About the Book
Some journeys we choose. Others choose us.
In Belonging to the World, you are brought into the book in the aftermath of tragedy, where Barry Hoffner wanted to feel the pulse of the world again. The whole world.
When Barry Hoffner lost his wife and travel partner, Jackie, in a sudden tragedy, his grief was a black hole that consumed everything. But amid the quiet wreckage of loss, something unexpected stirred: the call to move, to reconnect, and to live fully again.
What began as a reluctant return to the road became an audacious mission to visit all 193 countries on Earth-not to escape his pain but to transform it. Along the way, Barry discovered a world with far more depth and complexity than headlines suggest-one full of unexpected joy, even amid hardship and struggle. From war zones to mountaintops, refugee camps to ancient ruins, he found people whose kindness and openness brought him back to life.
Belonging to the World is a deeply felt memoir of healing from grief, finding resilience, and forging human connection across the globe.
My Take on the Book
Belonging to the World: A Journey from Grief to Connection in Every Country on Earth is a powerful meditation on loss, movement, and the quiet ways human connection restores meaning. After the sudden death of his wife and travel companion, Barry Hoffner does not set out to outrun grief—but to sit with it while re-entering the world. His decision to visit every country becomes less about geography and more about reawakening curiosity, trust, and presence.
What makes this memoir especially compelling is its emotional steadiness. Hoffner writes with humility, allowing grief to coexist with wonder, fear, kindness, and joy. The encounters he describes—often brief, sometimes profound—reveal how generosity and shared humanity transcend borders, languages, and circumstance. The book balances reflective inner work with vivid observations of places rarely centered in mainstream travel writing.
Belonging to the World is ultimately about choosing engagement over withdrawal. It’s a moving reminder that healing doesn’t erase loss—it expands life around it.
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