Review: Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail

Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I really liked this book! I bought it at the end of my hiatus between jobs and it was the first book that I read on my "T" commute.

This is a memoir - part "Eat Pray Love" and part "A Walk in the Woods", It follows Cheryl as she hikes the Pacific Crest Trail (think Appalachian Trail but less well-traveled) alone, as a single woman. Through the book, she tells the story of her childhood, failed first marriage, descent into drug abuse, and circumstances that led her to decide to do the hike.

Also chronicled is the real-time experience of hiking - the blisters, the companions, the frustrations, the gear, the weather, the solitude, the miscalculations of difficulty and finances (and boot size), and the challenge of it all. As someone who has camped and hiked a handful of weekends, I was amazed that she took this 1,000 mile hike on.

This book really held my attention. I was fascinated by her stories, both the past and the current.

I'll be very interested to see how Reese Witherspoon captures her in the movie adaptation.



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