A Hard Place to Leave - Stories from a Restless Life

“Intrepid and empathetic, gifted with the dispassionate gaze of a born observer…a  harmonious collage of worldview and character, a wunderkammer of experiences in a life fully lived.” —Melissa Febos, The New York Times

Winner of the 2023 Lowell Thomas Award

“DeSanctis encounters spies and love interests, but it’s her lushly polished writing that makes this book a joy to read.” —The Washington Post

Vogue''s Best Books of 2022

The Washington Post’s Best Travel Books of 2022

Restless to leave, eager to return: this memoir in essays captures the unrelenting pull between the past and the present, be