The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue meets Life of Pi in this dazzlingly epic debut that charts the incredible, adventurous life of one woman as she journeys the globe trying to outrun a mysterious curse that will destroy her if she stops moving. Paris, 1885: Aubry Tourvel, a spoiled and stubborn nine-year-old girl, comes across a wooden puzzle ball on her walk home from school. She tosses it over the fence, only to find it in her backpack that evening. Days later, at the family dinner table, she starts to bleed to death. When medical treatment only makes her worse, she flees to the outskirts of the city, where she realizes that it is this very act of movement that keeps her alive. So begins her lifelong journey on the run from her condition, which won't allow her to stay anywhere for longer than a few days nor return to a place where she's already been. From the scorched dunes of the Calashino Sand Sea to the snow-packed peaks of the Himalayas; from a bottomless well in a Parisian courtyard, to the shelves of an infinite underground library, we follow Aubry as she learns what it takes to survive and ultimately, to truly live. But the longer Aubry wanders and the more desperate she is to share her life with others, the clearer it becomes that the world she travels through may not be quite the same as everyone else's... Fiercely independent and hopeful, yet full of longing, Aubry Tourvel is an unforgettable character fighting her way through a world of wonders to find a place she can call home. A spellbinding and inspiring story about discovering meaning in a life that seems otherwise impossible, A Short Walk Through a Wide World reminds us that it's not the destination, but rather the journey--no matter how long it lasts--that makes us who we are.

Cursed with immortality at the age of 9, but with a requirement that she stays in perpetual motion, Aubry flees Paris and embarks on a century-spanning, globe-trotting odyssey, seeking a cure and discovering a world beyond the boundaries of time and space.

"Paris, 1885: Aubry Tourvel, a spoiled and stubborn nine-year-old girl, comes across a wooden puzzle ball on her walk home from school. She tosses it over the fence, only to find it in her backpack that evening. Days later, at the family dinner table, she starts to bleed to death. When medical treatment only makes her worse, she flees to the outskirts of the city, where she realizes that it is this very act of movement that keeps her alive. So begins her lifelong journey on the run from her condition, which won’t allow her to stay anywhere for longer than a few days nor return to a place where she’s already been. From the scorched dunes of the Calashino Sand Sea to the snow-packed peaks of the Himalayas; from a bottomless well in a Parisian courtyard, to the shelves of an infinite underground library, we follow Aubry as she learns what it takes to survive and ultimately, to truly live. But the longer Aubry wanders and the more desperate she is to share her life with others, the clearer it becomes that the world she travels through may not be quite the same as everyone else’s..." -- from inside cover.

"Paris, 1885. Aubry Tourvel, a spoiled and stubborn nine-year-old girl, comes across a wooden puzzle ball on her walk home from school. She tosses it over the fence, only to find it in her backpack that evening. Days later, at the family dinner table, she starts to bleed to death. When medical treatment only makes her worse, she flees to the outskirts of the city, where she realizes that it is this very act of movement that keeps her alive. So begins her lifelong journey on the run from her condition, which won't allow her to stay anywhere for longer than a few days nor return to a place where she's already been"--

Aubry Tourvel is 9 when she and her sisters, Pauline and Sylvie, stumble across a strange well in a courtyard secreted between empty apartment buildings. The well is made of smooth gray stone, and its opening has been carved to resemble a face. The siblings assume it's a wishing well, and because the papers are full of terrible news, each resolves to sacrifice something precious for the greater good. Pauline drops in a gold chain to stop the socialists from bombing public buildings, and Sylvie gives up her doll so that Dr. Homais might cure syphilis. Aubry intends to ask for Mrs. Von Bingham's ailing baby to heal, but when the time comes, she refuses to relinquish her prized possession: a wooden puzzle ball she discovered in a dead man's driveway and that inexplicably finds her whenever they separate. That night, Aubry starts having seizures. She improves en route to the doctor, but upon heading home, begins bleeding from her nose, ears, and mouth. She soon realizes that to stay alive, she must keep moving, never to remain in one location for longer than three days or visit the same place twice.

"Paris 1885. Aubry Tourvel, a nine-year-old, comes across a wooden puzzle ball on her walk home from school. She tosses it over the fence, only to find it in her backpack that evening. Days later, she starts to bleed to death. When medical treatment only makes her worse, she flees to the outskirts of the city, where she realizes that the very act of movement keeps her alive. Her condition won't allow her to stay anywhere for longer than a few days nor return to a place she's already been. But the longer Aubry wanders, the clearer it becomes that the world she travels through may not be quite the same as everyone else's"--

Paris, 1885: Aubry Tourvel, a spoiled and stubborn nine-year-old girl, comes across a wooden puzzle ball on her walk home from school. She tosses it over the fence, only to find it in her satchel that evening. Days later, at the family dinner table, she is stricken by a mysterious illness.

Brodart's TOP Adult Titles:Publisher Annotation: The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue meets Life of Pi in this dazzlingly epic debut that charts the incredible, adventurous life of one woman as she journeys the globe trying to outrun a mysterious curse that will destroy her if she stops moving. Thorndike Press large print general series series.

-- A Short Walk Through a Wide World reminds us that it?s not the destination, but rather the journey?no matter how long it lasts?that makes us who we are.

IF YOU COULD NEVER STAY, WHERE WOULD YOU GO? Escape into this spellbinding novel of adventure, wonder and self-discovery, for fans of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, The Midnight Library and Life of Pi. Paris, 1885: Aubry Tourvel, a spoiled and stubborn nine-year-old girl, comes across a wooden puzzle ball on her walk home from school. She tosses it over the fence, only to find it in her satchel that evening. Days later, at the family dinner table, she starts to succumb to a mysterious illness. When a visit to a doctor only makes her worse, she flees to the outskirts of the city, where she realises that it is this very act of movement that keeps her alive. So begins her incredible lifelong journey around the world . . . From scorched sand dunes to snow-packed mountain peaks, from a bottomless well in a Parisian courtyard to the shelves of an infinite underground library, we follow Aubry as she learns what it takes to survive and, ultimately, to truly live. But it soon becomes clear that the world she travels through is not quite the same as everyone else's. * As seen on Jimmy Fallon's Tonight Show Book Club * 'Adventure, beauty, danger . . . a fantastical fable' NEW YORK TIMES 'Extraordinary . . . Welcome to [Aubry's] exciting, dangerous and romantic life' OPRAH DAILY READERS LOVE A SHORT WALK: 'This book is incredible' 'I loved every page of it . . . you just cannot put the book down' 'A perfect read . . . Aubry is a marvellous character' 'A true love letter to travel, adventure and discovery . . . fantastic' 'Wow, what a stunning book!' 'Beautifully written . . . I loved following her journey' 'A unique blend of adventure and fantasy . . . the world-building is nothing short of amazing' 'I just couldn't stop reading . . . inspiring'

"Paris, 1885. Aubry Tourvel, a spoiled and stubborn nine-year-old girl, comes across a wooden puzzle ball on her walk home from school. She tosses it over the fence, only to find it in her backpack that evening. Days later, at the family dinner table, she starts to bleed to death. When medical treatment only makes her worse, she flees to the outskirts of the city, where she realizes that it is this very act of movement that keeps her alive. So begins her lifelong journey on the run from her condition, which won't allow her to stay anywhere for longer than a few days nor return to a place where she's already been"-- "Paris, 1885. Aubry Tourvel, a spoiled and stubborn nine-year-old girl, comes across a wooden puzzle ball on her walk home from school. She tosses it over the fence, only to find it in her backpack that evening. Days later, at the family dinner table, she starts to bleed to death. When medical treatment only makes her worse, she flees to the outskirts of the city, where she realizes that it is this very act of movement that keeps her alive. So begins her lifelong journey on the run from her condition, which won't allow her to stay anywhere for longer than a few days nor return to a place where she's already been"-- "Paris, 1885. Aubry Tourvel, a spoiled and stubborn nine-year-old girl, comes across a wooden puzzle ball on her walk home from school. She tosses it over the fence, only to find it in her backpack that evening. Days later, at the family dinner table, she starts to bleed to death. When medical treatment only makes her worse, she flees to the outskirts of the city, where she realizes that it is this very act of movement that keeps her alive. So begins her lifelong journey on the run from her condition, which won't allow her to stay anywhere for longer than a few days nor return to a place where she's already been"--

Paris, 1885: Aubry Tourvel, a spoiled and stubborn nine-year-old girl, comes across a wooden puzzle ball on her walk home from school. She tosses it over the fence, only to find it in her backpack that evening. Days later, at the family dinner table, she starts to bleed to death. The only cure is to keep moving. So begins her lifelong journey on the run from her condition, which won't allow her to stay anywhere for longer than three or four days or return to a place she's already been. We follow Aubry through the decades of her life, as she survives and falls in love, with goodbye always on her tongue.

A dazzlingly epic novel that charts the incredible, adventurous life of one woman as he journeys the globe, trying to outrun a mysterious curse that will destroy her if she ever stops moving. Paris, 1885: Aubry Tourvel, a spoiled and stubborn nine-year-old girl, comes across a wooden puzzle ball on her walk home from school. She tosses it over a fence, only to find it in her backpack that evening. Days later, at the family dinner table, she starts to bleed to death. When medical treatment only makes her worse, she flees to the outskirts of the city, where she realizes that it is this very act of movement that keeps her alive. So begins her lifelong journey around the world, constantly on the run from her disease, which won't allow her to stay anywhere for more than a few days. From the scorched dunes of the Calanshio Sand Sea to the snow-packed peaks of the Himalayas; from a bottomless well in a Parisian courtyard to the shelves of a spectacular underground library, we follow Aubry as she learns to survive on her own. Along the way she will encounter friends, enemies, and lovers; strange beasts, wild landscapes, opulent castles, and grand inventions. But the longer she wanders, and the more of her unlikely existence she dares to share with others, the clearer it becomes that the world she travels through is not quite the same as everyone else's... Vivacious, independent, and irrepressibly curious, Aubry Tourvel is an unforgettable heroine searching for meaning in a life that seems otherwise impossible. A spellbinding and inspiring story of wisdom and hope for those who yearn for novelty and home alike, A Short Walk Through a Wide World reminds us that it's not the destination, but rather the journey- no matter how long it lasts- hat makes us who we are.