Landlines (by Raynor Winn, author of The Salt Path)

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Raynor Winn lost her home as they backed somebody who went bust and took the Winns down with him.

I am currently reading “Finding Hildasay” by Christian Lewis. He is the former paratrooper who walked all round England, Wales and Scotland with his dog when he was trying to overcome depression and raised a vast amount for SAAFA.

On the way he met a woman who became his partner and they have a son. They were recently on Ben Fogles’s TV programme. They are still walking!

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I wanted to enjoy The Salt Path, but I didn’t.
Mostly I felt irritation, I agree with Shill29, too many coincidences by far, and foolhardy in the extreme.

There were so many things wrong to my taste with the first book that I have never felt inclined to read any more.

Like Shill29 my main interest would have been the SWCP but I didn't find it interesting.

Raynor Winn is doing a concert tour with the Gigspanner Big Band - it popped up on Facebook I think. She has written the words they sing the songs which are folky so might interest me. Don’t think any venues are local to me though.

Shill29

I’ve only read The Salt Path. I found the story pretty unbelievable to be honest with too many coincidences to ring true. I only read it because of an interest in the SW coastal path but it wasn’t clear why they undertook the journey. Could it have been in order to write a book on it?

Perhaps it was like a kind of Gap Year, which many of us missed out on.
School, college, work ....

They were on TV recently being interviewed. They had bought an established cider farm and business so no longer penniless.

I read The Salt Path and got very bored with the descriptions of the places they visited which were described in huge detail and unless she had an amazing memory or a notebook they must have been reconstructed from Google searches. I don’t want to read either of the other books.

I’ve only read The Salt Path. I found the story pretty unbelievable to be honest with too many coincidences to ring true. I only read it because of an interest in the SW coastal path but it wasn’t clear why they undertook the journey. Could it have been in order to write a book on it?

mrsgreenfingers56

Thanks for the warning then Oldnproud!

Personally I don't like swearing like that at all, my late father used to say lack of command of the English Language, sign of low intelligence and letting yourself down socially.

I did wonder why they ended up homeless as they had a son/daughter or both and think surely they could have lived with them until accommodation sorted out, anything instead of becoming homeless. But believe the place they had was a tenancy and you never have security being a tenant.

Pretty sure they had a mortgage on their house. I don’t think they were tenants.

With a sick husband I would have been straight down the council offices the minute I was made homeless. They would be priority and even if it meant staying in a B and B for a while before getting a property, I would have gone for that.

Thanks for the warning then Oldnproud!

Personally I don't like swearing like that at all, my late father used to say lack of command of the English Language, sign of low intelligence and letting yourself down socially.

I did wonder why they ended up homeless as they had a son/daughter or both and think surely they could have lived with them until accommodation sorted out, anything instead of becoming homeless. But believe the place they had was a tenancy and you never have security being a tenant.

51Callistemon21
I'd watch it for the scenery and picking out places I know.

Hmm, you have a point there. As they passed very close to where I grew up, I could be tempted to watch the film for that reason alone assuming that the film was shot in the genuine locations and not more convenient look-alike places.

Oldnproud

Callistemon21

The Salt Path has been filmed recently, is it going to be on TV?

I didn't know that, but if it is shown on TV in the future I would like to see it - though I would probably regret it, because films very rarely match the images that I have already build in my own mind from reading a book first.

I'd watch it for the scenery and picking out places I know.

I enjoyed The Salt Path, although I agree that the circumstances that led to their making that long walk are a bit hazy. Maybe they just panicked, a sort of fight or flight reaction.

I’ve just read her second book, The Wild Silence, which I didn’t enjoy half so much. I’m not sure whether I’ll bother with Landlines.

There was a lengthy interview with Raynor Winn in a magazine a few months ago, must see if I can find it.

Callistemon21

The Salt Path has been filmed recently, is it going to be on TV?

I didn't know that, but if it is shown on TV in the future I would like to see it - though I would probably regret it, because films very rarely match the images that I have already build in my own mind from reading a book first.

The Salt Path has been filmed recently, is it going to be on TV?

J52 and Primrose 53 I'm with both of you. I didn't like The Salt Path for all the reasons you've listed. In fact, I found them very annoying with the ridiculous decisions they made and what seemed very much like scrounging.

I’m with Primrose53. I know I’m in the minority, but I didn’t like The Salt Path for the same reasons.

Oldnproud

It was very noticeable in this latest book that they now have some money, Primrose53, because they were able to spend some nights in hotels or other rooms, unlike in the first book where they didn't even have enough to feed themselves. There is no attempt to hide that. Admittedly though, days still run into weeks of walking in the rain, getting their clothes wet etc. That's the trouble with a book on hiking - most aspects of it are very repetitive.

I hadn't read anything suggesting that there might be an element of fiction in the books. Exaggeration I can accept, but it would be very disappointing if any of it were to turn out to be pure fiction. I really hope that isn't true.

She has made millions as her books have been translated into many languages.

Why didn’t they just go to the local council as soon as they became homeless and they would have been housed? OK he was ill but she was OK and could have found herself a job to bring more money in for them.

It was very noticeable in this latest book that they now have some money, Primrose53, because they were able to spend some nights in hotels or other rooms, unlike in the first book where they didn't even have enough to feed themselves. There is no attempt to hide that. Admittedly though, days still run into weeks of walking in the rain, getting their clothes wet etc. That's the trouble with a book on hiking - most aspects of it are very repetitive.

I hadn't read anything suggesting that there might be an element of fiction in the books. Exaggeration I can accept, but it would be very disappointing if any of it were to turn out to be pure fiction. I really hope that isn't true.

This must be her third book. I have read The Wild Silence and The Salt Path.

Initially I thought The Salt Path would be a great read but she never really explained how they got themselves into such a financial mess which resulted in them losing their home. She pretty much glossed over it.

In both books I actually got bored of her going on about them sharing half a sweet or a stale piece of cake. Days ran into weeks of walking in the rain, getting their clothes dry and dealing with a cheap, leaky tent and very thin sleeping bags.

I didn’t like how her and Moth used to turn up at campsites late in the day so they could use the loos and showers and then leave early in the morning so they didn’t have to pay. That is not on at all! She makes out they are owed something because of the situation they find themselves in yet doing a small business out of payment is OK.

She has made a LOT of money out of her books but I read that people are now questioning how much of it is fact and how much is fiction. 😉