Tom Turcich

The World Walk is a memoir written by an extraordinary man, one who walked around the world with a cart, a few belongings, and a dog named Savannah. Tom Turcich spent seven years circling the globe, trying to make something of his life, to seize the day. What he has written about his journey is remarkable. It is more memoir than travel book, fear, excitement, worry, joy, and illness. It is remarkable.

Haunted by the spectre of death from young childhood, Tom's worry about life and its end show more peak when his 16-year old friend, Ann-Marie, dies suddenly and pointlessly, a whole life cut short in a minute. Tom is led to do something to make sure his time on earth has meaning, and seizes upon the idea of travelling the world on foot, alone. Savannah the dog enters the narrative very early, when Tom, who hails from New Jersey, has only reached Austin, Texas in his journey. The two become friends, each other's constant.

I enjoyed the multiple stories in the book so very much. I was fortunate enough to be one of Tom's patrons for the last year or so of his journey, which enabled me to read early versions of his work. The one that scared me, even though I knew the outcome, was of Savannah becoming desperately ill in South America, and Tom's mad rush to save her. It was gruelling reading, on the edge of your seats sotry-telling. I loved Turkish wanderings, precipitous hiking in Kyrgyzstan, near-death from an unknown illness as he walks through Britain. Tom plods along the Algerian coast, guarded by the police at each moment, is stuck in Azerbaijan and then Turkey while Covid rules the earth.

This memoir made me think about my own life, whether I have done the things I dream of (not yet), what I have to pass on to future generations, whether I have truly loved, if I have more to do as I reach my 62nd year (yes). I do recommend this book most heartily to those looking for a good story, and for those trying to live a good life. show less