A powerful and hopeful essay collection exploring grief, courage, and the healing power of nature. In October 2018, Dr. Renée Brown Harmon lost her husband, Harvey, to younger-onset Alzheimer’s disease when he was only fifty-eight years old. After Harvey’s passing and nearly a decade of caring for him, Harmon found solace in hiking, nature, and travel—discovering that even when she felt frozen in her grief, her feet would keep her moving. With Life Hikes , a memoir in three parts, Harmon shares her journey of self-discovery in the wake of loss with authenticity, candor, and grace. From an encounter with gigantic Galápagos tortoises to the 19,000-foot summit of Mount Kilimanjaro to the mythology-steeped Greek island of Ithaca, she explores the parts of herself and the edges of her grief that will ultimately bring her through it. Like Harmon’s acclaimed first memoir, Surfing the Waves of Alzheimer’s , this collection is a triumphant tale of finding a new and authentic life through kindness, community, mindfulness, and the knowledge that the search for lost strength can sometimes reveal new and more powerful versions of ourselves. "Life Hikes is more than a memoir; it's a gentle companion for anyone finding their way forward after loss." -Manhattan Book Review "Reading Life Hikes feels like walking alongside Harmon as she drinks in nature's beauty. . . . Themes of self-care, self-compassion, and mindful action weave quietly through the book, reminding readers that life's challenges can become turning points." -BookLife Reviews "Dr. Harmon's efforts to grow in new directions is simply fascinating, and [Life Hikes] is highly recommended reading not just for those overcoming their own grief, but anyone looking to hone an upward trajectory in life."-Midwest Book Review "Life Hikes is a gift for anyone carrying grief. I cannot recommend this book highly enough." -Donna Francavilla, former CBS newscaster "Dr. Renée Brown Harmon wowed the dementia community with her debut teaching memoir, Surfing the Waves of Alzheimer's. With her follow-up book, Life Hikes, she has fully stepped into her role as healer." -Miller Piggott, executive director, Alzheimer's of Central Alabama "Renée Harmon draws on the raw beauty of nature to illuminate the inner landscape of loss and healing. This is a book for anyone who has known suffering-and longs for healing." -Joseph Benton Howell, PhD, author of Becoming Conscious and Know Your Soul "In this, her second memoir, Dr. Renée Harmon shares the wisdom and comfort gained from walking-literally-with grief, experiencing the lessons offered from nature and re-encountering the spark of the Divine in her walks, hikes, and climbs, near and far." -Beverly E. Thorn, PhD., author of Before I Lose My Own Mind "Brilliant. Heartwarming. Soul-affirming. Life Hikes is a luminous offering." -Lorri Hanna, community director at the Center for Transformational Coaching, founder of Barefoot Souls "From the Swiss Alps to northern Alabama's Sipsey Wilderness, Dr. Renée Harmon invites us into her journeys, literal and not, with loss and grief. She claims no expertise or special insight, but keeps showing up, rain or shine, to do the work step by step." -Reverend Herb Robertson, MDiv, director of spiritual care, Children's of Alabama "In this beautiful memoir, Dr. Renée Harmon shares how hiking, travel, and science became her compass after her husband Harvey's Alzheimer's diagnosis and death." -Audrey McDonald Atkins, award-winning author of They Call Me Orange