Lifelines
Searching for Home in the Mountains of Greece
by Julian Hoffman
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Pub Date Aug 26 2025 | Archive Date May 19 2025
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Description
Prespa is a crossroads. Where three countries come together around two huge lakes, where limestone collides with granite and heat-pulsing Mediterranean ecosystems meet their colder, Balkan relatives. Here, languages, wartime histories and rivers converge, and pelicans, bears and people leave their footprints on the water’s edge – next to unexploded bombs.
Lifelines is not only the tale of a courageous leap into a new life, but of seasons punctuated by unforgettable encounters, from a stare-down with a bear surrounded by Spring wildflowers to a deep-winter meeting with fourteen wrens sheltering above a frozen doorway. And into this place encircled by mountains, Julian seamlessly weaves an intricate web of stories – of conflict and possibility; of refuge lost and found; of the wild lifelines that connect us all as we move through the world seeking a home.
Advance Praise
‘A tender, powerful story of love for a place and a way of being, and a bracing call to the barricades - for enemies are closing in. An urgent, important and compelling read’ Charles Foster, author of Cry of the Wild
'Absolutely fantastic. Lifelines is a balm for the soul: simultaneously hyper local and international; attentive to the lives of others, animal and human; Hoffman's writing has never been better, more powerful, more beautiful than here. It is the book we need for these troubling times of closing borders, suspicion of others and biodiversity loss. It deserves to win awards’ Stephen Rutt, author of The Eternal Season
‘Awakens every sense - Lifelines will tilt you towards the wonder of nature. Written with wisdom, love and a protective quality that soars, this is a beautiful and important gem’ Hannah Bourne-Taylor, author of Fledgling
'Julian Hoffman’s writing is knockout beautiful, perceptive, sensitive, thoughtful, beguiling, deeply smart, full of humanity, and a Lifeline in itself’ Keggie Carew, author of Dadland and Beastly
'Julian Hoffman’s Lifelines is quite magical. He observes the world around him with such sensitivity and he brings to every natural encounter - be it a Greek landlord, a moth, a Juniper tree or a brown bear - a child's sense of wonder and respect ... Lifelines is a book that will refresh your soul' Carol Drinkwater, author of The Olive Farm
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9781783968640 |
| PRICE | A$42.99 (AUD) |
| PAGES | 301 |
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
Gail H, Reviewer
A travel memoir focused on the wonder of nature. Sumptuous writing by Julian Hoffman, who tells the story of how he and wife Julia decide to move to Prespa, a remote and mountainous part of Greece. Memorable moments include a stare-down with a bear surrounded by Spring wildflowers, and a deep-winter meeting with fourteen wrens sheltering above a frozen doorway. The book doesn't shy away from conflict, but always has an optimistic tone.
A book to dive into when you want to escape from the cruelty and avarice of today's world.
Sue H, Reviewer
What can I say about this book. Lifelines is so beautifully written, the nature writing is superb. I was totally transported to that small part of Greece that the author and his wife called home.
Julian and his wife had grown disillusioned with their city life and made the move to Prespa in Greece which bordered with Macedonia and Albania. The descriptions of the natural world that they found there and the friendliness of the local people who helped them transition from total outsiders and taught them the history of the area. Julian is a keen supporter of the areas diverse amount of wildlife but is not immune to the fact that climate change is taking its toll on the nature that surrounds him. The book makes a lot of important points as to why we must all take responsibility for the world that we live in.
I have no hesitation in recommending this book to anyone who has a love of the environment and the the natural world that we live in, it was definitely written from the heart.
Asvin M, Reviewer
One of the most beuatifully written travel memoirs, lush and airy, Lifelines tells the story of Julian Hoffman and Julia, when they decide to move to a Prespa, a remote part of Greece, away from the choking hustle of the metropolitan world. They they go, to start a new life and there they did, an exploration of the unseen parts of their lives.
This is not just a travelogue or a memoir, this is an imprint of the belongingness of us in the world, of the connection we have with the rest of the nature, from bees to bears, from air to water, from limestones to the Mediterranean summer- Lifelines, as the name Suggests, is a book of realities that we often forget from our conscience.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book!!
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