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If you want to feel at home somewhere, you have to start with an open mind and be willing to see your connectedness to others even if you don’t feel it straight away. If you go into a situation or place expecting to feel distant from others, you will think and behave in ways that lead to that outcome. If you approach things expecting to form connections with people, you’ll be far more likely to do so. I only gave this one three stars instead of four (three stars for 'I liked it' as opposed to four stars for 'I really liked it'), because I would have preferred a stronger structure. I found my mind wandering a little, as Sethi sometimes drifted between ideas, or seemed to repeat herself. There are so many great ideas in this book, but I would have preferred them to be expressed in a more structured format. But that is purely personal preference.
If, right now, you feel like you don’t fit in with the people and places that surround you, there is likely a reason for it.
Exploring nature writing through such a political and powerful lens is groundbreaking and it was truly a joy to read, even if the content was emotionally challenging at times. Written in incredible prose… Sethi is a powerhouse writer and her work deserves a place on every bookshelf. We can’t wait to see what she creates next.’ Where were the first steps you took and what place did you most spend your early life walking through?" In the Penny Pot cafe I sip sweet tea while looking at maps. A volunteer from the National Trust tells me that this part of the countryside is all about the right to roam, as it is here that the Kinder Scout mass trespass of 1932, which helped to open up access to the countryside, happened. Hundreds of walkers, mainly from Manchester, trespassed on what was then private land by walking from Hayfield to Kinder Scout, asserting their right to exist in places from which they were excluded. Kinder Scout was at the time used to keep grouse for rich landowners. The walk was celebrated in the folk song by poet and folk singer Ewan MacColl, who joined the protest and knew that walking could be a radical and political act and lead to change; that walking could be a way of saying: I belong here. There are many names for people who do not fit in: misfit, nonconformist, loner, outcast, outsider, and individualist are just a few.
First of all, I wanted to say a big thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for this ARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Sethi was brought up in Manchester by her mother, a single mum. There wasn’t much money around in her childhood home, nor did the family ever have expensive holidays. But Sethi vividly remembers once staying in the Lake District as a girl and the sense of wonder she experienced when contemplating the open expanses of hills, lakes and sky. Then, as an adult plying her trade as a writer and living in rented accommodation in Manchester and then London, Sethi always looked forward to the sense of relief, the ability to breathe, that came from managing to get out into the countryside. the attempt to manipulate the truth by invalidating someone’s experience and presenting a false version of reality.Amid these reflections, observations and calls to action, the author basks in the quiet and solitude of the natural world, finding much-needed space away from the noise of the urban environment and the chatter inside her head. As Sethi makes her way across mountains, rivers and rugged limestone hills, her stamina grows, her resolve hardens and her confidence builds. Nature does not cure her anxiety, but she learns how it can bring relief and a sense of perspective that can be lost amid life’s day-to-day clamour. “Walking through such wild, ancient landscape brings a strong awareness of how we are all temporary guests on this earth,” she observes. “We will take nothing of it with us.” The other words are all variations on the theme of not belonging. What are the consequences of feeling like you don’t belong? I found my pre-booked seat and as the train pulled out I began to practise my reading in my head for the coming evening. It stopped in Newton-le-Willows before pulling into Manchester Victoria station. I felt the inevitable flood of memories at my home town station, gateway to illicit teenage trips, visiting the hills surrounding the city while skiving school. We also have an element called Gamers Belong Here, which will see Olympians going head-to-head with high profile gamers on the official Tokyo 2020 Video Game, while My Story Belongs Here provides a special filter for people to use on their social posts to show that they belong here too. When you feel you don’t belong anywhere, it can feel like a complete rejection of who you are because if nobody likes you for who you are or ‘gets’ you, it’s hard not to take it personally.
Reading about her confidence and empowerment was so heartening, she is an utterly exceptional woman. I am truly so grateful I got to read her beautiful words. Her actions of solidarity towards fellow ethnic minorities and words of empowerment were so uplifting and moving. Restored and enlivened by the wonders of nature, Anita finds the courage to embrace her vulnerabilities and strengths and to claim her place in the world. Brave and life-affirming book.’
About Bobby Seal
That’s why it’s highly likely you’ll need the guidance of a trained therapist if you are to banish these feelings from your life. There’s no shame in that – therapy is one of the most effective tools for self-discovery and self-growth. You must be willing to put yourself out there if you want to accomplish anything, whether that is making new friends, finding acceptance, learning something new, or developing a career. Not everyone is going to understand you or the way you want to live your life; and you may not understand theirs. Making an effort to bridge the gap in a way that does not compromise the most important parts of you is a good way to find connections with other people. One woman's journey of reclamation through natural landscapes as she contemplates identity and womanhood, nature, place and belonging.
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