Out of the Woods

Nature, Sexuality, and Faith in the Forest

By: Luke Turner

Narrated by: Luke Turner

“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.

©2019 Luke Turner (P)2021 Greystone Books

Critic reviews

“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)

Powerful Representation

In Hermann Hesse's stunning novel "Narcissus and Goldmund" readers are introduced to the two title characters- a devout monk and a sensualist artist- who, despite their very different paths in life, reflect a shared heart and soul.

This is what I felt like reading "Out of the Woods". As a bisexual man of faith, raised the natural beauty of a forest, I resonated with Turner's internal experiences with a stunning similarity and depth. And yet our path diverged remarkable in our life's choices, both with gifts and costs. To find this kind of representation is rare and powerful.

I have rarely come across a book that his so quickly and deeply impacted me. Beautifully written, unflinchingly honest, and profoundly wise, this is a book I will return to many times.