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At 48, Stephanie Dale took time out from her marriage to walk with her son from Rome to Istanbul. There were three things I walked on my journey from Rome. I walked the geographical landscape, allowing myself to meet the world and her people, the earth and its forces: the sunshine, mountains, wind and ocean. I walked the inner world, as within so without, exploring how the world before me mirrored my thoughts, beliefs and prejudices. And I walked my marriage. |
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My Pilgrim’s Heart is an extraordinarily honest narrative that explores the timeless issues of sex, money and power in a marriage. For even though Stephanie left her ‘young and troubled’ marriage behind her, in reality it was with her every single step of the way – a much more significant weight than the 20kg she lugged on her back. My Pilgrim’s Heart is an uncommonly bold exploration of the relationships between women and men: between husband and wife, between mother and adult son, between a woman and the masculine world, between an Australian woman and the men of different cultures she meets on the road, West to East. The book is also a compelling voyage into the unnamed fears that shape our world: Two words became the hooligans of my heart: Kosovo. Landmines. They were Bonnie and Clyde to my Texas backcountry. Even though I continued to entertain fantasies about walking through Italy, deep in my bones I knew Ben would choose the Balkans. I wanted the romance of the road. He hankered for the know-you’re-alive unknown. Intelligent, tender, courageous and skillfully written, this book will engage your spirit and capture your heart. |
What readers have to say:The newly released My Pilgrim’s Heart by Stephanie Dale … tests the author’s resourcefulness and is a journey of often painful self-discovery, as all good travel writing should be. It will appeal to fans of Elizabeth Gilbert’s bestseller Eat, Pray, Love (and demonstrates) the kind of humour and pluck for which Australians like to think we are famous. My Pilgrim’s Heart is a contemporary examination of the relationship between a woman and the masculine world. The quality of the prose is excellent, the humour is abundant and the travel component is absolutely galvanising. This is one hell of a brave woman! This is the book about marriage I’d never read because it hadn’t been written – until now! It is an honest, wrenching and provocative work, a story that resonates, illuminates, teaches and baffles. The sheer beauty of the writing will take you well beyond one woman’s story. Better than Eat, Pray, Love! I feel moved by the wonder of the paths Stephanie has traveled. I feel expanded, enlivened and enriched by these words; more than this, I feel supported in walking my own life by the depth and openness of Stephanie’s expression. I am inspired by her ability to crystalize a moment, a prism of light to be viewed and felt by others; at the same time releasing it all, no chains. This is a book of unfolding spaces and places, crossing borders and boundaries – countries, generations, cultures, genders, night and day, external and internal journeying. I do not know how to express my thanks to Stephanie for sharing her journey. This book is every woman’s ‘ultimate travel story’: it’s about adventure, hardship, insight, meaning, laughter and love. The book made me think deeply about how I deal with relationships, about pleasing others and at the same time being true to myself. The humour throughout made reading a pleasure. The great spiritual masters teach that life has two energies: love and fear. This book is one woman’s experience of the human reality of meeting life – it’s an extraordinary story and, best of all, beautifully written. |