A Separate Place: A Family, a Cabin in the Woods, and a Journey of Love and Spirit

Brill is my hero. He hiked the Appalachian Trail (which I should have done after college--now a dream of retirement), dreamt of and built his get-a-way of seclusion, and wrote excellent books of both experiences. My dreams exactly! This is a very nice book detailing the problems and joys of fulfilling a dream. Who hasn't dreamt of a simpler life? We can all relate. Indifferent to another reviewer of this book, there are echoes of Thoreau's Walden Pond. Brill quit his high-stress job. He knew there was more to life. Thoreau, too, disagreed with the "modern" life style. He worked only enough to sustain life, and therefore had more time to enjoy the rest of life's experiences. Just thinking about a cabin in the woods brings a feeling of relaxation to me. Just thinking about hiking the A.T. (Brill's other book), with no deadlines, no clocks, carrying only what you need for shelter and food, soaking in the scenery, gives me something to look forward to. Sure there are problems to both; building a house creates many problems, hikers deal with many blisters, bad weather and aching muscles. However, it is these minor problems that make the good experiences even better. If you want to escape a little and live Brill's dreams, read his books. Also along the same lines, and very much recommended are: Jon Katz's book on finding his retreat in the woods, Running to the Mountain; Elizabeth Gilbert's, The Last American; and, Mark Phillips', My Father's Cabin. If you can think of any more, please inform me at [email protected].

David Brill's book manages to beautifully capture a sense of place with his vivid descriptions of the landscape and people of modern-day southern Appalachia. The natural world serves as a lush backdrop to Brill's painful, yet ultimately affirming story of the end days of his eighteen year marriage. Too many books about divorce offer only a laundry list of practical advice. David Brill lets us in on the truth of the matter, which is that each divorce is as unique as the marriage that precedes it. With a stark honesty that is never maudlin or exploitative, Brill offers readers a deeply personal glimpse into his own divorce journey. If the story were not compelling enough, Brill's deft and engaging writing is a pleasure to read in an age when a well-done literary memoir is a rare find.Highly recommended.Katie Allison Granju - Author of "Attachment Parenting" (Pocket Books/1999)

I read Brill's "Far As The Eye Can See" years ago and though it was one of the best books ever written about the AT. His new book - "A Separate Place" - is even better. While insightful and funny, it will also rip your heart out at times. Thought provoking and enjoyable for anyone who loves life, family and nature. I hope we don't have to wait as long for his next book.

I found this book on the shelf in my local bookstore, and its themes of divorce, returning to the woods, and discovering new ways to be a parent sounded like things I could relate to, so I bought it without knowing much more about it. To my delight, this book proved to be so well-written, honest, funny and spiritual that I couldn't put it down. I read it quickly over a two day span, and I was sad when it ended. David, Susan, Challen and Logan were right there with me, and I was reluctant to let them go. It is hard to go through a divorce; to write an honest and thoughtful book about the feelings and actions leading up to one takes great courage. I admire the author for sharing with us such a personal time. I also feel that his deep affection for the land, for his home in the woods, connects us with the place that all of us need to be; the place where we are truly ourselves. For me it is the ocean. When I go the ocean, I feel the same way David does when he is in the woods. As a parent of two daughters, I also understood his changing relationship with them. And the struggles in one's life that only lead to a better, stronger place. This is a book I will be recommending to an assortment of friends. I have never written a review here; this book moved me to do so.