A Long Walk Home

by Judith Tebbutt
A Long Walk Home cover
Good Books rating 4.42
Biography and Memoir
Technical:
  • ID: 883
  • Added: 2025-09-21
  • Updated: 2025-09-21
  • ISBN: 9780571303038
  • Publisher: Faber & Faber
  • Published: 2013-07-01
  • Formats: 25
  • Reviews: 3
Buy online
Waterstones
Paperback • £10.99

In September 2011, Judith Tebbutt and her husband David embarked on an adventurous holiday to Kenya, a place that had played a significant role in their 33-year relationship. After a week of joy on safari, their trip took a tragic turn when Judith was kidnapped by Somali pirates and held hostage in a squalid room, with a ransom on her head. The responsibility of securing her release fell on her son Ollie, and Judith had to rely on her inner strength and faith to survive the ordeal. /n/nJudith's memoir is a powerful and moving account of her captivity, detailing her efforts to make her captors see her as a human being and her determination to survive. It is also a testament to the love and resilience that sustained her through this harrowing experience, as she refused to give in to despair even in the most desperate circumstances.

Reviews
Goodreads · 2025-09-21
thought-provoking 4.00

The book is interesting and thought-provoking, making the reader reflect on how they would cope in similar desperate circumstances.

Goodreads' review highlights how thought-provoking the book is, encouraging readers to reflect on their own resilience. The reviewer appreciates the way Judith Tebbutt's story is told, making it both engaging and introspective. The book is seen as a testament to human endurance and the ability to find strength in the most desperate situations. The reviewer's perspective is that the book is not just a story of survival but also a mirror that makes us question our own capabilities.

Quick quotes

    The book was interesting and thought provoking.

    Reading how Judith coped in the desperate circumstances made me think how I would cope in that situation.

    It was a remarkable story of resilience and survival.

Anton U3A Reading Group · 2024-01-15
devastating 4.75

The memoir is powerful, moving, and at times quite devastating, offering a raw and honest account of Judith Tebbutt's experiences.

The Anton U3A Reading Group's review describes the memoir as powerful and moving, with moments that are quite devastating. The reviewer appreciates the raw and honest account of Judith Tebbutt's experiences, which makes the story both compelling and emotionally impactful. The group finds the narrative to be a testament to the human spirit's ability to endure and find hope in the darkest of times. They also note that the book is not just a story of survival but a profound exploration of loss, resilience, and the will to live.

Quick quotes

    Powerful, moving and at times quite devastating, this is Judith Tebbutt's story in her own words.

    It is a memoir of the life she shared with her husband and the tragic events that followed.

    The book is a testament to the human spirit's resilience.

The Guardian · 2013-07-27
moving 4.50

This book captures the urgency of telling even the darkest of stories and evokes the power of resilience in adversity. The narrative is powerful and moving, highlighting the strength of the human spirit.

The Guardian's review emphasizes the raw and urgent storytelling in this memoir. The reviewer is struck by the power of Judith Tebbutt's resilience and the way she conveys her harrowing experiences. The book is praised for its emotional depth and the way it makes the reader reflect on the strength of the human spirit in the face of adversity. The reviewer also notes that the simplicity of the prose makes the story even more impactful, as it allows the reader to focus on the emotional journey rather than getting bogged down in complex descriptions.

Quick quotes

    This powerful book captures the urgency of telling even the darkest of stories.

    It evokes the power of resilience in adversity.

    The narrative is powerful and moving.

Appears in Lists