The Forest Is the Path

De: Gary Lightbody

Narrado por: Gary Lightbody

'The pages sing in this beautiful book.' Bono

'Moving and lyrical, The Forest is the Path is an imaginative and deeply personal journey of self-discovery.' The Irish Times

You’re falling through time so all I can do is fall with you.

The numbness had set in long before I sat at your bedside. But even with senses impaired as the flight touches down at Belfast City I can somehow still feel the screeching of wheels on tarmac scorching something deep into me.

Gary Lightbody's phenomenal companion to Snow Patrol's No.1 Album of the same name is a remarkable work of narrative writing.

The Forest is the Path explores some of the main themes of the album; time, home, love, death and life, and serves as a prequel to the record, telling the story of his dad Jack's death. It tracks the journey he went on – a journey whose end seemed to unlock a part of Gary that had been dormant until he started to write songs again.

This is the book that emerged from that time.

‘[An] astoundingly poetic book’ – Pandora Sykes

'Raw…and extraordinary.' – Nihal Arthanayake

'Lightbody's propose is fluid and unflinchingly honest' – The Irish Times

'Absolutely beautiful.' Audrey Carville

‘I have both cried and laughed reading this book. It is beautiful.’ – Muireann O'Connell

©2025 Gary Lightbody (P)2025 HarperCollins Publishers

Beautifully written book

I listened to this beautifully written book in one go. I am gutted. It brought up so many emotions that I realize I haven’t dealt with in almost 7 years of my mom being gone. I thought I was the only one feeling some of these things.

Raw and Beautiful

I really enjoyed the raw beautiful and honest words. I would highly recommend this book. Gary did an amazing job writing and reading his beautiful journey .

What poetic truth

Now I love the album even more. First book to move my soul in a long time. A true blessing.

Healing from grief

If you like Snow Patrol this is a must read, it makes the songs of the new album shine in a whole new light. However even if you’ve never heard a single Snow Patrol song in your life, the account of the process of grief had Gary Lightbody shares is as raw and poetic as grief itself. As someone who went through the loss of a parent in the last year this book specially read by the author had me clinging to every word feeling the rollercoaster of emotions.
Art can heal.

Poetry

Breathtakingly beautiful. Imagery and love is palpable
I have enjoyed his music (understatement) and now think he is my favorite author

Heart touching

Thank you Gary for your vulnerability and truth. Sending you all the love in this world you deserve ~ and know your father always knew what was in your heart.

Best listen of a lifetime.

Raw honest funny lyrical real new. Give yourself the gift of this time with one of the best poets and musicians of his generation. I thought it was simply magical.

Worth listening to if you ever lost a loved one

A great heartfelt depiction of the feelings you get when losing a parent. A beautiful story that becomes therapy to some. I had to play it twice . And will play it more.So good.

Perfect portrait of an artist

Gary shares his heart, and it’s worth hearing whether you’re a big fan or not!

The Forest is the Path

A book that can reflect back the grief we all experience at some point, in a myriad of ways. It made me feel a lot less lonely with the grief I carry. Thank you Mr. Lightbody for the honesty and openness.