Wednesday, 11 November 2020

The Wild Silence By Raynor Winn

 I loved her first book " The Salt Path" - which tells the story of their walk around the South West Coastal path after being made homeless,penniless and with her husbands diagnoses of a terminal illness hanging over them.

This is her second book and is the story of how she came to write the first book, how her husband finds ways to fight  disease, their new home thanks to a kind reader and a trek through Iceland.

It was a bit of a struggle to read this, not because it's hard going but because of connections to my life.

Firstly of course is the diagnoses of terminal illness - a different illness to Colin but just as devastating . Treatable but not curable we were told - sadly they didn't say that treatment rarely works for very long. Ray's husband Moth is still fighting but my Colin died after just 2½ years.

 And then the book starts with the death of Ray's mother and Ray having to spend a couple of weeks with her mother in hospital and having to decide when to stop treatment. It was a bit too close to May 2018 and I remember all too well sitting with Colin and trying to sleep on a fold out bed beside him as his breathing got worse and knowing he couldn't hear me talking to him anymore.

 Then another but nicer connection when Ray is asked by "A small publishing company" to write the introduction to a book being reprinted. I knew straight away the company were Little Toller Books   
and I knew well the book she too knew well from her youth. Copsford by  Walter Murray

I wrote about it here  in July 2019. As a young man Murray, desperate to get out of the city, spent 10 months living in a semi-derelict cottage in the middle of nowhere, harvesting and  drying wild plants which back then (just after WWI) were sold to companies to produce medicines.

I'm now  re-reading  Copsford as it's many years since I last read it.

(Direct Debits for Council Tax, Phones, Car Breakdown Insurance,Charity Donation Total £260)
1st.        No Spend
2nd        Food  £33 + Cat £6 +  Diesel £18 + Printer Paper £4.          = £61  
3rd         No Spend
4th        Swimming £2.25
5th         No Spend 
6th        No Spend
7th          No Spend
8th         No Spend
9th        No spend
10th       Food £18 + Cat £5 + Kitchen stuff £2.50 + Pharmacy £3.80 
               Christmas bits £3.50      = £32

Back Tomorrow
Sue

 

26 comments:

  1. Much love to you - such bitter-sweet memories. xxx

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    1. It's a good read but just a bit too close to home

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  2. I have never been very fond of books featuring serious illnesses, mental or physical. I avoid them.

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    1. I wanted to read it because I enjoyed the first book but perhaps I should have left it a bit longer

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  3. A painful journey can be held in between an innocent book cover...for me it was To Hear a Nightingale...big hug flying to Suffolk Sue -x-

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    1. It is a good follow-up to The Salt Path and I enjoyed it despite everything

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  4. You were brave to read it, with so many wrenches to the heart because of losing Colin. I really enjoyed the Salt Path, so will add this one to my Christmas list.

    Just had a naughty moment though and went to Abebooks and bought a copy of Copsford . . . I felt I have more than earned it lately!!

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    1. I'm glad I found Copsford years ago - even though I'd love the Little Toller version to start a collection of Little Toller books!!

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  5. I thought immediately of you when I got to the part when she was by her mother's hospital bedside and hoped you would be okay reading it. Reading her account of it I was inspired to order a copy of Copsford and I will be reading that as soon as I finish my current book.

    I didn't think this book was quite as good as The Salt Path, it took me a bit to get into the Icelandic walk and then it seemed to rush through the final pages, but nevertheless it was a good read that I finished yesterday.

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    1. I did enjoy the book even with the similarities and I thought the Icelandic trip was a strange idea for someone not well but I suppose they are braver than I would ever be!

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  6. I am re-reading quite a lot of books read a long time ago, and it is odd what is remembered and what isn't and how one's relationship with a book changes.

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    1. The library van won't be round for weeks so I shall read several of my own books before then

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  7. Huge hugs winging their way to Suffolk right now. I was watching a TV programme on Monday l, and out of the blue was something which chimed with my experience of losing my Dad. I had not seen it coming. I sat and wept. My father was a wise man. He once said something like "they say Time Heals, but it doesn't. The gaps between the sad moments gradually get longer, but when those moments do come, the pain is just as deep" You're very brave to have read such a book, Sue. And this is a helpful review. As Tasker says in his comment, our relationship with a book changes with time.

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    1. Sadness strikes sometimes but I know I'll get through.
      I wanted to read the book having enjoyed the first one and it was a good read despite everything

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  8. I know those feelings very well I watched my husband get weaker and die within 16 months of being diagnosed with terminal cancer, at the end he had a hospital bed downstairs and I slept next to him in a chair for the last 3 months of his life that time I spent with him is very precious to me and It was an honour to be able to nurse him myself at home where he wanted to be. Hugs Heather

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    1. Cols death was far too sudden after all the years of illness.
      Sending virtual hugs your way too

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  9. Sounds like a difficult book to read. Hugs.

    Good on the no spend! I seem to be doing more of that lately though not through design but by the lack of desire to go to the shops.

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    1. I need to sort out present for Grandchildren so will do a bit of spending sometime but not much else needed

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  10. It sounds like a tricky book for me to read too. I feel quite vulnerable at the moment so am only reading 'happy' books. I just started the Richard Osman one last night and it's promising to be a good read.
    Sending you hugs xx

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    1. Thank you, I'm looking forward to the Richard Osman book when I eventually get to the top of the library waiting list of 500+

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  11. Fellow bloggers I salute you for your strengths.

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  12. I have 7 no-spend days out of every 8 at present because of staying at home. I have a 'weekly' supermarket delivery and each week I book my delivery slot a day later. Of course, with Christmas creeping up, I need to buy presents, but I have been earning Amazon vouchers by taking part in 'Shop & Scan' and with a bit of luck and careful choices, they will just about cover the presents. I do miss browsing the shops though . . .

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  13. I really enjoyed the Salt Path, particularly as it was our coastal path they walked. Thank you for saying what you thought of the second book. I still have bought it, and there are some bits I think may be difficult, but I shall still read it. Sending you a hug, Sue. It’s been nearly 4 years since I lost my dear Dad, he passed away 14 weeks after diagnosis and sometimes the weirdest thing will make me very sad. Well done on your no spend days :)

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  14. We read "The Salt Path" in our bookclub and people had very different views of it...some loved it and others loathed it. There didn't seem to be any middle ground with their reactions. Arilx

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  15. I didn't find it as enjoyable as the Salt Path and, like you, found the start with Ray's mother's death quite harrowing. My husband died 4 years ago but it was a different situation to yours. He had dementia and had really left me many years before not that it made it any easier.

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  16. I read Salt Path over and over and over. I realize Wild Silence must be in my mailbox. I'll get it tomorrow, and than you.

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