But, here's the thing. I think this book would have been better if it had been more straightforward. Instead of being a self-help type book about the benefits of slowing down and just wandering, being in the moment and all that stuff that I should probably get better about, instead it's presented as a book the author found, about a society (that never meets) of wanderers, inspired by Walt Whitman. So instead of it being "Here are things to do to wander and the great stuff you can get out of it" it's more "I am uncovering this secret society that focuses on wandering and everything in here is written by me but I'm just compiling stuff and I'm going to leave footnotes with my thoughts but the other stuff isn't my thoughts" and I got tired of this conceit real quick. It felt, as a few reviews said, gimmicky and I had trouble giving into it and just going with the flow.
Which is too bad cos there are some good things in here. She has recommendations on books to check out, there's some advice on how to wander, so there's good stuff there. There are also poems and a fairly long section with crafts that I skimmed right through, but could see that being for someone else.
Overall I like the idea and if it wasn't for the whole "secret society" bit I think I would have been more on board. But since I couldn't take that seriously I had trouble with the whole thing. But I will try to be more mindful and make attempts and just wandering without any particular plan in mind. Just go with the flow, enjoy where I am. Also I should say that the cover of the book itself is very pretty, so I do appreciate that. And it came with stickers.
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Smith, Keri. The Wander Society. Penguin Books, 2016.
