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Chandi Wyant
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Return To Glow: A Pilgrimage of Transformation in Italy Kindle Edition

by Chandi Wyant (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 out of 5 stars 234 ratings

In her early forties, Chandi Wyant’s world implodes in the wake of a divorce and traumatic illness. Resolving to find a healthy way to heal, Chandi decides to walk forty days on Italy’s pilgrimage route, with a goal of arriving in Rome, rejuvenated in mind, body, and spirit.

Weakened by her recent illness and impeded by the onset of plantar fasciitis only days into her walk, Chandi’s finds her cherished goal is in jeopardy. Determined to persevere, she walks over the Apennines, through the valleys of Tuscany, and beside busy highways, learning to let her heart lead and finding sustenance from surprising sources.

As the walk progresses, Chandi’s emotional life heals even as the pain in her body escalates. But will the strength of her mind be enough to deliver herself on foot to Rome?

Return to Glow transports readers to a lesser-known Italy, and inspires with its profoundly spiritual and ruggedly adventuresome journey. Anyone who has longed to leave fixed expectations behind and follow their heart will find courage in Chandi's story.


"Chandi's search for herself is both ubiquitous and yet singular; her unique voice and honest self-examination speak to our shared humanity as we question our mistakes and seek to find passion, love and fulfillment on our Hero's Journey through life."

"Her thoughtful reflection on her short-comings reveals a strength of mind and heart, which really drew me in to her experience. Her internal struggles are very relatable, and she gracefully avoids becoming a victim of her circumstances. I love this book and the lessons it contains.

"Her writing style drew me in immediately, placing me beside her, as if I were there. I was affected deeply by her determination and courage to continue."

"If you loved Cheryl Strayed's Wild you will love this book. Perhaps more. If you have dreamed of adventure and transformation read this and be inspired."
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  1. Print length
    286 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Accessibility
    Learn more
  4. Publication date
    March 29, 2017
  5. File size
    3.0 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"If you read only one personal transformation memoir this year, make it Return to Glow. After reading it, I felt closer to my own glow, even without the physical pilgrimage." - Melissa Bartel of Bibliotica

"Wyant's journey is an inspiration for any woman who hopes to travel to find herself." - Laura Fraser author of New York Times best-selling travel memoir An Italian Affair
"Return to Glow is a beautifully written account of one woman's desire to prioritize passion like her beloved Italians do." - Julian Wetz of Browsing the Atlas
"My favorite themes tugged at me throughout the work -- a woman and solo traveler reconnecting with herself, and reawakening with every step she took on the pilgrimage." - Donna West of Fun Tour Guru
"I thoroughly enjoyed this compelling, insightful memoir of one woman taking on a challenging long-distance trek through Italy that might just lead her back to happiness. If you have a spirit of adventure or a yearning for Italy, you'll love this book." - Jennifer Barclay author of There's an Octopus in My Ouzo and Falling in Honey

About the Author

Chandi is a world traveler, photographer, writer and historian. She's lived in Qatar, India, Italy, Switzerland and England, and has been returning to Italy with unremitting passion since she first lived there at age 20. Her memoir about her 40-day pilgrimage walk in Italy was published in the spring of 2017 and has been featured on numerous travel websites and podcasts to rave reviews. Chandi has a master's degree in Florentine Renaissance history and she loves teaching history and helping people have a great time in Italy via her trip planning services. 

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B06XY8969W
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Chandi Wyant
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ March 29, 2017
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 3.0 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 286 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0998463018
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 out of 5 stars 234 ratings

About the author

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Chandi Wyant

Chandi Wyant

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A world traveler, writer, and historian, Chandi Wyant has lived in Asia, the Middle East, and a variety of European countries. She currently lives part of the year in Italy, where she is an accredited guide to Italy's museums. She holds a Master's degree in Florentine Renaissance history and teaches history online as well as leading small specialized tours in Florence and beyond.

Website: www.paradiseofexiles.com Instagram: @paradiseofexiles

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ParadiseOfExiles/

Readers: Please know that my CURRENT and UP-TO-DATE guide to Qatar is this one:

Qatar For Curious Travelers: A 3-Day Itinerary and Guide

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
234 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this memoir uplifting and engaging, with beautiful writing that is relatable and easy to read. The storytelling is compelling, with one customer noting how every page touches different heart strings. Customers praise the author's courage and strength throughout the narrative.

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InspirationReadabilityWriting styleStorytellingCourage
49 customers mention "Inspiration"49 positive0 negative

Customers find the book inspiring, describing it as an uplifting spiritual story that weaves a pilgrimage narrative.

"I could not put this book down. It is one part inspiration, one part adventure, one part personal tale and one part travelogue, but all of it was..." Read more

"Plucky account of a physically and emotionally difficult journey to a better place...." Read more

"...There's the adventure of it, there's pithily observed self discovery, and there's an ineffable spiritual component...." Read more

"...This is the real Italy, honest, well-observed, the frustrating and beautiful place you would find without much money, but if you had a heart open to..." Read more

33 customers mention "Readability"33 positive0 negative

Customers find the book engaging and entertaining, with one mentioning how it brings readers along on the journey.

"...part personal tale and one part travelogue, but all of it was highly entertaining and touching...." Read more

"...I’ll always remember this wonderful book." Read more

"...Pick this book up and you will never be sorry you did. Excellent work, easy read, beautiful imagery created by the author." Read more

"I just finished reading the book and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I’ve been to Italy several times, but speak none of the language...." Read more

27 customers mention "Writing style"27 positive0 negative

Customers praise the writing style of the memoir, describing it as beautifully written and relatable, with one customer noting how the narration propels the reader along.

"...For lovers of Italy, you will be enthralled with her insightful, sometimes funny, descriptions of Italians and Italian life...." Read more

"...What a guide she is, and what a gift this book! Her style is straightforward, intensely honest, full of whimsey and careful observation...." Read more

"A very readable relatable of a young woman who takes the chance that we all dream of. Should include an epilogue." Read more

"...Her book is well written and edited with deep, profound prose and detailed descriptions of the Italian culture, countryside, people and sights...." Read more

16 customers mention "Storytelling"16 positive0 negative

Customers find the book's storytelling compelling, with one review noting how every page touches different heart strings.

"...It is one part inspiration, one part adventure, one part personal tale and one part travelogue, but all of it was highly entertaining and touching...." Read more

"...And next. And next. This was such a narrative. Making me suspend my other interests till I'd seen this one through to the end...." Read more

"...Her book has a beautiful storyline, a lonely pilgrim on the path of history, to free her from past pains and embrace the possibilities for her..." Read more

"This is a richly textured book that weaves many story threads into the author's pilgrimage of renewal...." Read more

6 customers mention "Courage"6 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's courage and strength, with one customer highlighting the author's determination to trust her heart.

"...But not the easy way. Here is a courageous woman alone, at a blank crossroad somewhere a the middle of a life, but she insists on finding her “glow”..." Read more

"...to finish her physical and emotional pilgrimage, and her determination to trust her heart and restore the spark she once had." Read more

"...an incredible story of sadness, reflection, rediscovery, rebirth and strength mixed in with a few lessons of Italy and its culture, warmth and beauty..." Read more

"...’s story shows us the power of contemplation, of walking and of vulnerability. Hope is rekindled!" Read more

Walking Through Time; Healing the Past to Embrace the Present
5 out of 5 stars
Walking Through Time; Healing the Past to Embrace the Present
"I read this book "Return to Glow" during the quarantine in November 2020. The author, Chandi Wyant, made her pilgrimage on the "Via Francigena" trail in Italy after a traumatic illness and her divorce. She walked from Fidenza to Rome alone, determined to recover her passion for her life. Her book has a beautiful storyline, a lonely pilgrim on the path of history, to free her from past pains and embrace the possibilities for her future. This book inspired me to plan a trip for the spring of 2022. Since I was young, I have wanted to travel on foot in Europe. But I had two children before I got the opportunity. I'm sixty-five years old today. Now I'm finally ready to live the dream. I hope to be an inspiration to women who, like me, realize the life they dream of, would believe that all of this is possible. Thanks Chandi Wyant, you have lit the way for us."
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Simone
    5.0 out of 5 stars A riveting travelogue and tale of personal transformation
    Reviewed in the United States on August 15, 2017
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    I could not put this book down. It is one part inspiration, one part adventure, one part personal tale and one part travelogue, but all of it was highly entertaining and touching. Return to Glow is for anyone who has ever wanted to be closer to their true selves, for anyone that is seeking to know themselves better, for anyone looking for a way to move beyond difficulties and find a way to connect with their courageous self. It is also for anyone that loves travel or loves Italy, and wants an insider’s view of the culture.

    Chandi’s tale of doing just that resonates for most of us – male, female, any race, any class, any culture. It is a timeless story, as she decides to start her life over (or “reboot” her life) by walking a pilgrimage trail in Italy. She decides, against many odds, to walk the Via Francigena in Italy which leads to Rome. It is an ancient pilgrimage trail, but it is also an ancient and universal ritual – a symbolic passage that has had a renaissance in recent times. Just like her, many of us are hungry for a ritual that reconnects us with ourselves as our societies often separate ourselves from our true nature. She must overcome many obstacles – physical, emotional and practical – in order to start and to finish her commitment to walk the trail. Her experiences remind us of the goodness in humans and the universality of human nature.

    Chandi takes us through her physical and emotional transformation in a way that we can all relate to. For lovers of Italy, you will be enthralled with her insightful, sometimes funny, descriptions of Italians and Italian life. Her background as a history professor is an added bonus as she intersperses fascinating pieces of historical information throughout the book.

    This book is an adventure of the soul, heart, mind and body. I ended the book feeling privileged to have shared in her personal tale of transformation and inspired to keep getting closer to my own soul.
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Amazon Customer
    4.0 out of 5 stars Quick read. Enjoyable style.
    Reviewed in the United States on July 5, 2024
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    Plucky account of a physically and emotionally difficult journey to a better place. A few useful tidbits for those planning a Via Francigena walk themselves. -John S.
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  • Evan Griffith
    5.0 out of 5 stars This one made me give up my other reading . . . .
    Reviewed in the United States on April 29, 2018
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    This is how I can tell I'm reading a good book: I stop put away everything else. I enjoy reading several books at a time, flitting between them. Yet from time to time I'm gripped by a book that makes me set the others aside.

    And I stay up wayyyy too late to find out what's going to happen next. And next. And next. This was such a narrative. Making me suspend my other interests till I'd seen this one through to the end.

    Return To Glow has every ingredient I like in a memoir. There's the adventure of it, there's pithily observed self discovery, and there's an ineffable spiritual component. Chandi Wyant undertakes her journey in a particularly weakened state, in recovery from a near-death bodily trauma -- while also reeling from the collapse of her marriage.

    I think you'll appreciate her pluck as she's seized with the idea to hike the Via Francigena. Though without funds she cleverly figures out a means for financing her trek.

    She seems so frail you almost cry out at the beginning, Stop! Don't go! But she does and you exult with her every step of the way. Her love of Italy spills over page after page. Centuries rush up to meet the present as she trods the ancient path to Rome. The author also excels at conveying the spaciousness -- and isolation -- of setting out on a difficult hike alone. As a female in Italy.

    Though Wyant deftly portrays the people in her life and those she encounters in her travels, it was the step after step after step regeneration of body and soul that held me fast. In a busy, connected world, it's transporting to enter a zone of silence, the almost supernatural kind you experience when you become a tag-along spirit to one who ventures forth alone.
    8 people found this helpful
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  • Greg Adair
    5.0 out of 5 stars An honest, courageous, delightful journey!
    Reviewed in the United States on January 29, 2021
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    I loved this book! The story of Chandi Wyant's remarkable journey is a must-read for anyone who’s wanted to live more deeply. Knowing it would be difficult, and with uncertain outcome, the author launched her pilgrimage to find her heart and the source of her joy. But not the easy way. Here is a courageous woman alone, at a blank crossroad somewhere a the middle of a life, but she insists on finding her “glow” again. We witness courage and honesty about it all on every page. What a guide she is, and what a gift this book! Her style is straightforward, intensely honest, full of whimsey and careful observation. And she doesn’t spare a scholar’s insight of her beloved Italy. Piece by piece, with prayer and laughter, we walk along with her as she finds the threads of fresh openness to life in encounters and conversations with ordinary people, in landscapes both ugly and sublime. If you want to know something about Italy — I say this as a former expat — well here it is, look no further. Wyant is the real deal. This is the real Italy, honest, well-observed, the frustrating and beautiful place you would find without much money, but if you had a heart open to generous strangers, to new friends, to walking alone in the rain lost on a highway, or to sitting with tired feet surrounded by Gregorian chant in an ancient abbey too beautiful to describe. Or maybe to just the miracle of food worked by a happy cook in an unknown trattoria. The book seems to say, “Here, come this way, the road is long and the world is good!”. The spiritual pilgrimage described here is unpretentious and real, and the courage of it lifted my spirits. I’ll always remember this wonderful book.
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Momtothree
    4.0 out of 5 stars Finding Faith and rediscovering Joy
    Reviewed in France on July 8, 2019
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    When a young Anglo-American woman decides to undertake a pilgrimage in Italy, walking along the ancient Via Francigena, it is to salvage her heart as much as it is to restore her health. I really appreciated her honesty, and felt like I was undertaking the journey alongside the author. A good read, and an inspirational story.
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  • D.Y.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Honest, Reflective, Funny... and oh yeah, Italy!
    Reviewed in Canada on May 5, 2022
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    I loved Chandi's memoir about her Via Francigena pilgrimage! With her beautiful and honest writing, I felt like I was taking the journey, walking alongside her, sore feet and all. I would highly recommend this wonderful book, for those on their own journey (and aren't we all!) and for lovers of all things Italian. Grazie, Chandi!
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  • Neha Navalakha
    5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome read
    Reviewed in India on August 11, 2018
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Loved it, especially the adventures of solo female travel. Definitely recommend to read.
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  • Maz
    5.0 out of 5 stars A Journey on the Via Francigena
    Reviewed in Australia on June 16, 2021
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    I loved this book, following Chandi's healing while walking the Via Francigena, it also showed there is good people out there willing to help a stranger.
    Her journey has inspired me to do the walk, just waiting for borders to open overseas in the mean time improve my fitness.
    Thank you Chandi for sharing your journey.
    Report
  • Nazarena
    5.0 out of 5 stars A great book about Italy, travels and life
    Reviewed in Italy on November 15, 2017
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    The book is set in 2009, when the author decided to walk the ancient "Via Francigena" in Italy in order to arrive in Rome.
    The memoir is a captivating inner and outer journey and reminds us how to find joy after being at the rockbottom.
    It is perfect for those who are interested in female solo travels or want to know more about the medieval route that started in Canterbury and ended in Rome.
    It also gives us the chance to follow the challenges that she faced during the journey and to be happy for her final choise of courage over confort.
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