Worldwalk, Steven M. Newman. (Paperback 0380711508)

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An Incredible Tale of Adventure and Inspiration: One American's Four-Year Journey Alone and on Foot — The young American is listed in the 1988 Guinness Book of World Records for his remarkable feat: — as the first person to walk around the world alone. And he was truly on his own: no sponsorship, limited funds, his total luggage a backpack he name... more »d Clinger. It took him four years to complete his journey of five continents, twenty countries, over fifteen thousand miles.

But he did not set out to make a special record. he always had been interested in the world and, despite disaster headlines, had been there were good people throughout it. He wanted to find out for himself. And he tells of his experiences in an impressively vivid, detailed account of his intimate view of the world.

On April 1, 1983, at age twenty-eight, Steve left his family home in Bethel, Ohio, and headed for the East Coast, from where he flew to London and began his travels abroad. He paid for no lodging, slept in fields, under bridges, in abandoned buildings--or in the homes of people who invited him. And invited he was, because people all over the world were taken with this tall, lanky redhead with the tiny American flag on his backpack--and wanted to be part of the adventure.

He had adventures aplenty. He inadvertently created his own bomb scare in Northern Ireland when he parked his sack of dirty laundry with its white plastic drawstring outside a lord mayor's office. He crossed the Pyrenees in a violent snowstorm, as the wind ripped him from the mountainside. He was pulled apart by a mob of hustlers in Tangier and almost killed by a runaway team of horses in Morocco. He was treed for a night by long-tusked boars in Algeria, and attacked by bull ants in the Australian outback. He was arrested in Algeria, Yugoslavia, and Turkey--and had to escape from jail in Turkey. He was caught on a stretch of empty road in the middle of the night in Thailand by two bandits with machetes.

But with all the excitement, adventure, and danger in the book, the dominant emotion of Worldwalk is one of warmth:

the out-pouring of love and assistance shown to this lone American by people --from Irish pub owners to Buddhist monks-- who wanted to share in his dream. Because he walked far from the beaten path, in parts of the world no tourist sees, he was for many the only American they had ever met, and so he became an unwitting but wonderful ambassador for his country.

The only thing he ever asked of anyone was a drink of water. Her was given money, food, shelter--and friendship. And when on April 1, 1987, he returned to Bethel, it was as a man who had grown wit the richness of his experience, and with ample proof of the goodness he had sought.

ISBN-13: 9780380711505
ISBN-10: 0380711508
Publication Date: 11/1990
Pages: 547
Edition: Reprint
Rating:

Currently 4.1/5 Stars.

4.1 stars, based on 8 ratings

Publisher: Avon Books (Mm)
Book Type: Paperback
Other Versions: Hardcover
Members Wishing: 2
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review

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Michael S. (LAUGHOGRAMS) reviewed Worldwalk on 2/2/2009

Helpful Score: 2

This might be some people's cup of tea, but I barely made it into the British Isles with this guy. Between his dopey wide-eyed "land of magical fairies" notions of Ireland, his cloying anthropomorphism of his backpack, and the lack of common sense I ran out of patience with this guy's adventures. There are better tales of travel out there.

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Sharon D. (booklit) reviewed Worldwalk on 4/13/2009 + 473 more book reviews

An amazing account of one man's journey around the world. The stories of the people and places he met are astounding and captivating.

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Aaron M. reviewed Worldwalk on 12/23/2008

This book offers a great adventure story for those craving it. The author does a great job of detailing his crazy encounters as he walks around the world. If you enjoyed Bill Bryson's Appalachian walk book, you will love this one!

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Eileen G. (dulcimerlady) reviewed Worldwalk on 11/26/2007 + 334 more book reviews

My husband and I both enjoyed this book immensely! The fascinating country-by-country memoir of the man who walked around the world, in four years. Fascinating reading, well written and meaningful beyond the mere account of the journey.

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