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From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.

Throughout his youth, Turcich was plagued by an obsession with death. The tragic losses of two high school friends only furthered his preoccupation. A well-timed viewing of the movie Dead Poets Society snapped him out of the darkness, inspiring him to seize the day and take the initiative in life. An idea began germinating: a walking tour around the world. He left on the eve of his twenty-sixth birthday, proceeding southward from his home in New Jersey with hopes of arriving in Panama City within a year before continuing on through South America. His ambitious goals would be challenged by physical hurdles (blisters, cramps, bacterial infection) and unimaginable setbacks (COVID-19 lockdowns). But Turcich and his canine companion, Savannah, would not be deterred. Turcich deftly describes the ins and outs of an often grueling expedition during which his body was occasionally battered, but his ability to persevere ran deep. This spirited book about one man’s journey of self-discovery will serve as an inspiration for others who dream about a worldwide journey.