Walking to Listen

4,000 Miles Across America, One Story at a Time

By: Andrew Forsthoefel

Narrated by: Andrew Forsthoefel

Length: 13 hrs and 39 mins

Publisher's summary

At 23, Andrew Forsthoefel headed out the back door of his home in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, with a backpack, an audio recorder, his copies of Whitman and Rilke, and a sign that read "Walking to Listen".

He had just graduated from Middlebury College and was ready to begin his adult life, but he didn't know how. So he decided to take a cross-country quest for guidance, one where everyone he met would be his guide. In the year that followed, he faced an Appalachian winter and a Mojave summer. He met beasts inside: fear, loneliness, doubt. But he also encountered incredible kindness from strangers.

Thousands shared their stories with him, sometimes confiding their prejudices, too. Often he didn't know how to respond. How to find unity in diversity? How to stay connected, even as fear works to tear us apart? He listened for answers to these questions, and to the existential questions every human must face, and began to find that the answer might be in listening itself. Ultimately, it's the stories of others living all along the roads of America that carry this journey and sing out in a hopeful, heartfelt book about how a life is made, and how our nation defines itself on the most human level.

©2017 Andrew Forsthoefel (P)2018 Tantor

Critic reviews

"A remarkable book that calls to mind William Least-­Heat Moon's Blue Highways." (Library Journal)

Genuine Feel

interesting audiobook. The author / storyteller did a good job relating the stories of his trek. I was beginning to think it was going down the path of lecturing, in the end it was all just part of his own perspectives and experiences.

I feel as if I now carry a piece of the Author with me...

The title captured my attention, Andrew’s storytelling and voice kept it.
Now I have experienced the feeling of sadness when minutes to “The End” married to an ending which itself is understanding of the complex emotions tied with all manner of endings we face in this life. I’m reminded of one of my favorite quotes. “Life is a series of Weanings.”
At times I felt sideswiped by details, and had to take a short break. Andrew absorbed some very raw and horrifying stories. More often, I was utterly mesmerized. The clarity brought by descriptive language placed me front and center, able to visualize every scene. I started listening while training for Half Dome...lots of walking. Now that the climb is complete, I truly feel as if I carried a bit of Andrew with me, just as he symbolically carried thousands of others all the way to the waters of the Pacific.
In case the Author happens to read the review, here’s a note from this mama’s heart: Well done, Andrew.

Perfect

I can’t believe I waited so long to buy this book, it’s perfect! Thank you for the walk.

This book is inspiring and humbling

This book is full of wonderful insight, exciting revelations, and humbling experiences. The author speaks with clarity and immersion. I was moved by his experience and I'm thankful for his journey.

Extremely well written and narrated

An incredible journey by an obviously exceptional young man. Listening to his interviews and first hand experiences is very eye-opening, and gives you a little more faith in humanity during a much-needed time.

Thought provoking

This was the summer reading book for work. Persevere to the end. It is worth it.

Great story

The ideas of letting go and listening to life are inspiring and motivating. The walk reminds me to live everyday fully and embrace the mess that is life.

Understanding

I really enjoyed this book. Exploring, meeting and listening to all these people he met. Making new friends/ family. Learning cultures. What an amazing way to grow. This book is worth every word. I'm planning on buying this so I can read over again. It makes you feel so good inside.

Beautiful

beautiful. powerful. thrilling. motivating. inspiring. enticing. entrancing. lifting. lightening.

It's so hard to put into words just how impactful this book is. It is powerful. It's irresistibly authentic. Once I started it, I couldn't stop listening. I listened to this author share this experience at any moment that I could. I was almost sad when I finished it - I could have listened to more of that soey for hours. But all good stories come to an end.. and I look forward to listening to it again soon :]

glorious story!

incredible, insightful, eloquent, inspiring, hopeful, joyous, humble documentary of a young man's journey toward self discovery. thank you Andrew!!!