Walking: One Step at a Time, Erling Kagge 2019
Kagge, a Norwegian explorer, writer, publisher, and all around interesting man, is well qualified to write a book about walking since he has walked to the South Pole, the North Pole, and to the top of Everest. Rather than take us on those journeys, however, he extols the virtues and the pleasures of walking in the woods and in the city (like my walking every street in Cambridge, he appears to have done the same in Oslo). Citing Thoreau and a number of Norwegian philosophers, poets, and scientists, he delves into the various benefits of putting one foot in front of the other with no specific goal other than to leave one’s problems behind and get in touch with your senses, nature, and the beauty of the world. From astronauts who have walked on the moon and his own experiences on Everest, walking Sunset Boulevard in LA, and walking the sewers in NYC from the Bronx to the ocean, this book is a deep exploration of the traits that Kegge thinks have been most important in our evolution—-walking, exploring, learning, and innovating. This is a lovely, little book, and the first in my long book shelf of books about walking. Stay tuned for more as I read and walk my way through this year.
