Belonging to the World
A Journey from Grief to Connection in Every Country on Earth

After suddenly and unexpectedly losing his dear wife Jackie, Barry had to figure out how to put the pieces of his life back together and work through his overwhelming grief and re-enter society. Both he and Jackie shared a passion for travel and after a chance meeting with a young traveller he decid......more

Belonging to the World did something to my heart. This book is about a man who journeys around the world after the sudden passing of his wife. Who among us hasn’t experienced grief? However, we all process it differently. It was beautiful to read about this man’s determination not to drown in a pool......more

Belonging to the World is a bittersweet, intense, adventurous five star travel memoir that follows Barry Hoffner’s transformative journey around the world following the sudden passing of his wife, Jackie. This book shows resilience (staying stubbornly, joyfully alive) and how Hoffner transcends grie......more

If I were to find the living definition of a crazy life, it would be the author's life. Barry Hoffner lost his wife in a tragic accident that involved an elephant. His life, in the aftermath of tragedy, was consumed by his grief. He lost himself and seemed unable to recover. However, amidst the wrec......more

Belonging to the World follows Barry Hoffner’s journey from the sudden loss of his wife, Jackie, to an unexpected path of healing as he travels to every country on earth. The book opens with the shattering grief of Jackie’s death and the dark, disorienting months that follow, then widens into a stor......more