on October 21, 2021

Abbs’ book title Windswept: Walking the Paths of Trailblazing Women is somewhat deceptive. Had she stuck with the women she uses as examples and the science she has researched to make her points, the book would have suited me more. Her choice of women walkers is very idiosyncratic. They seem to be c......more

Goodreads review by Karen on July 05, 2021

Just glorious!! I found this book to be inspiring, thought provoking, educational, fascinating and just wonderful! The author uses her own life experiences, especially when she found herself in hospital unable to walk, to explore the art of walking and the fact that there was very few books around b......more

Goodreads review by Charlotte on October 10, 2024

Si on zoome à fond sur mon adn, il doit être écrit, quelque part, de manière bien lisible: "adore les essais qui parlent de femmes qui font des trucs de badass parce que c'est dans leur nature tout en critiquant pas du tout subtilement les hommes". Ou un truc similaire.......more