Ring of Salt

Finding home and hope on the Wild Coast of Ireland

By: Betsy Cornwell

Narrated by: Betsy Cornwell

On her son's first birthday, Betsy Cornwell fled her home, checking into a hotel under a false name so her husband couldn't find them. In the uncertain months that followed, her fierce determination to give her child what she never had - a safe and stable home - saved them.

In Ring of Salt, Betsy traces her journey from that desperate moment to Ireland's windswept west coast, where the Atlantic Ocean crashes against ancient cliffs. There, nestled beside a quiet lake in the wilds of Connemara, she discovers a long-abandoned knitting factory - forgotten, but full of possibility. She sets out to restore it into a sanctuary for herself and her son - and, eventually, a creative refuge for single mothers.

As she renovates the crumbling house and fights to keep custody of her son, Betsy begins to rebuild something more: a sense of belonging. In the cool mists of the countryside, and with the help of fellow survivors and an unexpected community, she pieces together a new kind of family.

Mixing Maid's gripping portrait of single motherhood with Wintering's wild, romantic sense of place, this is a powerful memoir of survival, new beginnings, and the quiet, everyday magic of finding home on one of the world's most storied and soul-stirring coastlines.©2025 Betsy Cornwell (P)2025 Hachette UK Limited

Critic reviews

Reading Ring of Salt is a profoundly inspiring experience. The memoir eloquently illustrates how the traumas of life can be converted into creativity and magic, enabling beauty and hope to coexist with pain. Cornwell's writing facilitates healing and empowerment, resonating deeply with readers through each meticulously crafted sentence (Senator Lynn Ruane)