No Man's Land: Unpacking One Woman's Worth on the Colorado Trail($17.94Value)

Description

A great adventure story … eye-opening. An engaging and uncommon account of self-discovery and pushing one’s limits. —Kirkus Reviews At forty-five, Becky Jensen was raising two sons, engaged to be married, living the dream in Colorado. She was also suicidal and had no idea why. What did she have to be depressed about? The question haunted Jensen, leading her to take a bold step: to hike the five-hundred-mile Colorado Trail in search of answers. Leaving responsibility behind, Jensen shouldered a backpack loaded with camping gear, her father’s ashes, and the inherited burdens of womanhood—trudging off alone into no man’s land. In this unflinchingly honest memoir, Jensen confronts dangers lurking in the wilderness, including her own internalized misogyny, repressed memories, and suppressed outrage about her undervalued gender. With each mile, she sheds the weight of female conditioning and begins to carry herself differently, finding the strength and clarity to determine not just if she wants to live, but how . Raw and relatable, No Man’s Land will resonate with readers who habitually put their own needs last, crave change in their lives, and seek nature as medicine. No Man’s Land is equal parts survival story, midlife reckoning, and lush nature writing. Perfect for readers who seek memoirs written by women about women, and who are eager for more books like Cheryl Strayed’s Wild . No Man’s Land is a female-forward memoir set in the rugged mountains of Colorado. It tackles themes of: triumph over adversity - resilience and personal growth - self-worth and mental health - over-mothering and martyrdom - ageism and gender role conditioning - the power of nature to heal, nature therapy - grief, loss and connection - women’s health and safety - female empowerment, finding your voice - women in the outdoors "This lion-hearted narrative is more than a journey into the wild; it's a powerful plunge into what it means to be human." —Bernadette Murphy, author of Harley and Me: Embracing Risk on the Road to a More Authentic Life "No Man's Land is a beautifully written, thought-provoking, and cathartic memoir. The prose is lyrical and the storytelling, emotional and thoughtful." ― The BookLife Prize, Publishers Weekly "This work belongs to a genre of books that include Cheryl Strayed's Wild - a book to which Jensen pays proper homage. However, it never feels derivative; Jensen has her own story to tell. Her mental health struggles, and the community of hikers she meets on her journey, truly come alive for readers." ― The BookLife Prize, Publishers Weekly "This book is a courageously written tale of a woman's inner unfolding that occurs in the hardship and awe of the Rocky Mountains from Denver to Durango. It is a reckoning with depression, a confrontation with gender expectations, a wise and ever-evolving understanding of the literal and inner journeys we can choose to walk. Thank you, Becky, for giving voice to the cry of the heart and pointing us in the direction of our spiritual home." ― Joan Heiman, author of Life with an Impossible Person "I read a lot of stories about thru-hikes, mountain ascents, exploration, and the outdoors. Some focus on the peril at hand. Others focus on the camaraderie of shared hardship. A few highlight what the adventurer is escaping from more than what they are running toward. Becky Jensen's No Man's Land tackles all three topics in an unputdownable hiking memoir. Before she even takes the first step on the 486-mile Colorado Trail, Jensen is already shouldering the heavy weight of parental loss, a stagnant relationship, and crippling depression. Most people wouldn't opt for the highest altitude thru-hike in the United States to resolve these issues. Jensen does, and against all odds, she discovers both kindred souls and miles of solitude to help her unpack the darkness that threatens her life. No Man's Land is no "happily ever after" fairy tale. Instead, it's a true story about the courage to take one step. And then another. And another. It's about the adrenaline of completing a physical and mental goal while recognizing that, even though the most difficult work lies ahead, you are now armed with the confidence to accomplish it. With jaw-dropping description, characters of depth, and a brisk "thru-hikers" pace, No Man's Land is an inspiring 5-star read!" ― Cam Torrens, AT thru-hiker, best-selling author of the Tyler Zahn novels "A great adventure story ... eye-opening. An engaging and uncommon account of self-discovery and pushing one's limits." — Kirkus Reviews Becky "Serendipity" Jensen is a writer and podcast contributor who lives and works in a little cabin on a wild river in northern Colorado. In addition to her debut memoir No Man's Land, she wrote the lead story in Rise: An Anthology of Change, winner of the Colorado Book Award. When she's not hiking in the mountains, she's working on her next book about moving in with her mom (w