The Path of Peace

<b>Sir Anthony Seldon </b>is an educator historian writer and commentator. He's a director of the Royal Shakespeare Company and Chair of the National Archives Trust. He is author or editor of over forty books on contemporary history politics and education including <i>The Impossible Office?</i> <i>May at 10</i> and <i>Blair Unbound</i>. <b>Blackwell's Non-Fiction Book of the Month</b><br><b></b><br><b>'</b>A <b>formidable achievement</b>' <b>Rory Stewart</b><br><b>'Thoughtful </b>[and]<b> heartfelt' <i>Observer</i></b><br><b>'Profound </b>[and] <b>compelling</b>' <i><b>Spectator</b></i><br><b>'</b>A<b> noble </b>endeavour<b>' <i>New Statesman</i></b><br><br>Without a permanent home a wife or a job and with no clear sense of where his life was going Anthony Seldon set out on a 35-day pilgrimage from the French-Swiss border to the English Channel.<br><br>The route of his 1000 kilometre journey was inspired by a young British soldier of the First World War Alexander Douglas Gillespie who dreamed of creating a 'Via Sacra' that the men women and children of Europe could walk to honour the fallen. Tragically Gillespie was killed in action his vision forgotten for a hundred years until a chance discovery in the archive of one of England's oldest schools galvanised Anthony into seeing the Via Sacra permanently established.<br><br>Tracing the historic route of the Western Front he traversed some of Europe's most beautiful and evocative scenery from the Vosges Argonne and Champagne to the haunting trenches of Arras the Somme and Ypres. Along the way he wrestled heat exhaustion dog bites and blisters as well as a deeper search for inner peace and renewed purpose. Touching on grief loss and the legacy of war <i>The Path of Peace</i> is the extraordinary story of Anthony's epic walk an unforgettable act of remembrance and a triumphant rediscovery of what matters most in life.<br><br><b><i>***</i>A WATERSTONES BEST BOOKS OF 2022 PICK<i>***</i></b><br>____________________________________________<br>'The Western Front Way an idea that waited 100 years for its moment is the simplest and fittest memorial yet to the agony of the Great War. Anthony Seldon's account of how he walked it and what it means to all of us will be an inspiration to younger generations.' Sebastian Faulks<br>'A deeply informed meditation on the First World War an exploration of walking's healing power a formidable physical achievement... and above all a moving enactment of a modern pilgrimage.' Rory Stewart<br>'A journey of self-discovery and a pilgrimage of peace... A remarkable book by a remarkable man.' Michael Morpurgo<br>'An incredible journey that will move and inspire.' Bear Grylls <b>An inspiring memoir about walking the 1000 kilometre route of World War I's Western Front by a leading historian. </b> A <b>thoughtful</b> <b>heartfelt </b>journey on foot along the western front of the great war <b>Profound </b>[and] <b>compelling</b>... there are many layers to this book many cultural references insights thoughts and intriguing speculation. A <b>noble </b>endeavour There is <b>much to admire </b>in [<i>The Path of Peace</i>]... Seldon has a historian's eye for spotting and recounting good stories. A <b>haunting</b> <b>intense</b> <b>enjoyable </b>and <b>memorable </b>book. A <b>deeply informed </b>meditation on the First World War an exploration of walking's healing power a <b>formidable </b>physical achievement... and above all a <b>moving </b>enactment of a modern pilgrimage. In this <b>compelling </b>and <b>well-balanced</b> book Seldon reaches some <b>valuable and poignant</b> insights both about the ways we commemorate and remember the War and about his own life. A journey of self-discovery and a pilgrimage of peace... A <b>remarkable </b>book by a remarkable man. The Western Front Way an idea that waited 100 years for its moment is the simplest and fittest memorial yet to the agony of the Great War. Anthony Seldon's account of how he walked it and what it means to all of us will be an <b>inspiration </b>to younger generations. An <b>incredible </b>journey that will move and inspire. <b>Timely</b> <b>poignant </b>and <b>passionate</b>. Seldon skilfully weaves the personal with the historical A <b>dazzling </b>journey... <i>The Path of Peace </i>is a <b>beautiful </b>and <b>generous </b>gift. A <b>beautifully-</b>written <b>heartfelt </b>book. A <b>timely</b> <b>eloquent </b>and <b>convincing </b>reminder that to forget the carnage of the past is to open the door to it happening again. If anyone needs persuading that a 1000 kilometre Western Front Way would be both civilising and educational this is the book they should read A <b>compelling </b>mix of travelogue and history nature-writing and reflection A <b>mesmerising </b>and <b>deeply impressive </b>book unlike any other on the First World War. [A] great read. [I]n a book market packed with every type of First World War tome this one <b>truly deserves to be read</b>. A <b>thoughtful</b> <b>heartfelt </b>journey on foot along the western front of the great war <b>Profound </b>[and] <b>compelling</b>... there are many layers to this book many cultural references insights thoughts and intriguing speculation. A <b>noble </b>endeavour There is <b>much to admire </b>in [<i>The Path of Peace</i>]... Seldon has a historian's eye for spotting and recounting good stories. A <b>haunting</b> <b>intense</b> <b>enjoyable </b>and <b>memorable </b>book. A <b>deeply informed </b>meditation on the First World War an exploration of walking's healing power a <b>formidable </b>physical achievement... and above all a <b>moving </b>enactment of a modern pilgrimage. In this <b>compelling </b>and <b>well-balanced</b> book Seldon reaches some <b>valuable and poignant</b> insights both about the ways we commemorate and remember the War and about his own life. A journey of self-discovery and a pilgrimage of peace... A <b>remarkable </b>book by a remarkable man. The Western Front Way an idea that waited 100 years for its moment is the simplest and fittest memorial yet to the agony of the Great War. Anthony Seldon's account of how he walked it and what it means to all of us will be an <b>inspiration </b>to younger generations. An <b>incredible </b>journey that will move and inspire. <b>Timely</b> <b>poignant </b>and <b>passionate</b>. Seldon skilfully weaves the personal with the historical A <b>dazzling </b>journey... <i>The Path of Peace </i>is a <b>beautiful </b>and <b>generous </b>gift. A <b>beautifully-</b>written <b>heartfelt </b>book. A <b>timely</b> <b>eloquent </b>and <b>convincing </b>reminder that to forget the carnage of the past is to open the door to it happening again. If anyone needs persuading that a 1000 kilometre Western Front Way would be both civilising and educational this is the book they should read A <b>compelling </b>mix of travelogue and history nature-writing and reflection A <b>mesmerising </b>and <b>deeply impressive </b>book unlike any other on the First World War. [A] great read. [I]n a book market packed with every type of First World War tome this one <b>truly deserves to be read</b>.