Wild

A while back I talked about all the great book recommendations that my brother's girlfriend gave me and I've finally finished a second on the list: Cheryl Strayed's memoir Wild: from lost to found on the Pacific Crest Trail. I hadn't heard of the book, but apparently it is quite popular as I waited two months for it after placing a hold on it. (It is an Oprah Book Club book, so that may have something to do with the wait.)

The book is about the author's solo journey across the Pacific Crest Trail, a hiking trail that runs from the Mexican border to the Canadian border and is quite difficult. There are trail books hikers sign along the way and Cheryl quickly notices people make the journey in pairs or groups, not alone, surely no women had signed in alone. And yet she continues as it gets increasingly difficult.

Of course the magic of the book is not just about the physical struggle of the trip, but the emotional battleground that she faces. Her mother has died, her marriage has ended, and she is lost. But by facing the challenges of the mighty trail alone, she is able to come to peace with the painful events of her life. It is a beautiful book (which I've heard is being made into a movie) and a worthwhile read.