A pilgrimage of whale, calf, mother toddler

The pieces that make up this story help bring a baseline to how parenting is not only the role one brings to their child, but also to themselves, their communities and the adventures and stories the fosters. Cunningham births herself by rewilding who she is as a new mother fighting to be safe, visible and independent, in a world often not setup for following whims, curiosities and the like. She does this by following the great whale migration, and it is such an honest, gripping and brave pilgrimage she shares.

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Brilliant

What a wonderful book! Love that Doreen herself narrated her own story. A fascinating lady with an amazing story to tell. Loved every second.

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Important and urgent

I finished this book a few days ago and I’m still thinking about it. It’s a true story of a mum and her son and a journey they take to watch the grey whale migration. The way the author has woven her past & recent traumas with more facts about climate issues than I had a clue about while hooking me on the deep romance of her life, made this memoir hard to put down. I’ve learned so much without even trying. And I’ve enjoyed the process, relating to the parallels of human and whale mothering. What a beautiful way to engage with such important topics. The authors voice was sincere, it felt like she was telling me a story rather than reading a book. Just love it!

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Strange and moving

You sort of know what you’re going to get with this book and you sort of get it but it takes strange turns and by the end is very moving

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A furious pulse.

About time!
I almost whooped with recognition reading this book. Doreen Cunningham is a brilliantly bolshy, accomplished and insecure woman. She's a foul mouthed environmentalist and a single mum who takes her toddler son out of a womens hostel and sets off on an extrordinary adventure following whales.
No one follows whales thousands of miles around the world with a toddler. Do they? Well yes Doreen does. This work pushes boundaries not just because Doreen Cuningham has a wildly independent spirit but because soundings is talking of how extraordinary ordinary women and mothers have to be. And how good they are at doing just that. Cunningham is a writer that moves through the human and non human. She broaches life in all it's messy reality, death, motion and migration. The environment, love, indigenous cultures and people. This is a deeply effecting memoir and I didn't want it to end.

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Brave and beautiful

A gloriously brave and beautifully told tale of one (exceptional) woman reclaiming her life and simultaneously learning how to be a single parent. All of this with the stunning background of a description of whales' migration and reflections on climate change.

A truly original and remarkable book.

I highly recommend this!

'It was worth having no hope, only so I could experience receiving it back.'

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Beautiful and Real

I love this so much it exceeded my expectations.

Touching upon real world issues, climate change and real world issues with humans and mental health without being in your face. Emotive at times and thought provoking. I would recommend this book to anyone, not just marine life Lovers, thank you to the author for delivering this great story.

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Powerful and moving real life story

‘We are writing the next chapter of all life on earth’

This is a must read about our connection to all living creatures, to ourselves and to our past. The tale of the authors path towards freedom following the grey whales migration is inspiring and touching. As a mother this urge to create a better future for her young son resonates with me, as I hope it does for everyone, both at a personal and global scale.

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