Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio

The Paisano

Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio

The Paisano

Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio

The Paisano

Entries of a Book Hoarder: ‘Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail’

Entriesofabookhoarder

“Wild”

Year: 2012

Genre: Memoir

Author: Cheryl Strayed

3.5 out of 5 bookworms

For Fans of: “Into the Wild” by Jon Krakauer

“Eat, Pray, Love” by Elizabeth Gilbert

“Along the Way: The Journey of a Father and Son” by Martin Sheen

Rumored movie release date: October 2014

Would you walk a thousand miles across the United States? After going through a divorce, Cheryl Strayed’s memoir “Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail” documents just that. Strayed was 22 when her mother passed away and her marriage was not going as well as she expected. Four years after her divorce, she found a magazine with a picture of the Pacific Crest Trail. Little did she know that was the beginning of her spontaneous self-journey.

Strayed’s memoir is not only about her journey along the west coast of the United States, but also about her self-discovery. Throughout the memoir, Strayed explains the different events and experiences she documented during her hike. From the different wild animals to the moments when she wants to give up, Strayed unfolds her inner-self while traveling.

At times, Strayed portrays her memoir in a serious tone, yet she provides comic relief through her experiences and thoughts. While reading “Wild,”I found it very intriguing yet boring at times. This is not the first traveling book/memoir on bookstands. The only relatable theme in this memoir is in giving up. Many people need the escape in order to figure out their purpose. Strayed escaped through the PCT in order to find her purpose. As the title states, Strayed labeled herself as a lost person, but then found herself after her travels.

“Wild”was very well-written, but the content was not very believable. With every experience that Strayed mentioned, it kept me reading more and wanting to know more about her travels. The names in Strayed’s memoir are the people who she had/has conflict with, but she changed the names for their privacy. Although the characters were based on real people, somehow they did not seem relatable.

The characters were extremely fictional in the way they were portrayed. The idea of leaving her husband to backpack around part of the United States seems unrealistic. She falls into different struggles such as sex and drugs. Although Strayed struggles throughout her journey, this memoir seems to be very self-absorbed. How many people have gone through different journeys? I believe this memoir will entertain rather than teach a lesson.

If you enjoy traveling through other’s perspectives, grab your backpack and go on a hike with Cheryl Strayed.

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