The Wild Silence: A Memoir

4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars | 8,079 ratings

Price: 15.75

Last update: 02-25-2025


About this item

The Sunday Times Best Seller

The incredible follow-up to one of the most talked about books of the decade - the phenomenon, Waterstones Book of the Month and Costa Award short-listed The Salt Path.

"Extraordinary: wise, unflinching, exquisite. Profound." (Observer)

"A thrill to read. The nature writing is beautiful...heartening and comforting. You feel the world is a better place." (The Times)

Nature holds the answers for Raynor and her husband, Moth.

After walking 630 miles homeless along The Salt Path, the windswept and wild English coastline now feels like their home.

And despite Moth's terminal diagnosis, against all medical odds, he seems revitalized in nature - outside, they discover that anything is possible.

Now, life beyond The Salt Path awaits. As they return to four walls, the sense of home is illusive and returning to normality is proving difficult - until an incredible gesture by someone who reads their story changes everything:

A chance to breathe life back into a beautiful but neglected farmhouse nestled deep in the Cornish hills; rewilding the land and returning nature to its hedgerows becomes their new path.

Along the way, Raynor and Moth learn more about the land that envelopes them, find friends both new and old, and, of course, embark on another windswept adventure when the opportunity arises.

The Wild Silence is a luminous story of hope triumphing over despair, of the human spirit's instinctive connection to nature, and of lifelong love prevailing over everything.

"Raynor Winn has written a brilliant, powerful and touching account of her life before and after The Salt Path, which, like her astonishing debut, will connect with anyone who has triumphed over adversity." (Stephen Moss, author and naturalist)

"A beautiful, luminous, and magical piece of writing." (Rachel Joyce, author of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry)

"So moving, it made me cry...repeatedly. Confirms Winn as a natural and extremely talented writer with an incredible way with words." (Sophie Raworth)

"A must read for anyone inspired by The Salt Path." (Good Housekeeping)

"An uplifting, illuminating read." (Daily Mirror)

"Heart-rending. A love letter to the natural world in all its wondrous glory...spellbinding. (Herald)


Top reviews from the United States

  • Marg
    5.0 out of 5 stars A recipe for living, really living
    Reviewed in the United States on December 7, 2024
    This was my third Raynor Winn book - I advertently purchased them in the wrong order. But, not a problem because this oustanding writer and the monumental challenges she and Moth set for themselves are independently utterly gripping.

    I am a tramper (New Zealand for hiking) and I have done some tough stuff over the years in our NZ mountains, but I bow in respect to Ray and Moth, who take on the most challenging trips imaginable and just keep on going to the very end despite very difficult physical hardship and fear.

    A recipe for living, indeed. Kei te tuoho koe, me maunga teitei. Never give up unless it is a lofty mountain, and honestly Ray and Moth took on that lofty mountain too. I salute them and know they will be in my thoughts on many occasions in the future.
  • Ms.Q
    4.0 out of 5 stars Was the process for getting her book to print really that easy?
    Reviewed in the United States on February 14, 2023
    Raynor goes into so much personal detail about parts of her life, but when it comes to the details of getting her book published she describes the whole process in just a few pages. So she meets with the publishers and all they want to change is the title and that’s it? No other edits? Everything else is just perfect and they take her original manuscript and print it? Does that really happen? Anyway, as you can tell, I was very interested in hearing the details of how she was able to sit down and write a best selling book and get it published, and I’m having a hard time believing that it was as simple as she makes it sound. Otherwise I enjoyed the book.
  • TW
    5.0 out of 5 stars Rich descriptions
    Reviewed in the United States on January 31, 2024
    I’ve read all 3 of this series. They are wonderful, remarkable, thought provoking. So very glad this author had the courage and took the time to write down her experiences.
  • mjx
    5.0 out of 5 stars The Inspiring Journey Continues!
    Reviewed in the United States on May 26, 2023
    There are many reasons why Moth’s health should improve while walking and decline while sitting still. His journey truly shows the healing power of nature and disconnecting from modern society. It’s so inspirational and the love they share is so precious, you must read this book!
  • Ann Carol
    5.0 out of 5 stars It ended too soon, I hope the next book is in the works
    Reviewed in the United States on May 16, 2021
    This book and the first book "The Salt Path" have kept me spellbound and in awe of Ray, the author and her incredible husband, Moth. Their personal stories of hardship, loss, topping mountain peaks, whether made of rock or decaying fields or a decaying farmhouse, fences and dreams, enduring storms, criminals, poverty, hunger, thirst, and illness and pain are almost beyond human possibility. Raynor Winn, I hope Moth is still fighting this terrible affliction and that you are writing the next volume of this incredible memoir. I have past the word to all of my book loving friends. Thank you and best wishes. PS, Please include photographs in the next book.
  • Heidi Matsumoto
    4.0 out of 5 stars a little long winded
    Reviewed in the United States on September 16, 2024
    I enjoyed most of this book. The adventure in Iceland was a little long. I couldn’t get inspired by the descriptions of the bleak terrain.
    Overall, a positive experience.
  • Mainer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Such a great book!
    Reviewed in the United States on April 20, 2022
    After walking the South West Path around Cornwall, Ray and Moth settled in Cornwall. Moth went to uni to finish his degree but Ray was a bit at loose ends, so she wrote The Salt Path. This led them to a new home and more walking.
    Ray writes so lyrically and descriptively. She captures the world around her in such a lovely way and it makes the reader feel like they're meandering around the farm or woods, or hiking in Iceland with her.
    In some ways, I feel like she's charting pieces of my life. I read The Salt Path before I hiked Offa's Dyke Path on my own. I read this book while dealing with my son's diagnosis of PLS and it has encouraged me to push him to read about Moth and his struggles and triumphs.
    I look forward to more from Ms. Winn and I encourage all to read her books.
  • Elizabeth P. Spring
    3.0 out of 5 stars It’s Good
    Reviewed in the United States on March 21, 2023
    I enjoyed it and recommend it, I just didn’t love it as much as The Salt Path. But I wouldn’t have missed it, Raynor Winn has a lovely and evocative style.

    This book is the sequel to The Salt Path, one of the best memoirs I have read in years. It was very satisfying to find out What Happened Next with Moth and Raynor. Looking forward to Landlines! This book more like a 3.5 stars.

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