Strayed's Wild read captures readers

Cheryl Strayed, the author of the nonfiction book Wild, writes about everything she had been through and becoming a new person by walking the Pacific Crest Trail. Strayed went to Syracuse University and graduated with a bachelor's degree in English with a focus on fiction writing. Yet in 1991 a devastating event happened when her mom died of cancer at only 45. After her mother's death, Strayed went into immense depression. To cope, she slept around with men and shot heroin. After divorcing her husband, she decided to change her life so she walked the Pacific Crest Trail from California to Washington.

Along with Wild, Strayed has also wrote a collection of essays and two other books. Torch, a fiction novel about a family who is crushed by the unexpected loss of the mother, was her first novel published. Strayed also wrote Tiny Beautiful things, which is a compilation of her advice column she had years before.

Wild is an adventurous book that starts out with a lost lady seeking to find hope. As she walks the one thousand plus miles on the Pacific Crest Trail, she leaves the death of her mother, her divorce and her whole past behind in California. Strayed walks out a new person when she reaches the end of the trail in Washington.

Strayed’s exciting thrill of a journey leaves the reader excited, yet intrigued by her life. As she crosses rivers and streams, encounters animals big and small on this wild trip on foot, she builds new relationships and comes to peace with herself. Strayed is introduced to the struggles of backpacking and what not to pack. She escapes herself while finding a new self.

This book would be great for someone who likes self counselling. For someone who wants to change the way they live by themselves. Someone who doesn’t need the help of others to feel better. Honestly, anyone would like to read this book because it’s a really interesting and grabbing novel. It teaches you that you can overcome, that you don’t need anyone to help you besides yourself.

Molly enjoys FFA, reading, and her family.