Review 291: Windswept

Windswept: Walking the Paths of Trailblazing Women by Annabel Abbs
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a lovely read. Partly autobiography and partly biography of six women, some who are not known very well and a couple who are, all are artists. All went on journeys, mostly long hikes or walks, usually alone. Abbs goes to these places, tries to connect to these women of the past. She finds points where they match, such as fear of walking in the forest alone and overcoming that fear. The book is somewhat literary and could sustain another reading. Gorgeous writing in places.

The women discussed:

• Frieda Von Richthofen
• Gwen John (painter)
• Clara Vyvyan (with Daphne du Maurier)
• Nan Shepherd
• Simone de Beauvoir
• Georgia O’Keeffe

Thanks to Tin House Books/W.W. Norton and NetGalley for an uncorrected electronic advance review copy of this book.