Out of the Woods: Nature, Sexuality, and Faith in the Forest

"Out of the Woods is a brave and beautiful book, electrifying on sex and nature, religion and love. No one is writing quite like this."-- Olivia Lang, author of The Lonely City In this highly original work of nature writing and memoir, a young man explores his shifting sexual identity and troubled family history against the backdrop of a sprawling urban forest in London. In the wake of a significant breakup, Luke Turner is visited by familiar demons, including depression and guilt surrounding his bisexual identity, experiences of sexual abuse, and confusion brought on by an intensely religious upbringing. With nowhere to turn, Turner seeks refuge in London's Epping Forest, where unexpected, elusive threats seem to have replaced its former comforts. No stranger to compulsion, Turner finds himself repeatedly drawn to the woods, eager to uncover its secrets and investigate an old family rumor of illicit behavior that once happened there. Away from a society that still cannot cope with the complexities of masculinity and sexuality, Turner finally begins to find acceptance among the trees as he reconciles external expectations with his own way of being.

About the Author :
LUKE TURNER is a writer, editor, and curator based in London. He co-founded and edits the influential online music publication The Quietus and regularly writes on music, culture, and place for a variety of magazines, websites, and broadcasters. Out of the Woods is his first book.

Review :
"This is a book to get lost in. ...A disturbing trauma narrative, it's also a work of delightfully low, pants-dropping comedy, and a learned meditation, influenced by 17th-century Italian philosopher Giambattista Vico, on the nature of knowledge." --The Guardian "Achieves that tricky balance of feeling both deeply personal and totally universal." --ESQUIRE "There is so much to admire in Luke Turner's richly textured memoir Out of the Woods, so much compassion and hard-earned wisdom. This book is a map toward healing." --Peter Gajdics, author of The Inheritance of Shame "A compulsive and beautifully written debut: all those who loved The Outrun should read it." --Caroline Sanderson, Editor's Choice, The Bookseller "Out of the Woods had me hooked. Refreshing, frank, edifying, courageous . . . I was quite emotional by the end. Luke Turner is a serious thinker and a unique and important new voice." --Amy Liptrot, author of The Outrun "Out of the Woods is a brave and beautiful book, electrifying on sex and nature, religion and love. No one is writing quite like this. I'm so glad Luke Turner exists." --Olivia Laing, author of The Lonely City "Out of the Woods is an unflinching and unsentimental portrait of place, spirituality, and sexuality. Turner's is a memoir stripped of nostalgia--honest to its bones--and a bold reimagining of what nature writing can be." --Jessica J. Lee, author of Two Trees Make A Forest "Truly beautiful prose... the candour and insightful scholarship Turner brings to his subject make it a very worthwhile read." --LITERARY REVIEW "Honest, haunting and moving, Out of the Woods envelops you in its leafy, sprawling pages, and squeezes tight. Captivating and poignant." --ATTITUDE "Unflinching on relationships, the nature of obsession, lust, masculinity, faith and lost innocence. Out of the Woods is a very special book." --Brett Anderson "Out of the Woods is like nothing I've read before--rich, honest, humane and thoughtful, it is utterly original and really gets into the bones." --Lucy Jones "Sparkling with sexual energy and intelligence, Out of the Woods is both a timely reminder of the dangers of concealment and suppression, and a powerful testament to the redemptive power of--lovingly, determinedly--making what was hidden known." --Helen Jukes, author of A Honeybee Heart Has Five Openings "Out of the Woods is emotionally and sexually charged, deeply moving, with hauntingly exquisite writing and an extraordinary command of language that draws you into the depths of the forest and Luke's struggles with bisexuality, religion and love. Such raw honesty is precious and makes for a powerful read. I feel like I want to bind this book in wood and keep it in a special place for when I return to read it again and again." --Cosey Fanni Tutti