When I finished my degree, the first thing I thought to do was buy a good book and get totally lost in it. I've never really been one for reading non-fiction, but the older I get the more interested in the lives of others I become. University certainly helped introduce me and encourage me to discover new genres and styles of writing to get stuck into, too. When the film Wild was released at the end of 2014, starring Reese Witherspoon, I was intrigued. I was seeing it being advertised absolutely everywhere and the book shot straight into best sellers lists, despite being published in 2012. I read the blurb and thought 'I'll read that one day'. A year or so later, I finally bought it and started reading.
Once I'd started, it didn't take me long to get through this book at all. I started it while on the long coach journey from Birmingham to Plymouth and I ended up reading it for the entire journey. I just couldn't put the book down, each chapter depicted a new challenge for Strayed and it always made me want to know the next bit of her story. It made me laugh, it made me cry and it made me wince in sheer worry for Cheryl on her trek through the wilderness. At times, the book wasn't at all what I expected. It delved into the authors private, personal life and happenings and the struggles she faced like the death of a parent and a battle with drugs and sex. It was a heartbreaking tale of where life can take you and the routes of discourse that might lead a twenty-six year old woman, who's recently divorced, to hike a staggering 1,100 mile solo trek through the American wilderness. The memoir is a perfect mix of the account of Strayed's trek and her childhood memories and stories about her life leading up to her time on the trail. When Strayed first mentions the hike, she recalls how she assumed the idea would diminish somewhere, fall to the back of her mind, but it didn't. And her lack of knowledge on hiking and no prior experience did not stop this woman from doing exactly what it is she set out to do. It wasn't just a lack of experience that caused an issue, but heavy snowfall, lack of funds and black bears all failed to stop this woman... If that's not impressive, what is?
If you want to be encouraged or inspired by one woman's journey of self-discovery, pick this up. You won't regret it.
Em x
Just reading your review moved me a bit! lol. This sounds like a wonderful book, i shal be sending a sample to my kindle. Thankyou! x
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Haha awh! That's a good thing, though, surely?! It'd definitely worth a read, I can't believe how much I enjoyed it. Now to watch the film!xx
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