Belonging to the World

""One of those rare memoirs that manages to balance emotional honesty with sweeping adventure. On the surface, it's the story of a man's quest to visit all 193 countries after the tragic death of his wife. But at its core, it's a deeply human exploration of what it means to heal, to reconnect, and to find belonging not just in places, but in people. Fans of travel writers like Paul Theroux or memoirists like Cheryl Strayed (Wild) will appreciate Hoffner's mix of introspection and exploration."" -San Francisco Book Review (5 out of 5) ""A deeply moving memoir that explores grief, healing, and the transformative power of travel."" -Readers' Choice Book Awards (5 stars) ""Poignant, moving, and filled with striking details about the globe's out-of-the-way places, Belonging to the World is an uplifting celebration of life and travel."" -IndieReader (4.8/5 stars) ""Few travelogues offer this level of vulnerability and honesty with such expansive geographic and emotional range, Belonging to the World is uniquely compelling and hard to put down."" -SPR Review (★★★★1/2) ""Hoffner lays bare the underlying, and often overlooked, ties that bind us to each other, regardless of our origins, and transforms seemingly dead-ends into brilliant moments of meaning and purpose."" -BookLife Reviews (A) ""A whirlwind memoir of grief, discovery, and extreme travel, Belonging to the World captures renewed purpose through beauty, kindness, and adventure while visiting some of the most remote countries on earth."" -Foreword Clarion Reviews (4 out of 5) ""The memoir hones a crisp, clear set of observations and wide-ranging contrasts that are rare even in the world of adventure travel literature, placing Belonging to the World in a class of its own. Delightful in its travelogue, pointed in its psychological and philosophical observations, and totally immersive in its approach, Belonging to the World is a treasure highly recommended for libraries, individuals, and book clubs alike."" -Midwest Book Review ""Belonging to the World is much more than the story of the tragic loss of a spouse or stepping foot in every country. It is the joy of connecting to the familiar as well as the gratification of learning cultures and fellowship with our broader sense of humanity. This book is an inspiration, a map that leads the reader toward positive affirmation of change."" -Julia Roberts ""This moment in time is our most precious resource. . . . I'm reminded of that this morning by Barry Hoffner, who writes . . . about how, after losing his wife, he decided to spend his time traveling-discovering and rediscovering places-and sharing what he learned along the way. That's how he chose to spend his time, and I'm so glad he took the time to share his learnings with us."" -Maria Shriver, in her introduction to Hoffner's article in the ""I've Been Thinking"" column of The Sunday Paper ""Barry reminds us of the beauty of human connection and the power of using grief to reimagine instead of to detach."" -Luke Russert, author of New York Times bestseller Look for Me There