"An utterly enchanting, nature-infused account of finding a new life, close to the confluence of three countries. "
Suffused in the wonder of nature, wildlife and humanity, and shot-through with ecological themes, Julian Hoffman’s Lifelines is simply spellbinding — an absolute must-read for anyone who’s wondered about the possibility of carving a different kind of life, and finding a new place that feels like home, closer to nature, and to what really matters.
Beginnings, endings, fresh beginnings and homecomings — Lifelines is structured in a brilliant fashion that feels intuitive, and invites reflection through a book that, in the author’s words, “braids our journey from London to a mountain village high above the Prespa lakes in Greece with the broader stories of people and place that converge in this transboundary region”.
Also covering a period of shifting, during which Hoffman and his wife Julia spent time in “other wild shelters” in Australia, India and Bali, the author has a knack for threading personal experiences, encounters and transformations with bigger picture commentary on, for a few examples, linguistic erosion and climate and biodiversity crises.
Thoughtful, tender and warmly spirited, Lifelines shares much wisdom and magical sparks of inspiration, as encapsulated by Julia’s question: “Did you ever imagine when we were living in London that we’d end up in a place where a bear would walk past our house?” What a tonic.
| Primary Genre | Travel |
| Other Genres: | |
| Recommendations: |
A story of shelter, generosity and welcome. A story of searching for home in the mountains and lakes of northern Greece.
In the summer of 2000, Julian Hoffman and his wife Julia found themselves disillusioned with city life. Overwhelmed by long commutes, they stumbled upon a book about Prespa, Greece - a remote corner of Europe filled with stone villages, snow-capped mountains and wildlife. What began as curiosity soon transformed into a life-changing decision: to make Prespa their home.
Prespa is a crossroads. Where three countries come together around two huge lakes, where limestone collides with granite and heat-pulsing Mediterranean ecosystems meet their colder, Balkan relatives. Here, languages, wartime histories and rivers converge, and pelicans, bears and people leave their footprints on the water’s edge – next to unexploded bombs.
Lifelines is not only the tale of a courageous leap into a new life, but of seasons punctuated by unforgettable encounters, from a stare-down with a bear surrounded by Spring wildflowers to a deep-winter meeting with fourteen wrens sheltering above a frozen doorway. And into this place encircled by mountains, Julian seamlessly weaves an intricate web of stories – of conflict and possibility; of refuge lost and found; of the wild lifelines that connect us all as we move through the world seeking a home.
Lifelines features in the following genres: Non-Fiction Books of the Month, Star Books, Lifestyle, Hobbies and Leisure, Travel, Travel writing, Travel writing
Lifelines is available in Paperback, Hardback
Lifelines was written by Julian Hoffman and published by Elliott & Thompson
Lifelines has 304 pages
£17.09
.jpeg)
