Author Talk with Catherine DeVrye

Join local author and twice-voted Australian Keynote Speaker of the Year Catherine DeVrye for an inspiring journey through more than 150 countries. From trekking to Timbuktu and swimming off Yemen to sharing pizza with Syrian refugees in Serbia, Catherine's travels reveal a simple yet profound truth: despite what headlines often suggest, there is far more that unites us than divides us.

‘Catherine may set out to go everywhere but her explorations prove that with an open mind, anywhere is as friendly as home’   Tony Wheeler- Founder of Lonely Planet 

Beyond Timbuktu takes readers on a surprising A-to-Z armchair journey—from Albania to Zimbabwe—through over 150 countries—some well-known, many misunderstood. 

Catherine DeVrye shares real-life stories beyond bias and borders: skiing in Lebanon, cycling through Lithuania, swimming in Yemen, dining with royalty in Bahrain or sharing pizza with Syrian refugees in Serbia. Through vivid vignettes and surprising moments of shared humanity, she shows us that more unites us than divides us, revealing universal hopes, dreams, love and laughter.

With insight, warmth, humour and unflinching honesty, Catherine shatters stereotypes of often-maligned nations, quietly spotlighting that individuals are usually kinder than their governments.

This isn’t a guidebook or tell-all memoir—it’s a rich mosaic of adventures, observations and encounters, illustrating that courage, kindness and connection appear in the most unexpected places.

Whether you’re a baby boomer with a passport full of stamps or a backpacker planning your first trip, this book will transport you—to places you’ve been, dream of visiting or never wish to set foot in. If you’ve ever wanted to explore the world or understand it more deeply beyond media-fuelled fear, here’s your invitation…

‘Breathtaking in scope, rich in observations and deep in wisdom, it’s a gripping adventure that challenges our stereotypes and prejudices about other people and places.’ Hugh Mackay, AO, author Kindness Revolution

‘The world needs hope, like never before. This wonderful book provides pathways to it and encouragement to flourish in life.’ Rev Tim Costello, AO, former CEO World Vision

‘Each chapter of this armchair journey reminds us that goodness is the dominant force of our human spirit.’ Greg Mortimer, OAM, first Australian to summit Mount Everest