This One Wild and Precious Life

October 15, 2020
An earnest pastiche of political theorizing, travel memoir, and environmental exhortation that attempts to encourage readers to act constructively in an increasingly disconnected world. The former editor of Cosmopolitan Australia and author of I Quit Sugar and its many sequels confronts the "itch" she feels as a result of a world beset by climate change, Covid-19, and the consequences of neoliberalism. She has made a good faith effort to integrate the changes wrought on the world by the coronavirus into a book ready for publication before the pandemic hit. No one could accuse her of inadequate research: Almost every page is peppered with quotations, statistics, and factoids, often set in the margins. While there are no sources included in the book, the author notes links to some on her website. Many others--such as Wilson's assertion that "many famous artists, writers and creatives walk to cure bipolar and constipation, or, more often than not, both (because they often travel together)"--are not readily verifiable and may take further digging by readers. The text comprises 136 miniature chapters, interwoven with frustratingly brief descriptions of hikes the author has taken in various sites in the world. Summaries of snippets of scientific research alternate with pages of advice on living a minimalist life as well as chapters about the author's personal journey, with emphasis on a trip to Crete when she was in her mid-40s to attempt a pregnancy by way of in vitro fertilization using the sperm of a 21-year-old Danish poetry student. Some of Wilson's advice is suspect: She advocates hitchhiking as well as hiking without water or a map. Her suggestions regarding frugality are sometimes excessive, as when she notes how she "started collecting butter scraps at cafes" in addition to fish bones and carcasses to make bone broth. Loosely structured at best, the disjointed narrative jumps from topic to topic every page or two, which will leave many readers adrift. One for the fans.

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October 19, 2020
Anxiety and disconnection are natural consequences of overconsumptive modern life, argues Australian journalist Wilson (First, We Make the Beast Beautiful) in this vibrant take on how to build a more joyful existence and sustainable world. After describing the crises of unfettered capitalism, Covid-19, and climate change, Wilson assures readers that happiness and peace are still possible even though “human-made clusterfucks of the Anthropocene are now fundamentally too big to wrap our heads around, control or fix.” To that end, she ponders axioms to live by, particularly Erich Fromm’s call to “live life as a study of love and work.” She outlines techniques to find spiritual connection and purpose, including small suggestions (avoid mindless scrolling on a phone, for instance) and more involved practices to incorporate into one’s life (such as exploring nature, which she illustrates through many anecdotes of her own hiking trips). The author ranges widely, interspersing personal stories with interviews, scientific research, and quotes from religious texts, making for a reading experience that has the feel of an impassioned conversation with a friend: “To be clear, I am not optimistic. Unlike pessimism and optimism, hope necessitates action.” Wilson’s engaging prose and timely advice will appeal to those who enjoyed Matt Haig’s Notes on a Nervous Planet.

December 1, 2020
Wilson's latest memoir addresses the disconnect and "itch" many people might currently be feeling. Her thought-provoking call to action shines light on the personal fog and spiritual trauma experienced while living with consumerism, climate change, COVID-19, social injustice, and collective anxiety. She both looks at how we got here and explains what we can do about it, using joyful practices and some serious changes. Author of both the best-selling I Quit Sugar cookbook series and the anxiety memoir First, We Make the Beast Beautiful (2018), Wilson is a self-proclaimed nomad and obsessive hiker, and here she also shares her detailed walks in well-known places scattered throughout the world along with the people she met and lessons she learned along the way. This almost reads like three books--one on the need for meaningful connection within ourselves, another about her personal hikes and worldwide journeys, and a third detailing her personal experiences with loss--and a blog on activism all put together. The writing can flag at times, but nonetheless, this book is inspiring.

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November 20, 2020

In her new work, the New York Times best-selling Wilson (First, We Make the Beast Beautiful) addresses our groundswell of loneliness, a public health issue as serious as alcoholism and obesity (200,000-copy first printing).

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