📖 Publication Day Book Review ~ Finding the Wayfarer by Emma Rose Barber

Tandem Publishing
15 May 2025

Thanks to the publisher for the copy of this book

Through a series of walks, the author follows in the path of the medieval wayfarer to see how this captivating figure developed from being seen as an indigent nuisance, much maligned, to romantic muse for artists and writers. The book brings the wayfarer to life. And all up-to-date to see how it is found in contemporary culture.

Finding the Wayfarer is a captivating exploration of the age-old tradition of wayfaring – the simple, often

solitary journey on foot. Through a blend of historical enquiry, evocative place writing and memoir, the book weaves together the stories of wayfarers across time.

From the marginalized figures in medieval manuscripts, to the introspective writings of Charlotte Smith,Wordsworth and Hardy, the wayfarer has often been viewed with suspicion and fear. Yet, they have also inspired admiration, embodying melancholy and a deep connection to the natural world. Themes of illicit love and scorn through wayfaring are the themes of later writers and artists like Dickens, Samuel Beckett and Grayson Perry. The book is a rich tapestry of walking, resilience and survival, inviting readers to consider this enduring archetype.

📖My Review..

Wayfarer is not a word we use much these days but this ancient term, which has its origins in Middle English, refers to a traveller, someone who travels on foot, and this interesting book takes us on a journey as we discover more about the origins of this age-old tradition. We don’t walk as much as we used to, modern forms of transport make walking to places unnecessary however, as the author suggests there is much to be gained from observing the ways of the ancient wayfarer. Quietly taking stock of our surroundings is  sometimes paramount to our well-being.

Using as a guide the book is divided into seven sections, walks which follow the guidelines set out in the ‘seven works of mercy’ namely: feeding the hungry, giving water to the thirsty, clothing the naked, sheltering the homeless, tending the sick, visiting the prisoner, burying the dead. Each section uses modern day references alongside that of the medieval world , each sit comfortably side by side and give a unique perspective. Whilst reading I found much to think about and I have enjoyed dipping into this impeccably researched book which is as much a history lesson as it is a spiritual guide.

Finding the Wayfarer is a gentle, contemplative read which took me on a journey of quiet reflection something that perhaps we don’t do enough of in our busy world. It has given me the opportunity to discover if there is a wayfarer within me.

About the Author

Emma Rose Barber is an art historian and writer. Author of 111 Churches That YouShouldn’t Miss in London (Emons, 2020), she has also written a novel and various articlesfor magazines, including Art and Christianity and Selvedge. She lives in Sussex, whichalongside Norfolk is a county that features in this book. Her next non-fiction book is Single, Double:  Mother and Child.