Things I Learned from Falling

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An inspirational and gripping first-person account of determination, adversity and survival against the odds.

‘Uplifting and brave’ – Stylist

‘A riveting account of loneliness, anxiety and survival’ – Cosmopolitan

‘A vibrantly physical book’ – the Guardian

‘Claire Nelson relives a life-changing four days’ – The Times

‘What a story; never heard a story like that before’ – Chris Evans


In 2018, Claire Nelson made international headlines. She was in her thirties and was beginning to burn out – her hectic London life of work and social activity and striving to do more and do better in the big city was frenetic and stressful. Although she was surrounded by people all of the time, she felt increasingly lonely.

When the anxiety she felt finally brought her to breaking point, Claire decided to take some time off and travelled to Joshua Tree Park in California to hike and clear her head. What happened next was something she could never have anticipated.

While hiking, Claire fell 25 feet, gravely injuring herself and she lay alone in the desert – mistakenly miles off any trail, without a cell phone signal, fighting for her life. She lay in the elements for four days until she was miraculously found – her rescuers had not expected to find her alive.

In THINGS I LEARNED FROM FALLING Claire tells her incredible story and what it taught her about loneliness, anxiety and transformation and how to survive it all.

(p) 2020 Octopus Publishing Group