I have to admit.
I’m sort of at a loss for words.
(which for those who know me, is oft not the case)

I had high hopes for this book.
High hopes for a book entitled “The Lost Art Of Walking” & what it could inspire & reflect of the world.

But then, just as it began.
Betrayal.

A book about walking written by an author who willingly lives in LA?
But nobody fucking walks in LA.
In fact, I’ve been led to believe that walking in LA is considered a criminal act.

What on earth can an author from LA say about this lost art other than to say:
“Damn, what a shame. No one walks in LA.
But you *can* walk in large cities like LA, New York, or London…
Sure most people don’t.
Still more won’t.
And you know what I’ve found? The stories of the place where you walk are often more interesting to tell than to talk about the science or history about walking itself.¹
Behold. The lost art of walking…
Watch me fill 200 plus pages with anecdotes about people who once walked & the places they walked.”

And that’s what he’s done.
200 plus pages of drivel about people who walked & anecdotal stories about walks the author has taken in LA, NYC, & London. Stories about hidden places where you may discover on foot, but are just as likely to ignore.

Now this is not to say that some of the stories aren’t compelling.
There are bits about competitive walkers that were quite amusing.
People testing their merits not with running, but with calculated & strategic endeavors to walk 1000 miles in 1000 hours or to walk across country in 100 days.
And these stories are worthwhile. They speak to a time past, when extreme sports were less indicative of overcoming fears, and much more about overcoming self^.2 However, these do not make up for the meaningless stories of Hollywood Star-walking tourist wandering about LA or the lack of any real or meaningful discussion of walking as an art, lost or otherwise.

The book reminds me of a college paper some poor professor had to read.
Well researched. Poorly executed.
And if to make my point, the author ends abruptly, not with any summary or final conclusive thought, but with pride over his well formed bibliography of other author’s takes on the subject of walking.

The only good that’s come from this book for me was the mostly unnecessary reminder that walking is good for clearing the head.
Something which, upon completing this sadly composed book, I’m suddenly in great fucking need.

¹DO NOT GIVE YOUR BOOK A FUCKING SUBTITLE IF YOU AREN’T PLANNING ON WRITING MUCH ABOUT THESE THINGS!!!

²seriously - if you think that 1000 miles in 1000 hours seems easy, try walking 5 miles in 5 hours - i promise you will find parts of you that will hurt far more than any 5 mile hike, no matter how arduous, has possibly inflicted.