Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail, by Cheryl Strayed
This gripping memoir, Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail, tells the story of Cheryl Strayed's daring quest for self-discovery. At 26, reeling from her mother's death and a crumbling marriage, Strayed embarked on an audacious 1,100-mile hike along the Pacific Crest Trail. Despite her lack of outdoor experience and minimal preparation, she tackled the grueling journey head-on. Readers will find themselves on the edge of their seats as Strayed faces down hunger, thirst, and extreme weather while trekking from the scorching Mojave Desert through California and Oregon to the lush forests of Washington. Along the way, she encounters menacing wildlife, including bears and rattlesnakes, adding heart-pounding tension to her already arduous trek.
But the true heart of this book lies in Strayed's internal journey. Through vivid flashbacks, we glimpse the pain that drove her to the trail, while watching her grow stronger with each hard-won mile. As she conquers physical challenges, Strayed finds a path to emotional healing and self-discovery.
This raw and honest account struck a chord with readers, climbing to the top of the New York Times Bestseller list. Its powerful story later captivated audiences on the big screen, with Reese Witherspoon and Laura Dern bringing Strayed's transformative journey to life in a popular 2014 film adaptation.
““The thing about hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, the thing that was so profound to me that summer—and yet also, like most things, so very simple—was how few choices I had and how often I had to do the thing I least wanted to do. How there was no escape or denial. No numbing it down with a martini or covering it up with a roll in the hay. As I clung to the chaparral that day, attempting to patch up my bleeding finger, terrified by every sound that the bull was coming back, I considered my options. There were only two and they were essentially the same. I could go back in the direction I had come from, or I could go forward in the direction I intended to go.””
Interesting Facts & Links:
Strayed wrote the book nearly two decades after her actual hike on the Pacific Crest Trail, relying heavily on detailed journals she kept during her journey. Despite the book's focus on her solo hiking experience, Strayed actually encountered and interacted with many other hikers during her journey, but chose to minimize their presence in the narrative.
The author chose the surname "Strayed" for herself during her divorce, prior to her hike, and legally changed her name to it.
Cheryl Strayed has written two other well received New York Times best-selling books - Tiny Beautiful Things and Brave Enough . Both books share advice on love and life from her Dear Sugar advice column on The Rumpus, a blog like website (www.therumpus.net) dedicated to fantastic writing. She has also written a novel called Torch. Strayed's essays have been published in The Best American Essays, the New York Times, the Washington Post Magazine, Vogue, Salon, and elsewhere.
Strayed's "Forty-Five", a story about an emotional trip to the Principality of Andorra, is featured in An Innocent Abroad, a 2014 collection of travel writing from Lonely Planet.
For those like us inspired the experience of a long walk, please visit our blog featuring our recommendations on the best books on hiking.
Wild | Reese Witherspoon Official HD Trailer | Fox Searchlight
The movie version was directed by Jean-Marc Vallée, who also made Dallas Buyers Club. Reese Witherspoon, who won an Oscar for Walk the Line, stars in the film. Nick Hornby, known for writing An Education, adapted the bestselling book for the screen. If you enjoy movies about travel, you might want to read our blog post about the top ten films we recommend for travelers.
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