The Electricity of Every Living Thing
A woman’s walk in the wild to find her way home
‘A windswept tale, beautifully told’
Raynor Winn - The Salt Path
‘A manifesto for the value of difficult people. I loved it’
Amy Liptrot - The Outrun
In August 2015, Katherine May set out to walk the 630-mile South West Coast Path. She wanted to understand why she had stopped coping with everyday life; why motherhood had been so overwhelming and isolating, and why the world felt full of inundation and expectations she can't meet. Setting her feet down on the rugged and difficult path by the sea, the answer begins to unfold. It's a chance encounter with a voice on the radio that sparks a realisation that she is autistic.
The Electricity of Every Living Thing tells the story of the year in which Katherine comes to terms with her diagnosis. It leads to a re-evaluation of her life so far - a kinder one, which finally allows her to be different rather than simply awkward, arrogant or unfeeling. The physical and psychological journeys become inextricably entwined, and as Katherine finds her way across the untameable coast, she also finds the way to herself.
Listen to Stephen Fry read a short extract from The Electricity of Every Living Thing at the end of this episode of Stephen Fry's Inside Your Mind
Katherine often receives messages from people who have received an autism diagnosis and are struggling with what that means, or who think they might be autistic and want more information and reassurance.
Read Katherine’s Autism Resources page here
The Electricity of Every Living Thing is also available as a audiodrama
