Things I Learned from Falling - Book Review

When food and travel journalist, Claire Nelson, left bustling London behind to explore North American Wilderness, she was looking for a new perspective on life. Little did she know she’d find it by falling off path in Joshua Tree National Park, shattering her pelvis in the process, leaving her immobilized and at the mercy of the desert in summer for four days.

This book is her survival story, but it is also so much more.

This was a gripping read (or listen, as I opted for the audiobook, which I was pleasantly surprised to discover is read by the author). The writing was lovely, while still overall having a conversational tone, as if Nelson were a friend I was sitting down with for a cup of coffee. Despite knowing that Nelson obviously survives to tell her tale, the scenes in the desert were full of suspense, leaving me wondering what challenges would arise next, how Nelson would cleverly overcome them with limited and dwindling supplies, and ultimately, how she escapes a nearly definite death sentence.
Intermixed with snapshots of her days lost in the desert, Nelson told related stories of her life before the incident. I appreciated these added chapters, as I was unfamiliar with Nelson’s work before the release of this book. It also provided much needed context for the story. Nelson was an experienced hiker, and well traveled. These chapters also explore the depression Nelson has grappled with for years, leading up to her decision to explore the wilderness.
Her mental health healing process began before the accident, but was further reinforced by her survival. Nelson was a woman who struggled to ask for help. Being forced to rely on others for her rescue showed her the strength it takes to ask for help, and that people care and want to help her. This message Nelson intended to pass along to her readers.
Post rescue, Nelson detailed her arduous recovery process, including surgery and an accidentally obtained dependency on morphine. The book appropriately ended where it began, with Nelson returning to the same trail where the accident occurred, but this time, with a group of friends.
This book is a testament to Nelson’s personal growth, as it clearly took great vulnerability to write. It not only serves as a warning to respect that anything can go wrong in nature, but as a message of encouragement to others suffering with depression that people can help, you just have to let them in.