2023 Best Book Awards Finalist in Travel: Guides & Essays
2023 Readers' Favorite Book Awards Honorable Mention in Non-Fiction (Women’s)
2023 International Book Awards Finalist in Travel: Guides & Essays
“Covering a perilous hike on a difficult European trail,The Twenty is the account of a quest to heal childhood wounds and stop striving for perfection.”
—Foreword Reviews
"Similar to narratives about trekking, hiking, and walking in such classics as Tracks by Robyn Davidson and Wild by Cheryl Strayed . . . ultimately triumphing in [Bohr's] own way and on her terms."
—Library Journal
“Bohr shows herself to be a natural storyteller, and her diaristic account is appealingly escapist. It’s a poetic reminder of the trails still left to tread, regardless of one’s age. Like all great travelogues, it will have readers itching to travel somewhere remote and outside their comfort zones.”—Kirkus Reviews
“Bohr’s willingness to lay bare the couple’s tender moments and doubt-filled reflections paints an intimate and well-rounded portrait, and the bonds they establish with their fellow hikers and the locals will entertain fans of adventure travel… a consummate treat."
—Publishers Weekly, BookLife
“The Twenty, Bohr’s second travel memoir, is as much a page-turner as her first, Gap Year Girl. Her writing is so descriptive that I felt I was hiking the 20 myself (something I would like to attempt even at the age of 66). I shared the author’s occasional disappointment and was amazed she didn’t give up. A feel-good must-read for all, especially baby boomers who believe that limits exist only in the mind."
—Mary Anne Marciante, International Marathoner and Hotel Ambassador, The St. Regis Deer Valley, UT
“You need to be strong, fit and agile in order to complete the GR20. It comes as no surprise to discover that most trekkers are young adults in tip-top condition. Marianne reminds us that age is no barrier to trekking the GR20, provided that careful planning is followed by careful foot placement. Her determination along the trail is inspiring."
—Paddy Dillon, author of The GR20 Corsica: Complete Guide to the High-Level Route
“In The Twenty, the sixty-year-old author shows that—with self-kindness—age need not slam the door on adventure. In this engrossing memoir cum travelogue, Bohr leads the reader on a 13-day trek over Europe’s most rugged trails, crossing Corsica’s mountains. As she inches along dizzying ledges, navigates slippery scree, and clings to cliff-side chains in hailstorms and blistering sun, your muscles clench until she reaches camp each night. It’s a compelling tale of perseverance, of burdens more easily borne when shared, of wisdom gained from loss. As a bonus, Bohr’s charming writing introduces the unique island’s history and culture. Highly recommended as an inspiring joyful read for intrepid trekkers and armchair adventurers alike!”
—Margaret Rodenberg, author of Finding Napoleon
“Marianne Bohr's magnetic narrative draws readers in and invites them to live vicariously through her vividly painted word pictures. And though I didn’t strip off my socks—pulling white flesh with them—at the end of each day, I journeyed alongside her on treacherous terrain, ascending and descending razor-sharp scree, jagged granite, and sheer, slippery rock slabs. It was as if I, too, felt my cautious way along narrow ledges and lived the leg-trembling reality of the 124-mile trek across Corsica. The Twenty is a story of human resilience that swept me away.”
—Laurie Buchanan, author of the Sean McPherson novels
“Marianne Bohr takes readers on a physical trek across Corsica and perhaps an even more arduous psychological one that is every bit as challenging as the rugged trail. At 60, she and her husband of 35 years tackle the GR 20, a 124-mile footpath considered to be Europe’s toughest hike. Along the way, Bohr challenges preconceived notions about aging, marriage, and how time can reshape self-image.”
—Davida G. Breier, author of Sinkhole
“The Twenty is an exhilarating and brave adventure story about Bohr’s trek with her husband on the GR20. The characters danced off the page and into my heart and I cheered them as they hiked across Corsica. I’m inspired to take on the twenty after reading this exciting, honest travel memoir.”
—Kathy Elkind, author of To Walk It Is To See It: 1 Couple, 98 Days, 1400 miles on Europe’s GR5
“The Twenty is well-written and interesting at every turn. But what the author captures so well is the inner trek to life’s third chapter. Just as the author finds new strength and courage physically on her Corsican adventure, she simultaneously discovers a deep well of psychological and spiritual strength that promises to keep life vital, growing, and changing. Bohr joins the ranks of aging women who will not go gently into that good night, and instead seizes every day with passion and purpose. An inspiring must-read for those wishing to enter the noble passage of aging with grace and gratitude.”
—Stephanie Raffelock, author of A Delightful Little Book On Aging, Creatrix Rising: Unlocking the Power of Midlife Women; and, editor of Life In The Time of Unbearable Crisis: Women Writers Respond to the Call
