Wild by Cheryl Strayed

I was visiting Sierra one time, and her friend Ann Mines Bailey came to visit. I really like Ann, so I asked her what she had been reading. I figured what she liked, I would like. She told me she absolutely LOVED this book Wild, by Cheryl Strayed. So I ordered it.

At first, I was disappointed. The beginning of this story is so depressing. This woman has lost her moorings...although it wasn't clear that she really had any. Her close relationship with her mother was beautifully described, but her behavior after her mother's death was not something I could remotely relate to. Heroin? Really? That's when I began to think that this woman was such a disappointment that I almost gave up on her story. But I hung in there, and began to watch her learn from her mistakes and her choices.

The story of her feet, her boots, the people she meets on the trail are all captivating. I LOVE hiking, and I was enthralled by the thought of her solo attempt to take on part of the Pacific Coast Trail. I am sure I am too "citified" to take on a solo through-hike, so it was really wonderful to be able to experience it through this author's story. I enjoyed watching her mature as she faced challenge after challenge with courage and grit. It was also a sweet trip down memory lane...about what it was like to be comfortable with having no money at all, and making your pennies last to the next destination. It reminded me of my two years of living in Germany when I was young and adventurous. I enjoyed relating to that part of the story especially. Also, re-living the camaraderie that develops among fellow travelers was fun for me. So much learning happens when you travel solo! Occasionally I get snippets of that now, and I always come away grateful that I had the guts to put myself "out there."

See also September 2023 when I reread this!