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1st out of 6 books
—
3 voters
The Walk (The Walk #1)
"My name is Alan Christoffersen. You don’t know me. ‘Just another book in the library,’ my father would say. ‘Unopened and unread.’ You have no idea how far I’ve come or what I’ve lost. More important, you have no idea what I’ve found." —Prologue What would you do if you lost everything—your job, your home, and the love of your life—all at the same time? When it happens to...more
Hardcover, 289 pages
Published
April 6th 2010
by Simon & Schuster
(first published 2010)
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Mostly positive review, pardon a few of my negative but honest thoughts...I still love you Mr. Evans!
I wondered what could possibly keep a man who loses EVERYTHING from simply ending it all himself? I could totally envision the "Rock 'em Sock 'em Robot" life or death struggle, where he ultimately remembers that his wife's wish for him was to LIVE. "Walking away from it all" sure takes on a new meaning as Alan decides to walk as far away from his home in Seattle as he can, and stay in this countr...more
I wondered what could possibly keep a man who loses EVERYTHING from simply ending it all himself? I could totally envision the "Rock 'em Sock 'em Robot" life or death struggle, where he ultimately remembers that his wife's wish for him was to LIVE. "Walking away from it all" sure takes on a new meaning as Alan decides to walk as far away from his home in Seattle as he can, and stay in this countr...more
Fast, easy read. Words are fast flowing and I finished this book in one sitting.
Alan, the main character loses everything in this tale of woes. His job, his cars, his house, then.. his wife dies - all in six weeks.
In his grief, he decides to walk - from Seattle to Key West, Florida. Walk. Yep. I suppose that is why the book is called THE WALK.
His journey on the walk was actually REALLY interesting.
I always include a passage (something, anything) from the book that resonates with me.
"Life Hugger...more
Alan, the main character loses everything in this tale of woes. His job, his cars, his house, then.. his wife dies - all in six weeks.
In his grief, he decides to walk - from Seattle to Key West, Florida. Walk. Yep. I suppose that is why the book is called THE WALK.
His journey on the walk was actually REALLY interesting.
I always include a passage (something, anything) from the book that resonates with me.
"Life Hugger...more
I'm not usually a reader of Richard Paul Evans' books, but a friend basically ended up placing it in my hands saying you HAVE to read this, and I must say, I was pleasantly surprised. Even though it bogs down a little when the walk actually begins, It was still a very quick read, a good story, & full of little nuggets of truth.
Here are a couple favorite quotes from the book:
"You can tell a lot about a man by watching how he treats those he doesn't have to be nice to."
"We can spend our days...more
Here are a couple favorite quotes from the book:
"You can tell a lot about a man by watching how he treats those he doesn't have to be nice to."
"We can spend our days...more
This is the first book in The Walk series, a story about the physical and spiritual journey of Alan Christoffersen.
“My name is Alan Christoffersen. You don’t know me. ‘Just another book in the library,’ my father would say. ‘Unopened and unread.’ You have no idea how far I’ve come or what I’ve lost. More important, you have no idea what I’ve found.” — Prologue
Introduction
What would you do if you lost everything — your job, your home, and the love of your life — all at the same time? When it happ...more
“My name is Alan Christoffersen. You don’t know me. ‘Just another book in the library,’ my father would say. ‘Unopened and unread.’ You have no idea how far I’ve come or what I’ve lost. More important, you have no idea what I’ve found.” — Prologue
Introduction
What would you do if you lost everything — your job, your home, and the love of your life — all at the same time? When it happ...more
The author did a great job of letting the reader feel Alan’s love for his wife McKale, and his pain over her accident and loss. He also did a great job of letting us go on Alan’s journey with him. The people were real, the places were real, and every thing/one was alive on the pages.
Now I know we all have different ideas as to what we like and don’t like in books, but really, how could anyone not like this book? I thought it was SO GOOD! I read some of the negative reviews that said the book did...more
Now I know we all have different ideas as to what we like and don’t like in books, but really, how could anyone not like this book? I thought it was SO GOOD! I read some of the negative reviews that said the book did...more
This is the first book in a series. Not realizing that, I read book #3 first. Alan's wife died from complications of a horseback riding accident. While he was by her bedside, his advertising partner was stealing their business out from under him. His car and house were being repossessed. On her deathbed, his wife asked him to "live" after she was gone. Of course he thought of ending it all but opted instead to start walking, with the goal of making it from Seattle to the furthest point on the ma...more
My husband listened to this book on CD thinking it was just one book, not realizing it is part of a series. He loved it and suggested I read it. The very first thing I did, was go online and read all the negative reviews. The two complaints were that this book was a waste of money because it is part of a series (I don't care because I will just get it from the library) and the second complaint was that is was too much writing about food...all the bed and breakfast food, cafes and small diners. N...more
In 24 hours, I have digested the 290 pages that comprise this book. To some, this is no extraordinary feat. For me, it is certainly not the norm. I have read several good books over the years. There are books that tell a good story. This book is one of those books. However, it went much further than that. This book grabbed me and sucked me in emotionally opening my eyes to things that have been buried for far too long. There are so many messages that are conveyed as a part of this story line. So...more
I would rate this a 2.5 (It was okay/I liked it). At 25% in I didn't know if I would finish, but I enjoyed the second half more than the first. I don't feel a connection to any of the characters, and I don't understand many of the motives. Perhaps I'm different than others, but I don't kiss many people (friends or strangers) on the cheek or otherwise, and I found some of the scenes strange.
The book "felt" to be written by a man, not just from the main character's (Alan's) perspective (who is ma...more
The book "felt" to be written by a man, not just from the main character's (Alan's) perspective (who is ma...more
Maybe I should be ashamed to admit that I generally love Evans' novels. But, I do. This one gets one star because of it's shameless marketing ploys (ironic since the main character is an ad exec). So, Alan loses everything and decides to walk across the country. Fine. The book is fairly interesting. We see Alan dealing with grief, learning from people, meeting people who are kind to him, tenuously reaching out to others. I could do with far less narration of Alan's food choices, though, just for...more
This book was a very welcome, providential discovery at our local library. The story commences with Alan Christoffersen’s engaging love for his childhood sweetheart, their happy marriage, and his meteoric rise to run a successful ad company. Then disaster strikes. His wife is thrown from a horse, paralyzed, then dies. His partner steals his clients and forms a new company. He loses not only his company and his cars and home but all desire to live after the death of his love.
With nothing left, he...more
With nothing left, he...more
Alan Christoffersen is the voice in the novel "The Walk" by RICHARD PAUL EVANS. After a heart wrenching tragedy, Alan Christoffersen decides to walk. Before he decides to walk from Seattle all the way to Key West there is a major battle with whether to destroy his life. Thank goodness, he chose life and a long walk.
" The door locked automatically behind me, and without a single key in my pocket, I stood outside on the front patio. Then, without looking back, I began to walk."
At first, the novel...more
" The door locked automatically behind me, and without a single key in my pocket, I stood outside on the front patio. Then, without looking back, I began to walk."
At first, the novel...more
This is the second time that I have read this book and I did not realize it until I was half way through and the little light bulb in my brain started to flicker. Sometimes I truly wonder what is going on up there.
Alan Christoffersen seems to have the perfect life. The perfect job. The perfect car. The perfect wife. That is until one day when his world comes crashing down around him and one by one they all go away. All that Alan is left with is himself and his journal. So, what does a grown man...more
Alan Christoffersen seems to have the perfect life. The perfect job. The perfect car. The perfect wife. That is until one day when his world comes crashing down around him and one by one they all go away. All that Alan is left with is himself and his journal. So, what does a grown man...more
Jun 16, 2011
Patsy Gantt
added it
Recommends it for:
Everyone who is searching for their path in life
Let me preface my remarks by saying I have never read any of Richard Paul Evans' other books. Just not my cup of tea. They all seemed like the fairy tale, pie-in-the-sky, heart-tugging, help-me-remember-what's-important in life kind of books. And The Walk fits his same pattern.
The only reason I picked up this book was the cover art. As an amateur photographer, I have taken hundreds of photos of tree-lined, curving roads where the bend leads the eye out toward the horizon or off the side of the p...more
The only reason I picked up this book was the cover art. As an amateur photographer, I have taken hundreds of photos of tree-lined, curving roads where the bend leads the eye out toward the horizon or off the side of the p...more
"My name is Alan Christoffersen. You don’t know me. ‘Just another book in the library,’ my father would say. ‘Unopened and unread.’ You have no idea how far I’ve come or what I’ve lost. More important, you have no idea what I’ve found." —Prologue
What would you do if you lost everything—your job, your home, and the love of your life—all at the same time? When it
...more"My name is Alan Christoffersen. You don’t know me. ‘Just another book in the library,’ my father would say. ‘Unopened and unrea...more
What would you do if you lost everything—your job, your home, and the love of your life—all at the same time? When it
...more"My name is Alan Christoffersen. You don’t know me. ‘Just another book in the library,’ my father would say. ‘Unopened and unrea...more
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Like most of Evans' books this is a feel good (well except the part that you cry), inspirational (or superficially inspirational) novel. It was a quick read (1 day) and I enjoyed it. One part I did NOT enjoy was the fact that this is going to be a series book (which I didn't find out until the last page). Not because I won't read the series (because I really enjoyed the style and main character) but because I like to read series only after they are completed.
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Mr. Evans write stories that tug at the heartstrings so it's no surprise that I like his books. This one definitely has that Richard Paul Evans signature of really bad things happen but there's a light at the end of the tunnel so move on philosophy of life. I suppose such stories amuse me because I need a reminder that life can suck at times but it's up to me to keep it that way or not ... or perhaps to bring to mind that my troubles are nothing compared to these possible miseries.
Oh boy, did it...more
Oh boy, did it...more
So I really enjoyed the story and the imagery, but I also felt a little manipulated by the turns of events like the author was playing God. I know that every author gets to control the universe their book is in, but the "ending" felt so contrived and any tears that sprung to my eyes were in spite of my inability to suspend disbelief. I think a better title would have been "The Invitation" because it's like a wedding announcement that uses unnecessary packaging to increase the feeling of specialn...more
If Robert Crais and Michael Connelly are among your favorite authors, then Richard Paul Evans may not be high on your reading list. His genre is more the philosophical, tug at your heartstrings brand of storytelling and he does it very well. Also, if your preference in novels is that the conclusion results in the resolution of all the hero's problems with everything neatly wrapped up and tied with a big red bow, then THE WALK will probably prove to be disappointing. This book is just number one...more
Exactly what you expect – but worth the read. When Alan loses everything that is important to him – his wife and the life he has built with her – he just walks away from it all. It may sound crazy, but who hasn’t wished they could just walk away from their troubles? Alan did, and started his unspeakable grief on the path to healing. There is really nothing new about the message, but it is presented in a way that reels the reader in. Alan and McKale do have it all – they have been friends since t...more
I kind of have mixed feelings about this book. I love Richard Paul Evans to death!! All of his books are really good and where written. This is the first time that I havent completely loved one of his books. I think it had a really good idea and many good thoughts and quotes (Which I will get to in a second.) But i think he spent to much time on pointless things like to much detail on all of the scenery and everything he eats lol. The first half kept my attention but after that I had to force my...more
I really enjoyed this book, a sweet and sad love story.
This portion is profound..."The only real sign of life is growth, and growth requires pain. So to choose life is to accept pain. Some people go to such lengths to avoid pain that they give up on life. They bury their hearts or they drug or drink themselves numb until they don’t feel anything anymore. The irony is, in the end their escape becomes more painful than what they are avoiding."
And on losing others..."She isn’t really gone. She’s s...more
This portion is profound..."The only real sign of life is growth, and growth requires pain. So to choose life is to accept pain. Some people go to such lengths to avoid pain that they give up on life. They bury their hearts or they drug or drink themselves numb until they don’t feel anything anymore. The irony is, in the end their escape becomes more painful than what they are avoiding."
And on losing others..."She isn’t really gone. She’s s...more
This is an excellent book about a man who loses his wife abruptly and decides to abandon everything and walk away, starting a trek from one of the country to the other. There are many part of this book that resonate with me and I love the adventure of story. I do not know what personal experience the author has had but he makes some very true statements about grief. This is a physical and spiritual journey and the author is careful not to make it too cheesy.
I have wanted to read this book for...more
I have wanted to read this book for...more
SPOILERS. DO NOT READ THIS IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT AT ALL.
Read it in five hours, so a pretty smooth read. And captivating enough that you don't want to put it down. The first half the book is pretty good... Alan talks about his wife, who he met as a child because she was his neighbor, and how they pretty much grew up together going through the twists of childhood, puberty, and their teenage years before realizing they wanted to be with each other. So they eventually get...more
Read it in five hours, so a pretty smooth read. And captivating enough that you don't want to put it down. The first half the book is pretty good... Alan talks about his wife, who he met as a child because she was his neighbor, and how they pretty much grew up together going through the twists of childhood, puberty, and their teenage years before realizing they wanted to be with each other. So they eventually get...more
I really liked this book. I like books about people writing. I liked his journal entry as a young boy
"Mom says it doesn't matter what I write and if I wait to write just the important things then I'll probably never write anything, because important things just look like everything else except when you look back on them. The thing is to write what you're thinking and feeling." Pg 9
**Quotes**
"I realized I was not walking alone. I was being followed by three fellow sojourners: grief, bitterness, a...more
"Mom says it doesn't matter what I write and if I wait to write just the important things then I'll probably never write anything, because important things just look like everything else except when you look back on them. The thing is to write what you're thinking and feeling." Pg 9
**Quotes**
"I realized I was not walking alone. I was being followed by three fellow sojourners: grief, bitterness, a...more
I'm not really sure what to say about The Walk. I ended up reading it because on my way home from work one day, my mom texted me to say she was at the library, and did I want anything. I told her to just pick something out, so she came home with this, which she had grabbed off the "new releases" / "bestsellers" shelf.
This is not a knock on my mom, because she actually has really good taste in books and obviously wasn't paying attention. But this book is a total gongshow.
At the same time though...more
This is not a knock on my mom, because she actually has really good taste in books and obviously wasn't paying attention. But this book is a total gongshow.
At the same time though...more
I think I would have liked this book better if I would have remembered that this is only book 1 of a series. I was getting frustrated with the pace of the story three-fourths of the way through, wondering when things would reach a climax or how things would end---since it was about a man's journey from Seattle, Washington to Key West, Florida, and he never makes it out of Washington. Sigh. But, at the end, when I remembered that it was part of a series, I would give it a little more slack. I enj...more
I have enjoyed Richard Paul Evans holiday novels for the last 3-4 years. The stories have always left me with something to think about, and I like the fact that the stories oftentimes demonstrate the power of the human spirit. When I heard Evans had a new five-part series planned, I could not wait to read the first book: The Walk.
The premise of the story is this: Alan Christoffersen once was a young man who had it all: money, power, material possessions, and a wife he loved. He was a successful...more
The premise of the story is this: Alan Christoffersen once was a young man who had it all: money, power, material possessions, and a wife he loved. He was a successful...more
«Não fazeis ideia de onde cheguei nem do que perdi, mas sobretudo não sabeis o que encontrei. (...) Se, no relato da minha viagem encontrar alguma coisa que o ajude na sua, guarde-a.»
De forma única e memorável, A Caminhada, traz-nos a comovente história de Alan Christoffersen, um homem que perdeu, literalmente, tudo.
Perseguido pela dor, a amargura e o desespero, Alan decide tornar este desespero no seu companheiro de viagem e inicia uma caminhada com destino ao ponto mais longínquo a que poder...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
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| ARVRLS Book Club: The Walk | 4 | 7 | Jun 14, 2012 12:18pm |
When Richard Paul Evans wrote the #1 best-seller, The Christmas Box, he never intended on becoming an internationally known author. His quiet story of parental love and the true meaning of Christmas made history when it became simultaneously the #1 hardcover and paperback book in the nation. Since then, more than eight million copies of The Christmas Box have been printed. He has since written ele...more
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“It is better to be loved by one person who knows your soul than millions who don't even know your phone number.”
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“The assumption of time is one of humanity's greatest follies. We tell ourselves that there's always tomorrow, when we can no more predict tomorrow than we can the weather. Procrastination is the thief of dreams.”
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Jan 05, 2013 06:10pm