Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail
“There’s always a sunrise and always a sunset and it’s up to you to choose to be there for it,’ said my mother, ‘Put yourself in the way of beauty.’”
About This Book:
Published: 2012
Genre: Memoir, Adventure
At 26, reeling from her mother's death, a failed marriage, and years of self-destructive choices, Strayed did something impulsive:
She hiked 1,000 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail alone, with no backpacking experience.
The trail becomes both a physical journey and a reckoning with everything Cheryl has lost and done. She doesn't pretend to be some outdoor expert or wilderness hero. She packed so badly that her backpack earned the nickname "Monster." She shares her failures, fears, and moments where she almost quit, right alongside the transcendent experiences of wilderness and solitude.
Published in 2012, Wild became a #1 New York Times bestseller and cultural phenomenon. Millions of readers saw themselves in Strayed's portrayal of grief, mistakes, and the messy process of putting yourself back together. The book was later adapted into a film starring Reese Witherspoon.
Perfect for readers who appreciate: Memoir, adventure stories, nature writing, grief and healing, women's journeys, personal transformation
Why We Recommend This Book:
Strayed's journey shows that healing isn't linear or pretty. It's painful, awkward, and usually involves making more mistakes before you figure things out.
This book hits particularly hard if you're navigating grief, big life changes, or living with choices you regret. It's also for anyone who feels stuck and needs permission to do something radical and imperfect. Strayed isn't suggesting everyone go hike the PCT. She's showing that sometimes we need to physically move through space to process what's happened to us.
