To Shake the Sleeping Self: A Journey from Oregon to Patagonia, and a Quest for a Life with No Regret

Jedidiah Jenkins

Oct 2018 · Penguin Random House Audio · Narrated by Jedidiah Jenkins

About this audiobook

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “With winning candor, Jedidiah Jenkins takes us with him as he bicycles across two continents and delves deeply into his own beautiful heart.”—Cheryl Strayed, author of Wild and Tiny Beautiful Things
 
On the eve of turning thirty, terrified of being funneled into a life he didn’t choose, Jedidiah Jenkins quit his dream job and spent sixteen months cycling from Oregon to Patagonia. He chronicled the trip on Instagram, where his photos and reflections drew hundreds of thousands of followers, all gathered around the question: What makes a life worth living? 

In this unflinchingly honest memoir, Jed narrates his adventure—the people and places he encountered on his way to the bottom of the world—as well as the internal journey that started it all. As he traverses cities, mountains, and inner boundaries, Jenkins grapples with the question of what it means to be an adult, his struggle to reconcile his sexual identity with his conservative Christian upbringing, and his belief in travel as a way to wake us up to life back home.

A soul-stirring read for the wanderer in each of us, To Shake the Sleeping Self is an unforgettable reflection on adventure, identity, and a life lived without regret.
 
Praise for To Shake the Sleeping Self

“[Jenkins is] a guy deeply connected to his personal truth and just so refreshingly present.”—Rich Roll, author of Finding Ultra
 
“This is much more than a book about a bike ride. This is a deep soul deepening us. Jedidiah Jenkins is a mystic disguised as a millennial.”—Tom Shadyac, author of Life’s Operating Manual

“Thought-provoking and inspirational . . . This uplifting memoir and travelogue will remind readers of the power of movement for the body and the soul.”—Publishers Weekly

Ratings and reviews

great book and really motivating to take off the cable tow. the writing style is nice and descriptive, and he reads the story in a captivating way that I found enjoyable. I wish there had been more to the cycling (as a bike lover), and perhaps more of the adventure itself occasionally. The storyline of his life and adventure weave together nicely. Fantastic listen!

25 stars! I love it so much, I want to buy the actual book and read it too. Travel stories can be hard to write and read, as ever changing people and locations can drop excitement and you may not find a cliff hanger or any motive to go back to the book and learn more unless you absolutely love the main character. But Jed kept me curious and wondering if he will give up Christianity and I waited for another clash with his mother. I listened to the stories of his past with intense ears, loving him, wanting to drag him away and hold him. Then wanted to watch his progress on the trip. I was grateful many times, how simple his descriptions of nature, surroundings as well as people are. They are short and relatable. My favourite:"The foot protruded out of the bowl like a scrunched hand trying to fit through a tight bracelet." It made me laugh in disgust, surprised of how that made the image so clear. Jed, your voice is sexy as is your face - I would have hit on you 100% Write more! Love.

connects everyones thought process

About the author

Jedidiah Jenkins is a travel writer, entrepreneur, and the New York Times bestselling author of To Shake the Sleeping Self. A graduate of USC and Pepperdine University School of Law, Jenkins began his professional career with the nonprofit Invisible Children, where he helped orchestrate multinational campaigns to end the use of child soldiers in central Africa. His parents, Peter and Barbara Jenkins, are the authors of the bestselling A Walk Across America series. He is the executive editor of Wilderness magazine. Jenkins’s work has appeared in The Paris Review and Playboy, and he has been covered by National Geographic.